Storyboard-to-timeline is the process of converting static panels (storyboards or thumbnails) into a playable animatic. The goal is a clean sequence with accurate durations, synced dialogue, basic camera moves, and temp audio—exported in formats your animation and sound teams can use.

Inputs:

• Script and beat sheet
• Storyboard panels (images or layered PSD/PNG)
• Dialogue audio (scratch or final), music temp, SFX library
• Shot list (CSV/Sheet) with scene/shot numbers and notes

Outputs:

• Master timeline sequence (e.g., in Premiere/Resolve/AE/Blender VSE)
• Reviewable animatic (MP4/MOV)
• Interchange files for downstream: OTIO, EDL, XML/AAF
• Asset manifests: shot durations, handles, annotations

1. Build the shot list

• Number shots consistently (e.g., S010_SH020).
• Note intent: action, dialogue lines, camera move, expected duration.

2. Create the project and set FPS

• For anime: 23.976 or 24 FPS is standard; 12 FPS for stepped timing previews.
• Lock FPS before editing to avoid retimes.

3. Import and organize panels

• Folder per scene; bins for dialogue, music, SFX.
• Name panels to match shot list (S###_SH###_V### if versioned).

4. Rough timing pass

• Place one representative panel per shot.
• Block durations by beats: action, dialogue, and transitions.
• Add 4–12 frame handles if your pipeline requires them.

5. Sync dialogue

• Drop dialogue clips; align to transcript markers.
• Add per-line markers on the timeline for lip-sync references.

6. Add camera moves and holds

• Keyframe pans/zooms or 2.5D parallax on layered panels.
• Use ease-in/out; keep move duration readable over the shot’s main beat.

7. Temp music and SFX

• Establish tempo markers; align cuts to downbeats or hit points.
• Add room tone and key SFX for timing clarity.

8. Review and tighten

• Watch for rhythm: cut before/after action, not during.
• Check read-time per panel; trim dead air.

9. Export

• Review render (H.264 MP4 for quick shares).
• Export OTIO/EDL/XML with reel/clip names, source TC, and notes.

• Dialogue-first: time shots to line deliveries; add leader/trailer frames for reactions.
• Action-first: block to motion arcs and impacts; place accents on music hits.
• Beat blend: anchor critical beats (action/dialogue), flex secondary beats to improve flow.
• Rules of thumb: reaction holds 6–12 frames, establishing shots 1.0–2.5s, inserts 8–20 frames.
• Test passes at 1.25× playback to reveal pacing issues.

Use a stable scheme: SCENE-SHOT-VERSION (e.g., S030_SH040_V02). Store metadata in clip comments or a CSV:

• Duration (frames), handles, keyframe notes
• Dialogue line IDs, take references
• Panel source path This enables clean EDL/XML/OTIO exports and predictable asset relinking.

• NLE: Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, Avid, or Blender VSE/After Effects for 2.5D moves.
• Interchange: OTIO for cross-DAW/NLE timelines; EDL for simple cuts; XML/AAF for richer metadata.
• Conform tips: keep unique clip names, avoid nested sequences when exporting EDL, and bake timewarps.

• Dialogue alignment: use ASR/VAD to auto-place line markers; nudge by ear.
• Beat detection: generate music markers to guide cuts and camera moves.
• Lip-sync guides: TTS scratch reads to block timing before final VO.
• Panel ordering: image captioning or CLIP similarity to auto-sequence numbered panels.
• QC: detect black frames, silence regions, and overlapping audio via simple heuristics.

• FPS drift: changing FPS mid-project breaks timing; lock it on day one.
• Duplicate names: cause relink failures; enforce naming via import scripts.
• Overlong holds: reduce by 4–8 frames; add micro-moves to maintain energy.
• Peaking audio: normalize dialogue; keep headroom for mix (-12 to -6 dBFS).
• Export audit: verify count of shots, total runtime, and handle length before handoff.

Deliverables:

• Review: MP4 (H.264), burned-in timecode optional.
• Timeline: OTIO for cross-tool ingest; EDL for cuts-only conform; XML/AAF for detailed metadata.
• Reports: shot list with durations, handles, and notes. Handoff notes should include FPS, audio sample rate, and any retime or timewarp that was baked.

Shot code: S###_SH###_V## (e.g., S015_SH030_V01) Foldering: /S015/boards, /S015/audio, /S015/exports CSV columns: scene, shot, version, start_tc, end_tc, duration_frames, dialog_id, notes