What is the purpose of a storyboard in film production?

The purpose of a storyboard in film production is to visually plan and organize scenes and shots. This tool allows filmmakers to depict how each scene will look, including the arrangement of characters, backgrounds, and actions, facilitating a clear understanding of the film's narrative flow. By creating a series of drawings or images arranged in sequence, a storyboard serves as a blueprint that helps the entire production team—such as cinematographers, directors, and production designers—to visualize the story before filming begins. This method of pre-visualization aids in identifying potential issues, streamlining the shooting process, and ensuring that the creative vision is effectively communicated and executed.

The other options, while related to filmmaking, do not encapsulate the primary function of a storyboard. Writing the script pertains to crafting dialogue and narrative, promoting the film relates to marketing, and conducting casting concerns selecting the right actors, none of which directly involve the visual planning aspect that a storyboard provides.