video-script-generator

Video Script Generator

Video is not about words — it's about visual retention. This skill writes scripts that account for what the viewer sees AND what they hear, with timing estimates, platform-specific adaptations, and engineered loops for short-form.

Step 0: Platform Classification

The platform determines everything: tone, pacing, loop requirement, and hook style.

Platform	Format	Length	Tone	Loop required?	Key rule
YouTube Long	16:9	8–15 min	Educational, storytelling	No	Retention graph — hooks every 2 min
YouTube Shorts	9:16	15–60s	Direct, punchy	YES	Must loop — last frame feeds first frame
TikTok	9:16	15–90s	Raw, conversational, casual	YES	Native feel — not polished ads
Instagram Reels	9:16	15–90s	Slightly more polished than TikTok	YES	Can be more brand-consistent
VSL	16:9	5–20 min	Calm authority, persuasive	No	No cuts to external footage — talking head

Platform tone rule:

• TikTok sounds like a friend on FaceTime. Cut sentences mid-thought, speak colloquially.
• Reels can sound like a slightly edited TikTok — same energy, less raw.
• YouTube Long sounds like a knowledgeable friend explaining something properly.
• VSL sounds like a trusted advisor who isn't selling — even though they are.

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Step 1: Define the Payoff

Before writing, answer:

1. The Knowledge Gap: What will they know at the end that they didn't know before?
2. The Transformation: What will they be able to DO or FEEL differently?
3. The Retention Promise: Why should they stay past the first 10 seconds? (Must be stated in the hook.)

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Step 2: Scripts by Format

A. YouTube Long-Form (The Retention Graph)

Structure with timing:

[HOOK] 0:00–0:30 (~75 words)
  - Visual: High energy, movement, or a shocking visual
  - Audio: Counterintuitive claim or specific outcome
  - Promise: "By the end of this video, you'll know [specific thing]"
  
[SETUP / CONTEXT] 0:30–1:30 (~250 words)
  - Why this matters NOW
  - Pattern interrupt at 1:00 (joke, B-roll, unexpected stat)
  - "Here's what most people get wrong about this..."

[MAIN CONTENT — Steps/Sections] 1:30–N:00
  - Each section: 1:30–3:00 min
  - Pattern interrupt every 90–120 seconds
  - Retention tease before each transition: "Step 3 is the one no one talks about"

[OUTRO] Final 60 seconds
  - Brief summary of what they learned
  - CTA: "Watch this video next" (session time > subscriptions)
  - Do NOT thank them for watching — it's passive and kills momentum

Timing rule: Write "~XX sec / XX words" at the start of each section. 130 words ≈ 1 minute of speech.

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B. Short-Form: Shorts / TikTok / Reels (The Loop Machine)

The Loop Rule (non-negotiable for short-form):

The last sentence must semantically or visually connect back to the first sentence. The viewer who watches to the end and loops back should feel like the video just got more interesting — not that it ended.

Structure with timing:

[VISUAL HOOK] 0:00–0:03 (3 seconds, ~10 words)
  - Movement in the FIRST FRAME — not a still shot
  - Text overlay if talking head: the core claim in 5 words
  - Audio hook: "Stop doing X" / "Most people don't know this" / "I made $X doing Y"

[VERBAL HOOK + TENSION] 0:03–0:10 (~25 words)
  - Expand the promise: why should they keep watching?
  - Create a tension or curiosity gap that can only be resolved by watching to the end

[VALUE DROP — Rapid fire] 0:10–0:45 (~100 words)
  - Short, punchy statements
  - Visual change every 3 seconds: zoom cut / text overlay / angle change / B-roll
  - No long sentences — max 8 words per beat

[LOOP CLOSER] 0:45–0:60 (~20 words)
  - Final line: directly echoes or answers the first hook
  - Example: Hook = "Most people waste money on ads." Loop = "So next time you see an ad that stops you, ask yourself: why did it work?"
  - Optional: cut mid-sentence to force the loop replay

3-Second Rule (Shorts/TikTok/Reels): Something must change visually every 3 seconds: zoom cut / text overlay / angle change / B-roll insert.

Platform voice by format:

TikTok: "Okay so I just realized something..." / "No one is talking about this..."
Reels:  "Here's the thing about [topic]..." / "If you're doing X, stop. Here's why:"
Shorts: "I learned this the hard way..." / "This one thing changed everything:"

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C. VSL (Video Sales Letter)

Structure with timing:

[PATTERN INTERRUPT] 0:00–0:30
  - Counterintuitive statement about their biggest problem
  - NOT "Hi, I'm [name]" — introduce yourself only after you've earned attention

[THE PROBLEM] 0:30–2:00
  - Name their exact pain in their vocabulary (use ICP language)
  - "You've probably tried X and Y. Here's why they didn't work..."

[THE PROMISE] 2:00–3:00
  - Introduce the mechanism — not the product, the *mechanism*
  - "What if there was a way to [result] without [pain]?"

[PROOF] 3:00–8:00
  - Before/after stories (3 min)
  - Testimonials with specific outcomes (2 min)

[THE OFFER] 8:00–12:00
  - What's included, what it costs, how it works
  - Guarantee — spell out exactly what you promise

[CTA + URGENCY] 12:00–end
  - One action, repeated three times
  - Real reason to act now (not fake scarcity)

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Step 3: A-Roll / B-Roll Split

Always define what the viewer sees, not just what they hear:

• A-Roll: Talking head, host on camera
• B-Roll: Footage, screenshots, screen recordings, stock, text overlays, graphics
• Text Overlays: Key claims repeated on screen (critical for silent viewers — 85% of social video watched with no sound)

Silent viewer rule: Any claim the viewer needs to understand to keep watching MUST appear as text overlay. Never assume audio is on.

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Output Format

# Video Script: [Title]

**Platform**: [YouTube Long / Shorts / TikTok / Reels / VSL]
**Target length**: [X minutes / X seconds]
**Tone**: [Platform tone from Step 0]
**Loop required**: [Yes / No]

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## 🎬 [Section Name] — [Timestamp] (~[N] words / ~[N] sec)

[A-ROLL] Host: "[Dialogue]"
[B-ROLL] Show: [Description of what appears on screen]
[TEXT OVERLAY]: "[Key claim in 5 words]"

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[Continue for each section]

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## 🖼 Thumbnail / Cover Frame Concept
- Visual: [Description]
- Text: [Max 5 words]
- Emotion: [What the face/visual communicates]

## ⏱ Timing Breakdown
[Section 1]: [N sec]
[Section 2]: [N sec]
Total: [N min N sec]

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Integration Points

• Receives from: voice-dna-creator, icp-creator
• Feeds into: content-calendar-planner (video as Hero asset)
• Triggered by: /copywriter:write