Hints on writing to video

Lee Hood, University of Colorado

 

  1. The two cardinal sins are not writing closely enough to the video and writing too closely.

 

  1. Enhance the video, don't narrate it.  Allude to what we're seeing, but add information that helps us understand it.

 

  1. Video should be referenced within the first 2-3 words, both at the top of the story and when you change scenes.

 

  1. Reverse the order of the words if necessary to make the referencing closer.

 

  1. If you have aftermath video and are describing what happened, start with the end result to make the referencing closer.  But be careful to use your video in a logical order.

 

  1. If you have distinctive shots or video of recognizable people, reference them or leave them out.

 

  1. Plan on most shots you reference lasting at least :03.  In most cases, don't try to reference each word with another shot (except sometimes in packages).

 

  1. When you look at your tape, note how long the shots or sequences are that you want to reference.  Also, note the direction of pans and zooms so you can reference the items in order.

 

  1. On packages, incorporate natural sound.  Don't write wall-to-wall words.

 

  1. On vo's and vo/sot's, be careful about specific references such as "this house" that could be off if the tape does not roll on time.  (This is particularly important with an inexperienced technical crew; not as important with a more seasoned crew.)

 

 

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