Stacking,Structure and Story

A different approach to scriptwriting

Helps students to visualizethe production process in:

Pre-Production

Field Production

Footage Review

Writing

Editing

STACKING

First Step of Project

Explain the linear nature of television stories, and discuss the typical ingredients.

Show students a finished two column video and audio script.

Natural Sound: Environmental, Subject-specific,

Content-rich Music: Recorded on site or pre-recorded Interviews: Formal, informal, in action Narration: Written for reporter track Reporter Standup SFX

Discuss Audio Ingredients

Video Talking Heads Still Photos Text On-Camera Talent Graphics Animation

Discuss Visual Ingredients

Visuals are sequenced

Wide, Medium, Tight, Establish Subject, Location; Provide Detail, Re-

establish. Shots, Sequences, Scenes, and Stories Compare to Words, Sentences, Paragraphs, etc.

Brief review of video basics

Use “stack” representations to match ingredients in two

columns

Narration

Natural Sound or Music

Soundbite

Video Audio

In Class Demonstration

This tractor was made in 1946. It’s the only one of its kind known to exist, and owner Harold Smith thinks it’s extremely valuable.

Natural sound: Old tractor starts up

“I think I could sell it for 100 Thousand Dollars.”

In class, utilize a set of empty boxes

Play a television story in full

Then play the same story in small segments, filling in the stack to show how the content would appear in a stacked script.

Stack is an audio-centric storyboard

Narration

Natural Sound or Music

Soundbite

Narration

Natural Sound or Music

Soundbite

Assign simple story.

.Students begin in groups, using stack for pre-production planning.

Require students to collect the appropriate ingredients for the specific structure you have in mind.

Students utilize the stack

in the field as a guide to collect specific ingredients, regardless of the story topic.

Once field production is complete, the stack is converted into script.

Field Production

Explain how the ingredients work together

Narration

Natural Sound or Music

Soundbite

Narration

Natural Sound or Music

Soundbite

Subject, Transition, Attention

Connect to visualsProvide detailsSet context for soundbite

Authority, Eyewitness, Character

Scene 1

Scene 2

NEW SCENE

Students write scene by scene, with the ingredients dictating their text.

Structure

Narration

Natural Sound or Music

Soundbite

Narration

Natural Sound or Music

Soundbite

Emphasize that organization of audio boxes in the stack can vary depending on collected content, and story complexity.

Structure Variation

Narration: Can be very short or long.

Natural Sound (can be multiple cuts)

Soundbite(s)

Narration

Natural Sound or Music

Soundbite

Explain that text content should be self-

contained, but connected to visuals.

Writing

The vertical stacks translate very well into an edit program timeline.

Students make an immediate connection.

Editing process is simplified.

Timeline Visual

Students turn in their

stacks, scripts, and finished project

Show the elements of each in class.

Discuss effectiveness, and how this process can be utilized in future projects.

Finished Assignments

Narration

Natural Sound or Music

Soundbite

Narration

Natural Sound or Music

Soundbite