A student-friendly overview of scriptwriting for PR and Advertising

1. Writing PR Scripts
MCM 241: Writing for PR and Advertising
Fall, 2017
John Couper

2. ▪ Broadcast PR/Ad is not like print materials
▪ Script-writing experience improves all writing
▪ Concise, vivid, logical, direct
▪ There are many script formats
▪ News, drama, live, etc.
▪ TV, radio
▪ All try to achieve
▪ Clarity
▪ Impact
▪ Involvement

3. ▪ Both print and broadcast stories:
▪ Should tell an interesting story with impact
▪ Must consider the audience
▪ Include levels (ideas, categories, detail)
▪ Get attention, explain, elaborate, close strongly
▪ Are concise and expressive
▪ Are appropriate (language, images, ideas, etc.)
▪ Need to be timely and selective
▪ Are ethical
▪ Use symbols to add power
▪ Emphasize verbs and nouns, not adjectives

5. 1. We cannot return to check details
So conservative “subject-verb-object” is best
2. The ear “expects” different information
short, vivid, anglo-saxon, noun-adjective
3. Scripts need to be absolutely clear
One idea per sentence
Avoid words with more than one meaning
Keep modifiers as close as possible

6. Make Words Visual
▪ Scripts work from visual to verbal
▪ Words should “illustrate” images
▪ Imagine the final product intensively
▪ Then “describe” it in the script
▪ Scripts that start from words, then add
images, almost never work

8. Main Aspects for Success
▪ Core message (“Big Idea”)
▪ What viewers will take with them
▪ Style
▪ Relaxed, pushy, professional, etc.
▪ Music
▪ To engage emotions and add continuity
▪ Locations
▪ To add realism and impact
▪ Information
▪ Provocative and persuasive but credible

9. Purposes and Styles
▪ Persuasive: attitude-changing
▪ conversational, actionable, outcomes
▪ Educational: inform
▪ strong source, facts, clear goals
▪ Impressive: credible and authoritative
▪ encourages respect and belief
▪ Relational:
▪ dialogical, identifaction-biulding, comfortable

10. Tone
▪ Spot style has a huge impact
▪ Reassuring, challenging, humorous, etc.
▪ Each should be decided and integrated
▪ Decide words, images, and combinations
▪ Trigger effective associations
▪ Comfort, energy, togetherness, etc.
▪ Contrasting two tones is very powerful
▪ Change from gentle to terrible, etc.
▪ Needs to be consistent and clear

11. Range of PR Spots
▪ Simple read-only radio PSA
▪ Complex radio ads
▪ Simple, one-camera video and V/O
▪ Same, but with Chyron subtitles
▪ Multi-camera, single scene, one talent
▪ Multi-camera, varied scenes, more talent
▪ Video and animation, Chyron

12. ▪ Source, verb, object, result
▪ “Our company wants action so we can safeguard
our children”
▪ Keep elements in chronological sequence
▪ “Once the water was safe, but now it is sick”
▪ Present or perfect tense when possible
▪ “We know what matters to you”
▪ Keep verbs familiar but expressive
▪ “Keeping you safe is our life’s work”
▪ Make connections
▪ Use “we”, “our” as much as possible

13. Production Crew
▪ Writer: Someone who offers a relationship in a
friendly and informative way.
▪ Summarize the message in a short statement that viewers
can easily recall.
▪ Director: somebody with experience, energy, and
ideas, who can think and work on several levels and
mobilize the crew
▪ Crew and talent: A typical crew is a shooter (two if
possible), an audio operator, and a set designer. You
will only need a handful of actors, and often a voice-
over actor.

14. Steps of Script Writing
1. Writer and client discuss important issues, the tone and overall
message of the spot.
2. Meet with director and producer to discuss the storyboard draft and
logistics, like transportation, lighting and props
3. Distribute script to cast and crew
details so make-up, wardrobe, and crew have what they need.
4. Schedule a “table read”
to make script and logistical improvements and changes
5. Give a shoot schedule and final scripts to cast, crew, and candidate
6. Shoot video and audio, including voice-overs and scene shots
7. Edit video footage to match the tone and message,
OK with client decision-makers and main advisors.
8. Reproduce and distribute video where target public will see it;
consider all genres

15. Remember…
Make the core message clear and concise.
Make sure every fact is true... or defensible
Decide how to make the client look good
Avoid claims that could be questioned
Keep it positive-- or at least possible

16. Main Kinds of Script
1. Simple audio reader
Just copy to read directly
2. Film-type
One-column with audio, video, directions
3. 2-column
one for video, one for audio
4. Storyboard
boxes drawn simply, for complex visual content

17. Special Terms a.
▪ Actuality: recorded live in the field
▪ SOT: sound on Tape
▪ MOS: without audio (“mit out sound”)
▪ VO: voice-over (narration)
▪ Standup: reporter speaks to camera
▪ B-roll: secondary video as illustration
▪ Soundbite: short, memorable comment
▪ CG: generated words: name, location, etc.
▪ C/U, MS, LS: Closeup, Medium shot, long shot
▪ Nat sound: natural background audio

18. ▪ Talent: performer, reader, reporter, etc.
▪ IN Q, OUT Q: first and last words of script
▪ GFX: Graphics effects inserted from computer
▪ Nat: video recorded in regular location
▪ Seg time: exact length in seconds
▪ Package: pre-edited report ready to show
▪ Reader: story only read, without video
▪ Lead-in: short narration to intro footage
▪ Wrap-up: closing thought
▪ Tee up: identify a name audiences don’t know

19. ▪ Include only essential information
▪ Minimal attribution
▪ Emphasize the concrete/vivid
▪ Create a “chain” of ideas/details
▪ Spread out SOT, ACTs, etc.
▪ Write simple, declarative sentences
▪ Tutorial: http://newscript.com

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21. ▪ Start from video
▪ Only use words for what is missing
▪ Start from “IP plus wrap-up” format
▪ Challenge words of 2 or more syllables
▪ Save strong video for open and close
▪ Never pagebreak a sentence, or
linebreak a phrase

22. ▪ https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/
how-to/scripting-tips-audio-news-
releases