Video Script Template

The two-column script that every explainer uses: what we see, what we hear and the words on screen. Filled in with a 40 second example, then blank.

Use this template
  • FitsAn explainer or Short of 30 to 60 seconds
  • IncludesFilled example and blank
  • CostFree to copy

Updated

Vertical cartoon scene: honeybees dancing in front of a swarm on a tree branch
A narrated vertical Short explaining compound interest with paper-craft coins and captions
Vertical painted scene: a small submarine lights up the dark sea floor

Explainer scenes made in Ziztu, one from the example script.

The template

The example is a 40 second explainer about how honeybees choose a new home. Each row pairs a picture with the words that go over it, so you can read the script and see the video.

Video script

How honeybees vote on a new homeYour title here

Video card

Five answers before the first line.

Title
How honeybees vote on a new home
Goal
The viewer can explain the waggle dance vote in one sentence.
Audience
Curious people who watch short science videos.
Length and shape
About 40 seconds, vertical 9:16
Call to action
Follow for one animal fact a week.

Script

One row per beat. Write the voiceover as you would say it, then trim it.

FrameTimeVisualVoiceoverOn screen
Vertical cartoon scene: honeybees dancing in front of a swarm on a tree branch0:00 to 0:04A swarm of bees hangs from a branch.A swarm of thousands of bees has to choose a new home, and nobody is in charge.Nobody is in charge
0:04 to 0:12Scout bees fly off in all directions, then return.A few scouts fly out and search for holes in trees, rocks or walls.Step 1: scouts search
0:12 to 0:22A bee dances on the swarm, waggling in a figure of eight.Each scout comes back and dances. The better the place, the longer and livelier the dance.Step 2: they dance
0:22 to 0:32More bees join the longest dance and fly out to check.Other bees watch, visit the place for themselves and come back to dance for it too.Step 3: they check
0:32 to 0:38Most of the bees are now dancing the same dance. The swarm lifts off.When enough scouts agree, the whole swarm flies there together.Step 4: they agree
0:38 to 0:40The swarm in the sky over the trees.Follow for one animal fact a week.Follow for more

Check the script

Read it aloud with a timer.

  1. 1A hook in four secondsThe first line is a question the viewer wants answered.
  2. 2One ideaThe vote, in four steps.
  3. 3Words for the earShort sentences, no brackets, no jargon.

Paste it into Google Docs, Word, Notion or any text editor. It is free to copy and use.

The fastest way to use it

On your own

  • Copy the template into a document and fill it in.
  • Find an image tool, a video tool and a voice tool, and move your work between them.
  • Keep the same faces, places and style yourself, shot after shot.

In Ziztu

  • The idea box opens with the example already written. Change the names and press go.
  • Studio plans the shot list, makes every shot and adds the music, in one place.
  • Character sheets keep the cast looking the same in every shot.
  • 40 free credits, no card: write the script, cast your characters, draw the storyboard and hear the voices. Video starts at $12.
Use this template

How to fill it in

  1. 01

    Fill in the video card

    Write the goal, the audience and the one thing you want viewers to do. A script with no goal grows too long.

  2. 02

    Write the visual and the voiceover side by side

    For each beat decide what we see first, then the line that goes over it. Keep every line short enough to say in one breath.

  3. 03

    Add the words on screen and time it

    Pick a few words per beat for the screen, then read the script aloud with a timer and trim to the length you want.

What makes it work

Hook with a question

A line like "nobody is in charge" gives the viewer a reason to keep watching and a gap to fill.

Number the steps

Labels like "Step 1" on screen help people who watch with the sound off and give the video a clear shape.

Write for the ear

If a sentence needs a second breath, cut it in two. Narration is heard once.

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Frequently asked questions

What is a video script template?

A video script template is a table or two-column page that pairs each picture in a video with the words said over it and any text on screen. It keeps the visuals and the narration planned together, so the video is cut to the script.

How do you format a video script?

Use one row per beat with columns for time, visual, voiceover and on-screen text. Write the visual first and the voiceover as you would say it. Keep each beat to one idea.

How long should a video script be?

A 40 second video is about 90 to 110 spoken words. The example here has six beats and fits on one page.

Is the bee example accurate?

Yes. Scout bees searching, dancing for a site and recruiting others until enough agree is the way honeybee swarms choose a nest. The script is a short, simplified version.

Can I turn my script into a video?

Yes. Press Use this template to open the idea box with the explainer written out, or try the AI YouTube Shorts generator for a narrated Short from one topic. In Ziztu Studio you plan every shot.

Is the template free?

Yes. Copy it as text, download it as a Markdown file or print it to PDF without an account.

Related tools

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Turn the template into a scene you can watch.

40 free credits, no card: write the script, cast your characters, draw the storyboard and hear the voices. Video starts at $12.

Try it free