YouTube Shorts script with a hook, timed beats and a loop
A Short has under a minute to make someone stop scrolling and watch to the end. This prompt has your todo.is agent write 3 vertical video scripts with a hook in the first 2 seconds, timed beats, on-screen text and an ending that loops back to the start.
The prompt
- Write 3 YouTube Shorts scripts about [TOPIC] for [YOUR AUDIENCE]. Each one should be [LENGTH] seconds long and in a [STYLE] style. For each script give: a hook line for the first 2 seconds, the spoken lines split into timed beats (0-3s, 3-10s and so on), the on-screen text for each beat (max 6 words), what to show on camera or as B-roll, and a last line that loops smoothly back into the hook. End with one call to action: [CALL TO ACTION]. Keep sentences short enough to read on a phone. Also suggest a title under 40 characters for each. Save the scripts as a Word file in a table I can film from.
What to change
- [TOPIC]: What the Shorts are about, e.g. "3 Excel shortcuts", "a 60-second pasta recipe" or "a fact about octopuses".
- [YOUR AUDIENCE]: Who you are talking to, e.g. "office workers" or "beginner runners".
- [LENGTH]: Target length, e.g. "30" or "45". Shorter is usually easier to keep tight.
- [STYLE]: e.g. "talking head", "voice-over with screen recording", "faceless with text".
- [CALL TO ACTION]: e.g. "follow for part 2", "watch the full video on my channel" or "none".
Example result
- Short 1: "The Excel Shortcut Nobody Told You"
- Topic: Excel shortcuts for office workers. 30 seconds, voice-over with screen recording.
- 0-2s (hook)
- • Say: "Stop scrolling through your spreadsheet like this."
- • Screen: slow mouse scroll down a huge sheet
- • Text: Stop doing this
- 2-8s
- • Say: "Press Control and the down arrow. You jump straight to the last row."
- • Screen: keys pressed, cursor jumps to row 4,812
- • Text: Ctrl + Down
- 8-15s
- • Say: "Add Shift and you select everything on the way."
- • Screen: whole column highlights
- • Text: Ctrl + Shift + Down
- 15-23s
- • Say: "Now Control and T turns it into a table with filters, in one second."
- • Screen: table appears with filter arrows
- • Text: Ctrl + T = instant table
- 23-27s (CTA)
- • Say: "Follow for part 2, it gets better."
- • Text: Part 2 tomorrow
- 27-30s (loop)
- • Say: "Because nobody should still be scrolling like..."
- • Screen: cut back to the slow scroll from the start
- Short 2: "Copy Formatting in 1 Click" (summary)
- • Hook: "Your boss wants it to look the same. Here's the trick."
- • Beats: Format Painter, double-click to keep it on, Esc to stop
- • Loop: ends on the same messy sheet as the start
- Short 3: "Freeze the Header Row" (summary)
- • Hook: "Lost your column names again?"
- • Beats: View, Freeze Panes, Freeze Top Row
- • Loop: last line "lost your column names..." leads back into the hook
- Filming notes
- • Record the screen at a high zoom so text is readable on a phone
- • Keep on-screen text in the middle third, away from the buttons on the right
How to do it with todo.is
- Copy the prompt and fill in the topic, audience, length, style and call to action.
- Paste it into todo.is or message your agent on WhatsApp or Telegram.
- You get a Word file with 3 scripts in a filming table: beats, lines, on-screen text and B-roll.
- Film from the table. Ask your agent for a voice-over MP3 of a script if you prefer not to record your voice.
Tips for a better result
- Start with the payoff or the problem, never with "Hi guys". The first 2 seconds decide whether people stay.
- Write the last line so it leads into the first one. Loops raise average view duration.
- Keep captions in the middle of the frame. The top and right edges are covered by YouTube buttons.
- Batch it: ask for 10 scripts on one theme and film them all in one session.
YouTube shorts script: FAQ
- How long should a YouTube Shorts script be? Shorts can be up to a few minutes, but most work best between 20 and 45 seconds. That is about 50 to 110 spoken words.
- What is a loop in a Short? A loop is an ending that flows straight back into the opening line. Viewers often watch twice without noticing, which helps the Short.
- Can I reuse a TikTok script for YouTube Shorts? Yes, the format is similar. Remove TikTok-only references, check the length and adjust the call to action for YouTube.
- Can todo.is make the video too? Your agent can create a voice-over MP3, burn subtitles into a clip you upload or make a slideshow video from your images. You film or upload the Short yourself.
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