Video craft
How to write a video script that does not sound like an advert
A structure that works for demos, ads and explainers — plus the editing pass that makes a script sound like a person.
A structure that works
Short-form video script
For 30–90 second brand videoHook — 0:00–0:03
The problem, the result or the surprising visual. No logo, no welcome.
Stakes — 0:03–0:10
Why this matters to the viewer. What it costs them to keep doing it the current way.
Turn — 0:10–0:20
Introduce the product as the answer. First mention of your name belongs here, not earlier.
Proof — 0:20–0:45
Demonstrate it. Show the thing working, a number, or a customer saying it plainly.
Objection — 0:45–0:55
Name the doubt they are already having and answer it in one sentence.
Action — final 5 seconds
One instruction. Not three.
Write for the ear
- Short sentences. Then shorter ones.
- Second person — 'you', not 'our customers'
- Concrete nouns over abstractions: 'ships in two days', not 'rapid fulfilment'
- Contractions, because people use them when they speak
- One idea per sentence; if there is an 'and' in the middle, it is probably two
The rewriting pass
- 1
Delete the first sentence
Nine times out of ten it is throat-clearing and the script starts better without it.
- 2
Cut the adjectives
'Premium, innovative, revolutionary' are claims nobody believes. Replace them with a demonstrable fact.
- 3
Replace claims with evidence
'Long battery life' becomes 'forty hours — a week of commutes on one charge'.
- 4
Read it aloud with a timer
You will find the stumbles and the over-length in one pass. Anything you cannot say naturally, rewrite.
Frequently asked questions
How many words for a 60-second video?
Around 130 to 150 spoken words, fewer if there are visual beats that need to breathe. Scripts almost always come in long, so write to 120 and let the edit expand.
Should interviews be scripted?
No — script the questions instead. Scripted people sound scripted, and the credibility of an interview is the whole reason to film one.
Where does the brand name go?
After the viewer has a reason to care, usually around the ten-second mark in short-form. Opening with your name is the fastest way to be recognised as an advertisement and skipped.
Do we need a voiceover?
Only if the message must be precise. On-screen text with music often performs better in silent-autoplay feeds, and it is cheaper to localise.
Have something worth filming?
Tell us what you are launching and we will come back with ideas, a plan and a quote within two working days.