Prompts for video scripts

What it is good at

• Fast at generating multiple hook options for the same topic to A/B test.
• Good at fitting a script to a fixed runtime with actual second counts.
• Can write in a specific presenter's tone if given examples of past scripts.
• Useful for turning one long-form idea into several short-form scripts.

Where it falls short

• Default pacing is often too slow for short-form; you must ask explicitly for pace.
• It cannot judge what will actually perform, treat hooks as drafts to test, not guarantees.
• Visual and camera direction needs to be requested separately from the words.

How to use it for creative work

1. 01

   Fix the platform and runtime before anything else

   A 90-second YouTube Short and a 90-second Reel are paced differently; a 6-minute long-form video is a different structure entirely. Say it upfront.

2. 02

   Ask for five hooks before a script

   Approve one hook before the model builds a full script around it, the hook decides the whole shape of what follows.

3. 03

   Request a beat sheet

   Get the script broken into timed beats (hook, problem, proof, payoff, CTA) with rough seconds per beat, not just prose.

4. 04

   Write the script to be read aloud

   Ask for short sentences and spoken rhythm, then read it aloud yourself and mark anywhere you stumble.

5. 05

   Separate words from visuals

   Once the voiceover is locked, ask for a shot list or on-screen text suggestions as a second pass, not mixed into the first draft.

Ready-to-use prompts

Give me five different opening hooks (first 3 seconds, spoken) for a [platform] video about [topic] aimed at [audience]. Vary the approach: one question, one bold claim, one visual/action hook, one relatable problem, one number/stat-led hook.

Write a [duration]-second script for [platform] on [topic]. Structure: hook (0-3s), problem (3-10s), payoff/demo (10-[x]s), CTA (last 5s). Write it as spoken lines with a second-count next to each beat. Tone: [tone].

Outline a [duration]-minute video script on [topic] for [audience]. Give me 6-8 sections with a one-line summary and estimated minutes per section, plus the single retention risk in each section.

Here is a transcript of how [name] talks on camera: [paste transcript]. Write a script on [topic] in that same voice, sentence length, catchphrases, pacing.

Here is a full video script: [paste script]. Cut it into three standalone short-form scripts of [duration] seconds each, each with its own hook and CTA, that don't require the full video to make sense.

Read this script and tell me which lines are slow, generic or would make a viewer scroll away. Suggest a sharper replacement for each, keeping the same meaning. Script: [paste].

Write five different calls to action for the end of a video about [topic/product], each under 10 words, matched to the goal of [followers/sales/comments/saves].

Here is the voiceover script: [paste]. Suggest on-screen text overlays for the key lines, short, punchy, no more than 6 words each, timed to the beat they support.

Write a script for a [duration] tutorial showing how to [task] using [product/tool]. Structure each step as: spoken instruction, what's on screen, and the one thing a beginner gets wrong at that step.

Write three alternate final lines for this script that are designed to prompt comments (a question, a mild controversial opinion, an unfinished thought). Script context: [paste last paragraph of script].

Questions people ask

Which tool writes the best scripts?

ChatGPT and Claude are both strong for scripts; ChatGPT edges ahead for fast iteration on multiple hook variants in one session.

Should I ask for camera directions too?

Ask separately once the words are locked, mixing shot direction into the first script draft usually produces a worse script and a vague shot list.

How do I stop the pacing sounding flat?

Ask explicitly for spoken rhythm and short sentences, then read it aloud, written pacing and spoken pacing are not the same thing.