Niches are good. Writers who find their niches tend to move into territories unchartered, a specialization offering better opportunities and more marketable skills. So along the niche track, consider the possibilities of writing script for videos. Not everyone can do it, no matter how many infomercials, commercials and YouTube ads they’ve seen. If you can perfect the script of marketing video script writing you are elevated to c-level work for businesses.
Begin with Your Viewers
Who is going to watch your video? Fellow marketing execs? YouTubers on late night video binges getting pinged by your ad? Your employees during an employee training session? Start with the “who” before you move on to the what. Your language needs to reflect those viewing your video, or your work is lost to the June bug flitting away. This could mean speaking in kid-speak, c-status verbiage or for an 8th grade education level. Ask yourself these questions to help you hone the right voice, which could change for every video script you write, even for the same company:
- What is the purpose of the video, i.e. entertainment, education, enlightenment, product sales, etc.?
- Where will your audience watch the video? In their basement after 2 am? In the office setting surrounded by fellow cubiclers? At a religious retreat? As part of a corporate presentation during an industry conference?
- Who is your target user? Give them a personality, with a name, photo, background, current employment status, family, job etc. Go deep. Create a character whom you will focus on when writing the script.
Once you’ve nailed the audience it’s time to move on to the nitty gritty.
Take Your Time
As noted by Entrepreneur, even the shortest scripts for 3-minute clips can take days to pen. You need to rehash and finesse your script writing until you’ve nailed several points:
- When read the script sounds super natural, as if the person is carrying on a conversation with a friend.
- Your words are concise yet full of force. Choose your words Hemingway-style, and avoid the Faulkner fluff.
- The script compels to the human nature of your viewers. They will get misty-eyed at your ending, or their blood pressure boils at your call to action. Get the viewer riled up, that is your goal, whether your video makes them say “Huh” long enough that they talk about the video in share-mode or that it sticks with them so your message is absorbed successfully.
After you’ve smashed out the script in written format, it’s up to the camera guy and actor/actress to bring the words to life. At this point you’ve done what you have set out to do, and if done correctly, you are officially a video script scrivener. The next step for you is to perfect your skills across the board. If you’ve worked on video scripting for YouTube videos and ads, up yourself by applying to write script for televised commercials–before they go the way of the wind thanks to streaming.
Miranda B., a word artist from the get-go, enjoys finding new ways to spin the pen.
