TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS
SCRIPTING
Scripting Basics 4
Audio Elements 6
Writing for Audio 8
Video Elements 10
Writing for Video 12
Writing Video Narrative/Commentary 14
Creating a Mobile Tour 16
Universal Design 18
Adding Your Project to the Community 20
Script Example 1 22
Script Example 2 24
Scripting Basics

A script is a document that outlines every aural, visual, behavioral, and

lingual element required to tell a story. It contains the words that will be
spoken in the finished piece, as well as instructions for the elements of audio
and video that should be captured as the piece is recorded. It is a production
document. There are three main steps to creating a script.

The Brief. Creating a brief allows you to document the answers to really
important project questions. Explain your goals, target audience, topic, and
intended takeaways when developing your brief. This is the document you will
use to ensure all your future decisions match your intended goals.

The Outline. An outline should be the second step to creating your script. You
need to know your story’s beginning, middle, and end before you get started.
Once you have the basic skeleton of your project written out, you can make
sure the story makes sense and fill in the details of the assets you need to
gather (images, audio, video).

The Script. This doesn’t have to be fancy. It’s purpose is strictly functional.
It’s a set of directions for you to follow when creating the final product. Like
a blueprint. As you map out what you want your final product to sound and/
or look like, write in instructions on how many camera angles you need on
different shots, and what kind of audio and/or video you need to record at
each location.

Write in plain, conversational English

When writing the narrative elements of your script, you want to write how the
narrator/voice over should speak, not how you would write a formal paper.
Practice speaking it out loud to see if it sounds too formal.

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Make it thorough
A script doesn’t just include dialogue or voice over scripting. If your finished
product will require multiple shots, people, or scenes, include these details. For
video, be sure to include any necessary information about the location, actions
that should be taken on camera, and visual elements – including clothing
choices.

Format for easy reading

Format the elements like b-roll, sound effects, text overlays, and voiceover,
background sounds, and other audio recordings by using different colors, fonts
or callouts to visually differentiate the elements of your script.

Script every word

For any voice over or narration, script every word. Ad-libbing never works.
You will have to do multiple takes and you want each take to be as similar to
the last one as possible. You also want to ensure the timing is exactly right.
Scripting will save you a lot of time and frustration.

Make it short
For both audio and video, shorter is better than long. Cut out any unnecessary
aspects of your script. Attentions spans are short. Make sure you get to your
point before you lose your audience’s interest.

For a tour, remember that people will be standing while listening to your tour.
Be respectful of their feet and make it short. Entertaining, but brief.

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Audio Elements

There are eight elements to audio. Your job is to decide which elements
will appear at which points in the final piece, whether in combination or solo.
Learn more about the elements of audio recording from B-side Radio: http://
bsideradio.org/learn/recording-audio-in-the-public-radio-style.

Actualities
These are audio recordings gathered during interviews. In video recordings,
this element is often called “talking heads.”

Voice over
These are the recordings created by you or someone you recruit that links all
the elements together and tells the story. It can feature one or more people.

Ambience
These are natural sound effects from the world that help set a scene. If you
were at a dairy, this would be the sound of a cow mooing. At a construction
site, it would be the sound of a saw or a hammer. Get your microphone right
up next to the source of the sound you’re trying to capture. Try to record a
minute of this, though often only 5-10 seconds of it will used.

Background sound
This is the sound of a place (often also called ambience). Not a singular easily
discernable sound but rather the full spectrum of sounds. For this, you don’t
want to point your microphone at anything in particular, just stand in a location
and record. You should record at least a minute of this in every place.

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Room Tone
This is the sound of a room - the lights, the hum of the air conditioner, cars
outside, etc. When you record an interview in a room, the sound of the room is
always there behind the voice of your interviewee. This sound will differ as you
edit in interviews from different rooms, places, and your own narration. Moving
between the different audio clips can sometimes be jarring depending on how
present the room tone is. You can smooth this transition by mixing in room
tone behind your voice. You need to gather at least 45 seconds to a minute of
room tone in each room where you do an interview, more if there are distinct
sounds happening, like cars going by.

