diff --git a/packages/studio/src/components/storyboard/AgentChatMessageButton.tsx b/packages/studio/src/components/storyboard/AgentChatMessageButton.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9aa56a95c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/studio/src/components/storyboard/AgentChatMessageButton.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+import { useState } from "react";
+import { Button } from "../ui/Button";
+
+export const APPLY_STORYBOARD_FEEDBACK_MESSAGE = "Apply my saved storyboard feedback.";
+
+export function AgentChatMessageButton({
+  message,
+  label = "Copy agent message",
+}: {
+  message: string;
+  label?: string;
+}) {
+  const [copyState, setCopyState] = useState<"idle" | "copied" | "failed">("idle");
+
+  const copyMessage = async () => {
+    try {
+      await navigator.clipboard.writeText(message);
+      setCopyState("copied");
+    } catch {
+      setCopyState("failed");
+    }
+  };
+
+  return (
+    <Button size="sm" variant="secondary" onClick={() => void copyMessage()}>
+      {copyState === "copied"
+        ? "Copied — paste in agent chat"
+        : copyState === "failed"
+          ? "Copy failed"
+          : label}
+    </Button>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/components/storyboard/StoryboardFrameFocus.tsx b/packages/studio/src/components/storyboard/StoryboardFrameFocus.tsx
index dea27f11f..33f077ff5 100644
--- a/packages/studio/src/components/storyboard/StoryboardFrameFocus.tsx
+++ b/packages/studio/src/components/storyboard/StoryboardFrameFocus.tsx
@@ -1,11 +1,16 @@
 import { useCallback, useEffect, useState } from "react";
-import { setFrameStatus, setFrameVoiceover, type FrameStatus } from "@hyperframes/core/storyboard";
+import { setFrameVoiceover } from "@hyperframes/core/storyboard";
 import type { StoryboardFrameView } from "../../hooks/useStoryboard";
 import { useFileManagerContext } from "../../contexts/FileManagerContext";
 import { useViewMode } from "../../contexts/ViewModeContext";
 import { Button } from "../ui/Button";
 import { FramePoster, posterTime } from "./FramePoster";
-import { FRAME_STATUS_META, FRAME_STATUS_ORDER } from "./frameStatus";
+import {
+  AgentChatMessageButton,
+  APPLY_STORYBOARD_FEEDBACK_MESSAGE,
+} from "./AgentChatMessageButton";
+import { FRAME_STATUS_META } from "./frameStatus";
+import type { CommentsSubmitState } from "./useFrameComments";
 
 export interface StoryboardFrameFocusProps {
   projectId: string;
@@ -19,13 +24,25 @@ export interface StoryboardFrameFocusProps {
   onSaved: () => void;
   /** Select a composition in the timeline (sets active comp + editing file + sidebar highlight). */
   onSelectComposition: (path: string) => void;
+  /** Whether SCRIPT.md exists and owns final narration/TTS. */
+  scriptExists: boolean;
+  /** Shared board draft for this frame, preserved when entering/leaving focus. */
+  commentDraft: string;
+  onCommentDraftChange: (text: string) => void;
+  pendingComment: string | null;
+  pendingCommentCount: number;
+  commentDraftCount: number;
+  commentsSubmitState: CommentsSubmitState;
+  commentsSubmitError: string | null;
+  feedbackMessageCopied: boolean;
+  onSaveFeedback: () => void;
   /** Project signature the board was loaded with (busts the poster cache). */
   posterVersion?: string;
 }
 
 /**
  * Full-area focus on a single frame: large poster, editable voiceover guide,
- * status advancement, full narrative, and a jump into the live preview. Edits
+ * review feedback, full narrative, and a jump into the live preview. Edits
  * are written back to STORYBOARD.md in place (markdown stays canonical).
  *
  * Mounted with a `key` per frame, so `draft` initializes from the frame and a
@@ -41,25 +58,38 @@ export function StoryboardFrameFocus({
   onNavigate,
   onSaved,
   onSelectComposition,
+  scriptExists,
+  commentDraft,
+  onCommentDraftChange,
+  pendingComment,
+  pendingCommentCount,
+  commentDraftCount,
+  commentsSubmitState,
+  commentsSubmitError,
+  feedbackMessageCopied,
+  onSaveFeedback,
   posterVersion,
 }: StoryboardFrameFocusProps) {
   const { readProjectFile, writeProjectFile } = useFileManagerContext();
   const { setViewMode } = useViewMode();
   const [draft, setDraft] = useState(frame.voiceover ?? "");
+  const [savedVoiceover, setSavedVoiceover] = useState(frame.voiceover ?? "");
   const [busy, setBusy] = useState(false);
   const [error, setError] = useState<string | null>(null);
 
   const applyEdit = useCallback(
     async (edit: (source: string) => string) => {
-      if (busy) return; // one read-modify-write at a time; avoids a lost update
+      if (busy) return false; // one read-modify-write at a time; avoids a lost update
       setBusy(true);
       setError(null);
       try {
         const source = await readProjectFile(storyboardPath);
         await writeProjectFile(storyboardPath, edit(source));
         onSaved();
+        return true;
       } catch (err: unknown) {
         setError(err instanceof Error ? err.message : "failed to save");
+        return false;
       } finally {
         setBusy(false);
       }
@@ -68,11 +98,12 @@ export function StoryboardFrameFocus({
   );
 
   const title = frame.title ?? `Frame ${frame.index}`;
-  const dirty = draft !== (frame.voiceover ?? "");
-  const canOpenPreview = frame.srcExists && Boolean(frame.src);
+  const dirty = draft !== savedVoiceover;
+  const canOpenPreview = frame.status !== "outline" && frame.srcExists && Boolean(frame.src);
 
