Video script template

What a two-column script is

A two-column script, also called an A/V script (audio and visual), splits the page down the middle. The left column says what's on screen; the right column has every word that's said or heard, beside the picture it plays over.

It's how TV adverts, documentaries, explainers and most YouTube videos are written, because the picture and the words have to be planned together. A screenplay is for drama; the two-column script is for everything else.

How to write a voice-over script that fits

Most people speak at about 150 words a minute, so 30 seconds holds about 75 words. Write the words first, read them out loud, and cut anything you stumble over. Short sentences sound more natural than long ones.

Then fill in the visuals column line by line. Every few seconds the picture should change: a cutaway, a close-up of what you're describing, a screen recording of the step. If a line of words has nothing to show, it's a sign the line could go.

The sheet times each row from its words as you type, and adds them up against your target length, so you can see straight away if the script runs long.

What goes in the visuals column

Name the shot and say what's in it: "Close-up. Hands pouring the coffee." Add the B-roll you'll cut to, screen recordings, and any text or graphics on screen.

Keep it short enough that whoever films it knows what to capture. The detail belongs in a shot list; the script only needs enough for the picture to match the words.