Don’t hate us, but you should be scripting your videos in advance. You don’t have to craft a compelling script or even know how to write a proper script. But getting your idea out of your head and into a more physical medium will help you so much. In today’s article, we’re walking you through how to write a video script and sharing our five favorite methods!
Brain Dumping 🧠
We started with this option because it’s probably the most popular. Brain dumping is exactly what it sounds like: you open a document or a notebook and write down everything that comes to mind. You can either do this when coming up with a bunch of content ideas, or when writing the script for one specific post. This works for creators who usually film off the cuff, or find that they can’t keep up with the ideas their brain generates.
If you do this method, be sure to spend some time reviewing and tidying up what you write down. Chances are it will need some fine-tuning. But getting the entire idea out of your head and onto paper will make creating videos so much easier.
Check out this example!
You can use brain dumping for anything, from video scripting to journaling. Some people like having some structure to follow, but feel free to literally word vomit all over the page.
Mind Mapping 📝
Mind mapping is a method of brain dumping that requires a little more structure. It also gets you thinking in categories and makes you look for connections between (or off-shoots of) different ideas. It’s a bit harder to explain, but it’s easy to get the hang of once you see it. This will work really well for planning several weeks’ worth of content or planning a series.
You start with a central idea. It can be something simple like “Educational” or a little more concrete, like “Social Media Tips”. From there, you come up with several off-shoot ideas, like three to five kinds of educational content for your niche. Then you come up with a few more ideas for each off-shoot until you have many sub-ideas to build from. You might even see where a few connect!
Check out this explanation!
See? It’s a lot easier than it sounds. Mind maps are perfect for creators who want to come up with multiple ideas in one setting and just need an idea of how the video will flow.
Outlining ✨
Most of the videos you see about outlining will be on books or class notes, but it’s perfect for writing a script. It’s a lot like a mind map, but a bit more linear and organized. You’ll start with a central point or idea and list out ideas related to it. Then you’ll do sub-ideas related to that idea. If you’ve ever written anything with bullet points, that was basically an outline.
With an outline, you’re basically breaking your script or video into sections. It gives your script a very natural flow and helps you find the main points you want to discuss. It’s also a lot easier to edit down or write a fully fledged script out of.
Check out this explanation!
Storyboarding 🖼️
We’ve talked about storyboarding on the blog before, so we’ll give you a quick rundown. Storyboards are visual tools used in the pre-production of videos. They consist of illustrated or sketched panels, arranged to represent the key scenes of a narrative. Each panel is made up of images and brief descriptions to convey the necessary elements in this scene or shot. It gives creatives the chance to “see” how shots will look and mesh together.
If your video is going to rely a lot on visual elements and perfectly curated shots, then we recommend leaning into a storyboard method. It can also be useful for creators who need a full picture of the video in their head before they film. If you’re filming a three or four character skit on your own, a storyboard can help you determine when to jump from one person to the other.
Check out this explanation!
Not a skilled artist? That’s fine! Stick figures are enough for a storyboard, or you can find stock images to use instead. Just so long as you have a visual representation of your scene, you’re good to go.
Template(ing) 🧩
For creators who really need structure, we recommend finding some video templates. These can be either written script templates or video templates you find from an online platform. Templates are great for creators who are just starting out or don’t have the time to sit down and come up with new ideas.
Unfortunately, this will require a little more research. You’ll either need to source a template or create your own, both of which can take some time. We recommend checking out Pinterest for script templates and Canva for video templates. Or, at least we recommend starting here. You may have to expand your search later on.
You”ll also need to do this in bathces: you can’t always be using templates, and you’ll need to refresh. Check out this video on content batching to get started!
Now you know how to write a script for your next video in five different ways. Now matter how you to use to write a script, remember: there’s no wrong way. As long as you’re getting your idea on paper, working out kinks ahead of time, and seeing the entire idea, you’re good to go.
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