We have a fabulous team here at WizMotions. From project managers to script writers to animators and everyone in between, they all work hard at what they do and they’ve all honed their craft over years of delivering stellar animated videos for businesses.

We wanted to give you a chance to meet some of these amazing people and let you know about the work they do for us and a bit about their process and also their tips for getting an animated video created for your business. 

First up is scriptwriter Traci Shoblom, who has been working with WizMotions since 2015. Although she’s a full-time scriptwriter for WizMotions now, Traci’s educational background is actually in Organizational Psychology and she intended to become a management consultant. Motherhood changed those plans because Traci wanted something she could do from home so she could be close to her children. She started writing marketing material and scripts for clients on a freelance basis, which eventually lead to scriptwriting for WizMotions.

Scriptwriting Process

The reason Traci calls scriptwriting the best job on the planet is because it offers a wide variety of subject matter to research and write about. Over the course of her time at WizMotions, Traci has written about subjects as diverse as:

• medical devices,
• IT platforms,
• supply chain management for global companies,
• pet adoption agencies,
• mom and pop hardware stores, and more.

But, even though each project is different, she has a process she likes to follow.  

“I get the assignment, and then read the collateral materials,” Traci says. “The Creative Brief is really helpful. I look at the client website, check out the videos they like. And, if I don’t understand the industry, I’ll do a little research so I can write about it authoritatively. Once I’m familiar with the subject and have read the client’s wishes for the project (or had a phone meeting if necessary), then I open a Word document and start the script.

“My process is that I wait for the ‘hook’ or the first line to come to me. If I’m blocked, I’ll go do the dishes or go for a walk. Then, the first line will come to me. After that, the script just flows. I write it, put it in our template, and then the visual illustration ideas just come from that. The whole video plays in my head like a movie. I give it to the project manager, who gives it to the client. After the client reviews it, I’ll make the changes they want, back and forth, until they are happy with it. Then, it goes on to the artist.”

Traci says it’s a strange feeling to see the end product and compare it to how it looked in her mind, but WizMotions talented artists do a great job at bringing her words to life.

Best Practices for Scripting

There is no one best way to connect with an audience via animated video, Traci says. Rather, all the variables have to be taken into account to decide the best way to approach the script. Those variables include:

• the complexity of the message,
• the length of the video,
• the target audience (and their language level),
• the goals of the video, and
• where it’s going to be shown.

“If you have a complicated process, only have one minute, and the video is being shown at a trade show, you’re not going to have time to go into an in-depth story based scenario that walks through all 14 steps of your process,” Traci says. “But if it’s an internal training video, you do. Our project managers are fantastic at advising clients on what is the best type of video for the project. That said, what matters most is that the viewer can connect with the message both aurally and visually.”

For inspiration when it comes to writing scripts for WizMotions clients, Traci says, she looks to television ads, particularly ones that run during the most coveted of times.

“I love commercials!” she says. “When I was at the University of Southern California I took an Attitudes and Persuasion class that got me hooked on advertising. So, now, when I watch the Superbowl, for example, I take notes on the ads so I can use them as inspiration for my writing.”

Bane of the Creative

Although she calls it the best job on the planet, scriptwriting does come with its challenges. For Traci, the biggest challenge is when she comes up with a great, creative idea for a script, but the client company quashes the idea and insists on toning things down.

“I just have to remember that this is their video and put my ego aside and make it the way the client wants it to be,” Traci says.  

Excessive revisions can also be a challenge, she notes, adding that it’s much better if a client can identify all the changes they want at one time rather than going back and forth multiple times.  

However, despite these challenges, Traci still considers what she does as the best job on the planet and encourages anyone who is interested in scriptwriting to pursue it because you get to be creative, learn new things and make great money doing it.

“It does take a lot of self-discipline, and the willingness to write in a way that is different than you’d like sometimes,” she says, “but with persistence, and a great attitude, you can do it.”

If you’d like to learn more about Traci, you can follow her on LinkedIn, Twitter, check out Traci’s website and check out her latest book, The Power of Charisma: Harnessing the C-Factor to Inspire Change.

And if you’d like to learn more about how to create an amazing animated video for your business, click here to schedule an appointment with WizMotions.