Script writing
Why use a script?
- Preparation
- Confidence
- Easy of listening
Role of the script
Being prepared will allow you to relax and be confident about your material. Listeners should have the impression that they’re being spoken to, rather than read to.
Think – Say – Write
With any form of communication, the first thing is to decide what you want to say. Speak the script aloud as you write it. Don’t write it in your head, but write from the sounds you make as you speak. Think about what you want to say then say it out loud—write it down, say it, write, say, write…
Remember, if you can’t read the script without stumbling over parts of it, it’s unlikely that anyone else will be able to either. Don’t waste time practising a difficult script—your time is better spent rewriting the original until you can read it easily.
Conversational language
Write the way you speak. The overall style should be controversial – not sloppy, but more casual than writing a report or story.
Compounds like I’d, shouldn’t’ve and this’ll will sound quite natural in spoken word – they’re the elements of a living, spoken language. It is okay to use them in your script.
The only way to check that it is written in a conversational style is to read it aloud.
Always read your script aloud before you record.
Make sure it reads easily and sounds natural.
How to write an interesting script
The listener and you
Think about the relationship you wish to create between you and your listener and talk to your audience as individuals.
Capture your listener
Capture your audience with your very first words and keep hooking them in. Don’t spend too much time getting into the subject – start with an intriguing idea which will entice the listener to stay with you and follow with explanation.
Include a short summary near the beginning to give the listener an idea of what to expect as an enticement to keep listening.
Build visual images
Tell stories, build pictures and use descriptive language for colour and meaning. Use examples, describe things and make analogies.
Key words and ideas
Know what the key words and ideas are and make sure they will be heard.
Build up to a good ending
Present your conclusion in a way that will be remembered by the listener. End with a summary and a reference to the main points to reinforce what you’ve said.
The final word is the one that is most likely to be remembered.
Scripting Exercise:
Write a script for the intro to your segment. Read it aloud to your group. Does it sound natural? Does it signpost what you are going to do in a way that engages the listener?
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Next step: Running sheets and SYNboards
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