Writing Scripts for Media

Many online courses use some kind of prerecorded lecture or explanation video. However, it’s easy to get off topic without guidelines or guardrails. That can turn your five-minute video into a 20-minute video without even ensuring the content you want to cover is well explained. This is where a script can help you keep focus.

Should This be a Video?

Not everything should be a video. Media is most effective when used to:

• Explain difficult or challenging concepts
• Connect concepts that students might otherwise struggle to connect
• Humanize you as an instructor

Once you’ve determined you have a topic that is a good selection for a video, the next step is to create an outline.

Outlining

Create an outline of the video clip. It may be helpful to structure the clip into three parts: introduction, body, and conclusion.

• Introduction – Hook the audience, state the topic, and identify the topic’s importance or relevance. Take no more than two minutes to discuss.
• Body – Present your key points. Begin identifying where examples and visuals will be most impactful. Spend four to five minutes on the topic.
• Conclusion – Summarize or emphasize a key point or, if relevant, provide a call to action. Take only one minute to wrap up.

Writing

Now that you have your outline, let’s think about what to say in your script.

Take into consideration the following when writing your script:

• Write in a tone that feels natural and approachable, as if speaking directly to the audience. Unlike academic writing, it is encouraged to keep the script conversational—use contractions, active voice, and clear, accessible language. 
• Avoid jargon when possible and break down complex concepts into smaller parts. Be concise and stick to the core ideas.
• To make your script more natural, consider using a voice-to-text tool to speak your first draft, then refine it.
• A good rule of thumb is that one page of double-spaced text is about two minutes of video.

Introduction

A good introduction draws someone into your video. Consider how you are going to “hook” your viewers. Maybe it’s a personal story or an interesting fact about the topic. Instead of jumping right into the overview, think about ways to connect with the viewers at the start.

Body

Remember the key points you outlined. The main part of your video should focus on those key points. As you write (or speak) your script, think about how everything you say can go back to those key points.

Conclusion

Keep the conclusion brief. Reinforce why the material is important.

Practical Tips

• Creating media is time consuming. If you are spending time creating high-quality media, think about how to make your media last as long as possible. Remove references that might date the video (current events) or references to other parts of the class that may change. For example, saying something like “in our previous module” could be confusing if content is reorganized.
• Ways to make media more engaging:
  • Relate concepts to examples or real-life anecdotes, when appropriate 
  • Bring your personality into the media (humanization)
  • Use gentle humor, if you feel comfortable
  • Use questions to engage the audience and promote reflection 
• Indicate in the script where visuals will be the most impactful or meaningful. 
• Identify points where the speaker should have a natural pause. Indicate these points in the script—this will come in handy during filming. 
• Read the script aloud to ensure it sounds natural and fits the intended time frame. Adjust as necessary. We recommend using a timer while practicing. 
• Practice makes perfect. By practicing your script, you are ensuring that it flows smoothly and you will feel more prepared on the day of filming.

Resources

Script template – Guide with tips on creating your media script