I’m on a mission to help people make and use video for learning purposes. This post focuses on two learning video storytelling formulas that will help you write scripts faster. This is an add-on to the original Three Learning Video Storytelling Formulas post from 2020.
Two of the Best Training Video Formulas
Brian Dean of Backlinko has provided the creator community (namely YouTube) with an amazing resource entitled Video Marketing: The Definitive Guide. Chapter 2 of that guide offers four content templates to help creators make marketing videos that will outperform the competition.
“Umb, Chris, you’ve been telling us this whole time that marketing video and learning video are different!” says James, my biggest imaginary follower.
Thank you James, yes. Learning video differs in that its purpose is always to improve the knowledge, skills, and behaviors of the viewer. Marketing video’s purpose is to create awareness, increase engagement, and evoke an answer to a call to action. James is a bit of a kiss-up, but I love him!
I bring up Brian Dean’s definitive guide because it is an outstanding example of learning in the Marketing space. We need a resource like Brian’s in the Learning and Development space. As an homage to Brian’s outstanding work, I propose three storytelling formulas we can use to write better scripts for learning videos.
These formulas are intended to help you quickly write scripts so that you can get to the phases of video production faster.
Storytelling Formulas = Scriptwriter Skill
Successfully using formulas to write is a must-have scriptwriter skill for learning videos. In the 6 Types of Video for Learning, I shared the most common types of instructional videos. 5 of those six types – Screencast, Micro, Lecture, How-to, and Explainer – can be made using a formula. Each of the formulas below will help you craft a script based on best practices and the expectations of your audience. This post focuses solely on the Screencast and the Micro video formulas.
Click here if you are interested in the formulas for Lecture, How-to, and Explainer.
Screencast Formula
A screencast, like the name suggests, involves recording a computer screen and the use of audio narration to teach the viewer about something. By using a screen recording app, you capture the movements of the mouse on the screen along with images or other video clips. Sometimes, the software will even allow you to record a video (or just audio) of yourself speaking at the same time. When recording with this kind of software, the image of you is usually placed in the corner of the recording.
Then, usually within the same software (if you choose), you can edit the video to include annotations and text overlays to support the narration.
Screencast Formula
Introduction
Writing a script for a screencast begins with great communication between the Subject Matter Expert and you, the writer. If you are the writer and the SME, then introducing the screencast is even easier. Simply state what the screencast is about using text on screen (title), then move onto the content. Avoid explaining what people are about to see – just show them how to do it. A screencast is a how-to tutorial that shows the learner how to do something using a piece of software or multiple computer programs throughout one process.
Content
The middle of a screencast script is where you show the learner how to carry out a task. Use transitional language! The voiceover should sound something like this: “First, open the widget marked user interface (show it opening in the video). Second, type in the appropriate data into the field (show text being typed into the box). Now that you have the data in the field, select the save data button to complete this process.”
The key is to be concise and explain exactly what is happening on the screen as it takes place. Avoid explaining reasons why while demonstrating how to use the software. Save the rationale or explanations for a recap screen or “why you’d use this function” screen. Too much information will make a screencast hard to follow.
Pro-tip: Record a draft of the process and narrate it yourself. Transcribe what you narrated and then trim down the words into a cleaner, more precise set of steps.
Once you have your audio script written, draft what you’ll show on the screen. Decide if and when you will use transitions like fades or wipes. Choose your cursor effects, zoom in and zoom out effect, highlights, and the format of your text callouts. Thinking of all this ahead of time will inform the way you record your screencast and make editing a lot easier.
Once you have a three-column script drafted be sure to test it out and adjust where needed.
Summary/Close
The summary or close section of a screencast can be as simple as just ending with a logo wipe or a quick recap (2x or 3x speed of the mouse movements) that shows how to carry out the tasks. Keep the summary or closing screen very brief.
Micro Video Formula
The basic formula of micro videos is Hook-Prep-Message-Review-Next. The “Hook” grabs the learner’s attention. “Prep” is where the video taps the prior knowledge of the learner to energize the brain, which enables the learning of the new concept. The “Message” is where the content is delivered – usually as a narrative explanation or visual depiction. The “Review” serves as a recap of the previous three parts of the formula. Finally, the “Next” is where you show the learner what’s to come. For example, an executive issuing an internal message to the rest of the company can be an effective use of a Micro video. A micro video in this case would be encouraging retention of information and inspiring motivation to act on the message (aka behavioral change).
