Especially in the corporate world, the most skillfully scripted presentation is useless unless it produces the desired result. Identifying your audience and its characteristics allows the scriptwriter to plan narrative, visual and audio cues to elicit the appropriate response.
Before typing the first word or imagining an action sequence, the scriptwriter is wise to spend some time in conference with a client or internal staff determining goals. It also is prudent to narrow the focus to exact details on who will see the production, when they will see it, and how. The circumstances of the setting of a presentation is a crucial factor for the writer, who must decide a script's content, its length and the strength of its narrative, visuals and audio.
You'll notice I say the scriptwriter is concerned with the total production. In the past, many producers, who primarily had come out of film, swore by the storyboard, a method that uses a series of pictures to define the project. The composition, sequencing, angle of a shot, lighting, etc. was sometimes deemed more important than the words — which often were added as an afterthought.
Today's new technology has required us to become more sophisticated in the use of this tool. We recognize a narrative or printed script as being as necessary as graphics or videography. In fact, writing must be comprehensively integrated with visuals, driving their ability to go beyond the obvious to enhance and further illustrate what is said. Later articles will discuss this in more detail.
Once the basic facts are gathered, additional questions must be asked. What points must be made? Are there "buttons" or phrases which must be avoided? What artwork or other materials may be used? All of these and others should be answered, including the determination of budget, possible interviews, liaison and scheduling logistics, and deadlines. Only when you are certain of having all available information are you ready for the next step in your project. Once these preliminaries are completed, you're well on your way.
In next month's article, I'll provide some tips on formatting, organizing and shaping a video script, with a nod toward multimedia and the Internet. The basics of the writing process will follow. Many of these links should be helpful. Until then, I look forward to your questions and comments.
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