How to Write a Radio Script to Time
The Best Way to Record a Commercial to a Planned Duration
Jul 31, 2009
Many radio scriptwriters and radio producers producing scripts, have found to their cost that the scripts they are about to record are either overwritten or underwritten. If they’ve not ‘timed’ the script beforehand properly they are likely to find this out only after take one of the recording session when the voice-overs do what the industry calls a ‘run through for time.’ The rest of the session is then taken up with trying to either edit down, or insert words, or in recording an alternative length commercial sending any planned advertising airtime schedule into chaos.
Standard Commercial Durations
Most commercial radio airtime is sold in metric blocks of 10 seconds, so unsurprisingly most radio commercial rate cards sold by the radio industry, or on their behalf, for broadcasting commercials on their station(s) will quote prices for 10,20,30,40,50 and 60 second. Commercial airtime rates, rates charged by radio operators for broadcasting radio adverts, are not always or necessarily in equal proportion to the commercials’ lengths. It’s worth noting here that:
- The standard quoted working duration in the USA tends to be 60 seconds
- UK radio sales teams work to a mean commercial duration based on 30 seconds.
- A 30 second commercial is not always half the cost of broadcasting a 60 second slot,
- A 10 second commercial not a third of the cost of a 30 second and so on.
The impact of writing and producing radio scripts that vary from these durations may result in the station(s) refusing to broadcast them if not agreed beforehand, and / or changes in planned durations will have an obvious impact on cost and planning for any scheduled radio advertising campaign
Voice-overs’ Performances
When a voice-over reads a radio script for the first time and it becomes apparent there is issue with reading the script ‘to time,’ creativity in the session and concentrating on recording a good or great and effective radio commercial becomes secondary to achieving the duration. With a little bit of planning beforehand all this can be avoided.
- Read the final script out loud well before the session.
- Just because the scriptwriter can read it to the time, the voice over might not.
- Allow for breaths and the nuances of the actor.
- Be aware every voice actor or voice talent has their own way of voicing a radio script.
- Allow for any interaction between the voices.
- Professional voice-overs are adept at reading to a desired time, within reason!
When writing a radio script or a collection of scripts for a radio campaign a good voice over will add considerably to the finished commercial if they’re allowed the time and space to do it.
The Use of Sound Effects and Music
Many scriptwriters write the direction notes for the types of effects and music their scripts need and where these sounds should fit into the recording but many forget to allow the time for them. To time a script properly the scriptwriter when writing the script should:
- Allow 2 or 3 seconds for most standard sound effects, doors closing, car ignition etc.
- Give time for the listener to establish in their mind what the sounds are.
- Be aware that some sound effects take longer than others.
- Be aware radio is about sound as well as words
- Allow for the music to establish if its background music.
- Give space to feature music and allow let it feature.
A well written script should also have time to live and breathe and although on first reading the writer might be able to read all the words in the time, a better script is one that also contains some spaces, and often silence if necessary.
Read the Script Out Loud Again
Radio is an out loud medium, so once the script appears finished, edited, effects added in the right place, music references and timing done, the wise and experienced radio script writer then reads the script out loud again just to be sure.
This way the recording process can focus on recording a good commercial rather than merely fitting the script into the allotted time. All that work has already been done.
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