By Jason Fischer | AV Support Analyst
Storytelling is the art of delivering a message in narrative form. Doing this well is a skill and takes practice. Throughout the ages, stories have been used within all cultures to facilitate education, deliver humor, and preserve historical perspective. Key elements of a narrative include the setting, the characters, the plot, and the narrative point of view. In this post the term storytelling is being used to describe the technique of communicating your message in video format.First, we will discuss the initial preparations necessary to lay the foundation for your script. Start by considering your target audience and the take away message. Then decide on the main themes that drive home that take away message. Next, consider how these themes overlap and interact, then use these relations to develop transitions between the main themes. Once you have the themes and transitions, draft the story outline.
The story outline is the sequence of events listed in the order that they will appear in the video. At this point, think about the interplay of video, graphics, and B-Roll to complete the story outline. Basically, imagine the footage, interview dialog, and images necessary to tell your story.
Once you have completed these initial preparations you are ready to create the script. Keep it as simple as possible. Don’t overthink it. Start with the basic facts of your message, then continue to build out your script by writing to the visuals. Remember that in video, you are writing for the ear. Keep the dialog conversational and keep the tone relaxed, familiar, and informal. Draft questions that will produce the sound bites required to add emphasis to your story.
Now onto the interview shoot. When you are interviewing a subject, do not respond too quickly to your subject’s answers. Hesitate, pause, and smile when your subject has completed their responses, and be sure to give them a chance to elaborate. Ask your subject if there is anything else they would like to add.
The final tip is to write in the active voice. The active voice is fast paced and very direct. It keeps your message flowing and makes it clear who is doing what.
This post aims to assist beginners in how to think about storytelling. I’ve created the following outline to help simplify the process. Have fun crafting your stories and good luck! You can download the outline in PDF and Microsoft Word formats below:
TellingYourStory.pdf TellingYourStory.docx