Guide · Training & Workplace Learning · By the AutoScribble Team · Published 22 September 2026
How to make a multilingual explainer video
Short answer
Treat each language as its own video. Write and approve the master script first, adapt it per language with a fluent reviewer, then make one AutoScribble video per language with the narration language set to match. Keep the scene plan the same so every audience sees the same story, but let each script run at its own natural length.
Who this guide is for
Marketing, training and communications teams who need the same message understood by audiences who speak different languages. It's part of our training & workplace learning resources.
What you'll need
- An approved master script
- The list of target languages and who reviews each one
- Any names, figures or product terms that must not change
Step by step
- 1
Lock the master
Get sign-off on the story and scene order in one language before adapting. Changes after that multiply by the number of languages.
- 2
Adapt, don't just translate
Ask your reviewer to rewrite idioms, examples and units so they sound natural locally. Literal translation often runs long and sounds stiff.
- 3
Create one video per language
Paste the adapted script and choose the matching narration language. AutoScribble keeps the narration and on-screen words in that language.
- 4
Keep the scenes aligned
Use the same scene list across versions so the drawings tell the same story, even when the words are longer or shorter.
- 5
Check each finished film
A fluent speaker watches every version end to end before it goes out.
Illustrative plan: one onboarding video, four languages
| Version | Narration language | Reviewer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master | British English | Comms lead | Approved first |
| ES | Spanish | Madrid office | Use usted; € amounts |
| PL | Polish | Warehouse supervisor | Shorter on-screen labels |
| UR | Urdu | Community liaison | Right-to-left on-screen text |
Illustrative example written for this guide.
Copy the AutoScribble prompt
Complete prompt
Create a 2-minute landscape whiteboard explainer in Spanish from the approved script below. Keep every scene in the same order as the English master, keep on-screen words short, use € amounts and day-month-year dates, and do not add any facts that are not in the script. [Paste the adapted Spanish script here]
Common mistakes
- Machine-translating without a fluent reviewer
- Changing the story between languages
- Recording your own voice in a different language from the script
- Cramming long translated labels on screen
Review before publishing
- A fluent speaker of the target language has read the script aloud
- Names, numbers, dates and currency follow local convention
- On-screen words are short and spelt correctly in the finished video
- Narration and script are in the same language — no mixed recordings
- The video still fits the length you chose once narrated
Questions
Can one video contain two languages?
It's best not to. Make one video per language so narration, on-screen text and pacing all match.
Which languages are available?
Fifteen options: English (US and British), Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Polish, Turkish, Arabic, Hindi, Urdu, Chinese and Japanese.
Does each version cost the same?
Credits depend on length: 100 credits make one minute of video, whatever the language.