Motion graphic script writing: structure, word count and a two-column sample

The one-message rule: what to settle before you write

Most scripts that reach us share one problem. They try to say everything in a single video. A company intro, five product features, three audiences and two special offers will not fit in 60 seconds. By the end, the viewer remembers nothing.

Our rule is simple. Before the first line, write your core message as one short sentence. If that sentence splits in two around an "and", you probably have two videos, not one. Here is a quick test. If a viewer retells the video to a friend in one sentence, that sentence should be your core message.

Along with the core message, pin down two more things first:

• Audience: exactly who will watch this video, and what problem they face right now.
• Final action: what you want the viewer to do afterwards: sign up, call, download or visit a page.

The first three seconds: a hook that keeps the viewer

On social feeds, and even on a website, viewers decide in the first few seconds whether to stay or scroll on. That makes the first three seconds the most important part of the script. A brand intro, an animated logo or "Hi, we're company X" wastes that chance.

A few opening patterns that work in practice:

• A direct question about the problem: "How many hours a month do you spend chasing invoices?"
• A familiar picture of the hassle: a desk buried in paper and a phone that will not stop ringing, with no voice at all.
• A number or a clear claim: as long as it is true and you can back it up.
• The result before the explanation: show the relief of the solved problem first, then go back and show how.

The hook has to connect to the core message. An opening that only grabs attention but has nothing to do with what follows loses the viewer by second ten.

A five-step script structure

For product and service explainers, the structure below has been the most reliable in our work. The order is logical. We meet the viewer first, then show the solution.

1. Problem: the hassle your audience lives with every day, in their words, not your technical ones.
2. Solution: your product or service in one sentence, framed as the answer to that problem.
3. How it works: two or three simple steps that show how easy it is to use. More than three tires the viewer out.
4. Proof: something that makes the claim believable: a real result, a use case or a clear guarantee.
5. Call to action: one specific action with one specific address or button. Two or three calls at once make the decision harder.

Split the timing from the start too. In a 60-second video, roughly 10 seconds for the problem, 8 for the solution, 20 for how it works, 12 for proof and 10 for the call to action is a balanced split. These are rules of thumb and shift with the message.

Word-count math: how many words for how many seconds

One of the most common reasons for rewrites at the voiceover stage is a script that is too long for the video. The voice artist has to rush, and the video ends up crowded and breathless. Natural, measured Persian voiceover usually runs at about 2 to 2.5 words per second. We use that figure when writing ad and explainer scripts:

Always keep about 10 percent of the running time free of voice. The opening and close, the moment the address or logo appears, and short pauses between sections all let the video breathe. A practical test: read the script out loud at a natural pace and time it. If it runs over, cut words; do not read faster.

The two-column format: voice next to picture

A motion graphic script is not just the voiceover. Every line has to sit next to the image that appears on screen at the same moment. That is why we write scripts as a two-column table: one column for voice, one for picture and on-screen text. This format lets the designer and animator work without guessing, and lets you see the whole video in your head before paying for animation.

The short sample below is written for a fictional clinic appointment-booking app:

A few things to notice in this sample. Each row holds one idea. The picture does not repeat the voice; it completes it. The on-screen text is short and shows only the key part.

Writing for viewers with the sound off

A large share of videos on social media, and even on websites, are watched without sound. If your message lives only in the voiceover, those viewers get nothing. So in the picture column, we take on-screen text seriously:

• The core message and the call to action should always appear as on-screen text too.
• Keep on-screen text shorter than the voiceover; two to five words per scene is usually enough.
• Hold each line on screen long enough to be read twice.
• A simple test: read the picture column without the voice column. If the story still makes sense, the script is ready for sound-off viewing.

For longer videos, plan full captions as well. Captions are different from on-screen text and do not replace it.

Common mistakes we see in motion graphic scripts

These are the mistakes we see most often when reviewing scripts, along with how we suggest fixing them:

• Opening with the company intro: viewers have no reason to care about your name yet. Start with their problem and bring in the brand at the solution step.
• Listing every feature: keep the one or two features that speak directly to the audience's problem and leave the rest to your website.
• Technical, formal language: the script is written to be heard, not read. Write short sentences with clear verbs and read each one aloud.
• More copy than time: count the words with the table above and time the read before recording.
• Picture repeating voice: if the voice says "fast" and the screen just shows the word "fast", that is a missed chance. The picture should add something.
• A vague call to action: "Get in touch" is not enough. Say exactly what to do, where, and why now.

The script is the first layer of the work, and any change to it costs several times more later in design and animation. That is why, within the layers of video production, we sign off the script before any design begins. To see what follows once the script is approved, read our post on the motion graphic production process.

What we don't do

To keep expectations clear from the start, here is what we do not do when writing scripts:

• We do not write a script before the core message and audience are clear; a short conversation first saves several rounds of rewrites later.
• We do not write copy faster than a natural voiceover pace just to fit in more features.
• We do not put invented claims, numbers or customer testimonials in a script; if real proof is not available, we fill the proof step with a use case or a clear guarantee.
• We do not start animation before the script is approved, even on a tight schedule.

If the video copy is part of a bigger content plan, our content writing team can align the video's message with your website and social copy. To start a full project, head to Seemerce's motion graphic services page.

Frequently asked questions

How many words is a 60-second motion graphic script?

For natural-paced Persian voiceover, about 130 to 150 words. That is based on roughly 2 to 2.5 words per second and leaves a few voice-free seconds for the opening and close.

Does a motion graphic with no voiceover still need a script?

Yes, and an even more precise one. In a video with no voice, the picture column and on-screen text carry the whole message, so the scene order and each scene's text need to be fully clear before design starts.

What is the difference between a script and a storyboard (a scene-by-scene sketch)?

The script is the voiceover copy plus a description of each scene's picture; the storyboard is the visual version of that script. The script is approved first, then the designer sketches one or more frames for each of its rows.

Should I write the script myself or leave it to the studio?

Either works. If you write it yourself, use the two-column format and the word-count table from this post so the studio can review it faster. If the core message is not clear yet, it is better to start by talking it through with the studio.