writing for the visual media

Reading the articles over how to write for the visual media reminded me of a project we used to do in my grade school. Once a year we had a writing competition, and before writing your story you were given an 8-frame piece of paper and asked to draw out your story. Preparing for writing a video package is similar. According to the article by Fred Shook, the most important part of preparation is defining a clear beginning, middle and end. The best lead-ins jump straight to the point and do not include lengthy introductions which may not really add much or inform the viewer. Also, Shook made the point that a solid close is the difference between a story drifting off and really ending decisively. The close, of course, should reinforce the purpose and focus of the story. And, as Lynda always ways, use lots of natural sound.

The portion of the Poynter article that I found most interesting was the section on exercises to complete prior to writing a visual story. The author suggesting summarizing the story in one sentence and the theme in one word in order to help focus the story. This seems like a great idea to me, since I know I'm guilty of going on tangents at times.

When it all comes down to it, writing a story for a visual medium seems very similar to preparing for any other story: you need research, interesting questions, a topic that matters to viewers, and the added element of strong visuals.