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greybill's avatar
greybill

As someone whose content consists primarily of blog posts, you could say writing scripts is pretty much all I do.

But the drafting part of my workflow can get close to writing a script. Usually, it starts with a basic idea written in a single sentence. Then bullet points follow, these cover all the aspects of the topic I want to write about. They get shuffled a lot until I'm happy with the basic structure. Sometimes I get carried away at that point and just start producing paragraphs. But I try to avoid that, as I have noticed it can dampen the direction or clarity of the text.

This structure of bullet points is my script if you will. They can get pretty extensive at times.

When I have gathered enough footage that I think is worthy of a video it's usually a collection of longer clips that need lots of editing and commenting. (That happens like once a year) Having a script is almost mandatory to not forget all the nice details. Often I notice during editing that my script needs work and it's never really in its final form. But it eventually reaches the 'acceptable' state I can live with. 🙂

Done is better than perfect.

As they say. Sometimes, I agree with that.

EveOnlineTutorials's avatar
EveOnlineTutorials

With my content, it's a yes or no, depending on which form of video I am doing or why I am doing it.

Basic videos such as Zkill/Overviews:

No, there is no point scripting this kind of content as it's mostly just reading what's on the screen and then adding my own personal opinion to the video itself, I would say taking time to script this kind of content would be pointless and time-consuming.

Podcasts and Reviews:

These types of videos require you to script them, otherwise, you tend to go off-point and then just belabor nonstop, so I always script, the trick here is to make sure it doesn't sound like you are reading a book to the viewers, otherwise it can sound very boring.

I would say there are pro's and cons to scripting content and that scripting your content depends very much on what it is and what it is you want to achieve with that content. But remember, when you do script content, make sure you don't read it like a book :P

avrona's avatar
avrona

My content is semi-improvised and semi-scripted in my head. A lot of my videos are short enough that I just think of lines to say beforehand and just memorise them. It's not word for word, but usually the sentences with the biggest punch, all the jokes, and the general structure of the video are done like this before-hand. At least for my content it's the best approach. I don't waste time doing word for word scripts that just aren't needed, while all the important info still stays in the video. Even specs of individual parts I can usually remember, and pretty much the only time I need any sorts of notes is for some extremely complex or convoluted specs that I just couldn't remember, so I just take a picture on my phone for reference.

And given how for 10 years I've been trying to perfect my delivery in videos, livestreams, and also as a host at events such as esports tournaments, all of which are unscripted, going to scripted would probably a huge step backwards in the quality and confidence in my presentation. If I can just improv all my lines on the go and work off huge paragraphs I already had in my head, why not do it.

FUN INC's avatar
FUN INC

Zero script, zero planning - warts and all!

Jokes aside - pretty much 95% of what I do is based on the outcome of a situation, and / or reacting to a situation - I am in a fleet with up to 30 people shooting spaceships, reacting to an ever changing situation. Having a script just is not possible.

The only time there is any degree of a script is closing the stream down, and or wrapping up for an evening. This is fairly rigid.

Overall, i think scripting is bad, as it removes any degree of spontaneity and real life reaction to situations as they arrive. That is when content creation becomes truly important!

Letitia Lemon's avatar
Letitia Lemon

Scripting content can work really well for productions that need a set structure to them like youtube videos- whether in the form of news-like videos, condensed livestream highlights, reviews etc. It looks organised and keeps all essential information structured and in one place to make it easy to digest. Livestreaming, which is what I primarily focus on, is basically impossible to script. One could attempt to plan out how much progress they wish to make in a game on that day but what is said and how things are accomplished cannot be controlled to that degree. Sometimes some of the best things that a streamer says or does are just in the moment reactions. I also think, for me doing the other entertainment work that I do, being able to improvise and still make engaging and fun content is a skill that you either have or you don't. Over-scripting can feel fake and patronising but no script and no ability to improv makes for awkward and uninteresting content. But every content creator works differently and wants to present themselves differently, it's all about figuring out who you want to be and how you want to show that off, then utilising the correct tools to do so.