Sound effects
This is any sound that is artificially injected into the soundtrack to enhance
it. This could be a natural sound like the ambience you recorded to a digitally
created sound.

Silence
This is the lack of any sound over a particular moment in a finished piece. In
audio-only pieces, silence should almost never be used unless you need it to
make a dramatic point.

Music
Background music appeals on an emotional level with the audience. It can be
used to establish a particular time period, geographical location, or identify
a particular community. See the Appendix to learn more about music rights and
permissions.

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Writing for Audio

Writing for audio is different than most types of writing. Unlike the reader,
the listener often has no opportunity to reread what has been said if they miss
something or need clarification. As such, preparing material that will be read
aloud requires a slightly different approach than preparing written material.
Below are ten tips on how to write for the ear:

1 Embrace a conversational tone. Remember that storytelling is a

dialogue, not a monologue, and that you want to be engaging and
natural in your speech.

2 Keep your sentences short and simple. Avoid compound or complex

sentences, and abide by the basic subject-verb-object structure.

3 Use a simple vocabulary. Big words sound impressive, but they

can cause your listener to get lost. Remember that you are speaking
to a general audience, and write your story accordingly. If you need to use
complicated words or concepts, consider defining the terms as you read.

4 Avoid passive voice. Use active verbs and be direct. This will give your
statements more impact. Ex. passive: “she was walking toward the
house” vs. active: “she walked toward the house.”

5 Use contractions. Remember that you want the conversation to flow

naturally. For a more seamless delivery use “can’t” instead of “cannot.”

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6 Punctuate for rhythm. Consider the way your story will sound when
spoken out loud and use punctuation to mark pauses and place
emphasis. Remember to pace yourself and allow time for your audience to
absorb what has been said.

7 Round your numbers. Unless there is a reason for you to use the exact
number, simplify your story by rounding figures to the nearest whole.

8 Use a straightforward, linear narrative. With audio recordings,

there is virtue in clarity. Remember that a listener cannot always
rewind if they get lost, so make sure that the structure of your story follows a
chronological order with a beginning, middle and end.

9 Read it out loud. When you have finished drafting your story, read it
aloud. What sounds good in your head might not sound natural when
read out loud. Reading your story aloud will help you identify problems with
rhythm and sentence structure.

10 Use dialogue (if possible). For a listener, it is easier and more

interesting to jump into the story when they can be the third (or more)
member of a conversation, rather than being talked to.

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Video Elements

There are five main elements to video. Your job is to decide which elements
(and their sub-elements) will appear at which points in the video, whether in
combination or solo. Learn more from UNESCO’s How to Write a Documentary
Script: http://www.unesco.org/new/fileadmin/MULTIMEDIA/HQ/CI/CI/pdf/
programme_doc_documentary_script.pdf.

Visual Images
Single Shot. A shot is a single “take” on an action. Something needs to be
“happening” in a shot for the audience to see. The images, the action, the
events should not be random. They have to be meaningful.

Sequence. A sequence is a collection of shots put together that tell a story

continuously – like a series of close-up and wide-angle views of someone
driving to work. Putting several action shots like this together creates events.

Montage. A montage is a sequence of sorts. It’s a process of combining a

number of small shots and weaving them together to communicate a large
amount of information in a short time - like time passing in a person’s life.

Talking heads. This includes interviews of people on camera or people talking

directly to the audience on camera or both.

Colors, textures and Lines. Elements of line, texture and color all carry their
own weights in a film. Color and its presence or absence from a film can make
a significant difference to the film’s message and mood.

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Print and other graphics

This can be identification of the talking heads, orienting text like dates and
places over a location, or newspaper clippings and headings to emphasize a
point being made by the narration. Video is about showing, not telling, so use
print and graphics sparingly and purposefully.