-  const saveVoiceover = useCallback(() => {
-    return applyEdit((src) => setFrameVoiceover(src, frame.index, draft));
+  const saveVoiceover = useCallback(async () => {
+    const saved = await applyEdit((src) => setFrameVoiceover(src, frame.index, draft));
+    if (saved) setSavedVoiceover(draft);
   }, [applyEdit, frame.index, draft]);
 
   // Closing the tab with a dirty voiceover would lose it silently — same
@@ -118,7 +149,7 @@ export function StoryboardFrameFocus({
   };
 
   return (
-    <div className="flex flex-1 min-h-0 flex-col bg-neutral-950 text-neutral-200">
+    <div className="flex w-full max-w-[100vw] flex-1 min-h-0 min-w-0 flex-col overflow-hidden bg-neutral-950 text-neutral-200">
       <div className="flex items-center gap-3 border-b border-neutral-800 px-4 py-2">
         <button
           type="button"
@@ -127,10 +158,10 @@ export function StoryboardFrameFocus({
         >
           ← Board
         </button>
-        <span className="text-sm font-medium text-neutral-200">
+        <span className="min-w-0 flex-1 truncate text-sm font-medium text-neutral-200">
           Frame {frame.number ?? frame.index} — {title}
         </span>
-        <div className="ml-auto flex items-center gap-1">
+        <div className="flex shrink-0 items-center gap-1">
           <NavButton
             label="‹ Prev"
             disabled={frame.index <= 1}
@@ -144,8 +175,40 @@ export function StoryboardFrameFocus({
         </div>
       </div>
 
-      <div className="flex flex-1 min-h-0">
-        <div className="flex w-3/5 min-w-0 items-center justify-center bg-neutral-900/40 p-8">
+      {(commentDraftCount > 0 || pendingCommentCount > 0) && (
+        <div className="flex flex-wrap items-center justify-between gap-2 border-b border-neutral-800 bg-neutral-900/80 px-4 py-2">
+          <div>
+            <div className="text-xs font-medium text-neutral-200">
+              {commentDraftCount > 0 ? "Feedback ready to save" : "Feedback saved"}
+            </div>
+            <div className="text-[11px] text-neutral-500">
+              {commentDraftCount > 0
+                ? "Save this batch and copy the message for your agent."
+                : feedbackMessageCopied
+                  ? "Message copied — paste it in agent chat to continue."
+                  : "The agent has not been notified yet."}
+            </div>
+          </div>
+          {commentDraftCount > 0 ? (
+            <Button
+              size="sm"
+              variant="primary"
+              onClick={onSaveFeedback}
+              loading={commentsSubmitState === "saving"}
+            >
+              Save &amp; copy message ({commentDraftCount})
+            </Button>
+          ) : (
+            <AgentChatMessageButton
+              message={APPLY_STORYBOARD_FEEDBACK_MESSAGE}
+              label={feedbackMessageCopied ? "Copy again" : "Copy agent message"}
+            />
+          )}
+        </div>
+      )}
+
+      <div className="flex flex-1 min-h-0 flex-col overflow-auto lg:flex-row lg:overflow-hidden">
+        <div className="flex w-full shrink-0 items-center justify-center bg-neutral-900/40 p-4 sm:p-8 lg:h-full lg:w-3/5">
           <div className="aspect-video w-full max-w-[900px] overflow-hidden rounded-lg border border-neutral-800 bg-neutral-900">
             {canOpenPreview && frame.src ? (
               <FramePoster
@@ -157,19 +220,13 @@ export function StoryboardFrameFocus({
                 posterVersion={posterVersion}
               />
             ) : (
-              <div className="flex h-full w-full items-center justify-center text-sm text-neutral-600">
-                {frame.status === "outline" ? "Not built yet" : "No preview"}
-              </div>
+              <FramePlan frame={frame} />
             )}
           </div>
         </div>
 
-        <div className="w-2/5 min-w-0 space-y-6 overflow-auto border-l border-neutral-800 px-6 py-5">
-          <StatusRow
-            status={frame.status}
-            busy={busy}
-            onSet={(s) => applyEdit((src) => setFrameStatus(src, frame.index, s))}
-          />
+        <div className="w-full shrink-0 space-y-6 border-t border-neutral-800 px-4 py-5 sm:px-6 lg:h-full lg:w-2/5 lg:overflow-auto lg:border-t-0 lg:border-l">
+          <ReadOnlyStatus status={frame.status} />
 
           <div className="flex flex-wrap gap-x-6 gap-y-1 text-[11px] text-neutral-500">
             {frame.duration && <span>Duration {frame.duration}</span>}
@@ -187,31 +244,67 @@ export function StoryboardFrameFocus({
                 onClick={saveVoiceover}
                 disabled={!dirty}
                 loading={busy}
-                className="bg-emerald-600 text-white enabled:hover:bg-emerald-500 shadow-none"
               >
-                {busy ? "Saving…" : "Save"}
+                {busy ? "Saving…" : "Save voiceover"}
               </Button>
             </div>
             <textarea
               value={draft}
               onChange={(e) => setDraft(e.target.value)}
-              onBlur={() => {
-                // Same autosave paradigm as the status row above — mixed save
-                // models inside one panel taught users the panel autosaves,
-                // then lost their voiceover. Explicit Save stays as the
-                // affordance; blur is the safety net.
-                if (dirty && !busy) void saveVoiceover();
-              }}
               rows={3}
               placeholder="What the narrator says over this frame…"
               className="w-full resize-y rounded border border-neutral-800 bg-neutral-900 p-2 text-sm text-neutral-200 outline-none focus:border-neutral-600"
             />
             <p className="mt-1 text-[11px] text-neutral-600">
-              A draft guide. SCRIPT.md locks the final narration that drives TTS.
+              {dirty
+                ? "Unsaved changes"
+                : scriptExists
+                  ? "Saved to STORYBOARD.md as a guide. SCRIPT.md owns final narration and TTS."
+                  : "Saved to STORYBOARD.md. This voiceover guides narration for the frame."}
             </p>
             {error && <p className="mt-1 text-[11px] text-red-400">{error}</p>}
           </section>
 
