How To Script Short Form Videos

Yo!

Welcome to the 172 new people who joined since last week.

Each week I break down strategies and tactics used by the best brands who are using short-form content to grow their businesses, so you can apply what works in yours.

Today, you’re going to learn how to script reels that:

• Grab attention

• Keep people engaged

• Convert viewers to fans

Let’s get into it.

Before You Script Anything…Answer These:

1. What story are you telling?

2. What is the tension or conflict?

3. Who is your audience of 1?

4. Why would they save it or share it? (the actions that drive reach)

5. What emotion do you want them to feel?

One you have answers here, you can begin scripting.

& if you want to shortcut learning how to tell stories on the internet to grow your audience and business — check out StorySchool here.

To simplify things, we’re looking at 3 outlines today:

• “The Problem With What Exists”

• “Industry News / Expert POV”

• “30-Second Week Recap”

THE PROBLEM WITH WHAT EXISTS

1. STATE THE PROBLEM

→ Call out what’s broken or frustrating with current options.

Example:

• “I built [product] because I hated all the [alternatives].”

• “Why is [X] so [problem]?”

• “I [tried/spent/did] Z [time/things/options] trying to find the best [product/service].”

Why it works: Starts with the problem. Relatable for others who’ve felt the same.

2. SPECIFIC PAIN

→ Show & tell the exact ways existing products fall short.

Example:

• “[Option A] is too [undesirable trait]. The only time I want that is [edge case or exception].”

• “[Option B] leaves [specific annoying result].”

• “[Option C] looks ok, but it’s made of [cheap material] and [consequence].”

Why it works: Concrete comparisons build tension. The audience starts thinking, “Yeah, that does suck.”

3. SOCIAL PROOF OF THE PROBLEM

→ Use a visual or viral moment that reinforces the pain point.

Example:

• “If you don’t believe me, just look at [evidence/video/data point].”

• “Last week we saw Y happen”

Why it works: External proof makes the story credible, not just opinionated.

#4. THE ORIGIN STORY

→ Show how you started solving the problem.

Example:

• “So, I decided to [do/fix/make] it myself.”

• “We partnered with [expert] to build every part of our [product] from scratch.”

• “These were the first sketches/renders.”

• “We spent X months searching for a solution, but couldn’t find it.”

Why it works: Takes people behind the scenes. Founder becomes trusted guide.

#5. THE DESIGN PROCESS

→ Emphasize iteration and care.

Example:

• “After [long time period] of fine-tuning every little detail, we finally had something that [solved the problem you started with].”

Why it works: The “craft story” makes the final product feel premium & intentional.

#6. THE PROOF

→ Share traction and third-party validation.

Example:

• “Now we ship to [# of customers] every week and we’re even in [well-known retailer].”

• “Now there’s a waitlist of X people.”

Why it works: Shows success without bragging. Social proof closes the loop.

#7. OPTIONAL CTA

→ Invite people to try it or follow the journey.

Example:

• “So, if you’ve been annoyed by [shared problem], try [your product] or [follow me] or [get on the list].”

INDUSTRY / CULTURE POV

#1. HOOK

→ Open with curiosity, surprise, or cultural observation

Examples:

• “Have you noticed [insert trend/observation]?”

• “This is the future of [relevant industry/profession/etc].”

#2. REFRAME

→ Flip the assumption; show it’s not just niche, it’s a bigger trend

Examples:

• “I thought it was [X], but actually… this is a bigger shift in [industry/culture/behavior].”

• “Most people think ‘Y’, but this is about ‘Z’.”

• [Add a surprising insight or data point]

#3. DATA

→ Back it up with 2–3 relevant case studies or real-world moments

Examples:

• “[Example A] is doing this in [location].”

• “We saw [cultural moment] just last week.”

• “This is happening across [industry/locations/type of brands].”

#4. ZOOM OUT & NAME THE TREND

→ Label it and explain why it matters

Examples:

• “This isn’t just about [small behavior/instance] — it’s about [macro theme].”

• “I’d call it [name or phrase that captures the movement].”

#5. TENSION OR TRADEOFF

→ Add nuance, risk, or a contrarian perspective

Examples:

• “But here’s the catch… [challenge, critique, or risk].”

• “This might also lead to [tension or unintended outcome].”

#6. PAYOFF & CTA

→ Restate core belief or open conversation with audience

Examples:

• “So, the takeaway here… [restate big idea]

• “But what do you think? [CTA]”

MY WEEK IN 30 SECONDS

#1. FRAME THE STORY

→ Frame your journey so people care

Example:
Building a [type of] business — here’s my week in 30 seconds.

Get specific here ↑

This is your opportunity to frame your story as something people should be interested in:

"The #1 [X] business in [location]"
"I’m [age] and building the world’s first [Y]"

#2. THE HIGHS

→List 2–4 quick wins, moments of progress, or surprises

Example:

The highs?

• [win #1]

• [win #2]

• [win #3]
  And even [surprise/unexpected win]

#3. THE SHIFT

→ Introduce tension, contrast, or a reality check

Example:
But… [wasn’t all sunshine, we had a big problem]

#4. THE LOW / REALIZATION

→ Be honest about the real journey

Example:
[Share the challenge, setback, realization, tough moment, or behind-the-scenes truth]

#5. THE TAKEAWAY

→ Deliver the lesson or insight

Example:
So, the takeaway this week?

[insert key lesson, shift in mindset, or insight from the experience]

#6. CTA

→ Give the audience an action. Follow, comment, or reflect

Example:
[“Wanna see how it goes? follow along” / “What would you do?” / “See you next week.”]

A Final Thought on Scripting

No matter what story you’re scripting, remember this golden rule:

The But / So Loop

Let’s look at an example:

So instead of telling stories like this:

• “This happened”

• “Then this happened”

• “Then this happened”

Do this instead:

• This is how we did X,

• BUT [insert obstacle],

• SO we had to do Y

• BUT, then “Z” happened

• SO, this is what that means

Every BUT keeps the audience on their toes.
Every SO pushes the story forward.

I hope this helps.

If you have feedback or questions — drop me a note. I love hearing from you.

& if you’re ready to build a content engine that grows your audience and business….

check out StorySchool — it’ll simplify the whole process for you.

Rooting for ya,
Dodds