Speech
Narrative commentary / Voice over. Narration is the commentary that
sometimes accompanies a visual image in a documentary. It’s also often called
a ‘voice-over’ and it can be spoken by one or more off-screen commentators.

Talking heads or interviews. An effective way to communicate information.

Music
Background music appeals on an emotional level with the audience. Music is
also used to establish a particular geographical location or identify a particular
community. See the Appendix to learn more about music rights and permissions.

Noise
Ambiant sound. The sound that is naturally present and is recorded
simultaneously with it is essential to the creation of a location atmosphere.

Sound effects. Any sound that is artificially injected into the soundtrack to
enhance it – natural or digitally created.

Silence. The lack of any sound over a particular moment in a film forces the
audience to focus on the visual. Silence should be used sparingly.

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Writing for Video

Writing for video is different than writing for audio. Though audio is an
important factor in video, most of the story should be brought to life through
visual elements. Learn more from UNESCO’s How to Write a Documentary
Script: http://www.unesco.org/new/fileadmin/MULTIMEDIA/HQ/CI/CI/pdf/
programme_doc_documentary_script.pdf.

Show, don’t tell. Video is a visual medium. Unlike a novel, a video script
is never ‘read’ literally by the audience and therefore you should try and
incorporate most of the information you have to give into a visual format. For
example, rather than telling the audience that a man is a farmer, you should
show the man working in his fields. It always helps to show character and event
action rather than talk about it or include it in narration because the audience
is then able to experience it themselves, making it more real for them.

Show through action and movement. There is a reason we call them “moving
images” and you should keep that in mind. The visual must be kept moving; the
characters must be ‘doing’ something. The audience will react to movement on
screen with interest and to static images with boredom.

Visual pertinence. Simply put, visual pertinence is keeping the visuals relevant
to the subject and sustaining the flow of action. Don’t show a farmer working
behind a desk in a bank unless he works there part-time.

It is important for you to structure sequences according to the point in time

they appear in the video. If a character has just suffered a major loss, then
don’t show a sequence where they go to a party unless that’s what they would
do naturally in that situation.

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Emotional pertinence. Emotional pertinence is controlling the emotional

reaction of the audience and making it relevant to the story at that point in the
video. This can be done by emphasizing emotional details or triggers which will
provide the desired emotional response from the audience.

Moods and Metaphors. You have many visual tools at your disposal including
the control of visual mood and visual metaphors to represent an idea that
would be otherwise difficult to portray visually. For example, a sequence which
features a man working late into the night in his office could be full of shadows
to add to the perception of time.

Special effects. Sometimes, special effects like slow motion, where a visual is
slowed down in time, help create and regulate tempo and rhythm in a video as
well as enhance emotional value at certain points. Dissolving from one shot to
another helps create smoother visual flow. Special effects may or may not be
incorporated into the script in great detail. It is not advisable to use too many
special effects in a non-fiction video because they alter the nature of reality.

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Writing Video Narrative/Commentary

Sound is crutial to video, but remember that the visual always comes
first. Narration is part of the overall narrative, but does not lead the narrative.
Learn more from UNESCO’s How to Write a Documentary Script: http://www.
unesco.org/new/fileadmin/MULTIMEDIA/HQ/CI/CI/pdf/programme_doc_
documentary_script.pdf.

When deciding who the narrator(s) will be, remember, this choice has to be
made both on a narrative-relevance level and an artistic level. The narrator
needs to be someone who adds value and drives the video’s narrative forward.

First-person narration
The person whose point of view (POV) is currently being represented visually
and story-wise is the narrator. This narrator talks in terms of ‘I’ and brings their
limited POV across to the audience via the spoken word. This narrator is a
character in the video and may or may not be shown visually at the time their
voice is speaking. First-person narration should follow the rules of first-person
narrative, which is that only one character’s POV can be shown at a time,
despite the fact that multiple characters may be narrators in the video.