+          <section>
+            <div className="mb-1">
+              <h3 className="text-xs font-semibold uppercase tracking-wider text-neutral-400">
+                Frame feedback
+              </h3>
+            </div>
+            <textarea
+              value={commentDraft}
+              onChange={(e) => onCommentDraftChange(e.target.value)}
+              rows={3}
+              placeholder="Tell your agent what to change in this frame…"
+              aria-label={`Comment on ${title}`}
+              className="w-full resize-y rounded border border-neutral-800 bg-neutral-900 p-2 text-sm text-neutral-200 placeholder:text-neutral-600 outline-none focus:border-sky-700"
+            />
+            {pendingCommentCount > 0 ? (
+              <div className="mt-2 flex flex-wrap items-center justify-between gap-2 rounded-md border border-sky-900/70 bg-sky-950/20 px-2.5 py-2">
+                <p className="text-[11px] text-sky-200">
+                  Feedback saved. Next: paste the agent message in chat.
+                </p>
+                <AgentChatMessageButton message={APPLY_STORYBOARD_FEEDBACK_MESSAGE} />
+              </div>
+            ) : (
+              <p className="mt-1 text-[11px] text-neutral-600">
+                {commentDraftCount > 0
+                  ? "Your change is ready. Save it using the review bar above."
+                  : "Add a change to prepare feedback for the agent."}
+              </p>
+            )}
+            {pendingComment && (
+              <p className="mt-1 text-[11px] text-sky-400/90">
+                <span className="font-medium">Pending:</span> “{pendingComment}”
+              </p>
+            )}
+            {commentsSubmitError && (
+              <p className="mt-1 text-[11px] text-red-400">
+                Couldn’t submit: {commentsSubmitError}
+              </p>
+            )}
+          </section>
+
           {frame.narrative && (
             <section>
               <h3 className="mb-1 text-xs font-semibold uppercase tracking-wider text-neutral-400">
@@ -221,9 +314,15 @@ export function StoryboardFrameFocus({
             </section>
           )}
 
-          <Button size="sm" variant="secondary" onClick={openInPreview} disabled={!canOpenPreview}>
-            Open in Preview →
-          </Button>
+          {canOpenPreview ? (
+            <Button size="sm" variant="secondary" onClick={openInPreview}>
+              Open in Preview →
+            </Button>
+          ) : (
+            <div className="rounded-md border border-neutral-800 bg-neutral-900/60 px-3 py-2 text-xs text-neutral-500">
+              Preview becomes available after your agent builds this frame.
+            </div>
+          )}
         </div>
       </div>
     </div>
@@ -251,38 +350,48 @@ function NavButton({
   );
 }
 
-function StatusRow({
-  status,
-  busy,
-  onSet,
-}: {
-  status: FrameStatus;
-  busy: boolean;
-  onSet: (next: FrameStatus) => void;
-}) {
+function ReadOnlyStatus({ status }: { status: StoryboardFrameView["status"] }) {
+  const meta = FRAME_STATUS_META[status];
   return (
     <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
       <span className="text-xs font-semibold uppercase tracking-wider text-neutral-500">
         Status
       </span>
-      <div className="flex items-center gap-0.5 rounded-md bg-neutral-900 p-0.5">
-        {FRAME_STATUS_ORDER.map((option) => (
-          <button
-            key={option}
-            type="button"
-            disabled={busy}
-            aria-pressed={status === option}
-            title={FRAME_STATUS_META[option].tooltip}
-            onClick={() => onSet(option)}
-            className={`rounded px-2.5 py-1 text-xs font-medium transition-colors disabled:opacity-50 ${
-              status === option
-                ? "bg-neutral-700 text-neutral-100"
-                : "text-neutral-400 hover:text-neutral-200"
-            }`}
-          >
-            {FRAME_STATUS_META[option].label}
-          </button>
-        ))}
+      <span className={`rounded px-2 py-1 text-xs font-medium ${meta.chipClass}`}>
+        {meta.label}
+      </span>
+      <span className="text-[11px] text-neutral-600">Updated by your agent</span>
+    </div>
+  );
+}
+
+// The empty state selects copy from frame status and whichever storyboard fields are available.
+// fallow-ignore-next-line complexity
+function FramePlan({ frame }: { frame: StoryboardFrameView }) {
+  const title = frame.title ?? `Frame ${frame.index}`;
+  const isOutline = frame.status === "outline";
+  return (
+    <div className="flex h-full w-full items-center justify-center bg-[radial-gradient(circle_at_center,_rgba(38,38,38,0.8),_rgba(10,10,10,1))] p-10">
+      <div className="max-w-xl text-center">
+        <span className="rounded-full border border-neutral-700 px-2.5 py-1 text-[10px] font-semibold uppercase tracking-wider text-neutral-400">
+          {isOutline ? "Planned frame" : "Preview unavailable"}
+        </span>
+        <h2 className="mt-4 text-2xl font-semibold text-neutral-100">{title}</h2>
+        {frame.scene && (
+          <p className="mt-3 text-base leading-relaxed text-neutral-300">{frame.scene}</p>
+        )}
+        {!frame.scene && frame.narrative && (
+          <p className="mt-3 line-clamp-4 text-sm leading-relaxed text-neutral-400">
+            {frame.narrative}
+          </p>
+        )}
+        <p className="mt-5 text-xs text-neutral-600">
+          {isOutline
+            ? "A visual preview will appear when your agent builds the sketch."
+            : frame.src
+              ? `Frame file not found: ${frame.src}`
+              : "This frame does not link to a source file."}
+        </p>
       </div>
     </div>
   );
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/components/storyboard/StoryboardLoaded.tsx b/packages/studio/src/components/storyboard/StoryboardLoaded.tsx
index 3cd5fc3dc..3aa880fba 100644
--- a/packages/studio/src/components/storyboard/StoryboardLoaded.tsx
+++ b/packages/studio/src/components/storyboard/StoryboardLoaded.tsx
@@ -3,10 +3,14 @@ import type { StoryboardResponse } from "../../hooks/useStoryboard";
 import { Button } from "../ui/Button";
 import { StoryboardDirection } from "./StoryboardDirection";
 import { StoryboardGrid } from "./StoryboardGrid";
-import { StoryboardStatusLegend } from "./StoryboardStatusLegend";
 import { StoryboardScriptPanel } from "./StoryboardScriptPanel";
 import { StoryboardSourceEditor, type SourceFile } from "./StoryboardSourceEditor";
 import { StoryboardFrameFocus } from "./StoryboardFrameFocus";
+import { StoryboardReviewGuide } from "./StoryboardReviewGuide";
+import {
+  AgentChatMessageButton,
+  APPLY_STORYBOARD_FEEDBACK_MESSAGE,
+} from "./AgentChatMessageButton";
 import { useFrameComments, type CommentsSubmitState } from "./useFrameComments";
 
