How to Write a Video Script Template Step by Step?

The planning stage of video production can make or break your end result. If you ignore this part and go straight into creating a video, you may miss many important details that make up your video mood. That’s what we are going to describe in this blog post: how to write a compelling video script to plan your video from start to finish and get an attention-grabbing result. Let’s start!

What is a Video Script Template?

A video script template is a step-by-step instruction that describes how your video will run, its narrative, main message, and the idea you want to express. Usually, video script templates consist of the following elements:

• Descriptions of your scenes
• Dialogues of your actors
• Actions they will perform
• Instructions and camera cues
• Post-production editing instructions

So why should you create a video script? It will give you an understanding of the full picture and help you break down the video creation process into simple steps. A good video script will enable you to:

• Visualize how your future video will look like
• Create a story that will help you express your main message
• Get the entire production team on the same page

A video script will save you time and help you eliminate all the possible errors before the production stage starts.

Why Do You Need a Video Template?

So why is your video script important? First of all, it will help you better communicate the idea of your video. It’s like creating a sketch before completing the whole picture: you have time to change small details and refine the overall drawing. 

A video script helps you plan your messaging and define what and how you want to tell. Also, after creating a script, you’ll estimate the length of your video and manage the content to make it resonate with your viewers.

A video script will also help you better cooperate with your team, get early feedback, and make adjustments to the video. It’s a very important aspect of writing a video script — making changes quickly and smoothly, as doing it in the post-production stage is expensive and resource-intensive. 

So, a video script template is a must-have for a well-thought video. Let’s see what the main elements of a video script template are and how to combine them effectively.

H2 What is Included in a Video Script Template?

The elements you include in your video script will depend on its type. There are several types of video scripts:

• Storytelling script

The main focus of a storytelling script is a story that revolves around your main character and includes the character itself, the setting, the plot, the conflict, and the resolution. Good storytelling should evoke emotions and resonate with your audience. Storytelling is a powerful tool that helps you build connections with your target audience and evoke interest in the problem you solve with the help of your product.

• Music only script 

The script for your video can be based just on music with text and other images related to the product/service that come up on the screen. Usually, the music helps to maintain a video flow and evoke emotions. However, as the narration in this type of video is absent, you need to concentrate on the visuals and make sure they express your main idea.

• Live action script

Live action videos include real people who start the conversation on behalf of your business. In this case, your script should be very engaging and filled with information that provides value to the viewers.

• Infographics script

Like the music script, this type of video script template focuses on visuals. However, you can include a narration or voiceover to guide the viewers through the information and make them better understand it.

How to Write a Video Script?

Writing a video script is not as difficult as you may think. You just need to follow the simple steps we will describe further. Also, there are a lot of ready-to-use templates that will guide you through the process and help you overcome a blank page hurdle. So, start writing your script section by section, making it an enjoyable process. Here is how to write a video script template.

Identify Your Audience

You always need to start with your target audience in mind. No matter how fancy your words will sound or what visual effects you will use, all your efforts will be in vain if you don’t know who you create for.

Start by defining what problem you solve and who you solve it for. Answer the following questions:

• Who am I creating a video for?
• What is their problem/challenge?
• How will my video help them overcome this challenge?
• What tone of voice does my audience expect?
• What is the main value of my video?

Choose a Goal

What do you want to achieve with your video? Do you want to entertain your readers? Do you want to educate them? Choose the main goal of your video script writing template and create your video with this goal in mind. Here is what you need to know:

• Where your audience will see the video
• What stage of the marketing funnel this video is created for
• What do you want viewers to do after they watch the video
• KPIs to track your success

Write out Visual and Audio Elements

Writing the visual and audio aspects into your sample video script template is extremely important, as they describe the directions for your team and explain what both visual and audio elements will include. Just create a simple table and point out all the elements of your video, for example:

• Audio: background music, a voiceover that will describe the benefits of our product, on-screen graphics, animations
• Visual: rotating shots, camera angle changes, and jump-cuts, etc.

Another key point here is to ask yourself what emotions you want to evoke with these visual and audio elements? Is it joy, admiration, fear, pride, gratitude, anger, or hope? Define what psychological impact you want to make with your video. A good strategy is to combine both positive and more negative emotions to hook your audience and keep it waiting.

Write Your Script and Then Cut it Down to Size

You shouldn’t limit yourself when writing a template script video, just keep your inspiration flowing. However, after everything is completed, you need to cram everything into your timeframe. All you need to do is check your word count and start axing and rephrasing until it fits the time limit you’ve set.

The key here is to keep your message clear and concise. Cut out unnecessary words that don’t add value or phrases that repeat what has already been said. According to Wistia, videos up to 2 minutes long get tons of engagement, and there is a significant drop-off between 2 and 3 minutes. So a short video script template will work better.

Also, Backlinko suggests including open loops to make your audience watch your video and intrigue them even more. An open loop is like a quick preview of what’s coming up in the video. For example, the phrase “I’ll show you exactly how to do that in a minute.” Or “Keep watching, and I’ll show you how to do that.” Open loops promise that interesting content will come, and people keep watching to get the rest of the story.

Shoot Video According to Your Script

Yahoo! You’ve got a plan, and now you have to follow it. Make sure that the whole production team follows the video production script template and doesn’t ignore its essential elements. Of course, you can find out a lot of misconceptions during the production stage and adjust your script; however, your script is a pillar, and you should make it your main focus and don’t make changes on the fly.

Another important tip is to make the first 15 seconds attention-grabbing. That’s about how long it takes most viewers to judge a video, so you need to get them interested. One common mistake is including a long animated logo in the very beginning; it can bore the viewers, so start with a good hook instead.

Do You Want to Create Your Own Video? – Feel Free to Contact Us!

Do you want to impress your audience with unique animated video content? Explain Ninja provides you with an extensive collection of pre‑made animated script templates for video to make your video production process faster and easier. With us, you get:

• Unique illustration style
• Different animation styles
• Pinch of fun and humor in each template to hook your audience

Video marketing is a powerful tool that will help you increase brand awareness, grow customer engagement, grab the target audience’s attention, and convert viewers into loyal customers. Make sure you do your best to impress your audience with amazon videos. Contact us for a free consultation, and we will help you create animated video content that sells!