Storyboard Artist Costs in the UK — 2026 Pricing Guide
There's no fixed price for a storyboard, but there are realistic UK ranges. Here's what you should expect to pay in 2026, broken down by style, project type and turnaround — with the variables that move the price up or down.
Per-frame prices (most common)
| Style | Per-frame range (GBP) | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Black & white sketch | £25-£60 | Director pre-vis, internal review |
| Tonal (greyscale) | £55-£120 | Most TV commercials, agency review |
| Full colour | £100-£250 | Pitches, premium brands, end-client decks |
| Animatic (per finished second) | £35-£90 | Pre-edit, pacing, music sync |
Day rates (when frame counts get big)
For long-form work — features, animation, longer ads — UK storyboard artists typically charge a day rate from £450-£900 with senior names topping £1,200. Day rates make sense once you're past about 30-40 frames or when the brief is open and exploratory.
What moves the price?
- Frame count. Linear with the work.
- Style. Colour costs ~3-4x black and white.
- Turnaround. Same-day rush typically adds 30-50% on top of base.
- Revision rounds. Two rounds is standard; further rounds billed pro-rata.
- Detail / character likeness. If the brand mandates accurate celebrity portraits, costs rise.
- Backgrounds. Literal location reference cheaper; "imagine a futuristic Tokyo" more expensive.
- Usage. Internal pre-vis vs. external promotional use can affect rate.
What you should expect to pay for common UK projects
30-second TV commercial
15-30 frames in tonal or colour: £1,500-£6,000.
60-second branded film
30-50 frames in tonal: £2,500-£8,000.
Music video
40-80 frames mixed B&W + tonal: £2,000-£7,000.
Short film (10-15 min)
80-200 frames B&W: £3,500-£12,000.
Feature action sequence
30-80 frames colour: £4,000-£18,000.
30-second animatic
From £500-£1,500 on top of boards.
VAT, kill fees and other costs you'll see
- VAT. If your storyboard artist is VAT-registered, add 20%.
- Kill fee. Common: 50% of agreed total if cancelled after first frames.
- Rush surcharge. 25-50% above base for same-day or weekend turnaround.
- Travel & expenses. Rare nowadays — most boards are remote — but bill at cost if onsite.
How to keep storyboard costs down without compromising quality
- Pick the right style. Most agencies actually need tonal, not full-colour — and tonal costs half.
- Minimise revision rounds. Two well-thought-out rounds beat five reactive ones.
- Send the script and ref material upfront. Saves 1-2 days of pre-production back-and-forth.
- Be honest about deadline. Three days at standard rate is cheaper than 24 hours at rush.
Want a real number for your project?
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