Second-person narration
The person or people narrating the video directly address the audience as
“you” and force the audience into the story. This is common in vlog-style videos
you might see on YouTube – like in VlogBrothers or Vsauce videos.

Third-person narration
A popular choice is when an all-knowing, omnipresent entity narrates the story,
referring to all the characters within the video as ‘he’ or ‘she.’ This narrator’s
POV is all-pervasive even though it is less personal.

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Rules to writing video narration:

1 Narration should back up a visual, not overpower it. Also, if

something is being shown visually, then there is no need for the
narration to mention it as well. The narration should say what the visual
doesn’t say and should be in tune with the actions taking place at that point in
the video.

2 Keep narration relevant. Many scriptwriters use the narration for

information-shoving at the audience. The narration should be as
focused, clear-cut, short and relevant as possible. Information should be given
on a need basis only and when the particular subject has been sufficiently
covered, it should stop.

3 Keep narration simple. Big words and fancy sentences are lost on an
audience that has to keep track of multiple elements coming toward
them at the same time. In fact, a verbose narration only makes the story harder
for them to follow. A good narration is precise and simple and works in tune
with the other elements of the video without trying to be grandiose.

4 Practice speaking the narration as you write it. The narration will
ultimately be spoken. Reading it out aloud will reveal how it sounds
and allow you to correct and replace words or sentences that don’t flow. It also
gives an indication of how much time the narration will take to speak out aloud
and will allow you to time it to the visual elements.

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Creating a Mobile Tour

The main goal of the Be Here: Main Street project is to cover your
community in stories of its history and culture. These stories are
sometimes stand-alone stories on a map, but often they are connected stories
that follow a specific theme, like a tour of local historic buildings, a scenic
byway, or popular tourist spot. If you create a mobile tour, here are a few
things to keep in mind.

1 Have a clear theme and objectives. A tour consists of stops that are
connected in some way. What topic or story connects your tour? Even if
that theme is simply “highlights of the community.” What should people to take
away from the tour? Should they learn about a time period they didn’t know
about? Understand how your town fits into a national narrative?

2 Know your audience. Are you creating a children/family tour or a tour

for adults, an enthusiast’s tour or an amateur’s tour, a tour for locals
or a tour for tourists? Then you’ll know how to approach your topic – what
vocabulary to use, what features to point out, how in-depth you should be, etc.

3 Tell a story. Each stop on its own has a story that should be told in
an engaging way, but the entire tour overall should also tell a story.
Arrange the stops in a logical order, so each stop builds on the last one. And
make sure your enthusiasm for the topic comes through. Take your users back
in time, bring the story to life for them.

4 Highlight the unique. Why are the stops you chose important? What
makes them unique or important to the overaraching story of your
tour? When people take tours, they want to see something special. Make sure
each of your stops is important to the story and interesting to the audience.

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5 Have discipline. You have chosen a topic and objectives for your tour.
Now comes the hard part. Sticking to them. You may run across some
amazing information about a stop on your tour, but if it doesn’t match your
theme, it doesn’t belong in your tour. Perhaps you can create a future tour or
standalone stop with that information, but for the purposes of a cohesive tour,
stick to the theme.

6 Ensure the locations are accessible. This requires visiting the stops
on the tour to discover any potential barriers to users visiting the
location or seeing the elements you are referencing in your tour. For instance,
if you talk about the back of a house, make sure the visitors can see it. If not,
include a picture of it in the tour and point them to that image.

7 Consider customizing the tour. This is a mobile tour, but that doesn’t
mean you can’t gain inspiration from a human tour guide. What if
someone wants to take your tour, but can’t dedicate the time for the entire
tour. Are there stops in your tour that can be skipped for those with less time?
You can create an indicating marker on those stops - perhaps in the directions.

