3. Draft
3. Draft
3.1 Breaking it down
No matter whether you are creating a series or just one video, the same principle applies:
Start big and break it down!
If you’re making a series, then you can start with your overarching idea and shape, and then work to break it into some smaller ones. We recommend focusing on just one idea per video.
Once you’ve found that one idea for your video, you’ll need to break it down again. We call this process ‘chunking’ – it helps segment content into smaller and more digestible parts. Thinking about the overall project as a series, each video can be considered like a book, with these chunks making up chapters. It is generally easier for people to process one idea at a time, and it helps your content stick.
It’s a good idea to consider the structure of all the videos in your series holistically and decide whether there are moments you want to keep consistent. If you are making just one video, you won’t need to worry about this last step.
3.2 Outlining
Now that you’ve considered the overall structure of your episodes, it’s time to focus on individual videos. Your outline or scripts are a culmination of all the consideration into audience, platform and format from the Discover and Define phases.
This document should ideally be one-page, with a maximum of two pages for longer projects, and can help you check you are on track to meet your production goals. Outlining the viewer’s journey may assist you to imagine the end result for your audience.
Try and write your outline in a way that someone who knows nothing about your project could understand. We recommend sharing this with a colleague or member of your audience if you are able, to get another perspective and to help you clarify your ideas.
Once you’re happy with your outline, revisit your ‘why’ to ensure all elements are contributing to this effectively. A holistic understanding of your project will put you in good stead to write your scripts, and save having to back-track later.
3.3 Writing your scripts
Now it’s time to get writing! This process will be different depending on the format you’ve picked. Some formats such as interviews don’t need a script in the same way that a narration or presentation-based video would.
If writing for screen isn’t something you’re familiar with, here’s a few of our best tips:
- Find a compelling start! How are you going to capture your audience’s attention in the first thirty seconds? What is this video offering them?
- Staring at a blank page can be daunting, but it’s likely that you talk about your subject matter everyday. This is a script not an essay, so use conversational language wherever possible
- If you are finding it difficult to get started, try sitting down with someone and talking about your content informally. If you record this conversation and listen back to it, you will probably find some good key points to kick off the writing process
- Remember, the script is not the final outcome. Some things won’t need to be said because they can be displayed visually. You can still make note of this in your script
- Your knowledge level is probably very different from that of your audience, so if the information is likely to be new to them, don’t forget to contextualise it
- Storytelling and humour are great ways to keep people engaged! Can you think of an allegory that will be relevant to your audience to help your point stick?
- Show the draft to some individuals from your intended audience if you can and get some feedback to help with redrafting.
Remember that each of these factors and your writing style will be influenced by the format you selected.
3.4 Location considerations
Your filming location is something that should be considered in conjunction with your script. Reflecting on the content of your project and any connections it has to particular locations is a good place to start. However, the aesthetic certainly isn’t the only thing to consider. You also need to think about the potential advantages or challenges that it presents for sound and lighting, and any processes you might need to go through to gain permission to record there.
3.4.1 Permissions
If the place you have chosen is not on the University of Melbourne campus’ or in your own home, you may need specific permission to film there. For example, filming on private property requires permission from the owners, and crews of three or more people in public locations require a filming permit from the local Council to issue you a filming permit. The level of insurance cover you will need may also increase if you want to film in some public places.
Given that applying for and receiving these permissions can be time-consuming, it is important to look into what is needed as early as possible to avoid any unplanned delays or interruptions to your filming.
3.4.2 Sound
We think the most important thing to consider when choosing your filming location is not how it looks, but how it sounds. People are generally quite good at ignoring background noise in real life, but hearing it in recordings is a different matter. Poor audio quality or background noise will inhibit your audience’s ability to tune into your message properly.
We recommend checking before you settle on your location. To do this, stand in the room you wish to film in– switch on your recording device and capture one minute of atmospheric room noise. Listen back to this recording using headphones or a good quality speaker. The types of sounds that typically turn up include fridges that buzz, heating or cooling systems, a television in another room, construction workers on building sites, and trams or busy roads nearby.
Consider which of these sounds you can control. Turning off the fridge, heating and television for 30 minutes whilst you record will help. Additionally, some parts of the day might be quieter than others—very early morning or evening perhaps.
If the location you’ve chosen is too noisy, you will need to find a new place to record.
In terms of audio recording gear, to level up your sound quality there are external microphones commonly available that can plug straight into your device.
Once you’ve found a quiet space, it’s time to think about lighting. The goal is to have soft and even light on your face. In an ideal scenario, beautiful natural light will spill across your filming location for your entire shoot. However, we understand this is often not what reality will present to us! Here are some tips to help you consider the light available in the space you have chosen and how you can position the camera to your advantage.
If there is a window in the space and you are recording during daylight, it is generally best to position yourself facing the window. This will ensure your face is well lit rather than in shadow.
Here is an example of a backlit presenter (left) as opposed to someone facing the window (right).
If there are no windows, it is likely you are using artificial light sources. Ceiling lights can cast unflattering shadows on your face, so you will likely need to add some additional sources of light to counteract this.
Here are some examples of situations where natural light is not forthcoming or consistent, and how you might create good lighting:
- Don’t rely on downlights alone, as they can create strange shadows on your face.
- Desk, bedside or living room lamps can all be good options for lighting your face and presentation area adequately. Try setting up two lamps on either side of your body, out of the recording frame providing an even lighting effect across your face and body. Ensure all the bulbs used are the same colour.
- Pointing a bright lamp at a wall that it can reflect off rather than directly onto your face can create a softer wash which is often helpful for video.
