Script a short video

Short videos don’t need fancy gear, but they do need a plan, or you end up rambling and filming ten takes. This guide helps you write a 30 to 60 second script with a strong opening line, one clear idea, and an ending that tells people what to do next, so you can film it with your phone in one go.

Before you start

• One idea for the video. A question customers ask, a quick tip, or a before-and-after all work well.
• Your phone, somewhere with good light, and somewhere quiet.
• About 30 minutes to write and practise, plus time to film.
• An AI chat tool such as ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini for step 3.

Want to do it yourself?

Difficulty

6 out of 10

Estimated completion time

1–2 hours for a script and simple recording

Skills you’ll need: Shape one clear idea, write natural spoken lines, and film and review a short video with usable sound.

I’ll do it myselfI’d rather get help

How this helps your brand

A focused video can introduce your expertise and give relevant viewers a reason to explore further. A matching website destination lets its call to action lead to fuller information, an enquiry, or a booking.

1. 1

   Step 1: Pick one idea, not three

   A short video works best when it does one thing: answers one question, shares one tip, tells one story, or shows one before-and-after. If you can’t say what the video is about in one sentence, it’s two videos.

   Good starting points: the question customers ask most, a mistake you see people make, or something you do every day that customers never get to see.

2. 2

   Step 2: Write an opening line that makes people stay

   People decide very quickly whether to keep watching, so skip the logo, the greeting, and “Hi everyone, today I’m going to…”. Start with the most interesting thing.

   • The problem: “If your bathroom fan sounds like this, read the label on the back.”
   • A surprising result: “This is the same sofa. Here’s what changed.”
   • The question they’re already asking: “How long should a haircut really last?”

   Tip: Write three or four opening lines and pick the one you’d stop scrolling for. The prompt at the end of this guide gives you options.

   Illustrated exampleLet the opening line reveal the interesting part

   Cut the introduction

   “Hi everyone, today I’m going to show you a sofa we worked on…”

   The interesting part is still ahead.

   Lead with the result

   “This is the same sofa. Here’s what changed.”

   Before

   →

   After

   Show the comparison as you say the opening line.

3. 3

   Step 3: Draft the script with what to say and what to show

   Paste your idea into an AI tool with the prompt at the end of this guide. It writes the script as two columns: what you say, and what’s on screen at the same time. That makes filming much easier, because you know exactly which shots you need.

   Keep it short. Most people speak at roughly two to three words a second, so a 45-second video is around 100 to 130 words.

   Tip: Edit the script so it sounds like you talking, not like something written. Read it out loud and change any phrase that trips you up.

   Illustrated examplePair every spoken line with a shot

   One sofa transformationExample 30-second draft · 53 spoken words

   What I sayWhat’s on screen

   1. 01 / Hook0–5 sec

      What I say“This is the same sofa. Here’s what changed.”

      What’s on screenBefore photo, then the finished sofa in the same position.

   2. 02 / One idea5–22 sec

      What I say“The frame was still solid, but the seat had gone flat and the fabric was worn. We replaced the cushion filling and fitted new blue fabric. Here’s the seat before, and here it is now.”

      What’s on screenClose-up of the worn seat. Cut to the new cushion and blue fabric.

   3. 03 / Next step22–30 sec

      What I say“Want more furniture before-and-afters? Follow us for the next one.”

      What’s on screenFinished sofa. On-screen words: “Follow for more before-and-afters”.

   ◷ Read it aloud with pauses. Shorten it if your take runs over 30 seconds.

4. 4

   Step 4: End with one clear next step

   Finish with one thing to do, not a list: follow for more tips, book through the link in your profile, call for a quote, or come and see us on Saturday. Say it out loud and put it on screen too.

   If the next step uses a website, choose the exact page before filming. It should continue the video’s topic and present the same offer, with a tested form, booking link, or phone action. Put a working route in the relevant profile or post link where the platform supports it. Relevant viewers may visit and enquire; keep views, visits, and completed requests separate when judging the result.

5. 5

   Step 5: Film it simply

   A phone, good light, and clear sound beat expensive equipment. Face a window for soft light, film upright (vertical) for most social platforms, and get close to the phone, or use a cheap clip-on microphone, so your voice is clear.

   Practise the script two or three times, then film. Don’t read it word for word; glance at it between takes. If you stumble, keep going from the start of that sentence and cut the mistake out later.

   Tip: Add captions. Many people watch with the sound off. Most platforms can add captions automatically, but check them, because they often get names and trade words wrong.

6. 6

   Step 6: Post it where it fits

   Short vertical videos work on most platforms now. Post it natively, meaning upload the video file to each platform rather than sharing a link from another one.

   • Instagram and Facebook: post as a Reel.
   • TikTok: post as a standard video.
   • LinkedIn: upload the video to a post. A slightly more practical, work-focused angle tends to suit it.
   • Google Business Profile: you can add videos to your profile’s photos and videos.

   Tip: Check each app’s current length limits when you upload. They change from time to time.

I run [what your business does] for [who your customers are]. I want to film a [30, 45, or 60]-second vertical video for [platform] about:
[your one idea, in a sentence]

Useful details, facts, or a story from my work to include:
[paste your notes]

The one thing I want viewers to do at the end: [for example: follow for more tips, book through the link, call for a quote]

Please:
1. Give me five different opening lines that get straight to the point, with no greeting.
2. Write the script as a table with two columns: what I say, and what’s on screen at the same time. Use the strongest opening line. Keep it under [number] words.
3. End with my call to action, said out loud and shown on screen.
4. List the shots I need to film, in order, so I can film them in one go.

Write it the way a real person talks, with short sentences. Use only the facts I’ve given you. Don’t invent statistics, results, or claims, and don’t make claims about how the [platform] algorithm works.