A good explainer video script for a 60 to 120 second business video has five parts: problem, answer, how it works, proof and one next step. Write it for the ear: short sentences, subject first, numbers as they are said. Budget roughly 130 to 160 spoken words a minute, as a rule of thumb. Videngine drafts the script from your page; you accept it, edit a line or supply your own.
The structure of an explainer video script
A business explainer works best in five parts, in this order: problem, answer, how it works, proof and next step.
Each part does one job. Sample lines come from the script further down.
| Part | What it does | Time in 90 seconds | Sample line |
|---|---|---|---|
| Problem | A situation the viewer recognises. No product yet. | 10–20 seconds | “You sent the invoice. Three weeks later, it still isn't paid.” |
| Answer | What the product is and does, in one sentence. | 5–10 seconds | “Quietledger sends polite payment reminders for you, on a schedule you choose.” |
| How it works | The steps, in the order the viewer meets them. Three is usually enough. | 30–40 seconds | “First, add an invoice, or import a list of them.” |
| Proof | The claim working: a real screen, before and after, or a sourced figure. | 15–20 seconds | “On the left is what your client sees: the amount, the due date and a link to pay.” |
| Next step | One action and where to take it. | 5–10 seconds | “Try it on your next invoice.” |
Proof is the part teams most often skip: a screen counts, an adjective does not. The explainer videos hub covers animated, AI and whiteboard styles built on the same five moves.
How many words fit in 60 to 120 seconds
Budget the script in spoken words, not pages: as a rule of thumb, narration runs at roughly 130 to 160 words a minute.
It is a planning aid, not a measurement: title cards and screenshots need silent time, so plan below it.
| Finished length | Words at 130–160 a minute (rule of thumb) | Safer target |
|---|---|---|
| 60 seconds | 130–160 | 120–130 |
| 90 seconds | 195–240 | 170–190 |
| 120 seconds | 260–320 | 230–250 |
Read the draft aloud with a timer. To choose between 60 and 120 seconds, see explainer video length and cost.
Write for the ear, not the page
Write each sentence so it makes sense the first time it is heard, because the viewer can't reread it.
- Short sentences. One idea each, most under fifteen words.
- Subject first. “Quietledger sends reminders”, not “Designed for small firms, Quietledger…”.
- Numbers said aloud. Write “ten forty-two” or “twelve hundred and fifty pounds”, and put the figure on screen.
- Say what the picture shows. W3C's guidance on description of visual information advises: “When writing the script, make sure all relevant visual information is included.”
| Written for the page | Written for the ear |
|---|---|
| “Reminders are dispatched at T+0, T+7 and T+14.” | “It sends a reminder on the due date, then a week later, then a week after that.” |
| “As shown in fig. 2, overdue items are flagged.” | “Overdue invoices are marked in red, at the top of your list.” |
A synthetic voice needs a pronunciation list for names and acronyms; see AI voiceover for video. To cut a long article down to a script, see article to video.
A sample script, with scene notes
Here is a complete 90-second script for an explainer video, with scene notes. Quietledger is an imaginary invoice-reminder tool, invented for this guide; nothing here describes a real company or result.
| Time | Part | Scene note | Narration |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0:00–0:12 | Problem | Title card, “Late invoices”, then a card: “Invoice 1042: sent 21 days ago”. | “You finished the job. You sent the invoice. Three weeks later, it still isn't paid, and now it's your job to chase it.” |
| 0:12–0:20 | Problem | Card: “Write. Send. Remember. Repeat.” | “Chasing by hand takes time, it feels awkward, and the invoice that matters most is the one you forget.” |
| 0:20–0:29 | Answer | Name card and logo. | “Quietledger sends polite payment reminders for you, on a schedule you choose, and stops as soon as you're paid.” |
| 0:29–0:37 | How it works | Title card, “How it works”, then the invoice list, slow zoom to Add invoice. | “Here's how it works. First, add an invoice, or import a list of them.” |
| 0:37–0:49 | How it works | Screenshot: the schedule settings. | “Second, pick a schedule. For example: a friendly note on the due date, a firmer one a week later, and a final one a week after that.” |
| 0:49–1:00 | How it works | Screenshot: an email preview, open for editing. | “Third, read each email before it goes, and change any word you like. When the client pays, mark the invoice paid, and the reminders stop.” |
| 1:00–1:17 | Proof | Side by side: the reminder in the client's inbox, and the list showing Paid. | “On the left is what your client sees: the amount, the due date and a link to pay. On the right is your list the next morning, with invoice ten forty-two marked paid.” |
| 1:17–1:27 | Next step | Card: “Try it on your next invoice” and the address, held for three seconds. | “Try it on your next invoice. Set up your first schedule at the address on screen.” |
The narration is 176 words, under the safer target, leaving silent time for cards and screens. In a real script, the proof must be a genuine screen, not a mock-up.
