Wikipedia:WikiProject Screencast/Scripts/Script 2

Establishing a purpose and audience, and writing a script

Draft

Ideas

1. Identify problem areas for newbies
2. Write out a script; we suggest a table with audio/video columns
3. Keep it short
4. Keep it simple, stupid (e.g. [[File:Example.png|thumb|I can has caption plz?]] vs. WP:EIS)

Script

Note: all audio except the very final step/frame has been recorded.

First group of frames

Covers "Establishing a purpose and audience"

TO DO: title screen, final step (visual - merge the two audio clips, or just duplicate the screen shot?)

Script	Visual
<silence for title screen>	WikiProject Screencast: Establishing a purpose and audience, and writing a script.
The screencasts of this WikiProject are intended to teach Wikipedia editors and readers how to do things: post a comment on an article talk page, read a page history, add a footnote, and so on.	(list of questions, white on black, scrolling; can use questions in Pete's script yesterday.
When you create a screencast, you need to think what someone will learn to do by watching your screencast. You need to decide exactly what your screencast will cover - what its purpose is.	(another scrolling list, this time of [potential] screencast titles?): Creating a new user account Creating your personal user page Adding an external link to an article Posting a note on a user talk page.
You normally want your screencast to be between two and three minutes. The goal is to be neither overwhelming nor so narrow that the viewer still has related questions.	Perhaps some sort of "bad", "good", such as "Too short: How to insert an image into a page (one minute)"; "Better: How to insert an image, including making it small, adding a caption, and - if you want - aligning it left and specifying a visible size. (two minutes)" "Too short: How to format bold text. (one minute). Better: How to format text: bullets, bolding, and italics. (two minutes)
The purpose of your screencast determines who you want to view it: novice editors, editors with some experience, or advanced editors.	Screenshot of table of contents: WP:TMM."
You'll need to explain the basics to beginners, such as adding an edit summary and previewing their edits, but you shouldn't spend time in your screencast doing that for advanced editors.	Same screenshot.

Second group of frames/chunks

Covers "How to break a script down into pieces."

TO DO: All visuals

Script	Visual
Try to break down the subject to be explained into simple pieces or steps that are each easy to understand. Each step typically has the wording for the audio that is being spoken plus the video that is being seen	Show screencast of someone editing a bulleted list. Use text at User:Another average avid editor/Sandbox; just show this being split up - two sentences, two sentences, two sentences, one sentence, and final two sentences. Split with asterisks. But don't show this as happening in the editing box - do a tight shot that excludes anything but text.
Dividing the screencast into individual steps makes it easier to split the work of creating a screencast between collaborators. Different people can work, for example, on different, smaller video segments.	Screencast continues.
The longer an audio text is in a single step, the more difficult to record that audio text without making a mistake. With relatively small steps, it's easier to get the wording right by the second try or third try.	Show script of screencast 5.
And, of course, it's easier to change a relatively small step if someone finds a better visual, or, as another example, the Wikipedia user interface changes, requiring re-shooting one or more steps of a screencast.	Screenshot, top of Wikipedia:Be bold
One way to be modular is to do multiple edits, rather than doing everything in a single edit. This is particular good for beginners, who should get practice with edit summaries and previewing.	Short screencast of saving a page and then immediately reopening it for a second edit: Before screencast recording begins, at User:Another average avid editor/Sandbox, go into edit mode. Then with recording on, type *'''Bolded text'''. Scroll to Edit summary, type "Practice", do a preview, save, then go back into editing, type * ''Italicized text'' , go to edit summary type "Practice again", and preview. [Recording off at that point.]

Third chunk of frames/items

The third group of frames/items covers the left column (audio) of the script.

TO DO: All visuals. Note: since screencast was on the long side, removed the third-to-last and second-to-last steps. Still to do: remove "Also" from the audio of the final step.

Script	Visual
Here are some suggestions for creating good audio portions of the screencast.	Image of a generic award/trophy? File:WikiCup.png Ongoing screencast of typing out a screencast script? :)
Use relatively simple words. Avoid long sentences. Remember that English is not the first language of many people who edit the English-language Wikipedia. Try to put people at ease; you're often describing something that they find intimidating.	A screencast of someone typing this text. [more a kludge than optimal]
Also keep in mind that the English-language Wikipedia is not written in the "American" language—so try to avoid jargon, slang and other words that are not likely to be understood by all English speakers.	Continuation of prior step.
Also keep in mind that you don't have to write out your audio word by word, if you want to go by general notes instead. But you're likely to have to tape the audio more times, before you get it right, if your notes are very rough.	Screen showing example of full-written out audio wording, and another example of what that looks like with just notes. (?)

Fourth chunk of frames/items

The fourth group of frames/items covers the right column (visual) of the script.

TO DO: ALL VISUALS

Script	Visual
The heart of a screencast normally is the step-by-step procedures that are shown to the reader	Screen shot: Script for screencast 1.
When writing a script, you want to spell out, in your script, exactly what is going to happen on-screen.	Screen shot: top half of Script for screencast 9
Don't use any special effects that will get into the way of the viewer actually learning.	Show a bunch of special effects - fades, etc. - from one of Saturday's videos?

Final part of screencast

Script	Visual
We hope you've found this advice helpful. And since practice makes perfect, why don't you start working on a script for WikiProject Screencast?	Closing credits.