Now that you have your structure and script template in hand, it is time to start crafting your script.

This process involves three key steps:

• Narration: Writeing your text for oral narration; time the oral delivery to ensure it matches your desired video length.

• Images and visual sequences: Consider the visual elements, including images and sequences, that will complement your narrative.

• Combining narration and images: Bring your script to life by combining your narration with the selected images in the script template, and once again, make sure everything aligns with your timing.

Whether you start with the narration or gather images first depends on your personal preference and your training. For now, let us assume you begin by creating a list of images and video sequences, including those that feature you.

Images and sequences

To gather these visuals, envision your video based on your established structure. Keep it straightforward and consider what resources are readily available to you. You might have images from your research, the option to capture scenes in your lab, or even the ability to create graphs and diagrams to illustrate your points. Remember, the key is simplicity and clarity; video images do not linger like PowerPoint slides in a presentation. Your audience should right away grasp the relevance of each image.

As you collect these images, stay focused and be mindful of the resources available to you, especially if you are new to creating video abstracts. Simplicity can be your ally.

Ava’s list of image ideas might resemble the following:

• Images of whales, marine ecosystems, and stressors (e.g., marine pollution, ship noise)
• Ecological system sketches and relevant statistics
• A picture of the North Atlantic right whale
• Figures and graphs demonstrating the cumulative effects of stressors
• Photographs of herself in the lab
• Screenshots showcasing the software used for research
• Maps illustrating the distribution of whale species
• Segments in which she talks directly to the camera

Narration

When it comes to writing your script, you might find it challenging to immediately insert your narration directly into the template. As a first step, you can write your script as a continuous text and insert your image ideas within square brackets. The first paragraphs of Ava’s continuous text might look like this:

This is what the first paragraphs of Ava’s text would look like in this case:

“Marine environments are highly exposed to threats, but there are limits to what nature can bear. [images of marine ecosystems from our last field research] Often, those threats are produced by humans and lead to stress in marine animals.”

Once you have completed this step, read your script aloud while timing it. This will help you gauge its duration and whether any trimming is needed. Conciseness is key, as attention spans today are short; aim for around three to five minutes.

Combining narration and images

After refining your script, you can proceed to fill in the text for oral delivery in the column on the right and your image ideas in the left-hand column of the template. Once again, read each section aloud and measure its duration in seconds, filling in the time column.

Measure the duration of each section in seconds, filling in the time column on the right

Now, a crucial consideration arises: how to distribute your image ideas throughout the various sections. Remember that audio-visual media are about movement, not just physically but in terms of visual rhythm and coherence.

This is where your knowledge of film techniques comes into play. If this is new territory for you, start with simplicity. Avoid lingering on a single image for an extended period; instead, use your visuals to illustrate, emphasise, and elucidate your oral narration. To prevent confusion, ensure each image aligns seamlessly with what is being conveyed in the oral narration. The synergy between narration and visuals is essential for comprehension.

Deepen your understanding

Keep in mind that you are writing your script to increase the reach of your research. This means that you are addressing a wider audience. There are familiar traps into which many researchers fall when embarking on this venture. If you want to deepen your understanding, use the following resources:

· Read step 5.4 · Visit the open accessible course Writing for multimedia

Lizenz