Matthew Addis's avatar
Matthew Addis

As a Talent Manager behind some large channels, scripting can be a huge help, and it can be a huge hindrance too.

I find sometimes it can be better to bullet point your key beats and then flow naturally into the conversation, you retain your normal speaking voice instead of the awkward reading voice many have. This creates authentic VO and retains those key beats.

However, scripting can be very useful when you are delivering the perfect beats and tone when you have something you have to say in a specific way, be that an ad read or facts in a documentary and you need to sound authoritative and precise.

Without a script you can say whatever you like, however you like, and it can often be the right way to go for an informal and relaxed feel, or if you know your stuff it can demonstrate that with the natural tone your audience loves

TLDR: It's all about what you are making, the tone and the formality.

Horror and Cats's avatar
Horror and Cats
Matthew Addis

I’ve always found the bulleting most helpful in multi-person content. When I’ve had a friend on for discussion, I write out the talking points so we don’t get excited and go in an order which doesn’t entirely make narrative sense.

Alex Sinclair's avatar
Alex SinclairMod
Matthew Addis

This is interesting and insightful, thanks Matthew. I don't have any video content creation experience, but I used to teach English as a foreign language, and I think some of the lessons you and @Smokey_Lyle have shared are transferable and relatable. Often the classes I taught that I hadn't overprepared for were better, I could be more adaptive and spontaneous. But equally, I'd always make sure I had an engaging activity to kick off the class and set the tone.

Horror and Cats's avatar
Horror and Cats

There is certainly a time and place for impromptu vs. scripted content, but I am a firm believer in the first few seconds of a video making or breaking the average viewer's willingness to view all, or at least the majority of what you've published. With that in mind, I always script the intro with a strong, energetic thesis statement and editorial promise, regardless of whether or not the remainder of the video is scripted. For just about any type of content, the intro is key to nail.

The best way to avoid what you've scripted feeling stiff is to write it in your voice. Finding your voice as a writer can take time, especially considering most people have different "text" voices to their speaking voices. But, once you've found it, scripts can only be a positive addition.

That being said, I've never scripted a livestream. The closest I've come is thinking ahead of time how I would set the mood for the reading of a horror story as I activated the various ambient sounds. I believe people tune into livestreams to see your off-the-cuff personality.

Sturmer's avatar
Sturmer

When it comes to my content, most of it involves publications, so there's no need for extemporaneous speaking as in a live show. However, I do conduct a lot of interviews, which involve live interaction. In these cases, maintaining eye contact is crucial for professionalism, so there’s no room for reading from a notebook.

I don’t see a big difference in approach between publications and public speaking during presentations, announcements, or business meetings. In both scenarios, everything starts with a plan. I determine (if possible) the topic, audience, and core ideas, that shape my overall strategy. Then, I create a structure like a skeleton, mapping out the key ideas I want to convey and the techniques I will use to do so.

If it's written content, I can leisurely flesh out this 'skeleton,' taking the time to refine and revise. However, for public speeches, I usually stop at that framing stage. While I might mentally form key sentences or note down a highlight or joke, I never write down the entire speech.

Here’s why: those who script everything in detail often become 'text slaves.' Their delivery becomes too scripted, lacking the flexibility to adapt or improvise. It’s usually quite obvious when someone is reading from a script, no matter how well they try to hide it.

In summary, it's best to have an agenda and a clear understanding of what you want to convey and in what order. Let the finer details come naturally in the moment, guided by the muse of spontaneity. Your passion and knowledge of specific topics will be noticeable to the audience, which you can use to build trust and engagement with your viewers.

Bonus tip for streamers: If you want to discuss a specific topic, you can subtly guide your audience to ask related questions, or use an alternate account to trigger the conversation yourself. This is why co-streaming/guests are so great asset to your content. This way, you can smoothly transition into discussing your chosen topic for an extended period.

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