- If needed, you can mix light from a window with internal light. Changing your bulbs to new "Daylight" or "Cool Daylight" balanced ones will ensure you look great.
If you are lucky to be using natural light, remember to think about the time that your shoot is happening and test out your lighting at that time on another day. You might also consider what effect different weather would have and ensure there are some back up lighting options at hand just in case.
3.5 Recording device and stabilisation
You don’t need your technology to be the best if you make the best of what you have. No matter where you’re filming and what device you are using, shaky footage can be incredibly distracting. It’s very important to stabilise your device using a tripod or similar.
If you are filming on your phone, cheap tripods are quite easy to come by. For example, this good quality one here.
However, in a pinch there are some simple ways to build a tabletop tripod. You might use:
- A stack of books,
- A bag of rice,
- A paper cup with a hole cut into the bottom to form a bracket for the phone to be placed.
If you have access to a current smartphone (less than two years old) this can be a great option to record on. Remember to test out the quality of inbuilt microphones and cameras before seeking external extras as these will often be sufficient.
Should you not have access to a recording device or smartphone, you may prefer to record on a laptop. There are both high-definition web cameras and studio grade microphones that can be plugged into a laptop to increase the quality of your recording.
3.6 Storyboarding and shot list
Before filming, it is helpful to visualise each individual moment you want to capture. On shoot day, this list of shots will help ensure you don’t miss anything.
To begin, you might use images or slides to plan how your video will look. This can be referred to as ‘storyboarding’ and will help you imagine exactly how the visuals and audio will fit together.
When creating a storyboard, some questions you might like to ask yourself include:
- How will the start of my video capture my audience’s attention?
- How much of my video will focus just on the presenter?
- Will my presenter be delivering content from more than one location?
- Is there more than one person featured in the video?
- Are there any images or diagrams that need to be shown in the video?
Storyboards are a chance to make sure the visuals add value to the project rather than just being there for the sake of it. Video is a visual medium – so, if you can show rather than talk through the content, your audience will see the value in watching the video. This is a great chance to edit the script if you need.
If you can’t find a way to help the visuals add value, your topic may be better suited to a podcast.
3.7 Set styling and props
Once you’ve settled on a location, it’s time to consider what might be missing. Do you need any props to help communicate your ideas? For example, a demonstration video might require you to familiarise your audience with a specific object or maybe you have a visual analogy in your script that could be demonstrated using a prop.
Outside of the purely practical, you might also consider the best ways to increase the visual interest of the space you’re filming in. Options include:
- Art: a picture or painting to hang in the background
- Foliage: flowers in a vase or an indoor plant
- If you’re uncertain, remember to keep it simple. You don’t always need to add something to improve your set – sometimes the best thing to do is to remove a distracting feature!
3.8 Wardrobe
Dressing the part will not only help you or your talent to feel confident on camera, but it will also allow the audience to focus on your content.
Here’s some tips to get you started:
- Materials: Steer clear of white shirts, patterns and logos. Materials with fine lines are also known to cause issues in video.
- Accessories: Avoid big and shiny jewellery pieces as they will reflect light and distract the viewer. Further, any noise they make may be heard in the recording and interfere with your audio.
- Glasses: If you wear glasses, consider whether you need to wear them while presenting. The reflective quality can hide your eyes and distract your audience. If you do need to wear them, consider how to minimise reflections. Recording on a device without a large screen may help, as these can often be visible.
- Hair: Ensure your hair is secured off your face in a way that is neat and functional but won’t distract from your content.
- Options: If in doubt, bring or get your talent to bring a few options of tops, shirts and/or jackets on the day. This will allow you to test them out in the space and see what works best.
3.9 Assistance required?
You have created, collected and collated all of the information and tools you need to start thinking about recording your project. Now it’s time to reach out and confirm your team. Consider the project and any areas you might require assistance with. Do you need someone to help you set up technical equipment? Someone to assist with filming? An interviewee or actor?
It’s a good idea to set up some pre-production meetings with these people to make the most of their expertise in the planning process and ensure your shoot day runs smoothly. In these meetings, share the project logistics and shotlist that you’ve created during the Draft Phase with your team.
3.10 Rehearsal
Even if you wrote the script and are the one performing it, make sure you take some time to rehearse. This is especially important if you are working with talent who are unfamiliar with the content.
Just like in the classroom, the goal is to connect with the audience during your presentation. However, rather than face to face you will be using the camera lens. Familiarising yourself with your content as much as possible will allow you to make ‘eye contact’ with your audience by focusing on the lens. However, we know that it may not always be possible to memorise your whole script. If you need something to jog your memory, then there are few options we recommend.
Practice using an online teleprompter. There are some free online prompters that allow you to copy your script into a scrolling text box which you can speed control. This software allows you to read from your script while still maintaining a good eyeline with the camera. A bit of practice will help you work out what speed matches your natural speaking pace. A free resource we like to use for this can be found here.
Cues or prompts can be helpful but you shouldn’t be too reliant on them. If using this option, make your notes something you can glance at quickly rather than having to read for the whole presentation.
When you are ready, don’t forget to review the physical elements of your presentation with kindness. Be aware of your gesturing – too much can be distracting but too little looks unnatural. Take note of your tone of voice and pace, and try to add some variation to keep your audience alert and engaged. There are a number of ways to do refine your presentation style. These include:
- Presenting to a mirror
- Asking for feedback from family or friends
- Recording yourself and watching it back.
Techniques of this type can help to shake off nerves, boost your confidence and give you a chance to iron out anything that might not be working well yet.
With both the physical and technical elements of your video well on their way, you are now ready to dive into the Do It Phase.