Video voice over scripts

Development

The IT Training department can offer tailored voice overs for your videos from AI generated in a variety of voices to bespoke using real inhouse narrators. The scripts you supply should observe the standards identified within this article.

'SAY WHAT YOU SEE'

Remember that a blind or low vision viewer may be relying on the voice over. Do not presume that the viewer can understand or see what is happening in the video recording. When navigating between screens or webpages, state the name of the page. 

Guidelines

The following rules must be adhered to when submitting scripts to generate a voice over that has correct pronunciation and does not lose the intended meaning of the text: 

• Use the correct punctuation. 
• Check spelling. 
• Check for missing words. 
• Do not use brackets, all text contained within brackets are ignored by the AI. 
• Do not use speech marks "",  speech marks are ignored by the AI. 
• Do not use slashes, slashes are ignored by the AI. Instead of using the slash character '/' use the word 'or'. 
• Do not use hyphens, hyphens are ignored by the AI. Consider changing hyphens to full stops '.' or semi-colons ';'. 
• If you direct the viewer to click an element, BE VERY SPECIFIC, state the name of the widget and specify whether it is a button, link, image, icon, check box etc. Do not just rely on a colour of a widget, state the location, ie. Bottom left corner of the screen, in the first column of the table etc.  
• Initials where the letters are spoken individually, please insert a space between the letters, eg 'RA' to 'R A'. 
• Do not abbreviate a word unnecessarily,  for example DRs when meaning Doctors.
• When referring to CITs, it must be changed to CIT's.  
• Add to the text in brackets where you want a longer space inserted, this is where you want to make a point in the text e.g. Mary had a little lamb. (*** Longer space here ***) Her fleece was as white as snow. 
• When the client intends supplying a PowerPoint for conversion: 
  
  • Add the slide number in round brackets within the script to indicate the transition between slides, e.g. (1) Slide one text, (2) Slide two text, and so on. 
  • Ensure that each slide in a PowerPoint is structured and not too busy with images. It's better to have multiple slides rather than cramming several images on one slide. 
  • Ensure that the script does not reference content held within any image, as doing so contravenes accessibility. The script must describe what is happening without referring to the image. 
  • If slides include text, that text must be incorporated into the script. You may embellish the text, however the meaning conveyed by the slide text and script must be the same. 
• Scripts for videos. Remember WYSIWYG, what you see is what you get: 
  
  • Describe what is happening on the screen, for example where the mouse cursor is moving, what it is clicking on or in, what screens are opening or closing. 
  • Be explicit what text is to be typed into text boxes. 
  • Do not leave the voice over silent for more than a couple of seconds. A blind or low vision viewer may be relying on the voice over. A large silent gap may confuse the viewer. 

 Considerations 

• Use a Thesaurus (you can search online) where words are repetitively spoken, i.e. instead of repeated use of the word 'once', you can alternate the usage with the words 'when, 'after' or 'as soon as'. 
• When asking the viewer to insert text into a field, use 'type into' try not to use 'enter into'. Using 'enter into' is too ambiguous. 
• It is always helpful for the client to proof read their script by reading out loud, preferably to an audience. This may iron out any bugs before submitting the script for voice over conversion, reducing development time from submitting repeated updates. 

For further information on the use of PowerPoint, you can review the online learning https://elearning.cornwall.nhs.uk/?p=site/m/office365/powerpoint/index_accessible.html

Alternatively the you can contact IT Training to request tuition or further help.