How to Design TV Commercial Script Samples

A TV commercial aims to make its target market remember the advertised material.

A television commercial script is usually one-page long because of this type of video's very short running time. A regular TV commercial often runs for only 30 seconds. Some are 15 seconds long, while others can be 45 seconds long, and sometimes, one minute or slightly longer. As a means of advertising meant to reach millions of people, a TV commercial intends to promote the brand and image of the product or service being advertised.

Instructions

1. Make a new Word document file for your first TV commercial script sample.

2. Write the title or project name of the TV commercial and its running time on the upper left part of your Word document. Sometimes, others also add the product name and the director's name to provide more information. If your TV commercial script sample has more than one page, put a page number as well.

3. Add a table right below the project name and other information you initially placed on the document. This table must consist of two rows and two columns. The first row should have a single space where you can place your headers. The second row should have most of the space in the document, as your script will be placed there. You can first format the two columns to have equal spaces, then finalize the formatting after you finish writing your script.

4. Use the first row to write the headers. This first row is actually divided into two, as you made a table made up of two rows and two columns. Write "Audio" on the left part of the first row, and "Video" on the right part of the first row. This also means that the "Audio" part will be the header for the left column and the "Video" part will be the header for the right column.

5. Write all speaking lines or voiceovers under the "Audio" column. Write them in the order they will appear on the script.

6. Write each shot description explaining what happens in the story under the "Video" column. Make sure you align each shot with the accompanying speaking lines or voiceovers placed under the "Audio" column. Write a shot number before each shot description, then include the type of shot to be used. For instance, if the first shot is a close-up shot of the product, the shot number and description should be: "1. CU of product." Other widely used shot abbreviations include "XCU" for extreme close-up, "MS" for medium shot, "LS" for long shot and "POV" for point-of-view shot.

7. Continue listing down each shot description, speaking line and voiceover on the appropriate audio and video columns until you finish the script.

8. Finalize your column's formatting. If the left (audio) column has more text than the right (video) column, adjust the table to allot more space for the left column. If it's the other way around, adjust accordingly. This helps you save space on the document, and it also makes your script easier to read.

9. Make a new Word document file, then use this to make your next script sample. Use the same formatting for this and the rest of the script samples you will make.

Tips & Warnings

• While the audio column provides all speaking lines and voiceovers, the video column should be straight to the point and as short as possible. Usually, these are short phrases that provide enough information to understand the type of shot to be used and the actual scene to be filmed. You don't have to be too detailed, because you will also have a storyboard during the shoot. The storyboard contains visual illustrations and descriptions of each shot.

• Depending on your preference, you can provide an extra space for every change of shot on the script. For instance, after the first scene's audio and video parts are placed on the appropriate columns, leave one space on both columns before moving on to the next shot. This is more ideal if your audio and video columns have too much text. This helps separate each shot for easier reading. Make sure each shot's audio and video components are always aligned together.

References

• Business Knowledge Source: Creating a Television Ad Script
• Banner Advertisement Site; TV Commercial; June 2011
• Me How Design: Free TV Script
• Sunwest Productions: Shooting Script Sample
• Procopy Tips; How to Write a 30-second TV Commercial Script; Dean Rieck; April 2010
• Kristof Creative: Creative TV Commercial Samples

Resources

• Starmedia: TV Commercial Scripts
• Free Download 3: Sample TV Commercial Scripts
• Claytowne; How to Create Storyboards for Film, Video, and Television; November 2010
• Edge Studio: 3,500 FREE Voice Over Scripts - for Practice and Demos!
• Kristof Creative: TV Commercial Writing
• Me How Design: What Makes a Good TV Commercial Script