8 Create a brief overview of the tour. When writing the script, don’t
forget to create an overview, along with some of the major highlights
users can expect to see. Tell them how long the tour will run, and let them
know if there are any special considerations to make - like whether the stops
are far apart, whether the tour is aimed at a specific audience, or if any of the
stops on the tour are difficult to reach.

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Universal Design

As you are planning your project, make sure you make it accessible to
people with differing abilities. If you are creating a video, be sure to include
captions. For an audio project, include a transcript. For tours, pay attention to
the route. Are there a lot of stairs? Is the route wheelchair accessible?

The intent of inclusive or universal design is to simplify life for everyone by

making products, communications, and environments more usable by as many
people as possible. This benefits people of all ages and abilities.

In 1997, the Center for Universal Design at North Carolina State University,
Raleigh, published seven principles of universal design for buildings, outdoor
environments, and products: https://www.ncsu.edu/ncsu/design/cud/
about_ud/udprinciples.htm.

1 Equitable use. The design is useful and marketable to people with

diverse abilities. Avoid segregating or stigmatizing any users by
providing the same means of use for all users: identical whenever possible;
equivalent when not. Ask yourself how people with different abilities can access
and enjoy your project.

2 Flexibility in use. The design accommodates a wide range of

individual preferences and abilities. Provide choice in methods of
use (add captions to your video and transcripts to your audio), and if you are
directing someone in an action (like walking to the next tour stop), make your
instructions very clear to aid the user’s accuracy and precision.

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3 Simple and intuitive use. Use of the design is easy to understand,

regardless of the user’s experience, knowledge, language skills, or
current concentration level. If creating a tour, provide effective prompting and
feedback during and after a stop to direct their attention to an appropriate
focal point and let them know when it’s time to move on to the next stop.

4 Perceptible information. The design communicates necessary

information effectively to the user, regardless of ambient conditions
or the user’s sensory abilities. Use different modes (verbal and visual) for
redundant presentation of essential information.

5 Tolerance for error. The design minimizes hazards and the adverse
consequences of accidental or unintended actions. Provide warnings
of hazards and errors when directing someone to the different tour stops,
if a stop is in a dangerous area, remind the user to be pay attention to their
surroundings.

6 Low physical effort. The design can be used efficiently and

comfortably and with a minimum of fatigue. Try to avoid steps or
awkward locations that only someone in peak physical shape can reach.

7 Size and space for approach and use. Appropriate size and space
is provided for approach, reach, manipulation, and use regardless of
user’s body size, posture, or mobility. Ensure the locations for the tours have
enough space for wheelchairs and other assistive devices. If they don’t, offer an
alternative way for people to experience the content of that stop - perhaps a
video tour of that location.

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Script Example 2

VIDEO AUDIO

On camera on the beach Sound is a critical part of your video. If your

audience can’t understand your message they
won’t stick around. That seems pretty obvious.

Hawaii footage But music is also a critical component to

creating successful videos. It gives your video
texture, ambiance and sets the emotional tone
of your message.

On camera – riding bikes But not just any song will do under your video.

Hawaii footage underwater First, what is the relationship between the

subject and the tempo and style of the music?
It has to match. If your story is serious, and the
cadence of the voice is slow, you can’t have a
jarring heavy metal song or silly tune in the
background. It confuses the audience.

Hawaii bike footage The opposite is true, too. If the scene is full of
fast edits and quick activity, a slow melodic
music will change the entire atmosphere of your
video.

On camera in park The audience gets emotional cues from your

music choices. Your music tells them how to feel
throughout your story.

On camera in park That means you need to determine the tone and
emotional destination BEFORE you choose your
music. It will make your song choice easy.

On camera on beach And if you are putting music behind a voice, be

it narration or on camera, it can’t fight for the
viewer’s attention. If it is too loud….The result is
a mess. It has to be soft enough to complement,
but not so quiet it sounds like someone left the
radio on 20 feet away. And if there is a pause
in the narration… Just make the music a little
louder for a moment and bring it back down. It
can emphasize a point in your message.

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