Script Your Video
Script writing for video is very similar to script writing for television commercials. When you learn how to do the basics, the other comes relatively easy. If you are a newbie, I hope you can use these simple ideas to help you create your own video productions.
Most people would think that script writing for television commercials is some sort of highly skilled art form that only a select few can master. That may be true for the giant budget "national commercials", but, not so for most local style commercials. After a couple of trial runs, you learn the basics, then it is not that difficult.
As a former TV commercial producer I have produced hundreds of 15 second, 30 second, & four minute length commercials for local markets, & lots of of them were successful.
Here's what I would do for TV commercial production, & now apply to video production.
When I first started to break in to producing I could not find anyone willing to teach me how to write a script for my commercial. In the world of television, there are many so called experts, yet not one of them seemed willing to share their expertise (jackasses)! So I began to experiment with formats until I found one that worked well. It was simple, yet effective.
The length of your video time will decide how many words will be in your script, including "top & tail" titling, & call to action frames. A script can include over a voice-over intro, but in this instance "script" means, for the most part, "voice-over". An acceptable pace for video is approximately 3 words per second. Remember that RULE - three words per second!
1. Choose your desired length of the video.
2. Three words per second.
If you recall listening to a radio commercial, the read speed is often much higher -- the disclaimer at the finish! This is not acceptable for video. Three words per second equates to around 90 words for a 30 second long video. This is why you choose on the length of the video first.
A scratch script is a rough (initial) -- rough draft. Think about all the key words & phrases that pertain to your topic. Now throw them down on a blank piece of paper. Let them flow as cognitive links from your mind to the page. Don't worry about structure at this stage. Just do it. You will be surprised at what you generate.
3. Scratch script.
Scan your scratch script & start to form an intro to your video -- as a voice-over read. As you use a keyword or phrase, scratch it out from off of your scratch page. Keep repeating this until you have made a completed scratch rough draft & you have used every keyword or phrase that is on your scratch page. Count the words & adjust your spitball script accordingly for your time limit.
4. Rough draft.
5. Final script.
This is when the script starts to come together. Take another blank piece of paper & number lines on the left side of the page from the top to the bottom, from 1 to 30 -- for a 30 second video. Write three words per line. Now read your script naturally & time the read. If it fits, & you are happy with the way it sounds, & if it conveys your message, smile, pat yourself on the back and now you can move on to visuals.
On the right hand side of your page allow enough room for notes or drawings of the visual aspects of your video. Read your script slowly while visualizing what footage or pics you require to show and pay attention to the flow to ensure that they are in harmony with the voice-over. You can also include in this timeline any call to action notices. If you require to include transitions & special effects, don't forget to allow enough time for them to occur in your script.
6. Visuals.
As you build your final script, continue to enhance it, defining it as much as possible before you go in to the production of your video. The more you refine it in this pre-production stage, the easier the actual production will flow. It is far easier to produce it in your mind with the aid of your script, than to realize a mistake or error in the midst of real production and then try and correct it.
7. Refine it.
There you have it. Try it. You'll find that it works!
You can also create a template for a 30 second video script, that can be used for longer videos, by basically adding extra pages of your template to the refined script.
Stay Tuned Up,
Dale
