Transform Your Film Script into Stunning Visuals with Katalist AI: A Complete Guide

What if you could wave a magic wand and turn your finished film script into a series of captivating storyboards? Imagine having high-quality, consistent visuals for your entire movie, generated in an instant! That's the promise of Katalist AI, a software that's changing the way filmmakers approach pre-production.

Now, I know what you might be thinking: AI in creative fields? Is that even a good thing? It's a valid question, and a hot topic. But I firmly believe that AI, when used right, can be an incredible tool for filmmakers. Think of it as a super-powered assistant, helping you brainstorm, visualize concepts, and communicate your ideas more effectively.

This blog post is your complete guide to using Katalist AI. I'll walk you through every step, from uploading your script to fine-tuning your storyboards to perfection. So, buckle up and get ready to unleash your creative vision!

And the best part? You can try Katalist AI for yourself with a free trial!

CHECK OUT KATALIST AI FOR FREE

What is Katalist AI?

Katalist AI is a software designed to generate high-quality storyboards and animated videos from a script. Feed it your film script, and it instantly produces consistent visuals, keeping your characters and environments recognizable throughout the entire storyboard. It's like having a dedicated storyboard artist working around the clock!

But Katalist AI doesn't stop there. It also boasts AI narration and video features, allowing you to create animated movies and engaging content for platforms like YouTube. Imagine creating animated shorts or explainer videos without needing a team of animators!

Why Use AI for Storyboarding?

Storyboarding is a critical step in filmmaking. But it can also be time-consuming and expensive. That's where AI comes in. Using AI for storyboarding offers a ton of benefits during pre-production:

Ideation: AI can help you explore different visual possibilities and generate fresh ideas you might not have considered.
Visual Concepts: Quickly visualize scenes and experiment with different compositions, lighting, and moods.
Pitch Decks: Create stunning visuals for your pitch decks to impress potential investors and collaborators.
Concept Art: Generate concept art to define the look and feel of your film.
VFX: Use AI-generated images as a starting point for VFX, such as set extensions and background replacements.

Getting Started with Katalist AI

Ready to dive in? Here's how to get started with Katalist AI:

Creating an Account

Click on this link to sign up for a free trial: https://katalist.ai/?fpr=ryan99.
Create an account with your email address and a secure password.
Once you're logged in, you'll see the main dashboard.

The main dashboard is your command center. In the top right corner, you'll find a gear icon that leads to your account settings. Here, you can manage your profile, billing information, and other preferences.

Project Options

Katalist AI offers several ways to start a new project:

Start from Scratch: Begin with a blank canvas and build your storyboard from the ground up.
AI-Generated Script: Let the built-in AI create a script for you based on a simple prompt. For example, "A medieval knight fights a dragon to save his village from ruin."
Upload Your Own Script: Upload your finished film script in various formats, including Final Draft, Word (.doc or .docx), CSV, PDF, or TXT.
Paste from Clipboard: Copy and paste your script directly from your clipboard.
Use Pre-Made Templates: Choose from a selection of templates to get a head start on your storyboard.
Access Recent Projects: Quickly access and continue working on your recent projects.

At the bottom left, you'll find a chatbot help window. If you have any questions, the chatbot may be able to provide assistance.

Optimizing Your Script for Katalist AI

For the best results, it's helpful to tailor your script for Katalist AI. A traditional script with dialogue and scene descriptions might not yield the most visually compelling storyboards.

Instead, consider using AI (like ChatGPT) to generate detailed text-to-image prompts for each scene. This approach gives you more control over the visual elements and helps Katalist AI create more accurate and striking storyboards.

Crafting the Perfect Prompt

Here's an example prompt you can adapt:

"Generate a detailed text to image prompt for each scene. Each prompt should cover the settings and character descriptions, include actions, dark mood, cinematic lighting, red and black doors, and a moody dark art style. Ensure the prompts capture every visual element perfectly. We need a minimum of 30 prompts in total. Each scene and segment must have a prompt. Always describe characters in brackets when mentioned. The AI lacks memory, so details are crucial. Describe every character and environment thoroughly under 50 words."

Feel free to customize this prompt to fit your specific needs. Adjust the length, art style, and other parameters to achieve the desired look and feel.

Copying and Pasting into Katalist AI

Once you've generated your story beats or shot list, copy them to your clipboard. Then, in Katalist AI, select the "paste from clipboard" option and paste your text into the window.

Before continuing, take a moment to review and edit the text. Correct any errors, add missing scenes, or make any other necessary adjustments.

Generating Storyboards: A Step-by-Step Tutorial

With your script ready, it's time to generate your storyboards!

