Your storyboard should explain what you want to accomplish with your video, how you will produce it, what equipment, props & talent will be necessary, and how you will deliver the finished product.
The more in-depth you go with your storyboard planning, the easier the filming and editing portion of your video will be.
I will be going over the storyboard I have created for my self promotional video in detail so that you can see what a storyboard can entail!
Panel 1
GHS – Front Building
Text fades in slowly, with the background, then expands.
Font: Plante Green
Long shot of the front of the building to a close up of the front doors.
Panel 2
GHS – Front Doors
Outfit #2
I walk out of the right door, off to the right.
After the door closes, the text falls to the ground all at once.
Door opening noise
Footsteps
Font: Source Code Variable Concept Green
Close-up of the front doors.
Stationary, then pans over to follow me
Panel 3
USD – Sioux Falls Bridge
Outfit #1
Scene transitions from GHS to the USD – Sioux Falls bridge as I cross the edge of the screen.
As part of my portfolio for school, I am required to conceptualize, produce, edit & deliver a self-promotional video. The first stage is the pre-production. This includes research, brainstorming, storyboarding & script writing.
Video Requirements:
2-3 minutes in length
Must include composite video or kinetic type using After Effects as well as footage captured with a video camera.
Must have professional lighting & sound quality.
HD 1080p formatted for Vimeo/Youtube & mobile
Begin with rough sketches, then refine the storyboard using more detailed drawings or photos.
Video Objectives
Promote my employable skills through video:
Photoshop
Illustrator
InDesign
Dreamweaver
After Effects
Premiere Pro
Bridge
Digital Photography
Photo Editing
Video Storyboarding, Filming, & Editing
Organization, Planning, & Coordinating
Teamwork
Management
Communicate my ideas visually through detailed sketches and planning.
Capture and edit a sequence of video clips to create a mood and message to the viewers.
Composite text, images & video in a visually appealing and professional way, using Adobe After Effects.
Brainstorming Ideas
The main idea I have for my video is to do a timeline, showing my college/job experience from when I graduated college in 2020 to finishing the Media Design Technology Program in May 2025.
I will be using my transcript as a reference for the classes I have taken and which year and semester they where in.
I think that a timeline, “Progression Over-Time,” would be a good way to show the things I have learned over the years and how I have ended up in my current position.
This video will be very visual, with moving text and the backgrounds being the focus. I do want to get some royalty free background music as well to help with the feeling and mood of my video. I do not think there is a need for any talking in the video.
I will be using my transcript of my classes as a guide for the type that will be in my video. I will also be going through old pictures of me to get a feel for what I looked like during each year so I can try and re-create the feeling of going back in time.
I plan to film at Garretson High School, the USD Community College for Sioux Falls, Southeast Technical College, and North Central International to show the places I have gotten my education and experience so far.
While headlines may seem like only a small part when writing copy for an advertisement, the headline makes a big impact on if the viewer will go on to read the rest of the text. There are multiple different ways you can go about writing a headline and some ways will be more effective than others depending on your product or service and your audience. I have highlighted what I find to be the most effective methods when writing a headline.
1. Use direct headlines when writing about straightforward offers and high-interest products.
(Photo screenshotted from my Instagram. I do not own this material and am using it for informational purposes only.)
This advertisement for loft tours in downtown Sioux Falls is very direct with its headline. “Loft Tours” is the headline, and right away you know that this is for people who are seeking to move. Having a place to live is essential for everyone, so there is no need to offer deals or display the prices because people will need to find a place to live no matter what.
2. Make headlines and visuals work together.
(Photo screenshotted from my Instagram. I do not own this material and am using it for informational purposes only.)
The headline “MUM FEST” directly relates to the chrysanthemum flower image in the ad, showing you what the ad is about even if you only read the headline. The background also shows lots of chrysanthemums and has a heavy orange color over it. It is good to show the flowers in this ad because some people may be confused by the word “mum” in the headline. Mum can also be another word for mom, so it was a good idea to show the meaning of the word visually.
3. Draw the reader into your body copy.
(Photo screenshotted from my Instagram. I do not own this material and am using it for informational purposes only.)
The headline, “Manage your social media workflow with Canva,” offers you a solution to managing workflow and prompts you to read the other text of the ad to see what they mean by this. I was personally interested in what they meant with this headline, which prompted me to read the other text, “Design, plan, and schedule your social posts, all in one place. Simplify your workflow with Canvas Teams. Try it free.”
4. Appeal to your audience’s self-interest.
(Photo screenshotted from my Instagram. I do not own this material and am using it for informational purposes only.)
This headline, “Open doors to your wealth’s full potential,” or even just, “Wealth’s full potential,” appeals to the audience’s self-interest by promising the reader a way to reach their full financial potential. This is appealing to many people, as most people are trying to find more ways to make more money to get the things they want, be financially secure, and invest for the future.
