How To Write A Video Script (My Process)

Whether you’re a marketer, a director, or both, video is one of the most powerful ways to share your ideas and message with an audience. But while a video can be incredibly powerful, it’s also easy to get it wrong. 

If your video isn’t convincing or engaging enough, no one will watch it! So how do you ensure that your videos capture the attention of viewers? The secret lies in writing strong scripts.

Takeaways
1. Understand the Purpose: Define the purpose of your video and what you want to achieve through it.
2. Know Your Audience: Identify your target audience and tailor the script to resonate with them.
3. Craft a Compelling Hook: Grab the viewers’ attention from the start with a captivating opening.
4. Structure Your Story: Organize the script with a clear beginning, middle, and end to keep the audience engaged.
5. Convey a Clear Message: Ensure your main message is clear, concise, and easy for the audience to understand.
6. Use Visuals and Examples: Incorporate visuals and real-life examples to enhance the storytelling experience.
7. Include a Call-to-Action: Prompt the viewers to take the desired action after watching the video.
8. Edit and Refine: Review and refine the script to ensure it flows smoothly and effectively communicates your ideas.
9. Practice and Rehearse: Practice delivering the script to improve your delivery and overall performance.
10. Seek Feedback: Get feedback from peers or professionals to further enhance the quality of your video script.

Start With A Concept

What do you want to say? What do you want your audience to learn from the video? How would they benefit from seeing it, and what action would they be prompted to take as a result (and why)? 

These are all very important questions that need answers before beginning work on your script.

It’s also important to start with a concept because it will guide the rest of your writing process: If you don’t know where you’re going, it can be difficult to write content that gets there in an effective way.

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Research, Research, Research

Research, research, research. Research is a tedious process that can sometimes feel like an endless stream of information and data. 

But it’s important to make sure that you do your homework before writing anything. You want to make sure that your script has all the facts in check before you start writing anything down.

Jargon:

In our industry (video production), jargon is used often but not always properly employed by people who are trying to be cool or impress someone with their knowledge. 

This can lead to mixed messages when talking about video production terms with clients and prospects because they don’t know what we’re saying! So here are some tips on how NOT TO USE JARGON…

• Don’t use it if you don’t know what it means (or ask someone who does)
• Don’t use it if you think the prospect might not understand what it’s meaning
• Don’t use it just because other people do!

Write An Outline

An outline is a roadmap for your video. It’s also a guide for your script, and it will help you stay on track. As you write the body of your script, you’ll refer to this outline to avoid writing fluff or jargon.

It’s important to use an outline because it helps you organize your thoughts and keep the topic focused on one idea (the main message). You can think of an outline as a way to make sure that everything points back to that main message in some way. 

For example, if I’m making a video about how robots are taking over all jobs, I may want my first point in the outline to be something like: “Robots aren’t taking over all jobs.” 

And then I can expand upon that point with details like: “Not even close,” or “There are more humans than ever before,” etc., depending on what information supports my argument effectively.

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Write The Script

When writing a script, it’s important to start with the introduction. This is where you want to get your audience’s attention. The introduction can be short (1-2 sentences) or long (2-4 paragraphs).

The body of your video should be where you dive into the meat of what you’re trying to teach and sell. This section should include subheadings so that viewers know where they are in the video and how much time has elapsed since they started watching. 

The body should also clearly communicate what action each section requires from viewers. If someone doesn’t follow through on these actions, then there will be no results for them!

Finally, your conclusion needs to wrap everything up in an easy takeaway format so that people know exactly what they need to do next after watching your video script for it all makes sense!

Ensure The Right Visuals Are Used To Compliment Your Script

Make sure the visuals are relevant to the topic and easy to understand, follow, and remember. If you’re using a narrator or voiceover talent on your video, then make sure they have an accent or tone that matches your brand’s overall voice.

If you don’t have the budget for professional video production, find free stock footage that reflects the look and feel of your business (or partner with another company).

Keep It Simple By Avoiding Jargon Or Fluff

The goal of your video script is to keep the audience engaged, so avoid using big words that you don’t need.

• Use common language and everyday phrases instead of jargon or industry terms that your audience may not understand. For example, instead of saying “to achieve high ROI” use “to get a good return on investment (ROI)”
• Avoid overly complicated sentences and paragraphs as they might confuse your viewer.
• Avoid fluff and filler words like “um” or “uh” in your script because they can distract from the message you’re trying to convey and make it difficult for viewers to follow along with what you’re writing about.