 type SubView = "board" | "source";
@@ -35,6 +39,7 @@ export function StoryboardLoaded({
   const [subView, setSubView] = useState<SubView>("board");
   const [sourceDirty, setSourceDirty] = useState(false);
   const [focusedIndex, setFocusedIndex] = useState<number | null>(null);
+  const [feedbackMessageCopied, setFeedbackMessageCopied] = useState(false);
   const comments = useFrameComments(data.frames);
   // When the board refreshes off a project change (agent revised frames), the
   // agent has likely consumed the comments file too — re-check so the pending
@@ -43,6 +48,20 @@ export function StoryboardLoaded({
   useEffect(() => {
     void refreshPending();
   }, [data.signature, refreshPending]);
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (comments.draftCount > 0) setFeedbackMessageCopied(false);
+  }, [comments.draftCount]);
+
+  const saveFeedbackAndCopyMessage = async () => {
+    const saved = await comments.submit();
+    if (!saved) return;
+    try {
+      await navigator.clipboard.writeText(APPLY_STORYBOARD_FEEDBACK_MESSAGE);
+      setFeedbackMessageCopied(true);
+    } catch {
+      setFeedbackMessageCopied(false);
+    }
+  };
   const sourceFiles = useMemo<SourceFile[]>(() => {
     const files: SourceFile[] = [{ path: data.path, label: data.path }];
     if (data.script?.exists) files.push({ path: data.script.path, label: data.script.path });
@@ -82,31 +101,51 @@ export function StoryboardLoaded({
         }
         onSaved={reload}
         onSelectComposition={onSelectComposition}
+        scriptExists={Boolean(data.script?.exists)}
+        commentDraft={comments.drafts[focusedFrame.index] ?? ""}
+        onCommentDraftChange={(text) => comments.setDraft(focusedFrame.index, text)}
+        pendingComment={
+          comments.pending?.find((entry) => entry.frame === focusedFrame.index)?.text ?? null
+        }
+        pendingCommentCount={comments.pending?.length ?? 0}
+        commentDraftCount={comments.draftCount}
+        commentsSubmitState={comments.submitState}
+        commentsSubmitError={comments.submitError}
+        feedbackMessageCopied={feedbackMessageCopied}
+        onSaveFeedback={() => void saveFeedbackAndCopyMessage()}
         posterVersion={data.signature}
       />
     );
   }
 
