Writing a Voiceover Script for a Faceless Video

Write for the ear and the picture together

A voiceover script is half of a two-part instruction. The other half is what is on screen while each line is spoken. Write both columns, line by line, and the video plans itself.

Start with the one thing to remember

Write the single sentence you want the viewer to repeat later, then work backwards. Everything before it sets it up, everything after it says what to do about it.

Short lines, spoken words

Write how you talk: contractions, short sentences, no lists of adjectives. If a line is hard to say in one breath, split it. Every line becomes a caption, so a line that reads badly on screen will read badly out loud.

Give each line a picture

Beside every line, write what is shown: product close-up, hands using it, a b-roll cutaway, a graphic. In FinalTake this is the storyboard, one scene per idea. A run of lines with the same picture is a sign to cut a line or change the shot.

Trim to the length you will pay for

Credits follow finished length: at 1080p a 15s reel is 32 credits and a 60s video is 122 credits. Trim the script to the shortest length that still lands the point, then approve the plan.

FAQs

Can I paste in a script I already wrote?

Yes. Paste it and it becomes a storyboard with scenes and shots to review before you approve.

How do I make a voiceover sound less robotic?

Write short, spoken sentences and read them aloud first. Anywhere you stumble, rewrite the line.

Can the script be in another language?

Voices are tagged with the languages they support, so choose a voice that matches the language of your script.