Gixo Quill · content guide
Video Script Templates
A video script is not an article read aloud. It is paced for speech, front-loads the payoff, and is written to be spoken. The structures below cover the four business video types, and all of them share one rule: say what the viewer gets in the first ten seconds or they leave.
Last reviewed: August 2026
The rule every format shares
- Ten seconds to the payoff. Say what the viewer will get, or show it. Intros, logos and channel housekeeping all cost you the audience.
- Write for the ear. Short sentences, one idea each. Anything that needs re-reading fails when spoken.
- One idea per video. Two competing points in a short video means neither lands.
- Speak the numbers. 'Roughly a third' is easier to hear than '31.4%'.
- Time it before recording. Around 130 to 150 spoken words per minute — a two-minute video is roughly 280 words.
Four structures
| Type | Shape | Typical length |
|---|---|---|
| Explainer | Problem, why it persists, the idea, one example, takeaway | 60–120 seconds |
| Product demo | The job, the current pain, the flow on screen, the result | 90–180 seconds |
| Testimonial | Who they are, the situation before, what changed, the number | 45–90 seconds |
| Short-form | Hook, one point, payoff | 15–45 seconds |
How Gixo Quill handles this
VideoScript is a distinct Quill content type rather than an article variant, so the output is paced for speech from the start. The speaking-time calculator converts a draft to spoken minutes before you record, which is the check most scripts skip.
Frequently asked questions
How do I write a video script?
Front-load the payoff into the first ten seconds, write short sentences for the ear, keep to one idea, and time the draft in spoken minutes before recording.
How long is a two-minute script?
Roughly 280 words at a normal speaking pace of 130 to 150 words per minute. Counting words is more reliable than estimating from the page.
What goes in the first ten seconds?
What the viewer will get. Intros, logo animations and channel housekeeping in that window are the most common cause of early drop-off.
Can I use my blog post as a script?
Only as source material. Written sentences are longer and more subordinate than spoken ones, so reading an article aloud sounds like reading an article aloud.
Should a script include the visuals?
Yes for demos and explainers — noting what is on screen beside each line prevents writing narration that the footage cannot support.
Related content guides
Write it as a script, not an article
Quill produces video scripts as their own content type, paced for speech and timed before you record.