Video & Scriptwriting / Storyboarding
Generate descriptive visual notes for each shot — production design reference for art directors and set designers.
Why This Prompt Exists
Storyboards show composition but not production details. Art directors need lighting, color, props, wardrobe, and set dressing notes — or they guess wrong.
You get:
- lighting that doesn’t match the mood (wrong color temperature, wrong direction)
- props that feel out of place (wrong era, wrong style, wrong character)
- wardrobe that doesn’t fit the scene (wrong color psychology)
- set dressing that distracts from the subject (too busy or too empty)
- inconsistent visual language across shots
But visual notes have structure:
- lighting: key light, fill light, backlight, color temperature, direction
- color palette: dominant colors, accent colors, emotional meaning
- props: objects in frame, period/style, purpose in scene
- wardrobe: character clothing, colors, texture, fit
- set dressing: environment details, texture, depth, authenticity
- atmosphere: fog, smoke, haze, dust, particles
Without visual notes, production designers work blind.
This prompt generates comprehensive visual notes for production.
The Prompt
Assume the role of a production designer who creates visual notes. Your task is to generate comprehensive visual specifications for each shot. Generate: 1. SHOT OVERVIEW - Shot number: [from SB-01] - Shot size: [from SB-04] - Camera angle: [from SB-01] 2. LIGHTING SPECIFICATIONS | Element | Specification | Rationale | |---------|---------------|-----------| | Key light | [Position, intensity, color] | [Emotional purpose] | | Fill light | [Position, intensity, color] | [Shadow control] | | Backlight/Rim | [Position, intensity, color] | [Separation from background] | | Color temperature | [Warm/Cool/Neutral, Kelvin] | [Mood] | 3. COLOR PALETTE | Element | Color | Hex (approx) | Meaning | |---------|-------|--------------|---------| | Dominant color | [color] | [#XXXXXX] | [emotional tone] | | Accent color | [color] | [#XXXXXX] | [emphasis] | | Skin tones | [description] | N/A | [natural/stylized] | | Background | [color range] | N/A | [depth/separation] | 4. PROPS & SET DRESSING | Prop/Location | Description | Period/Style | Purpose in Scene | |---------------|-------------|--------------|------------------| | [prop 1] | [detailed description] | [era/modern/futuristic] | [story function] | | [prop 2] | [detailed description] | [era/modern/futuristic] | [story function] | 5. WARDROBE SPECIFICATIONS | Character | Garment | Color | Texture/Fabric | Fit | Why | |-----------|---------|-------|----------------|-----|-----| | [character] | [item] | [color] | [fabric] | [loose/tight] | [character reason] | 6. ATMOSPHERE & ENVIRONMENT - Atmosphere: [Clear / Fog / Mist / Smoke / Haze / Dust] - Density: [Light / Moderate / Heavy] - Particles: [None / Dust / Snow / Rain / Embers] - Purpose: [emotional or narrative reason] 7. PRODUCTION NOTES - Set dressing priority: [What must be built vs. rented vs. found] - Visual reference: [Movies, paintings, photographers for reference] - Special equipment: [Crane, dolly, steadycam, underwater housing] - Post-production notes: [VFX, color grade direction, compositing] 8. VISUAL NOTES EXAMPLE **Shot 3 - Close-up of protagonist** *Lighting:* Warm key light from window (3200K), soft fill from reflector (bounced), cool rim light from practical lamp (5600K) for separation. *Color palette:* Warm earth tones (browns, ochres) with teal accent in background. Skin tones natural, slightly warm. *Props:* Coffee mug (ceramic, hand-thrown), open notebook with handwritten notes, vintage desk lamp. *Wardrobe:* Worn leather jacket (brown, distressed), gray henley, silver watch. *Atmosphere:* Light dust motes in window light beam (light haze). INPUTS: Script description for shot: [PASTE SCENE DESCRIPTION] Shot size and angle (from SB-01/SB-04): [E.G., "Close-up, eye-level"] Emotional tone: [E.G., "Melancholic, reflective, tired"] Character description: [E.G., "Detective, 40s, worn out"] Setting: [E.G., "Small apartment, late night, rain outside"] RULES: - Lighting should match emotional tone (warm = hope, cool = isolation, high contrast = tension) - Color palette should reinforce mood (desaturated = sad, vibrant = joyful, monochrome = serious) - Props should reveal character (worn items = history, expensive items = status) - Wardrobe should support character arc (color changes, fit changes, texture changes) - Atmosphere should add depth, not obscure subject (light fog/mist, not heavy smoke) - Every visual element needs a reason (no random props) - Reference existing films for visual consistency (not reinventing) - Share visual notes with entire production team (alignment)
How To Use It
- Lighting should match the emotional tone — warm for hope, cool for isolation, high contrast for tension.
- Color palette should reinforce mood — desaturated for sadness, vibrant for joy, monochrome for seriousness.
- Props should reveal character — worn items suggest history, expensive items suggest status.
- Wardrobe should support character arc — color changes, fit changes, texture changes over time.
- Atmosphere should add depth, not obscure the subject — light fog or mist, not heavy smoke.
- Every visual element needs a reason — no random props or set dressing.
- Reference existing films for visual consistency — don’t reinvent the wheel.
- Share visual notes with the entire production team — alignment prevents costly mistakes.
Example Input
Script description for shot:
“A detective sits alone in his apartment, looking at old case files. It’s 2 AM. Rain taps on the window.”
Shot size and angle:
“Medium close-up, eye-level”
Emotional tone:
“Melancholic, obsessive, exhausted”
Character description:
“Detective, late 40s, worn out, hasn’t slept”
Setting:
“Small apartment, messy desk, rain outside, single lamp”
Why It Works
Most storyboards show only composition — leaving lighting, color, props, wardrobe, and atmosphere to be figured out during production, often incorrectly.
This framework improves outcomes by forcing:
- lighting specifications (key, fill, backlight, color temperature)
- color palette definition (dominant, accent, skin tones, background)
- props and set dressing details (what, period, purpose)
- wardrobe specifications (garment, color, texture, fit, why)
- atmosphere and environment (fog, particles, density)
Failure modes this prevents:
- Lighting that doesn’t match the mood (wrong color temperature, wrong direction)
- Props that feel out of place (wrong era, wrong style, wrong character)
- Wardrobe that doesn’t fit the scene (wrong color psychology, wrong texture)
- Set dressing that distracts from the subject (too busy or too empty)
This improves on: Composition-only storyboards. Comprehensive visual notes enable accurate production design.
Related to: SB-01 (Shot Sequence) for timing; SB-05 (Framing) for composition; SB-04 (Shot Size) for scale.
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