An important part of planning training videos is scriptwriting. But how do you write a script for a training video? Are the rules anydifferent to writing an email or report?
If you script videos following the writing rules you were taughtin grade school or at college, your training videos won’t be as effective.
Video scripts are written for the ear—not the eyes. As such,how words, consonants, and phrases sound is as important as what words andsentences mean.
Scripts are worth the time investment
It’s fair to say that not everyone likes scripts. Some trainerstell me they avoid scripts because they make the person on camera or readingthe voice over sound wooden. So, they opt for adlibbing.
This may sound harsh, but in my experience, people soundwooden for one of two reasons. First, they’re given a poorly written script. Orsecond, they’re wooden with or without a script.
If it’s a poor script, that’s an easy fix. If not, look forsomeone else to be on camera or do your voice overs.
Well-writtenscripts make people look and sound better on camera. And they make yourvoiceovers flow better. They save time because you’llrequire fewer takes.
Scripts also ensure consistency across all your content—goodfor branding messages. They also take your mind off thinking about the nextsentence, allowing you to focus on delivery and vocal dynamics.
How to write an awesome training script
At a high level, TV writers focus on four principles whenwriting video scripts. The first three apply to writing scripts for podcastsand radio. But the fourth is specific to video (Figure 1).
- Write in a conversational tone
- Write short sentences that are easy to hear
- Choose short words that are concrete
- Write to the picture
Figure 1: How to write training video scripts
Write in a conversational tone
Media communication is more relational than instructional. TVnewsreaders talk to you, not at you. A formal tone leads to verbosityand longer sentences which take the brain longer to process. And they don’tcreate rapport with the audience.
Your scripts will be tighter if you adopt a one-to-one voicewith the audience. For example, instead of a voice over that says, “Users canadjust X setting by clicking on the gear icon,” say, “You can adjust X settingby clicking on the gear icon.” Simple but powerful difference.
Write short sentences that are easy to hear
Sentences should be easy to hear and kept short.
I was listening to an NPR news broadcast a few years agowhen the newsreader said, “Relief organizations are dropping in humanitarianaid to refugees.”
When you read it off paper, it makes sense. But if you readit out loud, the words “in” and “humanitarian” run together and can sound likeone word: “inhumanitarian aid.” Try reading the sentence out loud.
I know there’s no such word as “inhumanitarian,” but as itsounds, it can create confusion and slow down comprehension. So, think abouthow each sentence sounds.
Short sentences are quicker and easier for the brain toprocess. It’s good to get into the habit of reviewing every sentence and deletingunnecessary words.
You can keep sentences short by limiting them to one clause.Stay away from subordinate or dependent clauses which simply slow downcomprehension. Instead, break them into two separate sentences.
For example:
- “You can access the air filter, which needs tobe replaced every six months, by unlocking the front panel with a Phillips-headscrewdriver.”
It’s better written as:
- “You can access the air filter by unlocking thefront panel with a Phillips-head screwdriver. The filter needs to be replacedevery six months.”
Write in the active voice. When we talk about the activevoice, we mean that the actor comes before the action in a sentence. Forexample:
- “Linda [actor] started [action] the car.”
Active voice stands in contrast to passive voice where theaction comes before the actor. For example:
- “The car was started [action] by Linda [actor].”
You’ll notice that the active voice requires fewer words. Itsounds better and is more direct.
Choose Short Words that are Concrete
We’ve all met people who use big words. And others who love buzzwordsand jargon. I’m not sure why—I think they’re trying to impress people withtheir vocabulary.
I think it’s better to impress people with ideas rather thanvocabulary. Because words are merely tools to communicate. The best videoscripts use short words. Monosyllables are great.
For example, instead of using “commence,” you could use“start.” Instead of “conclusion” you could use “end.” Short words are quickerand easier to comprehend.
Words should be concrete. That is, words that help us seesomething. As opposed to abstract words which are more conceptual. “Freedom” isan abstract word—you can’t see it. “Right to vote” is more concrete. So “Wevalue the right to vote…” is better than “We value freedom.”
Replacing one abstract word with several concrete words isone of the few times where more words are better than fewer.
Write to picture
While the first three principles apply to any media writing,whether it be video or audio, this last principle is a TV concept. Writing topicture means we don’t repeat what’s in the picture, in the spoken wordcontent.
For example, if you have a picture of someone changing anair filter, you shouldn’t add a voiceover that says, “This woman is changingthe air filter.” Rather, the voiceover should explain something that is notobvious in the picture. For example, “The air filter should be changed everysix months.”
This is an age-old TV writing principle. It goes againstsome learning research around dual encoding that suggests you should repeatwhat’s in the picture and that’s a debate for another time. In this column,we’re focusing on triedand tested media writing techniques.
It’s all rather bland
About ten years ago I was running a workshop for newspaperjournalists on writing video scripts. Just before lunch, one of the journalists,a very well-known writer, put his hand on my shoulder and said, “Writing for TVis so bland compared to print—in print I think we have much more room forfinesse.”
He’s right. And when you follow these techniques, you may lookat the page and feel the same way. Really short sentences do look odd on paper.
But here’s the thing. We’re not writing videoscripts to be read. We’re writing for the ear. And when you hear thesetechniques in action, they’ll make sense.