Hook
Grabbing attention is hard. Your video viewers are overwhelmed with tons of hooks everyday. Think of how many ads and claims are dropped on TV, Tik Tok, Reels, and YouTube. Things like:
- You won’t believe this!
- Watch until the end…
- Have you ever…
- You need to hear this before it’s too late!
- Stay away from…
- This is shocking.
A good hook intrigues the viewer to keep watching. I recommend you try to surprise your learner and appeal to their curiosity and/or their intelligence. Remember, you are trying to hook people into learning something – NOT buying something. Most learning/training videos do not need perilous hooks. Avoid claiming something bad will happen if they don’t watch your video. Instead, try questions, intrigue, non-sequitors, and plot lines to a story you are about to show them.
Here are examples I use:
- What are the five parts of a micro video formula that help people learn?
- It all started when my Dad took me into his classroom.
- The best way to create a new document is…
This is a perfect place to turn to our content marketing folks for help. Writing a hook is similar in marketing and training. We want our viewers to be interested. So, we should try to hook people with one of the following hook types:
- Ask a question
- State the problem, and then offer a solution
- Start telling a story
- Offer the “best” way to do something
- Use text
- Show an image
Prep
In the prep part of the formula you are “preparing” the learner’s brain to learn what you are going to present. You “prep” your viewer by offering background information or related knowledge about the topic. This is a very short but important part of a Micro video where you explain or show why they need this information or how the new info you are about to share connects to what they already know.
Message
The message (aka the content) of the micro video is where you deliver the pay off. Show and tell the new information to your viewing audience. You’ve hooked them and prepped them for new info, now it’s time to satisfy their curiosity with new information that helps them.
Review
This is a recap. We start forgetting 90% percent of what we learn as soon as we learn it the first time. The review part of the formula reminds the learner what they just heard and saw was important. “Hey, let’s review,” the narrator may say right before she retells what was just covered. Review can also start with, “So now you know,” “As you just saw,” “Let’s do a recap,” or “That’s pretty interesting how…”!
Next
Now it’s time to push the viewer to do something. In the marketing world, this would be a call to action. Buy now! Don’t wait! Call now! Subscribe today! Only 5 payments of $19.95! Operators are on standby now! However, in a learning video we want our audience to have an emotional reaction. This section should push the learner to: take a quiz, go to the next lesson, visit a website to learn more, tell two people about what they learned, or even go to a message board and post what they learned. We are still calling our learners to act, but our intention is always for them to solidify their new knowledge and learn more. Remember, all learning videos must deliver on their promise: to improve the knowledge, skills, and behaviors of the learners.
Summary
This post is an add-on to the original Three Learning Video Storytelling Formulas post from 2020. The Screencast, Micro, Lecture, How-to, and Explainer can be made using a formula. The Screencast and Micro video formulas will help you craft a script based on best practices and the expectations of your audience. A screencast is a how-to tutorial that shows the learner how to do something in software. A Micro video is a video (typically less than a minute long) that grabs attention and delivers new information. Using both formulas, the key is to be concise and follow the formula so that you can deliver on the promise of learning video: to improve the knowledge, skills, and behaviors of your learning-hungry viewing audience!
Helpful Links
Are you new to learning about video for learning? Consider reviewing my four-part series, Video for Learning Fundamentals.
Part 1: The Case for Video
Part 2: We Need Learning Video Production Skills
Part 3: 5 Phases of Video Production for Learning
Part 4: The Glossary of Learning Video Terms
Or perhaps you want to learn more about scriptwriting…
Part 1: Scriptwriting for Learning
Part 2: The Writing Process for Learning Videos
Part 3: 4 Must-Have Skills for Writing Scripts for Learning
Part 4: 5 Best Practices as a Learning Video Scriptwriter
Part 5: 3 Learning Video Storytelling Formulas
Part 6: The Mindset for Writing Learning Videos
Join my feedback loop
What formula or template for learning video do you need? Drop me a note and let me know.
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I love feedback loops. As Elon Musk said, “I think it’s very important to have a feedback loop, where you’re constantly thinking about what you’ve done and how you could be doing it better.”
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