Valerie Nirala, ASA Communications Strategist
With the popularity of video skyrocketing, there will probably come a time in your career when you are asked to tell a story visually. Video has several benefits, but the most important is its ability to combine visuals, sound, and movement to capture your viewer’s attention more effectively and give them a richer experience. If creating a video seems daunting, it doesn’t have to be. Just keep the following steps in mind.
Write Your Script
When you sit down to write your script, ask yourself the following questions:
- What is the purpose of my video?
- What is the vital information?
- What are the length constraints?
- What visuals will be available?
- What action(s) do I want the viewer to take?
| Length of Video | Number of Words |
|---|---|
| 5 seconds | Up to 13 |
| 15 seconds | 14–38 |
| 30 seconds | 38–75 |
| 60 seconds | 75–150 |
| 90 seconds | 150–225 |
| 2 minutes | 225–300 |
| 3–5 minutes | 450–750 |
| 5–10 minutes | 750–1,500 |
Structure your script in the who, what, where, when, and why format, focusing heavily on the why. Are you going for the hard sell? In that case, tell your viewer why they need what you have and present yourself or your product as the solution. If you prefer a softer sell, tell a story about what motivates you and make it relatable.
The secret weapon: emotion. People rarely forget how you make them feel, so try to instill emotion into your script any way you can.
Finally, end with a call to action. Ask your viewer to buy your product, contact you, use your service, or reach out for more information.
The tone of a script is different than that of a report or even a letter. Scripts are written in a conversational tone, so the sentences should be short, active, and written in the way people speak.
Once you’ve finished writing, read your script aloud and check for long sentences, passive voice, and words that appear over and over. Pare down where necessary and consider which words you can take out entirely. Is there information that can appear on the screen, rather than being spoken, such as website addresses, names and professional titles, and contact information?
Make sure you don’t have more words than you can fit into the time you have allotted, and then move to the next step.
Create a Storyboard
A storyboard is a graphic representation of a sequence of scenes that uses both writing and images to convey a story. You can think of it like a comic strip. Step one is to refer to your script and assign an image to each sentence. Images can be still images and graphics that convey a message or complex information, a person being interviewed, or a scene reflecting what is being said.
Once you have thought of an image for every sentence, create a panel for every action or moment in your script. The images in your panels don’t have to be artist renderings. They can be simple, hand-drawn illustrations or stock images. Their purpose is to stand in for the imagery you will use in your video. At the bottom of each panel, write a description of what is happening or being said.
Consider Your Set-Up
A three-point lighting set-up is standard when interviewing someone. Your interviewee will sit in the middle with a key light shining on them from the left and a fill light shining on them from the right (if needed). A back light is a nice touch, as it gives the person being interviewed a slight halo.
The most essential elements to consider when setting up your video shoot are sound and lighting. To capture quality sound, use the proper microphone and avoid both open spaces that echo and crowded, noisy places.
If you can only buy one microphone, buy a wireless lavaliere mic. This is a small microphone that attaches to a person’s lapel and picks up on their voice, rather than any background noise. It also delivers better quality sound than the microphone on your camera or smartphone.
When considering your light source, try to use natural light as much as possible. However, make sure you diffuse strong, direct light and don’t shoot into the sun. For inside shoots, avoid tungsten light bulbs, which will make everything appear yellow or orange, and use a fill light to erase harsh shadows.
What Not to Do
As tempting as it might be to jump right into filming your story, it’s important to never start without a detailed plan (i.e., storyboard and script). You will be amazed at how much time you waste and how much video you dump when you start without a storyboard. If you’re interviewing people, you will more than likely have to call them back to get missing content, which can be awkward and uncomfortable. A few more actions you don’t want to take include the following:
- Squeezing in too many people. Remember your word count and consider how little each person will be able to speak if you have a dozen speakers.
- Forgetting to get signed release forms. It is always better to be on the safe side and have everyone’s permission to use them in your video.
- Packing in too many details. Just like squeezing in too many people, packing in too many details will take away from your video. If you have a lot of content, consider doing a series instead.
Final Cut
Creating a visual story can be a rich experience for you and your viewers. Being prepared with a script, storyboard, and proper set-up will make filming simple and pleasant and keep the focus on your message and call to action. Shooting a short video doesn’t require lots of expensive equipment, either. A smartphone, lavaliere microphone, and natural light will get you started on your path to visual storytelling. What are you waiting for? Lights, smartphone, and action!
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