A template and a review checklist
Copy this explainer video script template, fill one block per part, then run the checklist.
EXPLAINER SCRIPT: [product or feature] For: [viewer] Action: [one thing to do after] Length: [60 / 90 / 120] s Words: [safer target] 1. PROBLEM 10-20 s 25-45 words Screen: [title card, or the problem shown] Say: [the situation, in the viewer's words] 2. ANSWER 5-10 s 10-20 words Screen: [name card or logo] Say: [Product] [does what] for [whom]. 3. HOW IT WORKS 30-40 s 60-90 words Screen: [one screenshot or card per step] Say: First, [step]. Second, [step]. Third, [step]. 4. PROOF 15-20 s 30-45 words Screen: [real screen, before and after, sourced figure] Say: [what the viewer is looking at, and why] 5. NEXT STEP 5-10 s 10-20 words Screen: [action and address, held 3 s or more] Say: [one action]. [where to take it]. SAY IT RIGHT: [name or number] = [how it is spoken] SOURCE: [page this came from, and its date]
The word budgets assume about 140 words a minute, less silent time. Before recording, check:
- Read aloud at recording pace, with a timer. Cut, don't speed up.
- The five parts are in order, and the product is named within thirty seconds.
- Each sentence carries one idea and starts with its subject.
- Numbers and names are written as spoken, with exact figures on screen.
- Every claim in the proof can be shown or sourced.
- There is one next step, its address on screen for three seconds or more.
- Someone new to the product can say back what it does after one read-through.
How Videngine writes scripts from your page
Videngine drafts the script and a scene plan from the page you point it at, and you decide what is said.
It reads the page in a headless browser, keeping the text and images and dropping navigation and cookie banners. The script, with timings, follows each brand's voice rules: a pronunciation lexicon, banned phrases, positive-only wording and a target length.
| Your choice | What happens | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
| Accept the draft | Narrated and rendered as written | The page is accurate and the draft reads well |
| Edit a line | Fix one sentence, keep the rest | One claim, name or phrase needs fixing |
| Supply your own script | Your text is narrated word for word | The wording is already approved, by legal or a product owner |
Narration is a synthetic voice by default, or audio you upload; captions are transcribed from it, and every video is reviewed in the studio before it goes out. On launch pricing, a video is one render up to two minutes. See the AI explainer video maker for the full route, and explainer videos as a use case for sources and delivery.
When to hire a scriptwriter instead
Hire a scriptwriter when the hard part is deciding what to say, not saying it clearly.
- The answer isn't settled. If nobody can write the one-sentence answer, a scriptwriter who talks to customers will find it faster than any tool.
- It's a brand film or one flagship video. Story, humour and character are craft work for a scriptwriter with an animation studio or production company.
- You want characters, whiteboard drawing or a presenter. Videngine animates type, cards and your own images, and has no avatars. See animated explainer options, or an avatar presenter tool such as Synthesia (our comparison).
Videngine fits when the facts are already written down and you need many explainers that sound alike. An approved script can still go through it word for word.
Explainer script questions
What should an explainer video script include?
Five parts, in order: the problem the viewer recognises, a one-sentence answer, how it works in about three steps, proof the viewer can see, and one next step. How it works takes the most time.
How many words is a script for a 90-second explainer video?
As a rule of thumb, narration runs at roughly 130 to 160 words a minute, so 90 seconds holds about 195 to 240 words. Plan for 170 to 190, because title cards and screenshots need silent time.
Is there a simple explainer video script template?
Yes. Write the five parts as numbered blocks, each with a time, a word budget, what is on screen and the line to be said. Add how names and numbers are spoken. The template on this page copies as plain text.
How is video script writing different from writing a web page?
A listener can't scroll back, so each sentence must make sense the first time it is heard. Use short sentences with the subject first, say numbers the way people say them, and describe what the viewer needs from the screen.
Can AI write a script for an explainer video?
It can draft one from material you already have, such as a feature page or help article. In Videngine you can accept the draft, edit a line or supply your own script word for word. A person should still check every claim before it is recorded.
Choose your next step
Decide the length first, then how much of the script you want drafted for you.
Start from a page you already have.
Bring one feature page or help article. Videngine drafts the script and scene plan; accept it, edit a line, or paste your own script and keep every word.
Join the waitlist ↗Published by Videngine, a video rendering product built and run by Wall & Fifth. External links refer to the original documentation or product descriptions; examples are illustrative unless stated otherwise.