Shoot Script · Mitch Stowe

Your ad shoot — 15 clips, one session

Ten short lines, three longer ones, two closings. Same shirt and same spot throughout. Record them one at a time on your phone and we turn them into 60 different ads.

📱 9:16 Vertical 🎤 Talking Head ⏱️ 15 clips to record 🧩 60 possible ads ⏱️ ~90 minutes
📋 Read this first · 2 minutes

How to record this (you've got this)

You don't need to be a videographer or memorize anything. Every numbered line in this doc is its own short, separate clip — just work down the list and record them one at a time on your phone. Follow the four rules below and you'll nail it. When in doubt, do 2–3 takes and we'll pick the best.

🔊 Audio Most important

  • This matters more than how the video looks. Bad audio is the #1 thing that kills a clip — clear audio is the #1 thing that saves it.
  • Record somewhere quiet. No fans, AC, TV, traffic, or wind. Big empty rooms echo — a normal furnished room sounds better.
  • Get the mic close. Best: a cheap clip-on lav mic (~$20) or your wired earbuds with the built-in mic. No mic? Keep the phone about an arm's length away, not across the room.
  • Test before you commit. Record 10 seconds, play it back, make sure your voice is crisp — then record the rest.

📱 Shoot vertical

  • Hold the phone upright (portrait), never sideways. If it's filmed horizontal we can't use it for Reels/Stories/TikTok.
  • Frame yourself from mid-chest up, eyes in the upper third, a little space above your head.
  • Keep it steady. Prop the phone against something or have someone hold it — no shaky, walking-and-talking handheld.

💡 Lighting

  • Light on your face, not behind you. Face the window or the sun — never stand with a bright window/sky behind you (that turns you into a shadow).
  • Outdoors: open shade or early-morning / late-afternoon light is gold. Avoid harsh midday sun that makes you squint and casts hard shadows.
  • Indoors: face a window, add a lamp if it's dim. Even, natural light beats a dark “cinematic” look every time.

🎬 Record modular (this is what makes it easy)

  • One line = one clip. Don't try to perform the whole ad in a single take. Say one numbered line, stop, record the next. We assemble them afterward.
  • Stay consistent the whole session — same shirt, same spot, same framing — so any clip snaps together with any other. This is the secret to the 60-ad system.
  • Mess up? No problem. Just re-record that one line. Give us 2–3 takes of each and we'll grab the best one.
  • Talk to one person — imagine a neighbor across the fence, not “a camera.” Real and natural beats polished. Pauses are totally fine.
  • Suggested order: work top to bottom — all 10 Hooks, then the 3 Bodies, then the 2 Closings.
What every one of these clips is doing: giving a homeowner along the Wasatch Front the confidence that they've found someone who'll build them a genuinely beautiful deck, with the best materials, at a truly fair price — and who shows up on time and explains every dollar. Credit the work and the people, never hype.

🎣 Hooks

Short · record all 10 · 26 words max each

Each one is a complete thought on its own. Say it, then stop — don't run into the next sentence.

1
Who you are Priority25 words
“Hi, I'm Mitch. I build decks along the Wasatch Front. If there's a backyard you've been meaning to do something about, this is for you.”
By the truck, mountains behind you if you can get them.
2
Why you love it Priority24 words
“My favorite part of this job is handing someone a backyard they actually want to spend time in. Here's how we get yours there.”
On a finished deck. Mean it — this only works if it sounds like you actually feel it.
3
See it first Priority25 words
“Before you spend a dime on a deck, we'll show you exactly what yours will look like on your house. On an iPad. For free.”
Holding the iPad, a design pulled up on a real backyard.
4
Fair price and financing26 words
“Everybody says fair price. With us it means you understand every dollar before you sign. It doesn't have to be one check — we've got financing.”
At the tailgate with an estimate in hand.
5
No pushy pitch Priority26 words
“No pushy sales pitch. We show up when we said we would, walk your space, and try to hand you a real number on the spot.”
Arriving on site, tape measure in hand.
6
Nice versus beautiful25 words
“There's a handful of small things that separate a nice deck from a beautiful one. Most people never hear about them. Let me show you.”
Beside a finished deck, close enough to touch it.
7
Highest bid, still won25 words
“A family had every deck builder around come bid their job. I was the highest bid of anyone. They still picked me — here's why.”
On that deck if it's nearby. Keep it anonymous — “a family,” never a name.
8
Whose hands23 words
“Worth asking any builder you talk to. Whose hands are actually on my deck? Mine are my own guys. Same crew, every job.”
With the crew working behind you.
9
Straight answer on materials Priority24 words
“Composite, Trex, TimberTech — we'll tell you honestly which one belongs on your house, and which one to skip. Even if it costs less.”
Two board samples in hand, one in each. Offering to talk someone down is the most trustworthy thing you can say — and almost nobody says it.
10
Your neighborhood21 words
“Lehi, Alpine, Draper — I've built decks up and down these streets. If yours is next, there's something worth seeing first.”
Record this one three times with different city names each time so we can match the ad to the town it runs in. Same sentence, swap the three names — give us your best nine cities across the three takes.

🥩 Bodies — “The Meat”

record all 3 · 102 words max each

These are the longest pieces and the ones that earn the call. Slow down — you have more room than you think. Every one of these is under 40 seconds at a normal speaking pace.

