How to Make Your First Explainer Video

Begin with the change you want the viewer to make

Our recommendation for a first whiteboard explainer video is to explain a small, familiar process. A viewer should be able to describe the point after one watch. A film about everything your organisation does gives a beginner too many decisions at once; a film answering one repeated question gives the script a clear boundary.

The worked example below is an invented community book swap. Its task is to help first-time visitors understand what to bring and what happens when they arrive. The reader needs no background in animation, and the subject needs no financial, legal or medical claims. Adapt the structure to a real process you know well, checking each practical detail with its owner.

1. Turn the idea into a concrete brief

Start with the viewer's uncertainty, then describe the action that resolves it. Decide where the film will be watched, because that affects its shape and how much visual information fits comfortably. Keep one person responsible for confirming the instructions. A short written brief also gives you something to compare the script against before you commit to rendering.

IDEA: Explain our community book swap.
AUDIENCE: Someone visiting for the first time.
QUESTION: What do I bring, and how does the swap work?
MESSAGE: Bring a book you are ready to pass on, then choose another.
DETAILS FOR THIS FICTIONAL EXAMPLE: A volunteer sorts arrivals; visitors browse the shelves; they leave with one book.
ACTION: Choose a book to bring to the next swap.
PLACEMENT: A landscape video on the event information page.
TONE: Welcoming, clear and unhurried.

2. Write a script the viewer can follow by ear

Put the question first. Then explain the process in the order the visitor experiences it. Use a concrete noun when a pronoun could be unclear, and read the script aloud with a timer. Treat word count as a starting estimate: names, pauses and emphasis change the running time. This example is a narration draft, with visual ideas kept separately so they are easy to review.

NARRATION
Got a book you have enjoyed and are ready to pass on? Bring it to our community book swap.

When you arrive, give your book to a volunteer. The volunteer places it with the other books so visitors can find something they would like to read.

Take a look along the shelves. Choose one book that interests you, whether it is a familiar favourite or something new.

Then take your choice home and enjoy it. A book that was sitting on one shelf can start a new chapter with someone else.

Choose a book to bring to the next swap.

VISUAL PLAN
Opening: one book on a shelf.
Arrival: a visitor hands the book to a volunteer.
Browse: several clearly separated books.
Finish: a reader leaves with a chosen book.

3. Choose settings, review, then render

AutoScribble turns a typed idea or pasted script into a narrated animated explainer. Paste the brief or narration into the composer, then review the proposed words and directions. Scripts can be edited before rendering, so this is the useful point to replace vague wording, check names and simplify a crowded section.

For this example, start with a 60-second length and landscape orientation for the event page. Choose a narration voice after listening to the available options. A logo is optional; include the organiser's own approved logo if it helps people recognise the event. Confirm the displayed settings and credit quote before generating. The timing in a written plan is a target, and the finished film is the evidence you review.

• Length: 60 seconds, with the script timed aloud before rendering.
• Orientation: landscape for an event page; choose portrait for a vertical placement.
• Voice: choose an available voice that keeps the instructions easy to follow.
• Logo: use the organiser's approved logo if required.
• Pre-render check: one question answered, one action, correct event instructions.

4. Watch the finished film as a first-time visitor

Watch from start to finish once without stopping. Ask whether the opening explains why someone should watch and whether the steps arrive in a sensible order. Then watch again to check narration, legible text, visual sequence and the ending. Ask a person unfamiliar with the event what they would bring and what they would do on arrival. Their answer is more useful than asking whether they like the animation.

If a change is needed after rendering, review the edit-and-remake confirmation and its credit cost before creating a new version. Once the film is ready, download the MP4 or use the available sharing options. Keep the event page's written instructions alongside the video so a visitor can quickly check the practical details.

Three common first-film mistakes and their fixes

A first draft often expands as people add requests. Return to the single question in the brief when deciding what belongs. Our recommendation is to finish one useful explanation before planning a broader series.

• Too many messages: move secondary questions into separate videos and keep this film about the book swap process.
• Narration that rushes: remove a repeated sentence, then read the remaining script aloud with deliberate pauses.
• Pictures that repeat every word: show the action, such as handing over a book, while narration explains why it matters.

Try this with your own idea

Write your audience, their question and the action you want in three sentences. Use those sentences as your starting brief in AutoScribble. Review the script before rendering, then use the viewing checklist above to decide whether the finished film answers the question. For a more detailed planning step, use the guide to writing a video brief.

Product details checked

The AutoScribble workflow and settings described here were checked against the product records on 12 September 2026.

Common questions

How do I make an explainer video for the first time?

Choose one audience and one question, write a brief, then create a spoken script with a simple visual sequence. Review the script and settings before rendering, and watch the finished video before sharing it.

What should I put in an explainer video brief?

Include the audience, their main question, the answer, the facts they need and one action to take next. Add the planned placement, tone and length so the script has a clear boundary.

How long should my first explainer video be?

Our recommendation is to choose the shortest length that explains the single task clearly. AutoScribble offers 30, 60 and 120 seconds; read the script aloud before choosing the final setting.

Can I change the script before generating the video?

Yes. In AutoScribble, you can edit, replace or improve the script before rendering. Review names, instructions and the ending at this stage.

How do I share my finished explainer video?

Download the finished video as an MP4 or use AutoScribble's available sharing options. Choose the destination and check the video plays correctly for the intended viewer.