Videos are currently the most powerful form of marketing. Every great video begins with a good script idea. A lot of times the client will know what they want and it is up to the video production unit to complete this. Writing a well-organized script that pleases both parties is the key to that. I can explain formatting the script in a few simple tips. For advertisers, it is crucial to know the product and deliver the message in a clear method.
Research
Should be the first aspect of any project. Know what your client wants and learn as much as you can about the product and the audience. Try to use the product and reflect on its positives. Highlight those and note any dysfunctions so you can stay away from those. Know the intent of the video and where you will post it. Your market research will vary widely. This depends on the demographic, age, and location. As well as if this is a video to post on YouTube or on the company’s website. Compile all the facts you can before beginning a script draft.
Plays a major part in the creation of any video. It is easy to write in special effects and music cues but a whole different universe to accommodating this. The client will be working within a specific financial ballpark and staying within this is essential. Preparing for unexpected expenses is also necessary. When writing the script, try to make it as basic as possible. Also, add in a few optional features. Include price estimates for the client to decide. They may feel this is something they want to pay more for or sway the budget in.
The contents of the video. Layout all the research and client requests and place these into the script. Think of this as folding a bed sheet and starting with the corners. The first few seconds of your video should encompass all these aspects. Once you have done this you are well into the first draft.
Punch It Up
With a few jokes if they fit the product organically. Your company should have at least one scriptwriter who is a specialist at joke writing. They will know what jokes are hoaky versus those that make the audience smile. They may have some genuine ideas for getting a real roar out of viewers. Sometimes the entire script will revolve around setting up a real zinger.
Review
The script and its components. Have you stated all the pertinent information? Do the jokes work to the satisfaction of the structure of the script, potential viewers, and the aim of the client? You can build more options at this point. The intent is to narrow it down to a singular script for the client to give the greenlight for production to begin.
Language
Is essential to marketing. The use of overplayed buzzwords becomes annoying. Phrases might need to be double checked to ensure they do not violate copyright infringements. But overall you are writing an ad that serves a message to a specific audience. Know whom you are talking to and work with a vocabulary familiar to them. If you are selling a product to college students know that any double entendres will become jokes in their minds. If your audience is senior citizens or foreigners try staying away from modern slang. When I say to my friends in Europe that I am “heading over” they have no idea what I mean. I have to restate that I am “heading in that direction.” So remember that English words often carry various meanings unfamiliar to all audiences. Maybe that is an effect you want but being aware of the language you use is what review is for.
Music Cues, Text, and Graphics
You should write these in the script, even if they change during post-production. The idea is to make the script something that any reader can easily envision. It is perfectly acceptable to write in TBD for any of these elements if they are still up for debate. The director and editor will have an easier time setting up the cues for this.
The aspects of a good script come down to the talent of the writers and the timing at which they can produce them. A genius script idea that appealed to audiences twenty years ago might have very little impact on today’s audiences. A final note is to have writers bounce ideas off of each other and work with each other’s materials. Collaboration has the potential to create something greater but can also backfire disastrously. Even if a client rejects a valid script, it is worth presenting them with the best ideas possible.