   return (
-    <div className="flex flex-1 min-h-0 flex-col bg-neutral-950 text-neutral-200">
-      <div className="flex items-center gap-3 border-b border-neutral-800 px-4 py-2">
+    <div className="flex w-full max-w-[100vw] flex-1 min-h-0 min-w-0 flex-col overflow-hidden bg-neutral-950 text-neutral-200">
+      <div className="flex flex-wrap items-center gap-3 border-b border-neutral-800 px-4 py-2">
         <SubViewToggle value={subView} onChange={changeSubView} />
         {subView === "board" && (
           <CommentsSubmitBar
             draftCount={comments.draftCount}
             pendingCount={comments.pending?.length ?? 0}
             submitState={comments.submitState}
-            onSubmit={() => void comments.submit()}
+            submitError={comments.submitError}
+            messageCopied={feedbackMessageCopied}
+            onSave={() => void saveFeedbackAndCopyMessage()}
           />
         )}
       </div>
       {subView === "board" ? (
         <div className="flex-1 min-h-0 overflow-auto">
-          <div className="mx-auto max-w-[1400px] px-8 py-8">
+          <div className="mx-auto max-w-[1400px] px-4 py-5 sm:px-8 sm:py-8">
             <StoryboardDirection globals={data.globals} frameCount={data.frames.length} />
-            <div className="mt-5">
-              <StoryboardStatusLegend />
-            </div>
+            <StoryboardReviewGuide
+              frames={data.frames}
+              draftCount={comments.draftCount}
+              pendingCount={comments.pending?.length ?? 0}
+            />
+            <StoryboardWarnings
+              warnings={data.warnings}
+              onOpenSource={() => changeSubView("source")}
+            />
             <StoryboardGrid
               projectId={projectId}
               frames={data.frames}
@@ -135,34 +174,87 @@ function CommentsSubmitBar({
   draftCount,
   pendingCount,
   submitState,
-  onSubmit,
+  submitError,
+  messageCopied,
+  onSave,
 }: {
   draftCount: number;
   pendingCount: number;
   submitState: CommentsSubmitState;
-  onSubmit: () => void;
+  submitError: string | null;
+  messageCopied: boolean;
+  onSave: () => void;
 }) {
   return (
-    <div className="ml-auto flex items-center gap-3">
+    <div className="ml-auto flex min-w-0 flex-1 flex-wrap items-center justify-end gap-2 sm:flex-none">
       {pendingCount > 0 && (
-        <span className="text-xs text-sky-300">
-          {pendingCount} comment{pendingCount > 1 ? "s" : ""} pending — reply anything in your agent
-          chat and it will apply them.
+        <>
+          <span className="text-xs text-sky-300">
+            {messageCopied
+              ? "Feedback saved · Message copied — paste it in agent chat."
+              : "Feedback saved · Agent not notified."}
+          </span>
+          <AgentChatMessageButton
+            message={APPLY_STORYBOARD_FEEDBACK_MESSAGE}
+            label={messageCopied ? "Copy again" : "Copy agent message"}
+          />
+        </>
+      )}
+      {pendingCount === 0 && draftCount === 0 && (
+        <span className="text-xs text-neutral-500">Add frame comments to request changes.</span>
+      )}
+      {submitError && (
+        <span className="max-w-64 truncate text-xs text-red-400" title={submitError}>
+          Couldn’t submit: {submitError}
         </span>
       )}
-      <Button
-        variant="primary"
-        size="sm"
-        loading={submitState === "saving"}
-        disabled={draftCount === 0 || submitState === "saving"}
-        onClick={onSubmit}
-      >
-        {draftCount > 0 ? `Submit comments (${draftCount})` : "Submit comments"}
-      </Button>
+      {draftCount > 0 && (
+        <Button
+          variant="primary"
+          size="sm"
+          loading={submitState === "saving"}
+          disabled={submitState === "saving"}
+          onClick={onSave}
+        >
+          Save &amp; copy message ({draftCount})
+        </Button>
+      )}
     </div>
   );
 }
 
