How to Read from a Script, but Sound like You're Not?

[Noelle]

This is one thing I keep struggling with. I'll write out a script, it sounds good on paper, but when I read it on camera, it sounds so stinted and awful that I usually just end up dropping my script together.

If I don't have a script, then sometimes I forget what I want to say or it takes ages to tell the story/idea I want to express.

Any suggestions or tips? Or do I just need practice?

 

[Sinc]

Learn the script, never read from the script whilst recording.

 

[Noelle]

Learn the script, never read from the script whilst recording.

Memorization is definitely a problem for me. I probably would have less of a problem if I knew my script better. I'll keep that in mind!

 

[gregbowes]

You can use a tablet or a computer screen as a teleprompter, maybe that would help.

 

[David Stoll]

This works for me pretty well: Have a list of key things you want to say (at whatever level of detail is useful). You can edit out the times you look down at the list to check whether you have missed anything. As long as the topic list triggers the full content in your mind, you don't need a script.

Also, sometimes if I suddenly realize I meant to say something in an earlier bit, I'll just get into it and then move that clip to its proper place during editing.

Once I was really worried about missing something, so I kept speaking out loud all of the points I had already made in the hopes that doing so would trigger whatever I was worried about. I had literally eight minutes of me doing this spread throughout parts of the video. (Of course, I cut it.) Sadly, I couldn't remember what I had left out until I finished editing. It was something simple enough to write down!

 

[Noelle]

You can use a tablet or a computer screen as a teleprompter, maybe that would help.

That's a good suggestion. It might also help with my narcissism and always staring at the LCD monitor while I talk. It's another bad habit of mine.

This works for me pretty well: Have a list of key things you want to say (at whatever level of detail is useful). You can edit out the times you look down at the list to check whether you have missed anything. As long as the topic list triggers the full content in your mind, you don't need a script.

Also, sometimes if I suddenly realize I meant to say something in an earlier bit, I'll just get into it and then move that clip to its proper place during editing.

Once I was really worried about missing something, so I kept speaking out loud all of the points I had already made in the hopes that doing so would trigger whatever I was worried about. I had literally eight minutes of me doing this spread throughout parts of the video. (Of course, I cut it.) Sadly, I couldn't remember what I had left out until I finished editing. It was something simple enough to write down!

This is a bit similar to what I've been trying to do. I definitely feel that I speak more naturally when I just have a list of key points that I want to hit on and then go from there as opposed to writing out everything. However, I have a tendency to not leave enough time between looking at my note-card for editing and then adding in unnecessary 'Um' and fillers into my words. I'll have to work on that because my best material seems to come from just talking off the top of my head.

I've also forgotten something I wanted to say and never thought about editing it back into place later on. I'll have to remember that! I always get done recording and then have that moment where I missed an important part of what I wanted to say! It's frustrating.

 

[David Stoll]

[QUOTE="However, I have a tendency to not leave enough time between looking at my note-card for editing and then adding in unnecessary 'Um' and fillers into my words. .[/QUOTE]

This is a HUGE problem for me. I try to remember to make a concerted effort to pause, look at my card, pause, look at the camera, and then speak. You can tell when I fail at this, because you see my head bobbing up from nowhere in a cut for no reason as I am talking. And don't get me started on my Ums and my Sos. I guess that's why it's a process of growth!

 

[HisNHerLP]

Just talk to yourself.

As stupid as it sounds, when I brushed my teeth, I spoke to myself in the mirror

I gel my hair, I talk again, I always had subjects in my mind, but cutting these promos helped loads.

To make this sound less stupid, I was a pro wrestler, and I found the talking helped me loads whenever I was on the mic or interacting with the crowd and putting my gimmick across....

Try it, next time you brush your teeth, pretend the mirror is a camera, and talk about a subject, develop it, and before you know it, you will only need bullet points when you speak

 

[Noelle]

This is a HUGE problem for me. I try to remember to make a concerted effort to pause, look at my card, pause, look at the camera, and then speak. You can tell when I fail at this, because you see my head bobbing up from nowhere in a cut for no reason as I am talking. And don't get me started on my Ums and my Sos. I guess that's why it's a process of growth!

Haha, well glad to know I'm not the only one with these problems! It is definitely a learning process.

Just talk to yourself.

As stupid as it sounds, when I brushed my teeth, I spoke to myself in the mirror

I gel my hair, I talk again, I always had subjects in my mind, but cutting these promos helped loads.

To make this sound less stupid, I was a pro wrestler, and I found the talking helped me loads whenever I was on the mic or interacting with the crowd and putting my gimmick across....

Try it, next time you brush your teeth, pretend the mirror is a camera, and talk about a subject, develop it, and before you know it, you will only need bullet points when you speak

Thanks for the advice! I originally started doing daily vlogs, way back in the day, because I never talked to anyone and didn't know how to hold a conversation. Granted, I've gotten better but even when I'm speaking to someone and trying to get my point across, my words sometimes fumble and I have a hard time even getting out what I want to say. I can see how this would inhibit me and talking more and pretending I'm on camera should help!

 

[Perro V]

I simply memorize little bits of pieces of my script and record those. Put a little emotion behind it and it sounds very authentic.