All Writers Need to Be Able to Write Scripts, Here’s Why and How

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With the growing popularity of video content, brands are rushing to adapt to telling their stories in a video format. According to ReelSEO, it’s expected that by 2019, 80% of the world’s internet traffic will be video. That’s a huge number that brands will have no choice but to embrace.

As content shifts from something we read to clips and promotional videos, writers and content marketers are going to be depended on to get involved in writing these scripts and concepts. Many of them have never written anything for video before, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t up to the task. They just need to keep in mind a few things as they adapt their writing into a different means of consumption.

Keep Up With the Latest Video Trends

Many successful marketing videos are appropriations or parodies of what’s already out there. HubSpot created a parody of Gangnam Style. Grasshopper created Sh*t Entrepreneurs Say. Both companies modeled their content after current video trends.

Don’t get ahead of yourself and start copying every viral video you see, but keeping abreast of popular trends will inspire your own work and teach you about what kinds of content do and do not work for video.

Think Carefully About the “How”

It’s fun to write elaborate chase scenes filled with lots of explosions, but unless you personally know how to produce and shoot these scenes in real life, within budget, it’s probably not going to happen. Video production is hard. There’s a ton of prep work to get the set ready, each shot takes time to set up and shoot, and you are limited by the skills the team you’re working with has in their back pocket. When you’re writing, do you best to write within your resources and consider in detail how your team is going to be able to pull it off.

Think Short and Sweet

Most people won’t watch a video for more than 60 seconds. Writing a script for a marketing video is practically a different world from writing for SEO—you need to be as concise as possible.

Wistia, a video hosting company for businesses, found that if a video is 30 seconds long, people will watch 80 percent of the video on average. If a video is 60 minutes or more, people will only watch about 25 percent of the video.

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Script writing is an exciting new challenge for content marketers and freelance writers. After a slight learning curve, you’ll be sure to pick up on the do’s and don’ts before you know it.

Louisiana Makes Headlines with Cap on Film Tax Credits

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Geno ScalaIt is no secret that major productions can bolster economies, revitalize neighborhoods, and transform communities. Different parts of the country often compete to attract major film and television players, and the tax credit is one of the most critical tools in a government’s arsenal to attract businesses. Louisiana recently made news by imposing an annual $180 million cap. This number is significantly lower than what Louisiana (sometimes called “Hollywood South”) usually certifies. Previously, the state annually allowed for $250-270 million. Louisiana’s Film Entertainment Association is considering legal action as a result.

The film industry’s presence in places like North Carolina and Michigan clearly indicate that when tax credits are diminished, jobs tend to follow as filmmakers flock to other locations that eagerly offer greater opportunities for cost abatements. As State Representative Henry Burns of Shreveport told local media, ““There are other states out there stretching their arms, wanting to welcome our film industry in there. And just that uncertainty sometimes will cause people to leave.” The state of Georgia, in particular, has long been a competitor who will likely see an increase in film-related activity as a result.

Movie makers and lawmakers alike are hoping to revisit the film credits debate next January with a new governor. Until that time, the greatest concern is that film credits already in the system may not be redeemable under the cap. Should that the case, then the cap might well be unlawful. That issue will be also be subject to further legislation.

Until these issues are more fully explored, all the remains to be seen is if the state can retain its proud tradition as a regional powerhouse when it comes to film production.

Digital Streaming Services Continue Meteoric Rise

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Geno ScalaAccording to a report released by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, the electronic home video sector remains very much on track to overtake traditional US Cinema as early as 2018.This would establish the market segment as the lead revenue generator in film. This news may be stunning to some, but both savvy consumers and industry experts have anticipated the intensification of the this upwards trend for in online entertainment for quite some time.

The Global Entertainment and Media Outlook report for 2015 to 2019 posited a number of major changes in the industry which may be well on their way to fruition. Altogether, PricewaterhouseCoopers anticipates that, in just three years time, electronic home video will generate $13.8 billion dollars in the US alone.

For the first time ever, this figure exceeds predictions for the domestic film revenue for the cinema industry, which current calculations suggest will follow at $13.1 billion. Electronic home video service very well could double in revenue. The report quotes the figure of $8.4 billion in 2014 rising as high as $16.54 billion in 2019, hitting an impressive annual growth rate of 14.6%. Over that same time, cinema revenue is expected to grow at a more modest rate of 3.9%, from $11.2 billion in 2014 to $13.5 billion in 2019.

Electronic home video is comprised of on-demand programming, streaming services like Netflix and Hulu, and similar ventures by premium-cable channels like HBO and Starz. Electronic home video revenue therefore includes both rental and subscriptions to streaming platforms. Cinema revenue, on the other hand, depends on the box office and advertising.

Business Insider quoted Todd Supplee, the Senior Director with PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Entertainment, Media & Communications practices, as saying:

“[Traditional cinema’s] status as the prime storytelling medium in pop culture is still acknowledged but, in an era of Netflix, HBO and Showtime, high-end TV drama is making inroads into cinema’s dominance, and many OTT services (services that provide content through the internet) have announced they will start making films.”

His understanding of the trend touched upon the fact that these platforms, especially those that are subscription-based, cater to clients that have largely already committed to continued payment. Because the revenue structure is therefore much more stable relative to cinema, which can often be a gamble in terms of the returns on investment, the streaming services’ productions are experiencing a creative high-point well beyond what is usually happening on the silver screen.

Horror Film “Debris” Locked!

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Geno Scala

Hey guys! So it’s official – we’ve locked picture on DEBRIS! Woo-hoo! There’s still a lot of work to do, but it’s a major milestone.

Yesterday, we had our ADR session with the actors. They all did an amazing job. We were very fortunate to have veteran actor Yuki Matsuzaki (you’ve seen him in PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN:ON STRANGER TIDES and THE LAST SAMURAI) provide the voice of the mad swordsmith… and the cursed sword itself! Hearing the sword whisper “I’m thirsty…” in Japanese literally gave me chills. Now it’s up to our talented sound design team to bring it all to life!

Speaking of sound design – huge congrats to our sound supervisor Lisa K. Fowle (she worked on LORD OF THE RINGS and CHRONICLES OF NARNIA) for winning Best Sound Design at this weekend’s Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival. In 31 years, they’ve never given an award for Sound Design, but Lisa’s work was so amazing, they made an exception just for her. Can’t wait to hear what she comes up with for DEBRIS!

Later this week, we’ll be checking in with our legendary composer, Harry Manfredini, and our visual effects artist, Daniel DelPurgatorio.

It’s all starting to come together, folks… Stay tuned for more updates!

 

Nicole & the rest of Team DEBRIS
Geno Scala, Shark-Eating Man Productions; Executive Producer.