When it comes to making visual media, something that tends to not be at the forefront of individuals’ minds is how to write for it. Most people tend to think that to make visual media all you need to know how to do is operate a camera and editing software correctly. However, one aspect that is extremely important to making your work meaningful and more impactful is storytelling/knowing how to write for visual media. In all honesty, I did not really understand how much writing for visual media affects your products, however, after taking a course in college titled “writing for specialized electronic media” I now realize just how important it is.
A quote that will forever stick in my mind comes from grandpr.org and it says, “A picture is worth 1,000 words, right? Wrong. Photographs, videos, GIFs, graphs and other forms of visual media are worth more, because without them, your 1,000 words may never be seen.” This quote is perfect to think about when we are talking about just how important visual media and media communications are during our current times. If the visual media that you are choosing to communicate with is meaningless and has no “written” story behind it, that will come through to whoever is viewing it. In order to be heard and have a lasting impact through your visual media, it is important to note just how you would write out its meaning if the media contained words and text. Doing/knowing how to do this will ensure that your message gets across to the viewer.
An important part of visual media (in most cases) is storytelling. Storytelling is an amazing way to help get your viewer or audience engaged and keep them there. Behind almost every good art piece, photo, or video, there is a story to tell. Whether that is an actual story that occurred or simply a reasoning as to why you produced the media that you did, each is equally important to your work. When it comes to video, there always is a story or a purpose behind it. Effectively knowing how to tell that story is one of the most important parts to getting your message across and captivating your audience. When it comes to media that does not require an exact “script”, such as photo, this can seem a bit tricky. However, I am here to tell you that if you have a message or story in mind that is clearly thought out, it will be able to come across in your photo. This is the key element that separates taking photos or creating visual media for fun and creating something with meaning that will leave a lasting impact on its viewer.
The GrandPR website is a great source to learn more information as to why knowing how to effectively communicate visually is so important. If you want to learn more tools and receive some amazing information on exactly how to write for different forma of visual media, I highly suggest that you check out the fourth edition of Anthony Friedmann’s, Writing for Visual Media. This text highlights everything you could ever need/want to know about writing for various kinds of visual media all the way from typical film writing to writing for video games. This book changed the way I look at creating visual media and I am hoping it can do the same for anyone else who is interested in this topic.