The Celtx Feature You’re Probably Not Using (But Absolutely Should Be)
Are you shooting a lot of videos for YouTube or TikTok? Maybe you want to be the next viral star, or maybe you're just working on starting your own recruitment company to shoot commercials, and trying to stay organized.
Well, I have a tool that's going to make your life a whole lot easier.
Today I want to take you into a feature I didn’t know Celtx had. It’s an intuitive MCAV script—or Multi-Column Audio-Visual script—that I think would be useful for any content creator, commercial director, or anyone making videos for social media.
So let’s dive in.
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- YouTubeyoutu.be
## What Exactly Is an MCAV Script?
When you’re looking at an MCAV script, it’s a little different than one for a feature film or a TV show.
The main idea here is to synchronize what the audience **sees** with what they **hear** , shot by shot. Each numbered row represents a specific moment in the video.
Looking at a standard MCAV script, you can see several columns.
MCAV script Credit: Celtx
## Breaking Down the Columns
* **Shot / Timing Column (Far Left):** This first column is for organization. It gives each shot a number (starting with '1.') and a timestamp (e.g., '0:00'). This helps plan the sequence and pacing of the video.
* **How to use it:** You can use this to build a video on what should be in the first five pages of a screenplay. You can plan out how long the shots of me talking should be and add additional shots as well.
* **The VIDEO Column:** This is where all the visual information goes. It's the answer to the question, "What is the audience looking at?" This will include descriptions of the action, camera shots, B-roll footage, screen captures, and any on-screen text or graphics (often noted as GFX).
* **How to use it:** ****You**** can denote when it’s a shot of someone talking or a shot of someone writing in Celtx.
* **The AUDIO Column:** This contains everything the audience will hear at that moment. This is where you'll find dialogue, voice-over (V.O.) narration, sound effects, and music cues. The placeholder "CHARACTER" indicates where the speaker's name would go.
* **How to use it:** You put the entire Voiceover script for the video right in there.
* **The IMAGE Column:** This is a powerful feature for visual planning. The "ADD IMAGE" button allows you to upload files directly into the script. This is perfect for adding storyboards, concept art, location photos, or graphic mockups to give the team a clear visual reference for what's described in the VIDEO column.
* **How to use it:** You can upload a shot of someone in order to show the crew the exact framing we need to match.
So, this MCAV script is the master plan that tells the editor what to show and the narrator what to say, ensuring the final video is exactly what you envisioned.
MCAV scriptCredit: Celtx
## Going Deeper: The Pro-Level Details
What I love about Celtx is that they let you get even more detail from there.
When you click on the **SHOT DETAILS** button, the view expands, and you can put in the kind of camera and lenses you're using to film. You can also add the angle, movement, and notes for the camera department.
For an MCAV script, you can then add more shots and get as detailed as you want, planning your shoot to save time and to give the editor (and the company you might be shooting for) an idea of how it will look and fit together in the end, right down to the individual timing of each edit.
You can also use the MCAV to help plan **multiple short-form videos in a single project**. The MCAV format has episodic functionality, so you can save and use multiple scripts, create a unified schedule, and do production cataloging as needed.
MCAV script Credit: Celtx
## My Favorite Tool in the MCAV Format
As a screenwriter who pitches on a lot of commercials and works with influencers, I find that the different view modes for the editor are super helpful.
You can so easily shift between script/storyboard/slideshow modes in order to showcase your work in different situations.
Let's look a little closer at them.
### Script Mode
For example, you would use the script on set just ot keep track of what you were shooting, when, and why.
### Storyboard Mode
the storyboard mode allows you, the director, and the cinematographer to be on the same page about the shot lengths and what they'll look like when done.
### Slideshow Mode
And the slideshow presentation lets you pitch brands seamlessly. You can walk into a meeting, pull up your idea, and showcase it like a pro. It 's so efficient and saves so much time.
Having the ability to present in multiple ways for different purposes is easily my favorite tool on here, and one that will save you so much time and energy on your projects.
## Why This Belongs in Your Workflow
As someone who works a lot on commercials, I find these kinds of nuanced script elements incredibly useful, not only to get everybody on the same page but to visually plan out the entire shoot so things can run smoothly later.
You never know when your next video will go viral, and this gives you a platform to perform or plan ahead.
If you haven’t tried these features in Celtx, play around with them and create something cool.
Visit their site and get started today!
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