How to edit and write in Descript

In my last article I wrote how to set up a project in Descript for a longform narrative series. Now you've done all the ground work it's time to start on the creative stuff - editing and writing your episodes.

STEP ONE

Open up your Ep1v1 composition. The great thing is that you're not looking at a blank page. If you've followed the advice in the previous article you've already dumped tape into this composition using your colour coded highlight system.

I find this really reassuring - look I already have 40mins of tape! - so you know that you're going to be able to produce something.

• I now go through this tape and organise it into scenes, following a narrative framework that I've already written for the series. Again, you're just blocking out at this stage. No need to do fine edits.
• I listen back to this tape and make sure I have my favourite clips in the correct order. This is a good moment to realise if you're missing something e.g. I really need another contributor to talk on this point, as I don't have any tape on it. Or search for something that you've put in a later episode but actually really need here.

STEP TWO

Now it's time to write script around the clips.

• Create a gap in your tape by pressing RETURN.
• Either click on 'Write' button on top right of your screen or press CTRL+E.
• Write your fantastically enticing script.
• Now, you should have already labelled your tape with your contributor's name when you imported the audio. To keep things neat, I also label the script sections as "VO". (You might prefer to use your presenter's name or call it 'host'.)
• You'll notice that your script is in blue font and your tape is in black, which makes it easy to tell which is which at a glance.

STEP THREE

While I'm writing the script I like to add in notes and thoughts for my sound designer. There is a really clever way of doing this using markers. What's so amazing about this is that when you export your Descript composition as an edl or aaf the markers stay attached so the sound designer can see them in their Reaper/Protools project. They don't need to refer back to your script. This is how you add markers:

• Make sure you're not in Write mode (press 'Done writing' button in top right corner of composition)
• Make a paragraph break where you want to add a marker.
• Press 'M'.
• 'Marker 1' will automatically come up. Rename it with your instruction. I tend to write something like 'sd: start Track 2 and bed under speech until end of scene' or 'sfx: car door closing'

STEP FOUR

Once you've written the first version of your masterpiece, you might want to share your work with someone else in your team like an Exec Prod / Editor / Commissioner. Now, you can invite them into the project to see your scripts. However, I'm always nervous about letting people into the compositions where they might accidentally delete something. So this is what I do instead:

• Click 'Publish' in top right corner.
• Choose 'Publish'.
• Now this is the important bit: with access you must choose either 'Anyone with the link' or 'Drive access required'. Do not choose 'Public'. If you choose 'Public' then you've just published your work on the internet for anyone - contributors, lawyers, rival journalists - to read. You definitely do not want to do this.
• It then creates a link that you can email to the Exec/Editor/Commissioner. They will be taken to a webpage (they don't need Descript access if you chose the option 'Anyone with a link').
• On the webpage they can read your script, listen to your tape and add feedback comments.

STEP FIVE

Once you've got feedback you will probably want to make some changes. Descript does have a 'previous versions' function but I like to be able to easily refer back to previous versions of the script as I go through the process. So instead:

• In Project folder click on the three dots to the right of your composition
• Choose 'Duplicate'
• Rename this as e.g. Ep1v2

And then you just rinse and repeat Steps 2-5 until you have a script that everyone is happy with (or until the deadline looms and it's too late for happiness, you just need to finish something.) Then...

STEP SIX

You can export your project and either you or a sound designer can edit it in Reaper/ProTools. Now, I know that technically you can edit audio in Descript but in my mind it's not currently up to the job for these narrative longform audio series. I think it's better to get your script locked down and then move to a DAW for editing.

• Click 'Publish' and then 'Export'
• Choose 'Timeline' and then a format that suits your DAW.
• Make sure you choose 'include media files' and 'create track'.
• Be patient while it takes a very long time to export. (But it's worth it.)
• You or your sound designer can now open it in whichever DAW you're using.

I'll write another article about some of the functions I find super useful in Descript including Studio Sound, Search, and using a stock AI speaker (or even your own voice).

What else would you like to know about how I use Descript?