How to Write a Script for a Short Video

Decide how long, then count the words

At a natural speaking pace of about 150 words a minute, a 30-second video holds about 75 words and a 60-second video about 150. Aim a little under that so you have room to breathe:

Paste your draft into the script timer to check it at your own speed.

A structure that works for most short videos

1. Hook (first line). Say what the viewer gets, or ask the question they already have. No introductions.
2. Point. One idea. If you have three, you have three videos.
3. Proof. An example, a number or a quick story that makes the point believable.
4. Payoff. What it means for the viewer, or what to do with it.
5. Next step. One clear ask: follow, comment, visit, watch the next one.

Example: a 60-second script (about 135 words)

You don't need a better camera.
You need better light.

[pause]

Here's the cheapest upgrade I ever made.

I used to film at my desk,
with the window behind me.
Every video looked grey, and my face was in shadow.

So I turned my desk around.
Now the window is in front of me,
a little to one side.
No ring light, no softbox, nothing to buy.

Same phone. Same room.
But my skin looks real,
my eyes are bright,
and the picture is sharp,
because the camera finally has enough light to work with.

[smile]

If you film at home, try it tomorrow morning.
Face the window, not away from it.
Film a test clip both ways and compare them side by side.

And if this helped,
follow for one small filming tip every week.

Write lines that are easy to read aloud

• One thought per line. Short lines are easier to take in at a glance, and every line break is a place to breathe.
• Short sentences. If a sentence needs a comma and an “and”, it's probably two sentences.
• Say it, don't abbreviate it. Write “for example”, not “e.g.”. Anything you have to translate in your head while reading will trip you up.
• Put directions in brackets. In CamPrompter, notes like [smile] or [show the product] stay on screen as reminders, and voice scroll doesn't expect you to say them. [pause] adds a one-second beat to steady scroll.
• Read it aloud before you film. Rewrite every line you stumble on. The script is done when you can read it without tripping.

Getting the script onto your phone

Write wherever you like. In CamPrompter you can type or paste a script, open a text or RTF file, or share text to the app from another app such as Notes. Then prop the phone up at eye level, tap the shutter, and read.