+function StoryboardWarnings({
+  warnings,
+  onOpenSource,
+}: {
+  warnings: StoryboardResponse["warnings"];
+  onOpenSource: () => void;
+}) {
+  if (warnings.length === 0) return null;
+  return (
+    <details className="mt-3 rounded-lg border border-amber-900/60 bg-amber-950/20 px-4 py-2 text-xs text-amber-200">
+      <summary className="cursor-pointer font-medium">
+        {warnings.length} storyboard warning{warnings.length === 1 ? "" : "s"}
+      </summary>
+      <ul className="mt-2 space-y-1 text-amber-200/80">
+        {warnings.map((warning, index) => (
+          <li key={`${warning.line ?? "unknown"}-${index}`}>
+            {warning.line ? `Line ${warning.line}: ` : ""}
+            {warning.message}
+          </li>
+        ))}
+      </ul>
+      <button
+        type="button"
+        onClick={onOpenSource}
+        className="mt-2 rounded text-amber-100 underline underline-offset-2 hover:text-white"
+      >
+        Open source to fix
+      </button>
+    </details>
+  );
+}
+
 const SUB_VIEWS: Array<{ value: SubView; label: string }> = [
   { value: "board", label: "Board" },
   { value: "source", label: "Source" },
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/components/storyboard/StoryboardReviewGuide.tsx b/packages/studio/src/components/storyboard/StoryboardReviewGuide.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..aad5b6419
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/studio/src/components/storyboard/StoryboardReviewGuide.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,286 @@
+import type { StoryboardFrameView } from "../../hooks/useStoryboard";
+import {
+  AgentChatMessageButton,
+  APPLY_STORYBOARD_FEEDBACK_MESSAGE,
+} from "./AgentChatMessageButton";
+import { FRAME_STATUS_META, FRAME_STATUS_ORDER } from "./frameStatus";
+import {
+  deriveStoryboardHandoffStep,
+  deriveStoryboardReviewStage,
+  type StoryboardHandoffStep,
+  type StoryboardReviewStage,
+} from "./storyboardReviewStage";
+
+const GUIDE_COPY: Record<StoryboardReviewStage, { eyebrow: string; title: string; body: string }> =
+  {
+    empty: {
+      eyebrow: "Waiting for a plan",
+      title: "The storyboard has no frames yet",
+      body: "Ask your agent to draft the story plan. Frames will appear here automatically.",
+    },
+    "plan-review": {
+      eyebrow: "Ready for review",
+      title: "Review the story plan",
+      body: "Check the sequence, scene direction, and voiceover before visual work begins. Leave frame comments, save them, then reply in agent chat to request changes or approve the plan.",
+    },
+    "sketch-in-progress": {
+      eyebrow: "Build in progress",
+      title: "Visual sketches are in progress",
+      body: "New posters appear automatically as your agent builds them. You can comment now; wait until no frames remain in Outline before approving the layouts.",
+    },
+    "sketch-review": {
+      eyebrow: "Ready for review",
+      title: "Review the visual direction",
+      body: "Check composition, hierarchy, and copy. Save frame comments, then reply in agent chat to request changes or approve the sketches for animation.",
+    },
+    "animation-in-progress": {
+      eyebrow: "Build in progress",
+      title: "Animation is in progress",
+      body: "The board refreshes as frames advance. Review completed frames now; the final review is ready when every frame is Animated.",
+    },
+    "final-review": {
+      eyebrow: "Ready for review",
+      title: "Review motion and timing",
+      body: "Every frame is animated. Open a frame in Preview to review it in the timeline, or leave frame comments for another revision.",
+    },
+  };
+
+const REVIEW_ACTION_COPY: Record<
+  StoryboardReviewStage,
+  { body: string; approvalMessage?: string }
+> = {
+  empty: { body: "Add comments as previews arrive." },
+  "plan-review": {
+    body: "Add comments where you want changes. If everything looks right, approve this pass in agent chat.",
+    approvalMessage: "Approve this storyboard plan and continue to visual sketches.",
+  },
+  "sketch-in-progress": {
+    body: "Add comments as previews arrive. You’ll be prompted to approve when this pass is ready.",
+  },
+  "sketch-review": {
+    body: "Add comments where you want changes. If everything looks right, approve this pass in agent chat.",
+    approvalMessage: "Approve these storyboard sketches and continue to animation.",
+  },
+  "animation-in-progress": {
+    body: "Add comments as previews arrive. You’ll be prompted to approve when this pass is ready.",
+  },
+  "final-review": {
+    body: "Add comments where you want changes. If everything looks right, approve this pass in agent chat.",
+    approvalMessage: "Approve this final storyboard review.",
+  },
+};
+
+type ReviewStepOffset = -1 | 0 | 1;
+const REVIEW_STEP_STATES: Record<
+  ReviewStepOffset,
+  {
+    textClass: string;
+    numberClass: string;
+    ariaCurrent: "step" | undefined;
+    marker: (number: StoryboardHandoffStep) => StoryboardHandoffStep | string;
+  }
+> = {
+  [-1]: {
+    textClass: "text-emerald-400",
+    numberClass: "border-emerald-700 bg-emerald-500/10",
+    ariaCurrent: undefined,
+    marker: () => "✓",
+  },
+  [0]: {
+    textClass: "text-sky-300",
+    numberClass: "border-sky-500 bg-sky-500/15",
+    ariaCurrent: "step",
+    marker: (number) => number,
+  },
+  [1]: {
+    textClass: "text-neutral-600",
+    numberClass: "border-neutral-700",
+    ariaCurrent: undefined,
+    marker: (number) => number,
+  },
+};
+
+const REVIEW_STEP_SEPARATOR_CLASS: Record<StoryboardHandoffStep, string> = {
+  1: "invisible",
+  2: "",
+  3: "",
+};
+
+export interface StoryboardReviewGuideProps {
+  frames: StoryboardFrameView[];
+  draftCount: number;
+  pendingCount: number;
+}
+
+/** Stage-aware instructions plus the explicit Studio → agent handoff. */
+export function StoryboardReviewGuide({
+  frames,
+  draftCount,
+  pendingCount,
+}: StoryboardReviewGuideProps) {
+  const summary = deriveStoryboardReviewStage(frames);
+  const copy = GUIDE_COPY[summary.stage];
+  const handoffStep = deriveStoryboardHandoffStep(draftCount, pendingCount);
+  const progress = progressLabel(summary);
+
+  return (
+    <section className="mt-5 rounded-lg border border-neutral-800 bg-neutral-900/60 px-4 py-3">
+      <div className="flex flex-col gap-4 sm:flex-row sm:items-center sm:justify-between">
+        <div className="max-w-3xl">
+          <div className="text-[10px] font-semibold uppercase tracking-wider text-sky-400">
+            {copy.eyebrow}
+          </div>
+          <h2 className="mt-0.5 text-sm font-semibold text-neutral-100">{copy.title}</h2>
+          <p className="mt-1 text-xs leading-relaxed text-neutral-400">{copy.body}</p>
+        </div>
+        {summary.frameCount > 0 && (
+          <div className="shrink-0">
+            <div className="mb-1.5 text-right text-[11px] font-medium text-neutral-300">
+              {progress}
+            </div>
+            <div className="flex flex-wrap justify-end gap-1.5" aria-label="Frame status summary">
+              {FRAME_STATUS_ORDER.map((status) => (
+                <span
+                  key={status}
+                  className={`rounded px-2 py-1 text-[10px] font-medium ${FRAME_STATUS_META[status].chipClass}`}
+                >
+                  {summary.counts[status]} {FRAME_STATUS_META[status].label}
+                </span>
+              ))}
+            </div>
+          </div>
+        )}
+      </div>
+
+      {summary.frameCount > 0 && (
+        <div className="mt-3 border-t border-neutral-800 pt-3">
+          <ReviewSteps current={handoffStep} />
+          <NextAction stage={summary.stage} step={handoffStep} draftCount={draftCount} />
+        </div>
+      )}
+    </section>
+  );
+}
+
+function ReviewSteps({ current }: { current: StoryboardHandoffStep }) {
+  const steps = ["Review frames", "Save feedback", "Reply in agent chat"];
+  return (
+    <ol className="hidden items-center gap-2 sm:flex" aria-label="Storyboard review workflow">
+      {steps.map((label, index) => (
+        <ReviewStep
+          key={label}
+          label={label}
+          number={(index + 1) as StoryboardHandoffStep}
+          current={current}
+        />
+      ))}
+    </ol>
+  );
+}
+
+function ReviewStep({
+  label,
+  number,
+  current,
+}: {
+  label: string;
+  number: StoryboardHandoffStep;
+  current: StoryboardHandoffStep;
+}) {
+  const offset = Math.sign(number - current) as ReviewStepOffset;
+  const state = REVIEW_STEP_STATES[offset];
+
+  return (
+    <li className="flex items-center gap-2">
+      <span
+        className={`text-neutral-700 ${REVIEW_STEP_SEPARATOR_CLASS[number]}`}
+        aria-hidden="true"
+      >
+        →
+      </span>
+      <span
+        aria-current={state.ariaCurrent}
