Single-shot AI videos are magical, but real stories need cuts. The Storyboard tool lets you plan 3-12 shots in sequence and generate them with a coherent look and consistent characters.
When to reach for Storyboard
Use Storyboard whenever your idea has a beginning, middle and end — even a tiny one. A 12-second ad with three cuts. A 30-second “day in the life.” A music-video chorus. Anywhere a single shot would feel like a fragment.
The reference image is the secret
Upload one image to the Character / style reference slot at the top. This single image teaches Lumen what your protagonist looks like, what the lighting looks like, what the colour palette is. Every shot below will pull from it.
Best references are clean, well-lit, single-subject images. A portrait, a hero product shot, or a colour-graded establishing frame.
Writing the shot list
For each shot, write a short prompt — one or two sentences. Lean on the reference for who and what, lean on your prompt for the action and camera. Example:
Shot 1 (4s): The protagonist walks into a sun-bathed bakery, soft tracking shot from behind.
Shot 2 (3s): Close-up on her hands picking up a croissant, warm light.
Shot 3 (4s): Wide reverse, she takes a bite and smiles, golden hour through the window.
Pace your shot lengths
Short shots feel energetic. Long shots feel calm. A useful rule: at least one shot in your sequence should be twice the length of the shortest. This creates rhythm.
Aspect consistency
Pick one aspect ratio for the whole storyboard. Mixing aspects mid-sequence almost never reads well.
Generate
Generation runs sequentially — Lumen finishes shot 1 before starting shot 2, so you can cancel partway if a shot isn't landing and re-write it.
After generation
Lumen sequences the shots automatically with subtle 4-frame dissolves. If you want a hard cut instead, export the individual shots from the project detail screen and assemble in your editor of choice.