SCRIPTING SAMPLES: Clinet Specific

Harry M. Bagdasian

 

Here are the first 5 pages of a 16-page training DVD script I wrote for Booz Allen Hamilton. Carefully vetted by BAH staff, it includes all of their teaching points. The characters are all fictitious but were played by BAH employees.

 

In Our Best Interest …

Organizational Conflict Of Interest Awareness

A New Awareness DVD for Booz Allen Hamilton

 

CAST OF CHARACTERS

 

Anita Pendleton is team leader … a senior associate.  She is a good listener and a good leader who can easily calm an anxious associate or team.  She is very familiar with the ins and outs of OCI

 

Tim Kelley is a training SMEE; gregarious, smart, great listener, speaks to the point, though does interject humor into discussions with some wild analogies.

 

My Nhu is a young consultant– chatty, energetic

 

Kelsey Baker, also a consultant, is very conservative, in manner, dress and attitude towards creating instructional aids for BAH.  If she was your middle school English teacher, you would have hated her, and you would have learned a whole lot from her.

 

Juan Martinez is a level 3 associate who is an expert on the government side of OCI.  As part of this team, he is in somewhat a rut because he sees everything from government contracting point of view.  Juan needs to better know OCI from the commercial side.

 

3 Additional actors will portray a variety of partners and associates in the vignettes. A client (Jerry,) a partner, and a project manager

 

NOTE:  as needed, the characters Anita, Tim, My, Kelsey and Juan will step into a vignette or two and play the part of a client, or BAH personnel.

 

 

SCRIPT

 

CU: sign on door – “Organizational Conflict Of Interest”  Video shoot in progress, enter quietly”

SFX: voices – four of them overlapping discussion – excited, voice raised -- we cannot make out the words

 

NOTE: for Anita’s VO think of straight-forward narration … kind of like a female Joe Friday from “Dragnet” – “just the facts.”

 

SFX: establish the cacophony of voices, then take their volume level under …

 

ANITA  (VO):  The task … create a new DVD for the OCI - organization conflict of interest – Program office here at Booz Allen.  It may seem simple but it’s really a complex issue.  The goal … build awareness … encourage everyone to consult the OCI Program Office early and often.  How difficult could that be?

 

MSX: pleasant music bed under

GO TO: long shot down hallway – in the distance we see a women, professional.  She’s consulting her blackberry.

GO TO: Tracking shot … female in business attire walking down an office hallway towards that door with the sign on it.  We hear the voice of the woman whom we are following.  It’s a narrator’s voice not unlike what you hear at the start of such TV shows as “Desperate Housewives” or “Gray’s Anatomy.”  This is Anita Pendleton.  She’s not strolling, she’s not intent, but Anita exudes an air of calm determination and confidence.

 

ANITA  (VO – this time Anita is more conversational):  You know those days when everything seems to fall into place and you seem to have the answers when you need them … the people in the right place at the right time.  Your phone calls get answered and your team is producing just as a team should.  Leading a team here at Booz Allen can be satisfying … and challenging … and some days even rewarding. 

 

Anita stops in front of a conference room door.  Again we can read the sign “Organizational Conflict Of Interest”  Video shoot in progress, enter quietly”

 

ANITA:  This, I quickly learned, wasn’t going to be one of those days. 

 

Anita steps into the conference room.  We see a team of four BAH associates (see cast list above) huddled over a script.  There are lights, a green screen and a small crew and camera man standing in the background sipping coffee.  This is a shoot that has not gotten off the ground.

 

ANITA:  Where are the actors?

 

JUAN:  On a break.

 

ANITA:  Director?

 

TIM:  Break.

 

ANITA:   And you’re starting filming when?

 

JUAN:  We’re a little stuck here. 

 

All start talking at once.  Dialogue TBD – ad-libbed by the actors - yet we get a sense of 1) the topic is too big, 2) there are so many “what ifs?” and 3) they are a little overwhelmed

 

ANITA:  Okay, okay.  Not all at … (they stop talking) … once.  Thank you. 

Our objective here is clear, right?  (affirmative responses overlap)  Good.  Define OCI, explain the risks of OCI and give four or five examples …

… and influence …

 

TIM:  … encourage ...

 

ANITA:  good word, Tim … encourage everyone in the firm to consult with the OCI Program Office early and often.  Simple.

 

KELSEY:  Bottom line … everyone needs to be told that OCI is not only part of the planning process …

 

TIM:  … we have to maintain OCI awareness throughout the life of an engagement as well.

 

KELSEY:  It’s not a simple topic.

