Explainer Video Script Template (Free Download)

An explainer video script has five parts: the problem, the solution, how it works, proof and a call to action. Write it in two columns, voiceover on the left and visuals on the right, and budget about 140 words for 60 seconds. In five of our own English explainers, the voiceover averaged 138 words per minute.

Below you will find the template, word counts for every length, a sample 60 second script and the mistakes we see most often. You can also download the template and fill it in.

The explainer video script template

Part	Time in a 60 second video	Voiceover	Visuals
1. Problem	0:00 to 0:10, about 25 words	The situation your viewer recognizes. Start with them, not with you.	Your viewer in the moment the problem hurts.
2. Solution	0:10 to 0:20, about 25 words	Your product enters as the answer, in one sentence.	The product appears and changes the scene.
3. How it works	0:20 to 0:45, about 55 words	Three steps or three benefits. No more.	Each step as one clear action on screen.
4. Proof	0:45 to 0:52, about 15 words	One number, one result or one name people trust.	The number on screen, big.
5. Call to action	0:52 to 1:00, about 20 words	One thing to do next, and where.	Your logo, your URL and the action.

Fill the voiceover column first, then describe in the visuals column what the viewer sees while each line is spoken. If a line has nothing to show, it is usually a line you can cut.

How many words for each video length

We measured the voiceover in five of our English explainers: 1,177 words across 8.5 minutes of finished video, about 138 words per minute or 2.3 words per second. The fastest ran at 154 words per minute, the calmest at 114.

Video length	Words of voiceover
30 seconds	about 70
60 seconds	about 140
90 seconds	about 205
2 minutes	about 275
3 minutes	about 415

These counts leave room for the music and the visuals to breathe. A script that runs over the count does not make a longer video; it makes a rushed one. To check yours, read it aloud at a natural pace with a timer.

How to write each part

1. The problem

Open with the viewer’s situation in their own words. “A breast cancer diagnosis can feel overwhelming” is how one of our health explainers begins, before it names the product. If the first line is about your company, the viewer has no reason to keep watching.

2. The solution

Introduce the product as the answer to that problem, in one sentence a viewer could repeat to a friend. Save the feature list for later, or for your website.

3. How it works

Three steps or three benefits, each in one or two short sentences. Every step should be something the animation can show: a tap, a delivery, a report arriving.

4. Proof

One strong piece is enough: a number, a result, a well known client or a short quote. Put it on screen as well as in the voiceover, because many viewers watch on mute.

5. Call to action

Tell the viewer exactly what to do next and where: visit the site, book a demo, download the app. One action, not three.

Sample 60 second explainer script

A sample for a fictional app, PawPlan, to show the template filled in. Its voiceover is 133 words.

Part	Voiceover	Visuals
Problem	Running a dog grooming salon means juggling calls, no-shows and a calendar full of scribbled changes. One missed booking can cost you a whole afternoon.	A groomer holds a phone to one ear and a dryer in the other hand. A paper calendar covered in crossed-out names.
Solution	PawPlan puts every booking in one simple app. Your clients book, move and cancel their own appointments, and you see the whole week at a glance.	The paper calendar folds into a phone screen showing a clean weekly view.
How it works	Here’s how it works. Clients pick a free time on your booking page, day or night. The day before, PawPlan sends them a reminder, so fewer people forget. And when someone cancels, the next dog on your waitlist gets the slot automatically, so your chairs stay full and your phone stays quiet.	1. A client taps a free slot on her phone at night. 2. A reminder pops up the day before. 3. A cancelled slot flips to a new dog’s photo.
Proof	Groomers using PawPlan spend their mornings with dogs, not on the phone.	The groomer smiles and brushes a happy dog. The phone sits quietly on the counter.
Call to action	Ready to fill your week? See how it works and start your free trial on our website today.	Logo, website address and a “Start free” button.

A real script would use a real number in the proof line. In a fictional sample we leave it out rather than invent one.

Common explainer script mistakes

1. Too many words. The most common problem by far. Cut until the script fits the count for your length.
2. Starting with the company. “Founded in 2010, we are…” loses the viewer in the first five seconds. Start with them.
3. Listing every feature. Three is the limit. The rest belongs on your website.
4. Words that can’t be shown. Abstract lines like “we leverage synergies” leave the animator nothing to draw. Write lines that turn into pictures.
5. No call to action, or three. End with one clear next step.
6. Changing the script after the storyboard. The approved script is the base of the whole video. Changes after approval affect design and animation, so lock it before moving on.

From script to finished video

In our process the script is the first of three stages, and nothing moves to the next stage until you approve it:

1. Message: script and storyboard. We write or polish the script and sketch every scene, so you approve what the video says and shows.
2. Look: illustration. We turn the storyboard into custom illustrations in your brand.
3. Motion: animation. We animate the approved designs, add music and sound, and deliver the video.

You can send us a finished script, a draft built on this template or just your website. Writing or polishing the script is included in every explainer package.

Frequently asked questions

How long should an explainer video script be?

About 140 words for a 60 second video, 70 for 30 seconds and 205 for 90 seconds. Those counts come from the voiceover pace we measured in our own explainers, about 138 words per minute.

How many words are in a 60 second script?

About 140 at a natural pace. A brisk read can fit 150 or more, but the video will feel rushed.

What is the difference between a script and a storyboard?

The script is what the video says: the voiceover and any text on screen. The storyboard is what the video shows: a sketch of every scene, matched to the script line by line.

Should I write the script myself?

You know your product best, so a draft from you is a great start. In every explainer package we write or polish the script with you, and you approve it before anything is designed.

What is a good structure for an explainer video?

Problem, solution, how it works, proof and a call to action. It works because it follows the viewer’s questions in order: is this for me, what is it, how does it work, can I trust it, what do I do now.

Turn your script into an animated explainer

Send us your script or this template filled in, and we reply with a plan and a price for your exact length. Explainers start at $5 per second, $300 for 60 seconds.

See our animated explainer video services, how much an explainer video costs or ask us a question.

Next step: Explainer videos: packages and samples · All prices

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