Writing for short videos

How do you turn a message into a 60-second script that is clear when spoken and feasible to film?

1250 € per session, excl. VAT

In short

This half-day session of 3 hours offers a guided introduction to writing for a short video with generative AI. Participants define a message, organise scenes and write spoken content, visual descriptions and on-screen text. A timed read-through and a checklist help them correct the script before handing it over.

Why this training?

A short video quickly loses its viewer when several messages compete for attention. Distinguishing between what is said, what is shown and what appears as text helps eliminate repetition and make every scene useful. AI can suggest hooks and wording, but it can also invent a service or suggest a scene that is impossible to film. The workshop teaches participants to set boundaries for these suggestions and then check them against a factual dossier. Running case study: The fictitious association « Avelune Réemploi » is preparing a 60-second video explaining how to drop off a small appliance at its workshop. The training dossier specifies the items accepted, the drop-off steps and the limits of the service. The script must avoid any promise of repair and show a reception area without any identifiable person. Transfer to work: For a future video requirement, reuse the brief and script table, then carry out a timed read-through with a colleague. Have the information, rights and notices approved before any production begins.

Objectives of this training

  • Define a target audience, a main message and an intended action
  • Identify the hook, development and conclusion of a short script
  • Formulate an AI prompt with duration constraints and verified information
  • Write a scene breakdown distinguishing visuals, spoken content and on-screen text
  • Evaluate and then correct the script through a timed read-through and a rights check

Who is it for and what are the prerequisites?

Roles and tasks concerned

  • Communications officers new to preparing short videos
  • Leaders of associations or small teams wishing to explain a service through video
  • Occasional content creators who need to hand over a script to a production team

Prior skills

  • No prior AI knowledge required; the initial interactions are guided.
  • Ability to write a simple text and use a digital document.

What you will work on

  1. Define what the viewer should remember

    Objective: Narrow the subject down to a precise purpose for the video. Target audience, viewing context, a single message and intended action; the difference between informative text and audiovisual writing.

  2. Explore the structure and prompt AI

    Objective: Obtain an initial outline without delegating editorial decisions. Hook, progression and conclusion; a prompt specifying audience, facts, tone, duration and output format; limitations of generated responses.

  3. Writing for voice and visuals

    Objective: Turn the outline into practical production directions. Spoken phrasing, visible actions, short on-screen texts, transitions and time allocation; keeping locations and characters to a minimum.

  4. Time the script and ensure a safe handover

    Objective: Correct the pacing and flag points requiring approval. Timed read-through, feasibility; rights to text, images and music; consent for faces and voices; deepfake risks and notices to include depending on distribution and applicable rules.

What you take away

  • Video brief: target audience, objective, message and constraints
  • Annotated AI prompt and selected proposal
  • 60-second script in a table covering visuals, spoken content, text and duration
  • Completed checklist with corrections before handover

Method and assessment

  • Short teaching inputs followed by immediate practice using the running case study.
  • Individual work followed by work in pairs, with participants reviewing each other’s work.
  • Guided group discussion: what works, what needs correcting and what remains a human decision.
  • Preparation: Arrange access to a tool authorised by your organisation, in accordance with applicable internal rules. Prepare an example of a fictitious or anonymised video message; a complete dossier is provided for the exercise.

Observable criteria: The script conveys a main message and an explicit final action. ; Each scene distinguishes between elements that are visible, heard and displayed as text. ; The read-through with the planned pauses fits within 60 seconds after correction. ; No information goes beyond the facts in the dossier provided. ; Requirements for rights, consent and notices are identified..

Frequently asked questions

Do we produce a video during the session?

No. The deliverable is a usable script for preparing a shoot or an edit.

Do you need to know about AI?

No. An initial prompt is built step by step, then checked against the facts provided.

Can we use a real testimonial?

The exercise remains fictitious or anonymised. Any subsequent use of an identifiable testimonial requires permissions to be checked.

Can we imitate a well-known voice?

The workshop excludes deceptive imitations. A synthetic voice does not remove the need to check rights, consent and notices.

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