 

ANITA:  Right.  So … one step at a time.  Break it down for me.

 

TIM:  We start with defining organizational conflict of interest.

 

JUAN:  We also agree on redundancy as a tool.

 

TIM:  For example … (as he speaks, simple text travels across lower third of screen as he explains)  Organizational Conflict of Interest is any situation that may impair, or may appear to impair the firm’s ability to provide objective and impartial information, advice or counsel.

 

TEXT CRAWL: accompanies Tim’s words … “Organizational Conflict of Interest is any situation that may impair, or may appear to impair the firm’s ability to provide objective and impartial information, advice or counsel.”

 

KELSEY:  Okay, alright – good definition of bias.  Simple.  Informative.

 

MY:  That’s one aspect.  There’s also unfair competitive advantage.

 

ANITA:  And we should define that.

 

TIM:  With text support.

 

TIM:  So the message is clear.  Go, My.

 

MY:  (as she speaks, simple text travels across lower third of screen as she explains)  Organizational Conflict of Interest is any situation that may create or appear to create an unfair competitive advantage for Booz Allen, its subcontractors, or its prime contractor clients.

 

TEXT CRAWL: accompanies My’s words: Organizational Conflict of Interest is any situation that may create, or appear to create an unfair competitive advantage for Booz Allen, its subcontractors, or its prime contractor clients.

 

ANITA:  Okay, good.  …

 

KELSEY:  We also need to spell out the risks.

 

ANITA:   (to her team, not the viewers)  Do you understand the risks? (affirmative responses overlap)  Let me have them.

 

JUAN:  We and/or our clients may be precluded from bidding or performing future work.

EFX: simultaneously with Juan’s line, a pop up graphic, not unlike “Pop-Up Video” partially fills screen with text: “precluded from bidding or performing future work”

 

KELSEY:  Our professional reputation could be damaged

EFX: simultaneously with Kelsey’s line, pop up text appears on screen – refined text fitting Kelsey’s character, reads: “reputation damage”

 

TIM:  Our clients may be adversely impacted due to real or perceived bias or lack of objectivity in our work.

EFX: simultaneously with Tim’s line, a pop up text balloon appears at the tip of Tim’s pointing finger which reads “clients may be adversely impacted”

 

MY:  We may be subject to litigation from our commercial or government client.  ]

EFX: simultaneously with My’s line, a pop up text balloon appears with words: “subject to litigation”

 

JUAN:  Or, for U.S. Government engagements we could be suspended or debarred from U.S. Government engagements

EFX: simultaneously with Juan’s line, a pop up text balloon appears with text –“ suspended or debarred from U.S. Government engagements”

 

#1 - Unfair Competitive Advantage / Statement of Work

(Acquisition Support)

PLEASE NOTE:  the action is continuous – the segment heading is just there for us to use as a guide post as we evaluate the script – HB

 

ANITA:  That’s a great start.  We’re defined OCI, we’re talked about risks, now let’s look at some examples.  Here … put yourself into a situation … (guides My in front of the green screen and steps away)  Okay, what’s one aspect of unfair competitive advantage … team?

 

JUAN:  It can have something to do with providing acquisition support to a commercial or government client, right?

 

KELSEY:  Where that work would give Booz Allen an advantage in bidding on that acquisition?

 

ANITA:  Right!  Give it a go, My.  Let’s  start with an example where you’re   a consultant with a team on a support contract with the U.S. Government.

 

GO TO: My in an office hallway - a gentleman is coming towards her

 

ANITA (VO):  … and that’s your client.

 

MY:  What’s his name

 

ANITA (VO):  Jerry.

 

GO TO: Jerry and My in hallway

 

MY: Jerry, hi.

 

JERRY:  MY, your team is outstanding.

 

MY:  Thank you

 

JERRY:  Listen, we’ve got a new project on the horizon and could use your teams support in developing the solicitation.

 

MY:  Well. . . .

 

JERRY:  The project is a multi-agency IT system.   Its going to be a huge effort and the support of your team would really make a difference.  Do you think you can help?

 

MY: Jerry, let me get back to you on that.

 

JERRY:  (over his shoulder as he goes on his way)  Soon, okay?  Need to get that out asap.

 

(MY punches button on her phone)

SFX: Speed dial

 

MY:  Brendon?  Need to assemble a team.  Find out when Vinson, Brody, Kline, and Northington can meet with me.  Oh yeah, we’d need Jean and Lou and … (voice fade out as … )

 

MSX: music bumper, visual transition

 

GO TO: conference room.  Anita’s team is around the table – all clothed differently, they play the team members for this vignette