5. Speak directly to your audience.
(Photo screenshotted from my Instagram. I do not own this material and am using it for informational purposes only.)
The headline, “Get back into dance with a supportive community,” is speaking directly to an audience of people who are interested in trying dance classes for the first time or for those who used to be in dance classes when they were younger but stopped going. This headline makes it so that the people who are not interested will not read any more than the headline and will move on from the ad, while the target audience that this ad is meant for will stay and read the rest of the add to find out more details.
6. Deliver a meaningful message.
(Photo screenshotted from my Instagram. I do not own this material and am using it for informational purposes only.)
The headline, “The anti-stuck-in-bed program,” sums up what this app is about and who it is made for. You will remember this app for what the headline offers. If the headline speaks to you, you may want to try this app and see if it really lives up to what the headline promises. Even if you do not check out the app right away, you may one day discover that this is something you want help with, and “The anti-stuck-in-bed program” headline might stick with you. In that case, you could look up the headline, and it should take you right to this app.
7. Get your audience’s attention.
(Photo screenshotted from my Instagram. I do not own this material and am using it for informational purposes only.)
This headline, “What will baby actually need?” gets the audience’s attention by asking them a question that they may have trouble answering. If you are expecting a baby, you may be considering this question already. Especially if you are a first-time parent, you may not know what your baby will need, and require help and assurance to make sure you are fully prepared. There are also things that people say you will need but end up being a waste of money, so for parents who want to save money, this is an even more important parent.
8. Use appropriate appeals.
(Photo screenshotted from my Instagram. I do not own this material and am using it for informational purposes only.)
This headline, “Treat yourself,” uses proper appeals by showing the product in a very pleasing way. You could go with an image of someone eating the ice cream or something completely unrelated, but by showing the ice cream shakes in extreme detail in a very appealing manner, you are playing on people’s appeal for sweets or sugar by making the product look as appetizing as possible. The headline encourages the viewer to give into their sweet tooth and get someone very sugary and calorie dense as a treat for yourself.
Other methods of making a headline more effective include:
Inject news into your headline.
Offer to teach the reader something useful.
Use the “reason why” approach.
Tell customers what you want them to do.
Express your sales proposition in a fresh and compelling way.
Copy is the text that you use in an advertisement. No matter what kind of advertisement it is, there are fundamentals to follow in order to make more interesting writing. There are lots of elements that go into writing body copy but I will only be discussing the elements that I find the most important.
1. Gets attention
(Photo screenshotted from my Instagram. I do not own this material and am using it for informational purposes only.)
This Scooters ad gets attention by featuring an offer. Immediately, the line “$1 COFFEE” is the first thing that many people will notice about the ad. As someone who enjoys coffee, this offer is very attractive, as a typical cup of brewed coffee from Scooters would be around $3-$4.
2. Focuses on the customer
(Photo screenshotted from my Instagram. I do not own this material and am using it for informational purposes only.)
This advertisement is doing a good job of being customer centric. This advertisement promises that the consumer will gain a sense of “Belonging, Purpose, and Hope” by participating in their events for young adults. It also makes sure to say, “You’re invited,” as if speaking directly to the consumer.
3. Stresses benefits
(Photo screenshotted from my Instagram. I do not own this material and am using it for informational purposes only.)
This advertisement from Audible stresses the features and benefits of this particular book. The proclaimed feature of the book is to learn “Effective Co-Parenting or Parallel Parenting with a Narcissist,” while the benefits of learning this are to “Set Boundaries, Eliminate Conflict, Protect Yourself, and Raise Emotionally Secure Children.” The feature helps you to understand what the book can mean to you and why its worth listening to.
4. Differentiates your product from the competition
(Photo screenshotted from my Instagram. I do not own this material and am using it for informational purposes only.)
This advertisement stresses that it is different from the competition because you don’t have to brush your retainer. It does not specifically mention the names of the competitors but alludes to the fact that this product is very different than what else is out there. It stresses the benefit that you will never have to brush your aligner again like you have to for many other brands that also offer a retainer.
5. Proves its case
(Photo screenshotted from my Instagram. I do not own this material and am using it for informational purposes only.)
This advertisement proves its case that you should listen to this book because it is the “#1 New York Times Bestseller.” This shows that many people already enjoy the book and have listened to it already, so you should too. People can be skeptical to try a product if no one else has tried it, because they don’t know if it’s worth their time or money, and they want someone else to take the risk if it ends up not being worth it. This ad also has a quoted review about the book from Buzzfeed, so if you like Buzzfeed and respect them, you would probably trust their opinion about the book.
6. Establishes credibility
(Photo screenshotted from my Instagram. I do not own this material and am using it for informational purposes only.)
