At New Sky Productions we live in video and we work with folks who do not. The entire video production experience is exciting and it is common for our clients to leave the set bitten by the media bug. We see it all the time: the wheels start turning, the idea hits, and then the client is off to the races, producing some off-the-cuff business videos to saturate their website and YouTube channel.
As a video production company, we regularly advise our clients on how to quickly create scripts for their organic budget videos. We know that a successful creative campaign takes all types of media and impressions and while we are tackling the high-production videos, we are more than encouraging to offer tips for a few do-it-yourselves.
Start a Script
Don’t wing it. That’s wrong. You do need a script. You might just not need the traditional script used in professional productions.
- Create a Video Action Plan. This is a one sheet document that defines the who/what/why about your video.
- Know Your Audience. Determine who do you want to watch your video and what they are interested in.
- Determine Your Purpose. What is the point of this video message? What do you want your video to do for you?
- Know Your End Distribution. Once the video is complete, where will you be actually posting the video online? Is it going on the company intranet, YouTube, on a website’s blog?
Type of Scripts
There are a few types of video production scripts you can utilize and create. Don’t feel restricted to these suggestions, however, they do make for great content guides to move your script forward.
- Word for Word. Writing exactly what you plan to say. This is great for sales videos who need to cover specific pieces of information about a product. This is also necessary for businesses who are in a regulatory industry such as lawyers or financial advisors.
- Interview-Based. This is a great option for people who are not comfortable on camera or struggle to memorize a script. Be aware that this type of script does take quite a bit of planning in the questions and the answers to those questions.
- Bulleted Talking Points. This is where you know what needs to be covered, but there isn’t a script. This is great for people who are experts in their subject matter and can confidently speak off-the-cuff about the information.
- A/V Script (No Dialogue). A/V is an audio-visual script or a script of just what will show on the screen. Not all videos need narration or someone talking on the video.
As you are developing the script, be aware of the tone and mood of the video. Count the words. About every 150 words in a script produces a one-minute piece in video. The amount of words in the dialogue can really help you determine how long you want the video to be. And, finally, come up with a tweetable, one sentence summary of the script. This will be used across all your social media shares when you release the final video to the masses.
About New Sky Productions
New Sky Productions is a video production company that works directly with clients from Boston to Seattle to produce impactful media content. We utilize our outstanding in mass communication and cinematography, employing talented editors with state-of-the-art equipment to deliver compelling visual video storytelling pieces that connect businesses more directly with their client base. Through dynamic video production and video marketing exposure we increase sales, brand awareness, and consumer engagement.
