Springboard

What Springboard is

Springboard is a Windows application for planning and illustrating storyboards for film, video, animation, and other dynamic media. It organizes frames and scene sections in an outline, lets you reorder them by drag and drop, and provides text space beneath each frame. Bitmap and vector drawing tools, color-coded overlay layers, and pressure-sensitive WinTab pen support help with visual annotations, including eraser mode. You can record frame timing and layer animation, add or import sound, and play the result as an animatic. Export options include web pages, standalone movies, WAVE audio, and image sequences; listed formats include AVI, BMP, GIF, JPEG, Targa, HTML, and WAVE. Springboard imports BMP, EPS, GIF, JPEG, Photoshop, PNG, Targa, TIFF, WMF, and EMF images. The maker says it supports large projects such as feature films and longer. A free version lasts 30 days after installation but adds image watermarks and restricts some printing and exports. The Personal license costs 39.95 USD once, removes those limits, and covers minor releases until the next major release. Tutorials appear in the documentation and built-in Help.

Who it suits

Springboard suits filmmakers, animators, video creators, and other teams who need frame-based planning with drawing, timing, sound, and animatic playback. It is also useful for pen users and projects ranging from short work to feature-length productions.

Limits

The free version expires 30 days after installation, places watermarks on images, and limits some printing and exports. Sound recording and playback require sound hardware.

Getting started

1. Open the 6sys.com website
2. Install Springboard on a supported Windows system
3. Start a storyboard and organize frames in the outline
4. Add drawings, annotations, timing, or sound
5. Use the free version for up to 30 days or enter a Personal license code

Verdict

Choose Springboard if you need a Windows storyboard workspace that combines drawing, sequencing, timing, sound, and export. The Personal license removes the free-version restrictions for a one-time 39.95 USD payment. Look elsewhere if you need another operating system or unrestricted use without buying a license.