#OUJ3700Radio and TV

Let’s format Copy

Every document should have the following for letterhead:

• Client’s name

• Copywriter

• Length

Radio script formatting

Every station is different. Here are some general rules:

1.Write on one side of the page only.

2.Write all spoken copy in upper and lowercase.

3.One spot/commercial per page.

Radio script formatting

MORE CAPS IN RADIO AND TV THAN YOU THINK

1.Write instructions for sound effects and music ALL IN CAPS, and underline.

2.Write talent instructions-(WHISPER) in parentheses and capitalize.

3.Write speakers’ names ALL IN CAPS.

Other formatting tips

• Spell things out in a way the announcer can understand.

•Think dash not dot.9 a.m. is bad.

9 A-M is better.

Other formatting tips

• Spell things out in a way the announcer can understand.

Things may cost $9.95.

They should read 9-dollars-95 cents.

It’s less than 10 bucks…

Other formatting tips

• Spell things out in a way the announcer can understand.

Don’t write www.facebook.com

Do write Facebook-dot-com.

W-w-w-why-are-we-saying w-w-w-

Speaking of numbersfour rules

• Write out numbers as figures…

• 50 cents, • 12 o-clock,• 5-thousand.

• Spell out all fractions. One-half

• Write out decimal points. 8-point-8 percent.

• Round numbers. $79,995 should be under 80-thousand dollars.

• DASHES-NOT DOTS.

Other formatting tips

Don’t use commas. They are hard to spot.

Use ellipses instead.

• Ice, snow, bad roads all are signs of winter.

• Ice…snow…and bad roads are all signs of winter.

Other formatting tips

Watch punctuation.

Readers don’t see the punctuation until it’s too late.

Your copy must create excitement, or you must tell the voiceover talent to get excited.

ROADMAP TO BROADCAST WRITING

Organizing broadcast commercial

• AIDA Formula

•Attention

•Interest

•Desire

•Action

Timing isn’t precise. Here are some ground rules.

A=3-4 seconds

I=20-30%

D=20-30%

A=20% max

AIDA ModelAttention

• Grab it with 3-4 seconds.

• Here are ways to hook the audience.

• Words, sound effects or music in radio.• With TV, you can add compelling images.• This is tell them what you’re going to tell them.

Aida modelInterest• Interest grows from the lead; stick with the main idea.

• Explain the product benefit

• Explain how it relates to consumer needs.

• Explain the selling points that produce the benefits.

• Think context with content

• Use the word “You.”

• Intro the sales goal and name and location of the sponsor who can make this happen. That location can be physical, online or social.

• This is 20-30% of the ad.

Aida modeldesire

• Make people want to act on their terms in their environment.

• Desire starts with benefits, which we explain in the interest section.

• You need to know what the customer wants and connect the dots.

• If my coffee audience wants Starbucks coffee and spends all day on their cell phone, and online app to buy coffee makes a lot of sense.

Aida modelaction

• This should be 20% of your spot max.

• Create a discernible and easy action step.

• Be specific.

• Be immediate.

• Be direct.

• Purchase• Like the facebook page• Download the app….

One important aida thought

• Most local commercials focus on the action step.

• Most national commercials focus on the desire factor.

How to use aida

• Write three sentences on each.

• This is your rough draft.

• Condense your copy into the time format.

Creative questions to ask

• Do you want one voice, two voices or multiple voices?

• More voices=faster pacing.

• Do we need sound effects?

• How does music help tell our story?

• Audiojungle…

Types of ads

• Straight Copy

• Hard Sell Copy

• Institutional Copy

• Spokesperson Copy

• Humorous Copy

TYPES OF ADSSTRAIGHT COPY

• These are a backbone

• Often one-voice. Often can two voices.

• Simple and conversational.

• I think it’s the vanilla ice cream of copy. We all like vanilla ice cream. Rarely is it someone’s favorite flavor.

• http://www.soundandvisionmedia.com/audio.html Track 2

Types of adshard sell• Price reductions.

• Urgency (Sale ends Sunday, going out of business Tuesday)

• Sound effects feature explosions, dramatic music and echo effects. Bells, whistles, lasers.

• Punch sentences.

• Slogans.

• Usually the company likes to voice their own spot…think car ads.

• http://www.soundandvisionmedia.com/audio.html Track 4

Types of adsinstitutional copy

• Aim is to keep the client’s good name out in the public eye.

• This is about perception. Why does AEP advertise?

• It’s a soft sell.

• http://www.babble-on-recording.com/samples/ New Orleans

Types of adsspokesperson copy

• Ego Trip

• Endorsement

• Testimonial

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqK0HYEcKTg

Types of adshumorous

• Be careful and ask the following questions.

• Can listener identify with the humor? • Does the humor sell?• Will the humor stand up to repeated airing?

Let’s add tv to the mix

broadcast copy

We write for three reasons.

• Inform: Try us

• Persuade: Move to us

• Remind: Brand loyalty, there is value to staying with us.

• TV (especially national ads) are often about reminding folks just how good you are.

The storyboard

• Every second of a TV spot is planned with video, audio and graphics.

• A storyboard gives you a shot by shot rundown.

• This needs to be blocked out.

• Each board is 3-5 seconds.

Here’s what storyboard looks like

Building a storyboard

1. Identify the distinctive features you want to get across: logo, emotion, product shot.

2. Determine what benefit comes from the brand’s distinctive feature:

3. Decide what setting will convey 1 and 2 .

4. Place video instructions and audio lines for each scene under the frame. Include shot choices (wide, tight, ultra close-up.

9 Broadcast writing nuances

• Know your budget.

• On location shoots are better but more expensive.

• Production studio• Have one main idea.

• Hit them early.

• 30 second tv ad….5 ad second YouTube

9 Broadcast writing nuances

• Make your ad DVR proof through product placement.

• Literal• Value• Logo• 5 percentage….

• Audio repetition is also important.

• 33/33/33

9 Broadcast writing nuances

• Audio and video both need to tell the whole story.

• You don’t need to overwrite.

• What you see is what I should say…

• If I see a hammer…somehow make mention of the hammer.

• Stress the establishing shot

• Stress the final shot.

Shot composition

Wide

Medium

Tight

Really tight