Write Better TV and Radio Commercials

Writing Commercials — No Time to Lose

By Anne Schwab | Published July 5, 2013 | Edit

 

Unlike print media, TV | radio commercials or spots often have just 30 seconds to command the attention of the listening audience and persuade them to a viewpoint. Fewff! With print media or websites, the audience has time to read and reread information. But a commercial is a quick and dirty attempt to win the audience. And there’s not much time.

A short-form scriptwriter from CMS understands that a :30 sec TV radio commercial is precious little time catch and command an audience. The scriptwriter studies the product and the corporate mission, then learns the competition. Every accomplished writer enters a “zone” to write. A space where creativity or originality give new meaning to words and phrases. A space where the writer’s imagination makes interesting and unexpected connections that drive the message. Creative thinking yields little pearls, nuggets of interesting perspective the audience may not have experienced. And the all-important lead sentence—like the headline in a print ad sets the mood and drives the spot. A powerful ending, or wrap sentence, doubles as a call to action. NOTE: Creativity trumps big bucks every time in the production of TV radio commercials.

The CMS scriptwriter becomes an integral part of any creative team and works closely with the creative director, the account manager and the client. Sometimes the creative director decides on the direction of the commercial. But often the scriptwriter develops the creative concept, produces an outline, then fleshes out the script for client approval. Frequently the scriptwriter doubles as the director to assure the desired result.

Filming a spot demands high-end video and sound equipment, a talented director of photography, sound engineer, gaffer, and most importantly, a winning director. In post-production, a skillful editor works with the director to cut the film, correct the color, sweeten the sound, then adds music, a voice talent, graphics and animation.





Creating a commercial script is relatively easy. Creating a knock-out commercial script is the job of the knock-out scriptwriters at CMS. Take a look at our new scriptwriting | video production site: www.cmsvideoproduction.com or call 202.333.3560. Love to talk with you about a dynamic :30 spot that is long on impact! Check out our award-winning script for Jockey underwear: http://bit.ly/1aKVts2.

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