This advertisement establishes it’s credibility by stating that “MyTrueAncestry compares your DNA to real arcaeological DNA samples: our database includes 140+ ancient civilizations and 10,000+ years of history!” This helps to prove that your results will be accurate and worth using this service to look into your ancestry.
7. Builds value
(Photo screenshotted from my Instagram. I do not own this material and am using it for informational purposes only.)
This advertisement builds value by stating that after using their laser hair removal services, you will never have to shave again. The treatments may be expensive, but the extra value is that they would save you money in the long run from not having to buy shaving razors, razor blades, or shaving cream anymore. It would also save you value in terms of time in the long run.
8. Closes with a call to action
(Photo screenshotted from my Instagram. I do not own this material and am using it for informational purposes only.)
This advertisement closes with a call to action by encouraging you, “Don’t delay again! Try it Now.” There is also a “Learn more” bar at the bottom that you can click. This encourages you to act on the ad while you are interested and requires minimal effort to learn more about the service being offered. This is essential in ads so that the consumer knows what to do easily to pursue the product or service.
Research reports are essential when it comes to presenting your ideas to other people. They can help you summarize and backup your results when it comes to researching a problem or hypothesis. Great research reports must be complete, accurate, and clear to be the most effective.
Completeness – Provides all the information readers need in a language they understand. – Only include the results that really matter. – Figure out what should be left out. – Think carefully about the reader.
Accuracy – Review for accuracy (review math, confusion between percentages and percentage points, review grammar, make sure terminology is clearly defined.)
Clarity – Clear and logical thinking. – Precision of expression.
The report must be well organized. Clarify the purpose of the report and why you are writing it. Make an outline of the major points. Tell the reader what you are going to cover in the report. Use short paragraphs and sentences. Don’t be evasive or ambiguous.
Research Report Outline:
Title Page
Includes the subject/title of the report; name of the organization, department, or individual for whom the report was written; the name of the organization, department, or individual submitting it; and the date. Include contact information of the person writing the report.
Table of Contents
Include headings and subheading with page references.
Executive Summary
Contains the most essential information within a single page. Who authorized the research and the specific research problems. How the data was collected, including response rate. Include only the most important results of the study in bullet points, then go over conclusions and recommendations.
Introduction
This contains background information for readers. Include the nature of the issue being studied, specific research problems being addressed by the research and define the market and name the competitors
Method
Include the research design, data collection methods, sampling procedure & analysis techniques that were used. Do not use technical jargon. Include whether it was exploratory, descriptive, or causal research. Tell the reader why the design chosen for the specific problem was the best choice. You can add separate sections for different research methods if necessary. Are the results based on primary or secondary data? How where the questionaries administered. What was the unit of analysis (individuals, families, or businesses). What was the sampling frame and its source. What was the type of sample drawn, the size of the sample, and response rate?
Results
Present the results of the study in detail Including supporting tables & figures. Address the specific research problems posed. The results must be presented with some logical structure. Omit irrelevant results. Explain what the tables and charts mean. Tables are often the better choice for presenting results. Point out limitations & possible biases.
Conclusions and Recommendations
Conclusions are based on interpretation of the results while recommendations are suggestions for appropriate future action. Include a conclusion for each problem with recommendations to follow. Make sure that the conclusions and recommendations are straightforward and can lead to a decision. Depending on the audience reading your report, you may want to leave out your recommendations and let the audience make their own.
Appendices
Appendices are too detailed, complex, or specialized for the text. Include a copy of the data, calculations, and bibliography. Include raw data of the project. This is good archival data, as this research many need to be re-used or revisited in the future. This information also helps other researchers to be able to double check your work for accuracy or re-create the research on their own.
The Oral Presentation
There is usually an oral presentation of the research report that is needed to communicate your results to other. The reports should be presented in a professorial and confidence Inspiring Manner. Presentations are especially important if you are using the data to inform decision making and strategies for the future. What does the data suggest with respect to marketing actions? To deliver a professional presentation you must be organized, passionate, engaging, natural, and confident. Take time to understand your audience and practice
Organize Your Presentation
State the general purpose of the research problems being addressed.
Present the results of the research.
Back up the results with evidence.
Share your conclusions and recommendations.
Alternate Organization
State the general purpose of the research problems being addressed.
Share your conclusions and recommendations.
Present the results of the research.
Share your conclusions and recommendations.
It is essential to develop an effective visual aid like a PowerPoint to go with your presentation. This will help to keep your audience engaged and better able to understand the results. Make sure to keep the visuals simple so they are not too distracting. Keep to one point per slide, so you can have more slides as you talk. Highlight significant points so that the audience knows that they are important. Keep the visual aid easy to read. limit the number of colors you use and minimize distract backgrounds. Build complexity sequentially with one concept building onto another across multiple slides.
Writing a report can seem like a lot, but there are many tips to making sure your research report is professional, clear, concise, and effective.
