Short Videos #1: Writing a Script for Your Video

NOTE: This is a guide for creating a video that will not require transcriptions or captioning services.

This is the first part of a series of blog posts about creating short videos for educational purposes. In this post, we will talk about creating a script for a video.

A lot of people hear the word “script” and get scared, thinking that they will have to write an Academy Award-winning screenplay. For this article, “script” means a list of basic talking points. Think of the video script as the rough outline of a paper – it has all the major topics you are going to discuss, listed in the order that they will be covered. If the video is the destination, think of the script as a roadmap. It will both aid in organization and act as a reference if you get off-topic.

The best way to structure this outline is by using the bullets, numbering, or multi-level list functions in a word processor. This will help keep the points separate and allow you to add different subpoints or notes that you do not want to forget. Each of these bullets should be a small piece of information, just enough to remind you of the topic. Anything more than a couple of words will interrupt the natural flow of the lecture. The goal to produce something supplemental to the information, not a word-for-word essay. Allow yourself a little space to improvise.

EXAMPLE

• Welcome
  • Read syllabus
  • Homework reminder
• Section 1
  • Nervous System
  • Spine
  • Brain

In the end, this is all for the benefit of the lecturer. If you require several points and subpoints, that is okay. If you just need a couple of large concepts to keep you on track, that is also acceptable.