Telling your story

Some tips for writing video scripts

As a full-service video production company, DCA is happy to help with every step of the process, from concept ideation and scripting through to the final product. In fact, we’ve found that when our writing team creates the first draft of your script (in close collaboration with you), it tends to be the most effective process.

There are occasions, however, when our clients need to write their own scripts. If you’re in that situation, we have a few tips and tricks for you based on our experience.

Be simple and brief.

The most effective videos are short and to the point– preferably around 90 seconds, with a maximum runtime of three minutes (in most circumstances).

A video script isn’t the best place for flowing prose, elegant segues and extensive background information– there just isn’t time. More tips for brevity can be found here, but the bottom line is to only use as many words as are necessary to get the idea across simply and effectively.

Use a conversational tone.

A lot of website, brochure, or slide deck copy reads beautifully on paper or a screen, but sounds affected, overly wordy, or strange when used as a voiceover. Always read your script aloud to identify those parts so that they can be adjusted. (As an example, try reading the first sentence of this section out loud. Awkward, right?)

Keep in mind that a lot of information can be communicated visually.

A viral polyhedron floats above a laminar flow test. — Immunoassay testing for a viral disease at a glance!

If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video clip is probably worth ten thousand. In other words, if the visuals in your video are clearly expressing something, it doesn’t necessarily need to be said in the voiceover as well. This goes for imagery, onscreen text, etc. (See our previous post about onscreen text here for more.) On a related note, there is generally less need for segue/transitional text between topics than there would be in other types of copy, since we can use a scene change element (like briefly fading to black) to convey a change of subject.

Don’t use copyrighted words or phrases.

Avoid mentioning brands (other than your own) or other copyrighted terms (such as the name of a certain Ancient Greece-inspired global sporting event that takes place every four years). We (and you, presumably) prefer not to get unpleasant letters from lawyers.

Similarly, don’t use the names of any public figures who haven’t explicitly consented.

A smirking politician speaks into a group of microphones. — See “unpleasant letters from lawyers” above.

Suit the tone to the speaker.

The “voice” of the script is going to depend on several things, including the audience, the content, and your goals. But it’s also important to consider who will be delivering it. If it will be a voiceover professional (as in most of our videos), you have the most flexibility– they will deliver the script exactly as written and can be asked to alter their speed, tone, inflection, pronunciation, and sometimes even their accents. Actors have a bit less flexibility, and a lighthearted, conversational tone tends to work best. If you plan to have someone from your company deliver the script, matching the voice as closely as possible to the way they normally speak will help them deliver it more naturally.

Proofread. And read your script aloud again.

A man reads into a voice recorder from his laptop. — Check and recheck!

This is especially important if your script will be delivered by a professional voiceover artist. As we said, they will deliver the script exactly as it is written. This means that if there is a missing, duplicated, or incorrect word, they won’t correct it. Reading your script aloud can help identify these little errors that our brains tend to overlook when we read on a screen.

When in doubt, let DCA do the writing.

A woman takes notes as she smiles at a client on a video call. — We have many years of experience writing specifically for video and would be delighted to help!

We’ll meet with you to discuss the story, key elements (or words) to include, topics we may want to avoid, the intended audience, style, tone, and more. As we develop the draft, our writing team can consult with the graphics or editing teams to lay the groundwork for a successful transition into production. Once that initial draft is ready, we will collaborate with you to make any needed changes and make sure the script will meet all of your goals.

Ready to start scripting your video project with DCA? Contact us at dca@dcasf.com!