By Pankaja Kulabkar | Member
If you are interested in writing a script for a training video, this article provides you with the basics of writing a training video script and how to avoid some unpleasant surprises as you write your script.
“Good morning, good afternoon, good evening.” Bob greeted us as we joined our weekly conference call. We laughed. The greeting was funny but Bob was right. Our team was spread across three continents and we were in different time zones.
“Welcome Bob,” responded Sheela, our project coordinator. “Today, we’ll review lesson two. I’ll play the lesson two video now. Bob, do stop me if you have any comments or questions.”
“Sure,” said Bob. Bob was our client and liked to review the videos online. Sheela played the video and paused it when Bob said: “Hey, why is the narrator pronouncing PDSN as P D S N? That’s odd.”
“You are right, Bob. We’ll get this section recorded again.”
“Thanks, Sheela. A few more things before we move on. What you have covered in this section is technically correct. But you know what, these steps are basic and our engineers know them too well. Don’t demonstrate them. We are currently working at making this feature more user-friendly. I’ll inform you of the changes once they are finalized. Another thing. I know you are trying to make the narration interesting by having these characters. But I am not crazy about them. You may want to find some alternative way to go along with the narration. Please continue.”
My brain reeled. My script included conversations between characters. Now I would have to come up with an alternative style of narration and redo major chunks in the script. Bob had also mentioned that a feature would be updated. This meant updates in the demonstration and in the corresponding text. I needed a cup of coffee. On my way to the cafeteria, I bumped into my manager. “How is it going?” she asked. I told her about our client call. “Well, remember that this is a fixed-price contract. You still have three lessons to go and I expect you to be done with this project by the end of next month.”
Sound familiar? As scriptwriters, we often find ourselves in such situations. A video has several interrelated components, such as narration, onscreen text, animation, and demonstrations. A reviewer has a lot to comment on. This also means that when the reviewer wants any of these components to be changed, the script is usually affected. When there are many updates and the contract is fixed-priced, you are in a stressful situation.
Let me share with you some thoughts on what you must consider while writing a script. I’ll also tell you how to reduce updates to a script.
Visualizing the scenarios
Scriptwriting is a creative process; you visualize the scenarios for which you write. You need to think of the following elements:
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Images. Let’s say the video is about the history of architecture. What images should the video display when the narrator talks about the pre-Columbian architecture? What images should come up when the viewers learn about the Greek architecture? You need to think of these visual aspects.
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Narration style. For example, you may choose an unseen narrator talking to the viewers. Alternatively, you could unfold the history of architecture in the form of conversations between a group of students and their professor.
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Flow. For example, while writing about the different architectural styles, will you discuss them chronologically or geographically?
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Transitions. Unlike printed documents and online help, headings and subheadings don’t do much for videos. Appropriate narration and animation helps in leading your audience from one scenario or scene to another. Let’s suppose that while discussing the 17th century architecture in India, the narrator focuses on the Taj Mahal.
The narrator talks about the history of the Taj Mahal. As the viewers listen to how the emperor Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal in the memory of his wife Mumtaj Mahal, the images of the emperor and the queen come up on the screen.
To move on to a discussion on the grandeur of the monument’s interior, the narrator says:
It took two decades to complete the Taj Mahal. Artisans from across India and from overseas were involved in building this masterpiece. Thousands of visitors from across the world visit this marble monument. Let’s go in to see what enthralls these visitors.
Ensuring that the theme and the application are frozen
In preparation for your script, you conducted elaborate research on the Taj Mahal and on the Mughal architecture. In the script, you discussed the nuances of the Mughal architecture and how the Taj Mahal is one of the finest examples of Mughal architecture.
You put together the various video components, such as the audio files and the images. When you showed the video to your client, he simply said: “Instead of the Mughal architecture, discuss the 17th century baroque architecture in Rome.” Imagine the rework you will have to do!
The same is true when you write scripts for applications, such as a finance product. A mid-way theme and application update can mean a lot of rework for you. It’s therefore better to ensure that these are frozen before you write the script.