A
Why I do this102 words · about 38 sec
“I didn't start out in decks. I did high-end tile for years. And everywhere I worked I kept seeing the same thing — decks falling apart after a few seasons. It always came down to what you can't see. The footings. The flashing. The fasteners. So when someone finally asked me to build one, I went deep on it. Best composite. Best lumber. Down to the exact screw. And honestly, the reason I still love this is the day I hand it back. Watching a family walk out onto a backyard they actually want to spend time in. That's the whole job.”
The last three sentences are the payoff. Slow down going into them and let the ending sit.
B
What “best” actually looks like Confirm first98 words · about 36 sec
“People say they want a nice deck. Here's what that actually means up close. The boards run with your sightline, not whatever's fastest to cut. No screws showing anywhere on the surface — every fastener hidden. The railing lines up with the house instead of floating off center. Picture-framed edges, so you never see a cut end. Lighting run inside the posts before anything gets closed up. None of that costs much more in material. It costs more in time. And time is the easiest thing to cut. That's the difference between a deck and a beautiful one.”
Point at each thing as you name it if you're standing on a deck. This is the one where you get to be a craftsman out loud. Check the four items in the box below before you record this one.
C
How it actually goes92 words · about 34 sec
“Here's exactly how this goes, so there are no surprises. You reach out. We find a time that works around your schedule, not mine. We show up when we said we would — me, or the guy I trained myself. We walk your space, listen to what you're actually picturing, and take real measurements, not a guess. Then we try to get you a number on the spot, and walk you through what every line of it is for. No pushy sales pitch. If it's not a fit, that's a fine answer.”
Matter-of-fact, like you're telling someone what happens next. No selling in your voice at all — the calm is the point.
⚠️ Mitch — check these before you record Body B

Four things Body B says about how you build

We need every one of them to be true on your standard build. Tick the ones that are and cross out any that aren't — that paragraph is a list, so dropping an item just makes it shorter. Nothing breaks.

  • Hidden fasteners — no screws visible on the deck surface
  • Picture-framed edges — no exposed cut ends
  • Railing lines up with the house rather than sitting off-center
  • Lighting run inside the posts before they're closed up

If one of these is an upgrade rather than standard, say so and we'll word it that way. A shorter list that's completely true beats a longer one that isn't.

📣 Closings

record both · 25 words max each

Warm and unhurried. You're inviting someone over, not closing them.

1
The invitation25 words
“Click Learn More below and get a free deck estimate. We'll find a time that works for you, and I look forward to meeting you.”
Straight to camera, easy smile. This is almost word-for-word what's already working in your ads.
2
The preview25 words
“Click Learn More, tell me about your backyard, and we'll show you your deck on your house before you spend a dollar. Free, no pressure.”
Same warmth. Hold the iPad if it's handy.

🧩 How It Comes Together

10 Hooks×3 Bodies×2 Closings=60 Ads
Hook — 26 words max → about 10 seconds
Body — 110 words max → about 40 seconds
Closing — 32 words max → about 12 seconds Longest possible combination: 153 words ≈ 56.7 seconds. The ceiling is 90.
  • Every line above has been counted. Say them as written and everything fits with room to spare. The one thing that breaks it is adding — an extra sentence in the good take is what turns a 57-second ad into a two-minute one. You do not need to rush. You need to not add.
  • Shoot order: all hooks back-to-back (same wardrobe and spot), then bodies, then closings.
  • Consistency: identical wardrobe and setting so any hook edits onto any body.
  • Delivery: talk to one person, not a camera. Authentic beats polished.
  • Naming: FRE_H03 · FRE_M01 · FRE_CTA01 → FRE_FIN_H03-M01-CTA01
  • Test plan: hold Body C + Closing 1 constant and rotate the hooks first; lock the winners, then test the bodies.

🎥 Footage worth grabbing

no talking needed

Separate from the 15 clips. Point the phone and hold steady 5–10 seconds. Vertical, always. The more of this we have, the more ads we build from the same 15 clips.

  • The failed deck — rot, soft boards, rusted hardware, gaps
  • Framing going up — joists, beams, the structure before it's covered
  • The details — a hidden fastener going in, a picture-framed edge, railing meeting the house, lighting in a post
  • The crew working — hands, tools, faces
  • The reveal — slow pan across a finished deck, then a wide shot with the house behind it
  • The deck in use — furniture out, family on it, evening light
  • The iPad — a design pulled up on a real backyard, over your shoulder
  • The homeowner — a selfie with them on the finished deck, every single job

Dump it all in Basecamp raw. Don't sort it, don't edit it — that part's on us.

📝 Ad Copy (Post Text)

pick one per ad
Option A · Currently running — control
Primary:
Hi, I'm Mitch Stowe.

I'm a local deck builder here along the Wasatch Front.

From pressure-treated wood to composite, Trex, and PVC, we do it all.

Big or small project.

I love what I do. Meeting new people while being able to transform their backyards into a space they actually want to spend time in is definitely my favorite part of the job.

FINANCING Available.

No pushy sales pitch involved.

Customers reach out to us. We schedule a consultation that works best for their schedule. We show up on time. Do a quick and thorough assessment of your space and vision. And then try to get you an estimate as soon as possible, if not on the spot.

It's a simple process that our previous customers have enjoyed. We explain our prices thoroughly, so you understand the value and quality you are getting at that price point. We aim to give you a beautiful deck with the highest quality materials at a fair price.

We are available to our customers for any of their questions or concerns and are here to make sure the project gets done in a timely manner. We do things the right way the first time.

Click “Learn More” below to get a FREE deck estimate. I look forward to meeting you!

Thanks,
Mitch Stowe
Owner of Freestone Custom Decks
Headline: Get a Truly Fair Price for Your Deck
Description: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rated · Freestone Custom Decks
Button: Learn More
Option B · Test variant
Primary: Identical to Option A with one change — swap “Big or small project.” for “Whether it's a simple deck off the kitchen or a full outdoor living build.” Same warmth, same open door, anchored a little higher.
Headline: Get a Truly Fair Price for Your Deck
Description: Free design meeting · financing available
Button: Learn More