A presentation to video & photojournalism students at Kingston University on how to write to pictures.

1. Writing to pictures “ Write drunk, edit sober” Ernst Hemingway

2. Writing to pictures Rule 1 Writing for video is completely different to writing for print

3. Writing to pictures Rule 1 Writing for video is completely different to writing for print In print you order facts with the most important at the top In video you follow the Figure-of-eight, or put the most interesting thing first In print your article could be anything from 500 to 1,000 to 3,000 words long. In a 2 minute video you have room for 360 words. In print your words can be read over, and over again for understanding. In video, people will only watch your video once.

4. Writing to pictures Rule 2 In video, pictures lead . Always

5. Writing to pictures Rule 2 In video, pictures lead . Always You choose the pictures first then write the words. You edit the pictures first then record the voice over. Do not write your script first and then put pictures over the top!

6. Writing to pictures Rule 3 Keep it simple . Keep it short .

7. Writing to pictures Rule 3 Keep it simple . Keep it short . We speak at around 3 words per second In a 60 second film, that's 180 words. In a 2 minute film it's 360. And that's without any interviews or other voices. With so few words, every one must count. Keep your sentences short. Really short.

8. Writing to pictures BBC News package on Remembrance Sunday Duration: 2'35 Word count: 192 Telegraph article on Remembrance Sunday Word Count: 519

9. Writing to pictures How do you make your writing better? 1. Don't tell people things they can already see 2. Hold hands 3. Contrasting Pairs 4. Groups of three

10. Writing to pictures How do you make your writing better? 1. Don't tell people things they can already see “The Queen, dressed in black, carrying a black handbag, walked up to the cenotaph and lay a single wreath, watched by dignitaries...” Bad :(

11. Writing to pictures How do you make your writing better? 1. Don't tell people things they can already see “ The Queen lay a wreathe watched by thousands of by-standers...the numbers swelled by the increase in deaths in Afghanistan since the last remembrance day...” Better :)

12. Writing to pictures How do you make your writing better? 2. Hold hands “Thousands of people turned out in Whitehall to honour the one minutes silence.... ...these soldiers gathered in Camp Bastion in Afghanistan to remember the fallen.” Bad :(

13. Writing to pictures How do you make your writing better? 2. Hold hands “ The turnout in Whitehall was the biggest in recent times... ...and here's why...since the last remembrance Sunday the number of British fatalities in Afghanistan has nearly doubled.” Better :)

15. And...

16. Yet...

17. And here's why...

18. And here's the reason...

19. And for proof just ask...

20. Meanwhile...

21. Nearby...

22. Two years later...

23. Writing to pictures How do you make your writing better? 3. Contrasting Pairs “Veterans came from across the country. Tributes from old soldiers to comrades lost in previous campaigns...and to those who are dying in today's battlefields.”

24. Writing to pictures How do you make your writing better? 3. Contrasting Pairs “ It's the end of the road for students finishing their degree...but for these students, their journey is just beginning ” “ As the office closed , the heavens opened .” “ Richard Branson's latest balloon venture rises up into the sky...but his company's profits are only going one way... down ”

25. Writing to pictures How do you make your writing better? 3. Contrasting Pairs “ The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms.”

26. Writing to pictures How do you make your writing better? 4. Groups of three “They came from London...from New York...from Sydney...” “The government says their new plan will lower taxes...lower bills...and cut our carbon emissions” “Hull City's new manager will need to be tough, fearless, and able to perform miracles on a budget.”

27. Writing to pictures How do you make your writing better? 4. Groups of three “ My fellow citizens: I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors.”