The starting point for any animation is the story, as a wonderfully produced animation is only as good as the underpinning narrative.

Drafting the story

Briefing:

Esther Raday, scriptwriter, is always first ‘off the blocks’ on any animation project, liaising closely with clients to understand the story they wish to share. Esther starts with an in-depth client call to listen and understand the client’s desired outcome and messaging, reviewing all necessary supporting materials.

Planning:

Thinking ahead is critical if the story is to be compelling and written in a voiceover-friendly way. A two-minute animation is typically around 300 words. That may be less than you had imagined it may be yet it makes sense when you consider the need for pauses and to take a breath.

“Scriptwriting is very much a collaboration between the writer and the client. The client is the expert—our North Star—and I’m simply a medium of sorts, channelling their expertise. The client knows what needs to be said, and I help them figure out how to best say it.”

Esther Raday

Reviewing:

Getting the script absolutely right usually takes one or two reviews to get to sign off. This is where the details are so important. This includes any language specific to the subject matter and the overall tone of the story. When an animation is intended for a specialist target audience, credibility is key and the language should be spot on. We are always on the ball about getting this part right! 

Approval:

The journey from a blank page to script approval can take only a matter of days. When the script is signed off by the client the team move onto voiceover, illustration then animation.

Examples:

Hear examples of selected scripts written by Esther on the Inky Thinking YouTube channel.

Read more in ‘Part 2: Behind the scenes of an animation – Recording a Story’.