Is it easy to use? Worth it? Should I just try to find a storyboard artist willing to work for free?

Mark,
I have StoryBoard Quick but cannot claim that I use it. It can probably be a handy tool for illustrating some scenes and setups. But in my opinion it's just too simplistic. You're basically placing cartoon clip-art on a frame. The vendor's game seems to be to sell you add-on clip art libraries. I regret buying it.

Even if you cannot draw well, you're probably better off just using a pencil and paper or pre-staging scenes with stand-ins and then shooting with a digital camera.

Ken- That idea about the digital camera is a very good one. It will not only help you visualize the scene better, but help you plan HOW to shoot it. Example- I want to shoot this scene here... the lighting is so and so, or this location is great, except for the quicksand...

I'm in the process of writing a feature length film, and will now use the camera to help storyboard the shots. Thanks :)

Indeed, Keith. I've been using my little PowerShot Digital Elph to get preliminary shots of scenes I'm planning (for my Lady X episode). It's relatively simple to use a digital photo in apps like Photoshop to illustrate blocking, lighting, et.al.

On-set continuity checking is yet another use for the digital camera. But that's the subject fo another thread.

I suppose that a talented Photoshop user could even add special effects to the snapshots, to give a feel for the scenes. I personally only use storyboards as a last resort. I have always hated doing them, and it started in school. My Computor Graphics teacher wanted us to storyboard our projects.

Usually, I knew what I wanted as I was doing the project, but often changed things on the fly. When it felt right, the project just flew together. Trying to do the storyboard first was a long, drawn out affair, and sometimes not even used. Half way through the class, I adopted the method of project first, then storyboard it.