+        className={`flex items-center gap-1.5 text-[11px] font-medium ${state.textClass}`}
+      >
+        <span
+          className={`flex h-5 w-5 items-center justify-center rounded-full border text-[10px] ${state.numberClass}`}
+        >
+          {state.marker(number)}
+        </span>
+        {label}
+      </span>
+    </li>
+  );
+}
+
+function NextAction({
+  stage,
+  step,
+  draftCount,
+}: {
+  stage: StoryboardReviewStage;
+  step: StoryboardHandoffStep;
+  draftCount: number;
+}) {
+  if (step === 3) return <AgentHandoffAction />;
+  if (step === 2) return <SaveFeedbackAction draftCount={draftCount} />;
+  return <ReviewFramesAction stage={stage} />;
+}
+
+function AgentHandoffAction() {
+  return (
+    <div className="mt-3 flex flex-col gap-3 rounded-md border border-sky-900/70 bg-sky-950/20 px-3 py-2.5 sm:flex-row sm:items-center sm:justify-between">
+      <div className="max-w-3xl">
+        <div className="text-xs font-semibold text-sky-200">Next: return to agent chat</div>
+        <p className="mt-0.5 text-[11px] text-neutral-400">
+          Feedback is saved, but the agent has not been notified. Paste this message in chat: “
+          {APPLY_STORYBOARD_FEEDBACK_MESSAGE}”
+        </p>
+      </div>
+      <AgentChatMessageButton message={APPLY_STORYBOARD_FEEDBACK_MESSAGE} />
+    </div>
+  );
+}
+
+function SaveFeedbackAction({ draftCount }: { draftCount: number }) {
+  return (
+    <div className="mt-3 rounded-md border border-neutral-800 bg-neutral-950/40 px-3 py-2.5">
+      <div>
+        <div className="text-xs font-semibold text-neutral-200">Next: save your feedback</div>
+        <p className="mt-0.5 text-[11px] text-neutral-500">
+          {draftCount} frame{draftCount === 1 ? " has" : "s have"} feedback ready. Use Save &amp;
+          copy message above to prepare this batch for your agent.
+        </p>
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  );
+}
+
+function ReviewFramesAction({ stage }: { stage: StoryboardReviewStage }) {
+  const copy = REVIEW_ACTION_COPY[stage];
+
+  return (
+    <div className="mt-3 flex flex-col gap-3 rounded-md border border-neutral-800 bg-neutral-950/40 px-3 py-2.5 sm:flex-row sm:items-center sm:justify-between">
+      <div>
+        <div className="text-xs font-semibold text-neutral-200">Next: review the frames</div>
+        <p className="mt-0.5 text-[11px] text-neutral-500">{copy.body}</p>
+      </div>
+      {copy.approvalMessage && (
+        <AgentChatMessageButton message={copy.approvalMessage} label="Copy approval message" />
+      )}
+    </div>
+  );
+}
+
+// The label intentionally folds six workflow states into three user-facing progress formats.
+// fallow-ignore-next-line complexity
+function progressLabel(summary: ReturnType<typeof deriveStoryboardReviewStage>): string {
+  if (summary.stage === "sketch-in-progress" || summary.stage === "sketch-review") {
+    const ready = summary.frameCount - summary.counts.outline;
+    return `${ready} of ${summary.frameCount} visual sketches ready`;
+  }
+  if (summary.stage === "animation-in-progress" || summary.stage === "final-review") {
+    return `${summary.counts.animated} of ${summary.frameCount} animations ready`;
+  }
+  return `${summary.frameCount} plan frame${summary.frameCount === 1 ? "" : "s"} ready`;
+}
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/components/storyboard/storyboardReviewStage.test.ts b/packages/studio/src/components/storyboard/storyboardReviewStage.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6ae80079d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/studio/src/components/storyboard/storyboardReviewStage.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import {
+  deriveStoryboardHandoffStep,
+  deriveStoryboardReviewStage,
+  isReviewReadyStage,
+} from "./storyboardReviewStage";
+
+describe("deriveStoryboardReviewStage", () => {
+  it.each([
+    [[], "empty"],
+    [["outline", "outline"], "plan-review"],
+    [["outline", "built"], "sketch-in-progress"],
+    [["outline", "animated"], "sketch-in-progress"],
+    [["built", "built"], "sketch-review"],
+    [["built", "animated"], "animation-in-progress"],
+    [["animated", "animated"], "final-review"],
+  ] as const)("maps %j to %s", (statuses, expected) => {
+    expect(deriveStoryboardReviewStage(statuses.map((status) => ({ status }))).stage).toBe(
+      expected,
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("returns counts for the visible progress summary", () => {
+    expect(
+      deriveStoryboardReviewStage([
+        { status: "outline" },
+        { status: "built" },
+        { status: "animated" },
+        { status: "animated" },
+      ]).counts,
+    ).toEqual({ outline: 1, built: 1, animated: 2 });
+  });
+});
+
+describe("storyboard review handoff", () => {
+  it.each([
+    [0, 0, 1],
+    [2, 0, 2],
+    [0, 3, 3],
+    [1, 3, 3],
+  ] as const)("maps %i drafts and %i pending comments to step %i", (drafts, pending, step) => {
+    expect(deriveStoryboardHandoffStep(drafts, pending)).toBe(step);
+  });
+
+  it("only offers approval when a review pass is complete", () => {
+    expect(isReviewReadyStage("plan-review")).toBe(true);
+    expect(isReviewReadyStage("sketch-review")).toBe(true);
+    expect(isReviewReadyStage("final-review")).toBe(true);
+    expect(isReviewReadyStage("sketch-in-progress")).toBe(false);
+    expect(isReviewReadyStage("animation-in-progress")).toBe(false);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/components/storyboard/storyboardReviewStage.ts b/packages/studio/src/components/storyboard/storyboardReviewStage.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6fa83c5b8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/studio/src/components/storyboard/storyboardReviewStage.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+import type { FrameStatus } from "@hyperframes/core/storyboard";
+
+export type StoryboardReviewStage =
+  | "empty"
+  | "plan-review"
+  | "sketch-in-progress"
+  | "sketch-review"
+  | "animation-in-progress"
+  | "final-review";
+
+export interface StoryboardReviewSummary {
+  stage: StoryboardReviewStage;
+  counts: Record<FrameStatus, number>;
+  frameCount: number;
+}
+
+export type StoryboardHandoffStep = 1 | 2 | 3;
+
+/** Current user action in the Studio → agent feedback handoff. */
+export function deriveStoryboardHandoffStep(
+  draftCount: number,
+  pendingCount: number,
+): StoryboardHandoffStep {
+  if (pendingCount > 0) return 3;
+  if (draftCount > 0) return 2;
+  return 1;
+}
+
+export function isReviewReadyStage(stage: StoryboardReviewStage): boolean {
+  return stage === "plan-review" || stage === "sketch-review" || stage === "final-review";
+}
+
+/** Derive the board-level review moment from agent-owned frame statuses. */
+export function deriveStoryboardReviewStage(
+  frames: ReadonlyArray<{ status: FrameStatus }>,
+): StoryboardReviewSummary {
+  const counts: Record<FrameStatus, number> = { outline: 0, built: 0, animated: 0 };
+  for (const frame of frames) counts[frame.status] += 1;
+
+  let stage: StoryboardReviewStage;
+  if (frames.length === 0) stage = "empty";
+  else if (counts.outline === frames.length) stage = "plan-review";
+  else if (counts.outline > 0) stage = "sketch-in-progress";
+  else if (counts.built === frames.length) stage = "sketch-review";
+  else if (counts.built > 0) stage = "animation-in-progress";
+  else stage = "final-review";
+
+  return { stage, counts, frameCount: frames.length };
+}
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/components/storyboard/useFrameComments.ts b/packages/studio/src/components/storyboard/useFrameComments.ts
index c90694993..443bb618d 100644
--- a/packages/studio/src/components/storyboard/useFrameComments.ts
+++ b/packages/studio/src/components/storyboard/useFrameComments.ts
@@ -17,8 +17,10 @@ export interface FrameCommentsValue {
   /** How many frames currently carry a non-empty draft. */
   draftCount: number;
   submitState: CommentsSubmitState;
+  /** Most recent submit failure, shown next to the submit action. */
+  submitError: string | null;
   /** Write the batch to `.hyperframes/frame-comments.json` and clear the drafts. */
-  submit: () => Promise<void>;
+  submit: () => Promise<boolean>;
   /**
    * Comments already submitted but not yet consumed by the agent (the file
    * still exists on disk). Refreshed on mount, after submit, and on window
@@ -34,6 +36,7 @@ export function useFrameComments(frames: StoryboardFrameView[]): FrameCommentsVa
   const { writeProjectFile, readOptionalProjectFile } = useFileManagerContext();
   const [drafts, setDrafts] = useState<Record<number, string>>({});
   const [submitState, setSubmitState] = useState<CommentsSubmitState>("idle");
+  const [submitError, setSubmitError] = useState<string | null>(null);
   const [pending, setPending] = useState<FrameCommentEntry[] | null>(null);
 
