What you will learn
- How to state the main idea of a video in one sentence
- How to build a story: beginning, development, ending
- How to make a scene plan: text, picture, sound
- How to check a video before publishing
Key terms
- Script
- The text and the order of scenes: what the narrator says and what the viewer sees.
- Storyboard
- A plan of scenes in pictures or a table: shot, text, sound, duration.
- Hook
- The first seconds of a video that explain why it is worth watching on.
- Editing
- Assembling scenes, transitions, titles and sound into a finished video.
01One idea, one video
Write the main idea in one sentence, for example: “A QR-code donation reaches the creator at once, with no intermediary.” If the idea does not fit in one sentence, you have two videos.
Anything that does not support this idea is a candidate for removal, even if the footage is beautiful.
Example. Topic: “Why a creator needs their own wallet”. Idea: viewers’ money arrives immediately and belongs to the creator.
02Build the story
The beginning is a problem or question the viewer understands, in the first 3–5 seconds. The development is an explanation in steps, an example, a comparison. The ending is a conclusion and one action the viewer can take.
- Hook: a question, a surprising fact or a problem
- Explanation: 2–4 steps, each with its own shot
- Conclusion: one sentence the viewer will remember
- Action: what to do next
03Make a scene plan
For each scene, write down three things: what the narrator says, what the viewer sees and which sound helps the scene. You can hand this plan to an editor or use it in any program.
Tip. A three-column table, “Text — Picture — Sound”, saves hours of editing.
04Prepare materials and rights
Collect video, images, graphics, music and voice. Check the rights to every file: your own footage, a purchased licence or a free licence with credit to the author.
Name files by scene number and keep the originals separate from working versions.
- Do not use music or video without a licence: the video can be blocked
- Do not overwrite the originals when processing
05Check it as a viewer
Watch the video on a phone: can you read the titles on a small screen, can you hear the speech over the music, does the picture run ahead of the narration? Mark the places where you want to skip or have to guess, and fix them.
Tip. Always add subtitles: many people watch without sound.
06Where Vantemio Studio helps
Vantemio Studio brings the script, graphics, editing and sound into one production process, with the result checked at every stage. Studio is still being developed: the public workspace for self-service launches is not open yet, and you can discuss a task with the studio.
Before publishing
- The main idea fits in one sentence
- The first 5 seconds explain why to watch
- Every scene has text, picture and sound
- You have the rights to all materials
- Titles are readable on a phone and speech is audible over the music
- The end has a conclusion and a clear action
Common mistakes and what to do instead
Starting to edit without a plan
First the idea and the scene plan, then the editing.
A long intro with a logo
A hook in the first seconds, the logo later.
Music louder than the voice
The voice comes first: keep the music clearly quieter than the speech.
Tiny titles
Check on a phone: titles must be readable without zooming in.
Try it yourself
Make a plan for a three-scene video on your own topic.
- Write the main idea in one sentence
- For each of the three scenes: the narrator’s text, what the viewer sees and which sound
- Add a hook for the first seconds and an action at the end
Result. A plan you can use to shoot and edit the video in any program.
Test yourself
Answer in your head first, then reveal the answer.
1The idea of the video does not fit in one sentence. What does that mean?Answer
Most likely, it is two videos. Split the topic.
2Why add subtitles if there is a voice?Answer
Many people watch without sound, and subtitles help them follow the speech and terms.
3What should you check in the materials before editing?Answer
The rights to every file and clear names by scene.
In short
One idea, a three-part story, a “text — picture — sound” scene plan, clear rights to materials and a check on a phone through the viewer’s eyes. That is how a video becomes clear even before editing.