A video script template is a free outline for one short video: five beats (hook, setup, value, payoff, CTA), the seconds each gets, [bracketed] lines to fill and a worked example. These 14 cover nine 30-second and five 60-second videos for TikTok, Reels and YouTube Shorts. Copy one into Google Docs, or open it in the Script Generator.
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The Myth Buster (30s)
Correcting a widely-believed but wrong idea in your niche, with real reasoning.
- HOOK (0-3s): Everyone thinks [COMMON BELIEF]. They're wrong. B-roll: Text overlay of the myth in quotes, then a hard cut to you shaking your head or crossing it out.
- SETUP (3-7s): Here's what's actually true, and why the myth stuck around.
- VALUE (7-22s): The real mechanism is [WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS] — which is the opposite of what people assume.
- PAYOFF (22-27s): So next time you hear [MYTH], you'll know it's not that simple.
- CTA (27-30s): Follow for more myths in [NICHE] I'm tired of seeing repeated.
Worked example (Debunking "carbs at night make you gain weight"): Everyone thinks eating carbs at night makes you gain weight. They're wrong. Here's what's actually true, and why the myth stuck around for so long. Weight gain comes from total daily calories, not the clock. A late bowl of rice within your calories does nothing a morning bowl doesn't. So next time someone tells you to cut carbs after 6pm, you'll know the timing isn't the problem. Follow for more nutrition myths I'm tired of seeing repeated.
The Product Demo (30s)
Showing exactly how a product solves one specific, named problem.
- HOOK (0-3s): If you deal with [SPECIFIC PROBLEM], stop scrolling. B-roll: Show the problem happening first — the annoying, relatable version of it.
- SETUP (3-7s): This is [PRODUCT], and here's what it actually does.
- VALUE (7-22s): [DEMO THE FEATURE SOLVING THE PROBLEM, IN REAL TIME]. B-roll: Screen recording or hands-on demo — show the actual click/action, not a mockup.
- PAYOFF (22-27s): That's it. No [OLD PAINFUL WAY OF DOING IT] required.
- CTA (27-30s): Link's in my bio if you want to try it yourself.
Worked example (A scheduling app demo for service businesses): If you're still taking bookings over DMs, stop scrolling. This is [APP], and here's what it actually does. Client picks an open slot, pays the deposit, gets a reminder text — you don't touch a single message. That's it. No back-and-forth, no double bookings, no "wait are we still on for Tuesday?" Link's in my bio if you want to try it yourself.
The Founder Story (60s)
Building trust by explaining, specifically, why you started what you started.
- HOOK (0-3s): I started [BUSINESS] because of [SPECIFIC MOMENT OR PAIN]. B-roll: Talking head, or b-roll of the workspace/product if it grounds the story visually.
- SETUP (3-10s): Before that, I was [WHAT YOU WERE DOING] — and I kept running into [THE PROBLEM].
- VALUE (10-45s): So I tried [FIRST ATTEMPT], which didn't work because [WHY]. Then I [WHAT ACTUALLY WORKED].
- PAYOFF (45-55s): Today, [BUSINESS] does [WHAT IT DOES NOW] — and it exists because that first problem never got solved for me.
- CTA (55-60s): If [PROBLEM] sounds familiar, that's exactly who we built this for.
Worked example (A bookkeeping-software founder): I started this company because I did my own small business books on a spreadsheet until 2am, three years in a row. Before that, I was running a design studio — and every quarter I'd lose an entire weekend just reconciling invoices. So I tried hiring a bookkeeper, which didn't work because I still had to explain every transaction myself. Then I built the tool I actually wanted: one that asks me the three questions that matter instead of dumping a spreadsheet on me. Today, this software does that for about four thousand small business owners — and it exists because nobody solved that problem for me first. If those 2am spreadsheet nights sound familiar, that's exactly who we built this for.
Questions
What is a video script template?
An outline you fill in for one video: the beats in order, the seconds each one gets and a line to complete for each, so you know what to say and when to move on. Every template here has five beats (hook, setup, value, payoff and CTA) for a 30- or 60-second vertical video, plus a worked example that shows a finished version.
Which template should I use?
Pick by what the video has to do, not by topic. Teaching a process: The Tutorial or The Listicle. Correcting a belief: The Myth Buster. Proving a result: The Case Study or The Before/After. Selling a product: The Product Demo. Earning trust or starting a debate: The Founder Story, The Hot Take or The Contrarian Take. Whichever you pick, the opening line matters most; the Hook Generator writes options for it.
How long should a TikTok or Reels script be?
At a natural speaking pace, roughly 65–90 words for 30 seconds and 130–180 words for 60. Choose 30 seconds for one tight point and 60 when the value beat needs two or three steps. Each template shows where the seconds go: a 30-second one spends about 15 of them on the value beat.
How do I write a short video script from a template?
Fill every [bracketed slot] with your own specifics, keep the beat order, read it aloud with a timer and rewrite any line that doesn't sound like you; the worked example shows how a filled-in version reads. Or choose Use this template in Script Generator: it opens with the template's goal and length set, and you add your topic and pick TikTok or Reels.
Do these templates work for YouTube Shorts?
Yes. They're structures for vertical videos of 30 or 60 seconds, and YouTube counts a square or vertical video up to three minutes as a Short. The beats work the same way they do on TikTok and Reels. The Script Generator writes for TikTok and Instagram Reels only, so for Shorts, fill the template in by hand.
Do I need an account to see every template?
Not to preview: three complete templates are open to everyone (The Myth Buster, The Product Demo and The Founder Story), and all 14 structures are listed with their goal, length and beat timing. A free Captain Hook account opens every template's fill-in lines and worked example. No credit card needed.