How many people actually use a script for their videos?

zaralynette

Member
So I'm a Youtube noob. I am currently doing review videos on my channel and I just need some advice on how to go about planning for a video.

How many people actually write script before they record a video? For those of you who do write a script, how do you format it? Bullet points or verbatim?

For those of you who do not write a script, how do you stay organized when speaking impromptu? (I have tried and flopped) lol

Any speaking advice is welcome as well!!! #helpasistaout

Thank you for you advice <3
 
For my own videos I always have a script but videos are sketch format. I do think it's best to have a script with any types of videos you do even if it's just a rough script to use as a starting point. It is definitely a lot easier to improvise within the script I find. Hope this helps
 
At first I've tried doing impromptu on all videos and just recently have I started bullet pointing for some videos with more talking. It helps you get the main idea across and then you just fill it with details or anything else you want to add. With the magic of editing you get rid of what you don't like haha :) hope that helps
 
I usually write scripts for my tutorial videos, I record my voice while reading the script and then I combine everything for perfection. Without script, my tongue is mumbling lol. For comedy videos, I used to memorize the script as well as record audio before I shoot lol. Script helps me improve my talking power.
 
I think for that bullet points is best, just to keep you on track. It all depends on how you like to talk. Just try them all and see which one is best.
 
My background is in performance/ improvisation and so I am generally always just speaking on the fly. However when I'm planning/ setting up the video in my head I do sort of think of sentences/ jokes that will probably end up in my videos. For specific videos, such as my "things that annoy me" video, I had a list of dot points written in to my phone, basically so there was a checklist that I actually had valid points to talk about.

Natalie Tran (Communitychannel) scripts her videos extensively though, and that really works with her style. When talking, she uses complete sentences and doesn't use jump cuts and stuff. So, I think it's what works best for you! The great thing about YouTube is you can just keep trying new styles and formats and find whats best for you :)
 
I script my videos, I usually prefer to give the review a constant flow rather than bullet points, although I don't fully restrict myself to it, often change some words or punctuation in the process of recording. If you want an example of a script I've put it here under spoiler:
In the year 2005, without much advertisement and hype around it, if I recall correctly, this game came out for PC, Playstation 2, Xbox and Gamecube, Lego Star Wars. Being mildly interested in Star Wars (I watched one or two of the original trilogy movies, don’t remember whose, back then) and being interested a lot in Lego games I bought it, and well, I wasn’t disappointed.
Lego Star Wars is the beginning of the Traveller’s Tales serie of Lego games, that is basically having the monopoly of Lego games. The story follows the plots of Star Wars Episodes I, II and III with some parodistic humor added in the mix. And when I say follow I really mean follow. I played the game before watching the movies, so while watching the movie I was like “Oh yes, this is the beginning of that level” or “According to the game now it will happen that”.

You can play as major and minor characters, most of them are unlocked by completing the various levels, if you are really a fan of that lesser known jedi you can buy it with the studs you earn while playing. These studs are earned by destroying or interacting with the environment or by finding all the hidden minikits. There are 10 in each level, and collecting all of the award 50 throusands studs. In addition to that, each level has an indicator that fills as you gather studs. By filling the indicator you earn a piece of the Superkit, and completing the superkit unlocks a final bonus level.

The hub world is Dexter’s Diner from episode I, in here you can access all the levels, see the unlocked minikits, and buy characters and other extra features, most of them are silly, like replacing all the lighsabers with brooms, but others can help like Invincibility or the Minikits detector.
Most of the levels play like a 3d platformer with a fixed camera, a bit annoying because it often gives a false sense of depth, with some simple puzzles that require cooperation among the various characters and the possibility to freely switch between each with the push of a button. The characters are split in 6 big groups: Jedis and Sith that can use the Force on specific objects, Characters with blasters that can use grappling hooks, R2 units that can float and interact with some control panels, Protocol droids that again can use specific control panels, characters that jump higher and short characters that can go through manholes.

So in an hypotetical situation, a jedi has to build a platform so an R2 unit can get past a large gap and activate a bridge through a control panel. The AI on that regard does its purpose well, which is a good thing considering the co-op nature of the game. And talking about co-op, this game has drop-in multiplayer, so a second player can join any time and leave any time, which is a good thing when you have to deal with a difficult part and your dumb friend keeps messing up.
Once completed the level once, in the so called “Story mode”, with the canonical characters, the “Freeplay” mode unlocks, that allows you to replay the level with a wider choice of characters, and in that way have access to the entire level. Many parts, often the ones containing minikits are blocked at first to encourage replaying the levels and exploring them.

Veichle levels instead, are a different thing. Starting from Lego Star Wars 2 they started being pretty much like the non-veichle levels, with free play and all, while in the first Lego Star Wars, first off they were available in Story Mode only, and they played in very different and disinctive ways. For instance, the podracing level plays much like a racing game, you have to reach the checkpoints before time runs out, and another one plays like a shoot em up. They are harder than the traditional levels, but are a welcome change.
The overall difficulty of the game is low, aside from the veichle levels and a few other exceptions you can pretty much get the levels at your own pace, it makes sense since the demographic they were aiming for was probably children or families.

This game was an extreme success, and it spawned a sequel, plus many other games that play pretty much in the same way. At first it was great, Lego Indiana Jones is still a personal favorite, but well, feature more feature less it’s still the same today! I would love to see some change, or some remakes of classic Lego games like Racers, or Island, imagine them with today’s hardware power!

So, worth or not? As I said before this game is excellent for children, families, or if you need an easy game for when you want to play videogames but wihtout the desire of a real challenge. Knowing Star Wars is not mandatory, but highly recommended. I also suggest picking up Lego Star Wars the Complete Saga instead of Lego Star Wars 1 and 2, since it includes both games in a single package with a lot of improvements.
Thank you for watching, and see you soon on VGP.

Although now I am on a break from uploading I don't think I will change my scripting style, I will probably though split in sections because I plan to talk about more than one game per video, so a break to signal one game is over and a new has begun is a good idea.
 
I always write a script before I shoot any of my videos otherwise my message wont be as powerful because I tend to go off topic fast. lol
 
For my own videos I always have a script but videos are sketch format. I do think it's best to have a script with any types of videos you do even if it's just a rough script to use as a starting point. It is definitely a lot easier to improvise within the script I find. Hope this helps
Same. I'm mostly doing comedy skits so I need the script, especially if there are others involved.

My background is in performance/ improvisation and so I am generally always just speaking on the fly.
Since I have the same background, I do use an improvisation, but within a script, if you know what I mean. However, I plan to do more improvisational skits, since the interview on the Metaldays festival was succesfull, however I did have some questions in my mind, but since there were random people involved, it's not scripted at all :)
 
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