INTRODUCTION TO SCRIPT WRITING FOR
EDUCATIONAL VISUAL INFORMATION PROGRAMS
There is no doubt that writing an educational visual information script is a
creative process. It is an extension of its author; therefore, as you write
your script, it is important that you develop in yourself some of the
characteristics of a creative person.
Try to look at things differently. Ideas stem, primarily, from looking at
one thing and seeing another. Ideas also come from experimentation; mixing
various media techniques to achieve a new approach to script writing is one
way to experiment.
Probably the most important characteristic of the
creative person is fearlessness. Don't be afraid to try anything that your
best judgment says might work, then have the perseverance to see it through.
When others pass judgment on your script, don't be defensive.
Use their
comments to better your script.
Although this course is designed to teach script writing for the visual
media in general, it will use the television medium as the example to
present various principles of script writing. By using specific examples,
rather than speaking in generalities, the subject matter is easily
understood. This knowledge can then be applied to other visual information
programs.
The majority of the script writing you do will be used for briefings and
training programs (exceptions being public affairs personnel). Again, the
principles are the same; if you learn all the principles for educational
script writing, you can easily transfer these principles to other
applications.
CREDIT: Credit is extended to the Defense Information School, Fort Benjamin
Harrison, for use of some of their instructional material on script writing.
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