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3 reasons why your video does not need a script
Apr 15, 2021
When you’re making a video, you may be tempted to write a nice script to read to camera so you avoid making mistakes.
But we don’t suggest you use a script at all.
Here are three reasons why.
1. Reading a script is really hard to do
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People on TV read from scripts all the time and usually use something called an auto-cue (or a teleprompter). This is a screen that sits on the camera tripod with the script on it.
Reading from an auto-cue and making it look and sound like natural speech takes a LOT of practice and some amount of talent to get right. In order for it to look natural it should be impossible to tell if someone is reading anything at all.
In fact the script is even written differently to begin with. We simply use language in a different way when talking vs reading so the script has to be written to say out loud and not to read. It might even be written in a style to suit the presenter’s own personality.
Really good presenters even skim read the script on auto-cue and then improvise around it, this can make it seem even more natural.
2. Say goodbye to your personality
Start reading this out loud right now and see what happens? Does your inflection or the way you phrase things change? When we read something that’s written down it’s hard not to sound different. In fact we lose some of our personality and begin to sound a little more robotic.
Video works best when people can get to know you a little so showing your personality is vital if you want to make a real connection with your audience.
If we met you at a business event and came to say hi, we’d just talk. There would be no real prep beforehand and certainly no script. Sure we might know some of the points we’d like to mention but that’s pretty much it.
If we started reading from a script it would instantly sound wrong. That’s because reading from a script and making it sound natural is really hard to do. So don’t even try.
3. We know what you're doing
It’s a like a 6th sense when you know something is a little off. When someone comes across slightly less than human we can tell.
We spot the subtle loss of personality, changes in natural speech patterns and different language patterns. We might even be able to see their eyes moving from side to side as they scan over the words in front of them.
In short, reading from a script might seem like an easy option but you will lose so much of you in the process that the video will suffer as a result.
There is a solution however.
How to do it naturally
The easy way to avoid looking and sounding bad is not to even try reading from a script at all. Just resign yourself to the fact that it’s not going to happen.
People will warm to you more if your delivery is natural. Just talk to the camera exactly like you’re talking to a person. Imagine that you’re delivering a presentation, giving a talk on stage or just talking to another human being. Because essentially that’s all that video is.
You can help make the process easier by making some notes to refer to. Then if you lose your way you'll be able to pick things up again. You can add in key phrases you'd like to use to help jog your memory but don’t write a script and don’t read one.
Above all this stuff takes practice. With some clever editing you can make the finished product look like you’ve delivered it in one take so don’t worry if you lose your way. Anyway, a few errs and ums are part of natural speech. We all do them.
So lose the script and your videos will look and sounds much more personal as a result.
Want more advice to help you towards video success?
I post tips like these ones all the time on my own social media channels. If you’re not part of my little social world already come and say hi.
I'm also on hand if you want to ask me a question or book some Zoom time with me so we can get hands on and really make your videos fly.
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