VSL Storyboard — Production Guide
Shot-by-shot production guide for the revised VSL script. 43 shots, B-roll requirements, music direction, filming checklist.
April 2026
Production Setup
▼| Element | Specification |
|---|---|
| Shot | Eye-level medium close-up (MCU), dark/black background |
| Outfit | Dark crew neck (not logo’d), fitted |
| Lens | 35mm or 50mm, shallow depth of field |
| Format | 16:9 master (crop-safe for 9:16 Reels) |
| Teleprompter | Yes — revised script loaded |
| Lighting | Key light + subtle rim/hair light. Moody, not flat. |
| Audio | Lapel mic + room tone recording |
Music Direction
▼Mapped to the revised VSL sections. Music should support — never compete with — Harry’s delivery.
| Section | Music Direction |
|---|---|
| Hook (0:00–0:10) | Silence. Let the words land. |
| Problem (0:10–0:45) | Low tension bed. Subtle, building unease. |
| Agitation (0:45–1:20) | Tension continues, slightly more urgent. Drops on “you weren’t ready.” |
| Credibility (1:15–1:35) | Warmer. Resolving. Confident but not triumphant. |
| Solution (1:50–2:35) | Positive momentum. Building energy. This is the turning point. |
| Differentiator (2:35–3:00) | Near-silence. Honest, conversational. Let Harry’s voice carry it. |
| Social Proof (3:00–3:10) | Quiet confidence building. Each case study gets a subtle beat. |
| Offer (3:35–4:05) | Clean, generous energy. Not urgent — confident. |
| CTA (3:50–4:10) | Clean stop. Final line delivered in silence. Logo. |
B-Roll Shot List
▼Required B-roll elements. Capture separately from the main A-roll shoot.
- Google Ads CPC bar chart animation — $44 → $70+
- Google AI Overview screenshot — real, fresh on shoot day
- ChatGPT search result screenshot
- Perplexity search result screenshot
- Generic “agency report” mockup — fabricated, no real data
- StudioHawk office footage — team working, screens, meetings
- Award ceremonies / trophy shelf walkthrough
- Workshop room setup — desks, screens, playbooks
- Claude AI screen recording — page being built
- Google Search Console growth curve — anonymised
- Case study stat cards — plumber 200 leads, physio −40% ad spend, skincare 2x traffic
- Offer checklist animation — workshop, 6 months, Hawk OS, Tailfeather
- Tailfeather Guarantee badge animation
- City names animation — Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, London, Atlanta
Text Overlay Style Guide
▼| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Font | Space Grotesk Bold |
| Primary colour | White |
| Accent colour | Cyan (#00BEFF) for key terms |
| Stats colour | Gold (#FFD700) for numbers |
| Negative colour | Red for problems/costs |
| Position | Bottom-third |
| Animation | Fade in 0.3s, hold 2–3s, fade out 0.3s |
| Captions | Burned-in for all social cuts |
Filming Checklist
▼Pre-shoot checklist. Confirm all items before rolling.
- ☐ Teleprompter loaded with revised VSL script (v5)
- ☐ Dark crew neck outfit ready
- ☐ Key light + rim light positioned
- ☐ Camera at eye level, 35mm/50mm lens
- ☐ Room tone recording (30 seconds minimum)
- ☐ B-roll shots captured separately (see shot list)
- ☐ Test 16:9 frame AND 9:16 crop-safe zone
- ☐ Water off-camera for Harry
- ☐ Backup recording device active
- ☐ $3,500 anchor price confirmed on landing page before filming
- ☐ Hawk Academy member count updated to latest number
- ☐ 45 awards confirmed (not 42)
Key Updates from v5
▼What changed in the script that affects the storyboard.
- Forbes removed from credibility section — no Forbes badge needed in B-roll for credibility
- Awards expanded: “Seven times Best Large SEO Agency, judged by fifty independent reviewers. Forty-five industry awards.”
- AI team: “Three people working full-time on AI implementation” (not “three AI engineers”)
- Hawk OS: “A version of the same AI system our agency runs on”
- Catchphrase: “Stop guessing. Start showing up.” (not “Start ranking”)
- Hook A rebuilt around AI Search opportunity, not agency attack
- Agitation section reframed: “you weren’t ready” + “dodgy agencies exist,” not blanket agency attack