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Use Analogies And Metaphors Where Appropriate

The best way to help your audience understand a concept is to use analogies and metaphors. You can even use a combination of the two! Here’s an example:

“When you’re writing a script, you want to be sure that your audience doesn’t get lost in the weeds. If they don’t feel like they’re getting any value out of what it is that you’re saying, then they’ll just stop watching.”

For this example, I’ve taken two things that are commonly understood by most people (writing scripts and getting lost in the weeds) and compared them side by side with each other. The result? 

A pretty clear picture in your reader’s mind about what kind of content should be included in my video script.

Avoid “Soap Opera Syndrome”

If you’ve ever written a script, you may be familiar with the concept of “Soap Opera Syndrome”  when a writer uses too many words to describe a single scene or object. For example:

• “The room is dark and creepy.”
• “The door creaks open.”

That kind of thing. You don’t need those extra descriptors if you’re telling your character what’s happening in the scene. 

Your audience will get it without them. Sometimes it can be helpful to leave out all unnecessary words and only describe what’s necessary for viewers to understand the scene they’re watching and that includes the emotions involved in it! 

If your character is sad because they just found out their spouse was cheating on them, don’t waste time describing how sad they are; show us through their tears or body language instead!

Visualize How Your Story Will Unfold On Screen As You Write

First, visualize how your story will unfold on screen as you write.

If you’re writing a script for a video that will be shot in real time, ask yourself what the camera would see at each moment of the narrative. 

For example, if you’re writing an action movie exploring an evil scientist’s plot to take over the world with his army of genetically modified supermen and women, picture how he’ll react when confronted by an unexpected visitor let’s say it’s Bruce Willis as John McClane from Die Hard. 

What does he do? How does he respond? The answers to these questions will tell you where to break your narrative into scenes: when things start happening quickly or when emotions get intense. 

To find out how much information needs to be conveyed between scenes (or “cuts”), analyze what different characters are doing and saying during those moments that aren’t so action-packed or emotional.

And consider whether those moments contain important details about who they are or why they’re there.

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Voice Your Story As You Write It To Help Clear Your Mind And Give Shape To Your Ideas

Voice your story as you write it to help clear your mind and give shape to your ideas. You can use a tape recorder, or even record yourself using the audio feature on your smartphone. 

If you have a video camera, you can also use that instead of an audio recorder. Some cameras have this feature built into them already (check yours to see if it does!).

If recording yourself sounds intimidating or if you’re not sure how well this will work for what you’re writing, don’t worry! There are other options:

If you don’t feel safe speaking aloud in public spaces but would still like some kind of low-pressure way to practice speaking into narration as part of the process of writing scripts.

There are apps available for smartphones that allow users to dictate their thoughts while they write them down on paper at the same time by speaking into their phones’ microphones through an app like Dragon Dictation (for iOS) or Voice Recorder HD ($1.99). 

These apps can be used anywhere without anyone knowing what voiceover work is taking place whether it’s in class or at home! You can even add music tracks from GarageBand into these recordings too so everything sounds nice and professional when finished.”

Tell A Story, Not A List Of Facts

The first thing you need to know about writing a video script is that it’s not a list of facts. It’s a story, and you need to treat your script like one like an actual narrative with characters and events in it.

A good way to do this is by using the “hero’s journey” structure: the hero must go through various trials and tribulations before achieving his or her goal (and often saving/rescuing someone else along the way). 

This can be applied across any genre or subject matter; for example, if your movie is about space exploration then there should be some sort of conflict between two groups who want different things at stake (e.g., humans vs aliens).

Another way that this works well is by making use of story arcs where different phases lead up towards something bigger than just one particular moment in time; 

For example, if we’re talking about our alien-human war movie here then maybe one group has already won but now there’s another threat coming their way which threatens everything they’ve worked so hard for over years! 

This helps keep things exciting throughout because viewers don’t get bored easily when watching TV shows/movies where nothing happens until suddenly everything does happen at once…

Use Subheads To Help Structure The Video And Make It Easy For Viewers To Navigate Through Key Points

Subheads are a way to break up your script into sections and make it easy for viewers to navigate through the key points. They can also help you organize your thoughts, keep the audience engaged, and make sure that the script follows a logical sequence.