   const refreshPending = useCallback(async () => {
@@ -61,22 +64,35 @@ export function useFrameComments(frames: StoryboardFrameView[]): FrameCommentsVa
     [drafts],
   );
 
+  // One guarded async transaction owns loading, success, failure, and cleanup state.
+  // fallow-ignore-next-line complexity
   const submit = useCallback(async () => {
-    if (draftCount === 0 || submitState === "saving") return;
+    if (draftCount === 0 || submitState === "saving") return false;
     setSubmitState("saving");
+    setSubmitError(null);
     try {
       const previous = parseCommentsFile(await readOptionalProjectFile(FRAME_COMMENTS_PATH));
       const file = buildCommentsFile(frames, drafts, previous, new Date().toISOString());
       await writeProjectFile(FRAME_COMMENTS_PATH, `${JSON.stringify(file, null, 2)}\n`);
       setDrafts({});
       setPending(file.comments);
-    } catch {
-      // writeProjectFile surfaces save failures through the studio save banner;
-      // just re-arm the button so the user can retry.
+      return true;
+    } catch (err: unknown) {
+      setSubmitError(err instanceof Error ? err.message : "Failed to submit comments");
+      return false;
     } finally {
       setSubmitState("idle");
     }
   }, [draftCount, submitState, frames, drafts, readOptionalProjectFile, writeProjectFile]);
 
-  return { drafts, setDraft, draftCount, submitState, submit, pending, refreshPending };
+  return {
+    drafts,
+    setDraft,
+    draftCount,
+    submitState,
+    submitError,
+    submit,
+    pending,
+    refreshPending,
+  };
 }