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Client Process

Script Approval Checklist

Script approval is one of the most important milestones in a video project. Production does not begin until the script is locked. This checklist ensures you sign off on the right things — and only the right things.

Over the shoulder shot of a man holding a script.

What You Are Approving

When you approve a script, you are confirming that the core messaging, structure, and content direction are correct before production begins. You are not approving visual style, music, or performance — those come later. You are approving words, sequence, and strategy.

Changes made after script approval that affect the structure of the video are scope changes. They may affect timeline or cost. This is not a penalty — it is reality. Getting the script right before production is how you protect your budget and your schedule.

Messaging and Content

  • Does the script accurately represent your organization, product, or service?
  • Are all factual claims accurate — names, dates, titles, statistics?
  • Does the tone match how your organization communicates publicly?
  • Does the opening hook communicate the main value or story within the first 15 seconds?
  • Does the script stay focused — or does it try to cover too many ideas?
  • Is there a clear call to action or next step at the end?
  • Are there any legal, compliance, or approval-layer issues with any of the claims or language?

Structure and Flow

  • Does the order of information make sense for the intended audience?
  • Does each section connect logically to the next?
  • Are there sections that feel redundant or could be consolidated?
  • Is the overall length appropriate for the intended use — website, social, presentation, ad?
  • Are there interview questions or prompts that need to be added or clarified?
How to Give Script Feedback

Mark feedback directly in the shared document with comments — not in a separate email thread. Be specific: "This sentence needs to say X instead of Y" is actionable. "This section doesn't feel right" requires a follow-up call to understand. The cleaner and more specific your feedback, the faster revisions move.

The Approval Process

  1. Read the full script once without making notes — just to understand the arc
  2. Read it again with the intended audience in mind — does it land?
  3. Mark specific feedback in the shared document
  4. Gather input from any internal stakeholders who have approval authority
  5. Consolidate all feedback into a single round — do not send multiple fragmented sets of notes
  6. Confirm in writing (email or document comment) when the script is approved to proceed
Work With RetroMotion

Script Approval Checklist

Working through a script for an upcoming production? Schedule a call with RetroMotion to walk through the messaging strategy and make sure the direction is locked before we film.