The Ten Point Scripting Process

The starting point with any video project is to establish the audience and the goal. The Ten Point Scripting Process is designed to achieve this goal with your audience.
1. Market Overview
With the audience and goal established, first examine the market to get a picture of the arena in which the video must perform. What are the strengths and weaknesses of the product or service in the market? What about the competition? Have you presented other videos to your audience? What are their expectations regarding production value and style?
2. Production Overview
Unless the scenes written on the page match the resources in the budget, the script is a set-up for disaster. The production overview assures that the script is do-able, and that it maximizes the producer's resources. Will the video be Hi-8, Betacam? One-day or five-day shoot? How many set-ups can be shot in a day? Will professional talent be employed or corporate personnel? Will the post process employ stock footage, off-line, transcripts, non-linear, or graphics?
3. Location Overview
What kinds of locations are available to the production? Corporate offices, board rooms, shooting stage, stores, plants, or public spaces? Scenes must be written around what is available.
4. Political Overview
Is there an internal client who must be sold on this video? Who gives final approval on the script? Are there key people who must appear on screen?
5. Content Overview
Just the facts m'am. What specific information must be communicated? Product features, techniques, announcements, or procedures. This is the what, not the how.
For a discussion on Content, see Elements of the Video Script.
6. Concept
This is the device used to tell the story -- the how. The first five steps give us the reality check needed to forge a creative concept that will hook the audience, deliver the content, fit the budget, and satisfy the brass.

Examples of Concepts
An on-camera host walking us through the story.
Field reporters following an event.
Cinema verite documentary.
Game show with corporate contestants.
Comic parody of a Clint Eastwood flic.
Dramatized vignette of a salesperson having a bad day.
For more on Concept, plus examples, see Elements of the Video Script.
7. Outline
The outline is crucial to a successful script. When you strip away all the smoke and mirrors from a dazzling video, you are left with structure and content. It's either there or it isn't -- and very often the latter.
Before the script is written, the outline shows the way you will build your case and organize your story. See OUTLINES for more information on using outlines and examples.
8. First Draft Script
The soul-searching writer staring at a blank page usually starts here. But if you notice, we're already at step 8. The Ten-Step process assures that the first draft will be right on target.
With the content, concept, and structure already been nailed down, the first-draft stage can now focus on language and style. Is the terminology correct? Is this the right tone for the message? Can it be stated tighter and with more punch?
9. Shooting Script
This is the ready-to-shoot approved draft. The production questions in the Visual Column regarding locations, graphics, and stock shots should be resolved at this point.
10. Final Draft Script
Most people think of the shooting script as the final draft. But what's on the page must adapt to what's recorded in the field. The final script is what you take to post. It reflects what's actually been shot, the stock footage found, the graphics created, and the testimonials recorded.
Testimonials
For testimonials, I write imaginary sound bites of what we hope the person will say. This information can also come from a phone interview with the subject prior to the shoot. Prepared bullet-points can help guide and focus the subject during the actual taping.
Despite all this preparation, the tight testimonial you hoped for may turn into 10 minutes of false starts and rambling thoughts.
For a testimonial-driven video, the footage must be transcribed, then re-worked into the script. With a rambling response, the first part may be good, the middle meanders, and the ending is necessary for closure.
The re-worked script might include the first part and the last part of the sound bite. A cut-away shot or B-roll is indicated to cover the jump cut. Suppose the testimonial ends:

TESTIMONIAL:
"...working at Johnson Brothers is like being part of a family."
The narration that follows might need to be re-written for the final draft to pick up on the word "family."

NARRATOR:
"Family... for 150 years Johnson Brothers has cared deeply about all kinds of families...etc."

This example also shows why the narration is recorded last and why the writer is often part of the post process.

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