HOW LAW FIRM SCRIPTS SHOULD MIMIC MOVIES

Lawyers! Today I’m going to outline the Hollywood formula for screenwriting and movie production, and I’ll show how you can use it in your next law firm video production so your videos move people into action.

In a properly structured movie, the story consists of six basic stages, which are defined by five key turning points in the plot. Here I’m outlining my own mistakes by not using what I know to work in video production.

Before you read further, I think you’ll enjoy the video more than this written in text since I’m talking about video here. I’m getting a lil’ trouble from YouTube for using Erin Brokovitch the movie but it seems the video is still live! So enjoy it while you can!

Educational Videos that Don’t Work (My Story)

I recently helped a Nevada law firm produce and direct some inward facing client education videos.

Getting your clients to know how to behave on a zoom hearing, or in court is something that can be illustrated in video so that you don’t have to educate every client every time. But without the right elements in those videos, they will not work.

In this project, first I let the lawyer outline the scripts and what he wanted based on what had gone wrong in the past. This part of the work was great! In fact we always want as much input from you as possible.

What went wrong was actually me (my direction)! I could tell right away that something was wrong when watching what I thought were the final videos, but it took sitting with the videos for a while to know what went awry. These videos were not very “watchable” even though they looked beautiful and were even kind of fun.

I didn’t realize how the same elements I use to market law firms, or create “Day in the Life” videos are the same as inward facing client educational videos.

Luckily I was able to re-edit the footage to put the ideas in the right order to make the difference we needed.

So I have a template for what works in marketing and “Day in the Life” Videos that I didn’t use. This was because I thought these were going to be different since they weren’t technically marketing or “Day in the Life” videos. But educational video needs the same treatment.

The Hollywood Script Formula and Law Firm Videos

It goes without saying that Big Budget Hollywood has a template for what works. When you’re watching a movie you love, of course there’s a formula.

In a properly structured movie, the story consists of six basic stages, which are defined by five key turning points in the plot. Not only are these turning points always the same; they always occupy the same positions in the story.

So what happens at the 25% point of a 90-minute comedy, will be identical to what happens at the same percentage of a three-hour epic.

The same is true for a law firm video that keeps a viewer engaged. The six parts of a movie are this: Opportunity, Change of Plans, Point of No Return, Major Set Back and Climax.

I have different names for each section for my productions and this took me years to develop and mine are backed by real data. But I realized my outline works the same way as the Big Hollywood template.

Above I’ve created you a visual diagram of the Big Hollywood template for script writing and plot (for you readers who are not watching the video today).

Set Up – New Situation

– Opportunity
In movies the first element is called the SetUp. For instance in the movie about Erin Brokovich, Erin is a broke, unemployed single mother who can’t find a job, gets hit by a car, and loses her lawsuit.

FOR A LAW FIRM VIDEO:
For a law firm you’d want your setup to be much the same. You want to set up the problem so your viewer knows to continue watching the video to find a solution.

– Change of Plans
10% percent of the way into a screenplay, the hero must be presented with an opportunity, which will create a new, visible desire, and will start the character on her journey.

FOR A LAW FIRM VIDEO:
This also pertains to your lawyer videos. After outlining the problem now the next 10% gives the viewer just a small snapshot of the answer.

Progress – Higher Stakes

– New Situation
For the next 15% of the screenplay, your hero will react to the new situation that resulted from the opportunity. During this stage, the hero gets acclimated to the new surroundings, tries to figure out what’s going on, or formulates a specific plan for accomplishing his overall goal.

FOR A LAW FIRM VIDEO:
This is the same for your videos. We want to give the viewer a chance to formulate a specific plan to accomplish their goal. I consider this section to be where you are outlining the answer to the problem with a story. This is where they can picture themselves in the story.

– Point of No Return
In Hollywood, this is at the 25% mark, one fourth of the way through a screenplay. Here we will transform the original desire into a specific, visible goal with a clearly defined end point.

FOR A LAW FIRM VIDEO:
What do you want the viewer to choose based on your video? This is where your specialized insider knowledge creates the point of no return.

Final Push – Aftermath

“Point of No Return” and TURNING POINT THREE “Higher Stakes”
At the exact mid point in your screenplay between Turning Point Three “Point of No Return” and Four “Higher Stakes” your hero must burn her bridges behind her and completely go for it.

FOR A LAW FIRM VIDEO:
For law firm videos this is where I use your expertise to add a first clincher. Here you want to give them something they don’t know about the process that makes them feel like they have real inside information and there’s no going back to their original idea of going pro bono, or that just any lawyer will do.

– The Major Setback
We’re still kind of in the same section for a law firm video. At 75% of the story you want to introduce a major setback which further outlines what can go wrong and the obstacles surrounding the issue. These disastrous events leave your hero with only one option.

FOR A LAW FIRM VIDEO:
Give them no other option but to hire you! This is usually the 2nd place to give them some of your expertise that outlines why experience matters or why your client should get the higher settlement.

​​If they weren’t convinced in the “Point of No Return” … they’ll be convinced now. Save the best clincher for this section of your video.

– The Final Push
During this stage of your script, the conflict is overwhelming, the pace has accelerated, and everything must work against your hero. Beaten and battered, your hero must now risk everything she has, and give every ounce of strength and courage she possesses, to achieve her ultimate goal. The climax can occur anywhere from the 90% point of your screenplay to the last couple minutes of the movie. This will be the same for you.

Aftermath

The Aftermath No movie ends precisely with the resolution of the hero’s objective; you must allow the audience to experience the emotion you have elicited in the exciting, sad or romantic climax. You may also need to explain any unanswered questions for the audience, and you want to reveal the new life the hero is living now that he’s completed his journey.
In movies like Rocky, Thelma and Louise and The Truman Show, there is little to explain, and the writer’s goal is to leave the audience stunned or elated.
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FOR A LAW FIRM VIDEO:
For law firms in “The Aftermath” section, outline what the positive effects will be on their lives when they have chosen the path you’re outlining.

I hope this has been super helpful to you and gives you a ton of inspiration for your new successful projects!