Getting demonstrations approved
If a video involves demonstrations, get them approved by the client before writing the script. By showing the demonstrations to the client, you give the client an opportunity to see and comment on the procedures that you plan to cover. This way, there are less chances of the client asking you to update the demonstrations after you have written the script.
Noting down the changes in images
The updates in images usually have an impact on the script. Let’s say that your video began with a group of students listening to their professor as the narrator explained the history of the Taj Mahal. You wrote the script keeping these images in mind. When your client saw the video, he mentioned that he preferred the students conversing among themselves about the Taj Mahal. The client also mentioned that he would like to see the students standing inside the Taj Mahal from the very first slide. On receiving these inputs, your graphic designer will update the images. You too will have to update the script to sync with the new images.
Getting clarity on the fuzzy aspects
Certain sections are easier to write than others, for example, when your client tells you that a module is important but gives you no clue as to what should be covered in the module. In this situation, it’s best to jump in, write the outline, and present the outline to the client. The client may tear it apart, but at least you now know what the client wants or does not want. The more you postpone taking this initiative, the more you will feel pressure toward the end of the project.
Keeping track of recording schedules
Once the script is ready, you can either go for a machine or a human voice. Several software programs have a text-to-speech feature, which converts typewritten text to a spoken version. This machine voice is convenient, but often the voice sounds flat or robotic. Many clients prefer a human voice. When you opt for a human voice, however, you add another player to your team. It’s important to know the availability of a voice-over artist well in advance. I have seen cases when a voice-over artist becomes unavailable in the middle of a project. This leads to a search for a new artist and the re-recording of the earlier modules to maintain consistency in the voice.
Avoiding repetitions and getting the tone right
Viewers find it irritating when they have to listen to the same words repeated multiple times. As writers, when we explain demonstrations, we may be tempted to mention the location of actions. For example:
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In the color list, click Red.
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In the File menu, click Edit.
We also may think it necessary to mention the result of the actions. For example:
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The list appears.
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The color pane appears.
When we write the script for a video, we can skip mentioning the location and the result of our actions. Viewers can see what’s happening on the screen, so why mention them? By avoiding these references, we also reduce the repetitions and the length of the script.
We know that active voice in a sentence improves its readability. People also understand spoken words better when they are said in the active voice. But there are times when the passive voice is preferable. For example, in a video about a finance application, you are discussing error messages. Viewers may think that you are criticizing them if you say: “When you make a duplicate entry in the expenses account, this message appears.”
You can avoid this tone by using the passive voice: “When a duplicate entry is made in the expenses account, this message appears.” You may also want to use the passive voice while discussing warnings and legal notices.
Limiting the unending reviews
Reviewers find it difficult to hold back when asked to give feedback on training videos. There is so much to critique—animation, onscreen text, script, the narrator’s pronunciation—the list goes on. You keep receiving inputs and seem to be endlessly working toward incorporating them, which hurts when the project is fixed-priced. How to strike a balance between achieving customer delight and remaining within the budget? One way is to plan ahead and minimize the need for additional review cycles. Maintaining a checklist helps. Your checklist might run as follows:
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Get the client’s approval on the demonstrations, transitions, and the narration style.
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Get clarity on the aspects you are not sure of.
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Where necessary, give the pronunciation-related instructions to the voice-over artist.
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Keep track of the voice-over artist’s schedule.
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Address client’s preferences.
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Update the script to sync with the changes in the animation.
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Incorporate the client’s inputs from the earlier review cycles.
Scriptwriting is a fascinating process. You write, keeping in mind the setting and the motion. Scriptwriters coordinate with the designer, the voice-over artist, and the client. Surprises may come your way, but knowing how to prevent them reduces the rough edges that you confront while on this road.
The author would like to thank Makarand Pandit for sharing his feedback on the draft.
Dr. Pankaja Kulabkar (pankaja_kulabkar@persistent.co.in) has presented at the STC India Chapter and other forums. Pankaja won the STC India’s Best Essay Award in 2009. A researcher by training, Pankaja’s research took her to various parts of the globe. This exposure helps her in visualizing the audience as she writes.