Script Breakdown Page

After Katalist AI processes your script, you'll be taken to the script breakdown page. Here, you can:

Change the Title: Give your project a descriptive title.
Choose the Aspect Ratio: Select the desired aspect ratio for your storyboards: landscape, portrait, or square.
Edit Individual Scenes: Click the pencil button to edit the prompt and setting of the specific scene.
Alter the Setting Description: Modify the setting description to provide more context for the AI.

Style Page

Next, you'll arrive at the style page, where you can choose the art style for your storyboards. Katalist AI offers a wide variety of styles, including:

Pencil Drawings
Sketch
Cinematic Look
Computer Animation
Anime
Children's Illustration
Wood Block Print
Dynamic Ink
Japanese Ink Painting
Oil Painting
Comic Book Style
Cartoon
Pixel Art

Experiment with different styles to find the one that best suits your project.

Cast Page

The cast page provides an overview of the characters in your script. You can:

Edit Character Details: Change the character's name and add more details about their clothing and appearance.
Change Appearance: Choose from a list of default character options, start from scratch with a new description, or upload a face reference.
- If uploading a face reference, make sure it's a clear, well-lit photo with no tilted angles or sunglasses. The image should be high-quality with a minimum size of 512x512 pixels.

Once you're satisfied with your cast, click "Create Project."

Navigating the Katalist AI Interface

While Katalist AI generates your storyboards (which can take some time), let's explore the interface.

Main Dashboard Overview

Project Title and Back Button: The top left corner displays the title of your project and a back button to return to the creation process.
Cast and Location Sections: These sections allow you to view and edit your characters and locations.
Storyboard vs. Timeline View: Switch between the traditional storyboard layout and a video timeline layout.
- Storyboard: Displays your storyboards in a grid format.
- Timeline: Provides a video timeline view with narration and animation features.
Export and Present Buttons:
- Present: Creates a PowerPoint-style presentation of your storyboards.
- Export: Offers various export options, including direct sharing to LinkedIn, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter).

Addressing Potential Issues

As the AI generates your storyboards, keep an eye out for any inconsistencies or errors. You may need to make adjustments to the prompts, character descriptions, or other settings to achieve the desired results.

Dive Deeper: Editing Individual Storyboards

Katalist AI gives you a lot of control over editing the storyboards it creates.

Storyboard Controls

Each storyboard has a set of controls in the top left corner:

Storyboard Number: Indicates the order of the scene
Download Button: Downloads the image to your computer.
Duplicate Button: Creates a copy of the storyboard.
Trash Button: Deletes the storyboard.
Edit Button: Opens the detailed editing dashboard.

Detailed Editing Dashboard

The editing dashboard provides a close-up view of the image and a range of tools to fine-tune your storyboards:

Adding Elements: Use prompts to add new elements to the scene. For example, "a dark figure stands in the front lawn looking at the house his features are too dark to see."
Character Posing Tool: Adjust the pose of characters using a skeleton wireframe.
Image Crop Tool: Crop and resize the image.
Generative Fill Tool: Fill in areas of the image with AI-generated content.
Uploading Reference Images: Upload your own images for reference.

Advanced Prompting Techniques

To get the most out of Katalist AI, experiment with advanced prompting techniques:

Negative Prompts: Use negative prompts to tell the AI what you don't want to see in the image. For example, "no sleeves on the officer."
Iterating on Prompts: Refine your prompts based on the results you get. For example, if you want characters to look at each other, try adding "the characters are looking at each other very seriously."

Adding New Storyboards

If you want to add a new storyboard between existing ones, click the "+" button that appears when you hover between the existing storyboards. You can then generate a new image using a prompt or a reference image.

Animating Your Storyboards (Video Mode)

Katalist AI lets you animate your storyboards. Access video mode by clicking the "Video" button.

Video Generator: Select a video generator (Stable Video Diffusion).
Motion Strength: Adjust the motion strength to control the amount of movement in the animation.
Download: Download the animated storyboard as a video file.

Adjusting Shot Types and Angles

You can also adjust the shot type and angle of your storyboards:

Shot Types: Medium shot, long shot, extreme closeup.
Angles: Bird's eye view, shot from above.

Exporting Your Project

When your project is complete, click the "Export" button to export your files in various formats.

Adobe Premiere Pro and Video: Available in timeline/video mode.
Generate All Videos: Create full videos out of all of your storyboards in timeline mode.

Katalist AI: Unleash Your Filmmaking Potential

Katalist AI is an incredible tool that empowers filmmakers to visualize their stories, create compelling pitch decks, and even produce animated content. Whether you're a seasoned professional or an aspiring filmmaker, Katalist AI can help you bring your creative visions to life.

Don't just take my word for it. Try Katalist AI for yourself and see the difference it can make! Sign up for a free trial today: https://katalist.ai/?fpr=ryan99.

What do you think about Katalist AI? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below!

See you on the next video!