For example, let’s say you’re writing about how to make healthy smoothies. You could break up the video by talking about what ingredients are needed and how much of each ingredient should be used in making smoothies (subheading 1).

Then talk about how many calories are in each type of fruit or vegetable that goes into making smoothies (subhead 2). 

In this way, viewers will easily be able to follow along with what they’re seeing on screen and if they want more information on any particular topic that comes up during their viewing experience (such as types of fruits or vegetables), they’ll know exactly where to go within the video itself!

Begin With A Hook And End With A Bang!

The beginning of a video script is important because it’s the first impression that you give to your viewers. You need to grab their attention and keep them watching until the end. A great way to do this is by using a hook at the beginning of your script.

A hook is just something surprising that happens right at the start of your video so that people will want to keep on watching! For example: “I’m going to give away all my secrets for free!”

The hook can also be used as an intro to talking about why you made this video in particular, which can lead to more information about what makes it unique and interesting (and then they’ll want more!). 

For example: “In this video, I’ll show you how my secret sauce can help improve any dish.”

Every great video begins with a well-crafted script. If you’re new to the world of video script writing, fear not! Our guide on the basics of video script writing provides expert advice and essential tips to kickstart your journey toward creating compelling video content.

Speak From The Second Person Perspective

The second-person perspective is the most common and straightforward way to write a script. It’s when you use the pronouns “you” or “I,” which are both present tense, instead of using “we” or “they.”

For example:

• Instead of saying “we need to focus on our product,” say something like, “You need to focus on your product.” Or even better yet: “Focus on your product” (that’s much more direct!).
• And if you want to get personal with it, try saying things like: “I have an idea for a marketing campaign” or even just keep things simple by saying something like: “50 billion dollars!”

Use Simple Words, Short Sentences, And An Active Voice Without Drifting Into Monotony

When writing your script, use simple words, short sentences, and an active voice. Don’t drift into monotony by using the same word too often or avoid jargon at all costs. 

Avoid fluff by focusing on one topic at a time and don’t be afraid to use analogies (e.g., “Our new product is like a sports car”) or metaphors (e.g., “Our new product is like a smartphone”).

Use Subheads So People Can Scan Through The Script Quickly

Use a hook early on in your video to grab people’s attention and then make sure you have some kind of call to action at the end that tells viewers what they should do next (buy something? sign up for something?)

Make Sure You Keep It Within 2 Minutes In Length, If Possible

There is a lot of science behind the “2-minute” rule. Most people have a hard time maintaining attention for longer than 2 minutes, so if you want to keep your viewers engaged, it’s best to keep your video short. 

You can use a stopwatch to check how long each scene of your script takes and then try to make sure all of them together are no longer than 2 minutes in length.

Another option for helping yourself keep track of time is using an app like ScreenFlow or Movie Maker that has built-in time tracking features.

Conclusion

In this post, you’ve learned how to write a video script. The best way to do so is by breaking it down into sections and using the outline sections as a guide for each section of your script. 

When writing your video, aim for clarity and brevity to make sure that viewers understand what you want them to take away from watching.

Further Reading

HubSpot: How to Write a Video Script Short Description: HubSpot’s comprehensive guide on writing effective video scripts covers everything from crafting compelling narratives to engaging your audience.

Indeed: How to Write a Script for a Video Short Description: Get valuable insights from Indeed’s career advice section on writing video scripts that captivate viewers and deliver impactful messages.

Synthesia: How to Write a Video Script Short Description: Synthesia’s post offers practical tips and techniques to help you create engaging video scripts that resonate with your target audience.

FAQs

How to start writing a video script?

Crafting a video script starts with defining your purpose and understanding your target audience. Identify the key message you want to convey and outline the main points to be covered in your video.

What are the essential elements of a successful video script?

A successful video script includes a compelling hook, a clear and concise message, a strong call-to-action, and a well-defined structure that keeps the audience engaged from start to finish.

How long should a video script be?

The ideal length of a video script depends on the platform and purpose of the video. Generally, for marketing videos, keeping the script between 1 to 3 minutes is recommended to maintain viewer interest.

How can I make my video script more engaging?

To make your video script more engaging, incorporate storytelling elements, use visual aids and graphics, add humor where appropriate, and address your audience’s pain points to keep them hooked.

What are some common mistakes to avoid in video script writing?

Common mistakes to avoid include using overly complex language, neglecting to have a clear call-to-action, making the script too long, and failing to tailor the script to the intended audience.