Lessons from the set- 5 Rules For Effective Scriptwriting

In January, I spent a weekend observing the shoot of a commercial I had written last year while freelancing after leaving a full-time role.

For years, I had written TV commercials and online commercials that did not move into production. This was a unique chance to not only watch an idea come to life but help guide the process offering support for how the ideas on paper were translated on-screen.

But this visit to the set quickly became more than that, I had the opportunity to sit with the head of the production who had garnered over thirty years of experience making commercials. I asked her for her thoughts on scriptwriting and the entire creative process. Her answers were profound and insightful and I have captured them in the 5 rules below.

Give room to expand your idea.

Your job as a scriptwriter is to sell the product with a simple story. It is the director's job to embellish it. So don't be fixated on going into too much detail that the director does not have the flexibility to expand your idea. Your story should give room for the extension of your ideas and for creating new worlds.

You never have 60 seconds to tell a story

If you are given a brief to write a 60-second commercial, always keep in mind that the meat of your story would take a lot less time. This is because in your timing you must leave allowance for selling the product, allowance for your brand logo showing, website showing and for your payoff. These elements need to be accounted for and considered when you are writing.

To help you adhere to it, it is important to ALWAYS time your scripts to ensure that all the essential elements are accounted for and within the stipulated time.

Focus on objects and use audio cues

Focusing on objects and using audio cues can help you cut down on time and concentrate only on major actions. For instance, if you are writing a scene where families reunite, You can cut down on the time by first showing the door with the doorbell ringing repeatedly and then showing a character opening the door to greet his guests instead of showing the subject first walking down a flight of stairs.

Translation increases language.

If you are writing a script that will be translated and scaled across different regions/ countries then you must make allowance for it in your timing. For instance, 60 seconds in Yoruba will easily translate to 70 seconds in Hausa because the latter language utilises more words to arrive at the same descriptions.

Don't write something that is unbelievable unless unbelievability is the goal.

People remember what they hear consistently. Do not make wild claims except the goal of the commercial is to exaggerate and excite. If your goal is to build trust in your product then you should be correct, consistent and believable in your claims.