How do you plan a short-form video before you film?

Why plan a 30-second video at all

Short videos look casual, so it is tempting to just start recording. The result is often a long clip with a slow start, a wandering middle and no clear ending. A plan is simply a list of shots in order, on paper or in your notes app, so every second on screen earns its place.

Step 1: One point, in one sentence

Before anything else, finish this sentence: "After watching, the viewer will know that..." For example: "...our oil-change bay takes walk-ins on Saturday mornings" for a car dealership's service department, or "...we lay boards over the lawn before bringing in equipment" for a deck builder.

If you need two sentences, you have two videos. Lesson 1's idea of one job per post applies here.

Step 2: The opening shot

The first second decides whether people keep watching. Strong opening shots usually show the most interesting thing first: the finished result, the moment of action, or a face speaking directly to camera. Put a short line of text on screen at the same time. That text is your hook (lesson 3).

Avoid starting with a logo, a slow pan across a parking lot, or "Hi, so today we are going to...".

Step 3: The middle shots

List four to six shots that prove or show the point. For each one, write three things:

Keep each shot short, often two to four seconds. Vary the distance: a wide shot to show where you are, a close shot to show detail, a medium shot for a person talking. Changing the view keeps the eye interested without needing effects.

Step 4: The closing shot and next step

End on a clear frame: the finished result, or a person saying the next step to camera. Put the call to action on screen too (lesson 5).

Filming basics that matter

• Film vertically. YouTube, for example, treats square or vertical videos up to three minutes long, uploaded since October 15, 2024, as Shorts [1].
• Light the subject from the front or side, not from behind (lesson 20).
• Hold the phone steady, or rest it on something.
• Record clean sound if someone is speaking. Get close to the speaker and away from wind and machinery.
• Film a little extra at the start and end of each shot so you have room to trim.

Captions on screen

Two kinds of text help: the headline text planned for each shot, and captions of anything spoken. The W3C's accessibility guidance describes captions as text that gives the speech and important non-speech audio to people who are Deaf or cannot hear the audio, and notes they also help people who take in written information better than audio [2]. Many people also watch with the sound off, which lesson 8 discusses.

Many editing apps and platforms can generate captions automatically. Always read them before posting, because automatic captions can misspell names, street names and product terms.

Common mistakes

No plan, long clip. Filming everything and hoping to find the video later.

Slow start. A logo or greeting in the first seconds instead of the most interesting shot.

Unread auto captions. A misspelled business name on screen looks careless.

Horizontal filming for a vertical platform, leaving most of the screen empty.

Worked example

A real estate agent wants a short video for a new listing. Her first attempt was a two-minute walk through the house, filmed in one take, starting at the front door.

She writes a shot plan instead. Point: "After watching, the viewer will know the main facts of this home and how to book a showing."

1. Opening (2 seconds): the kitchen from the doorway. On screen: "3 bed, 2 bath, 1,850 sq ft."
2. Shot 2 (3 seconds): close-up of the new range. On screen: "Kitchen updated 2024."
3. Shot 3 (3 seconds): wide shot of the primary bedroom. On screen: "Primary suite with walk-in closet."
4. Shot 4 (3 seconds): the backyard from the patio. On screen: "6,000 sq ft lot."
5. Shot 5 (3 seconds): the two-car garage. On screen: "Attached 2-car garage."
6. Closing (4 seconds): the agent at the front door. She says, and the screen shows: "Showings Saturday 10 to 2. Book with the link in my profile."

Every line on screen is a checkable fact, not an opinion about the home. Her caption makes the remark first and ends with the question: "New listing: 3 beds, 2 baths and a kitchen updated in 2024, with showings Saturday from 10 to 2. Which room would you want to see first?"

She films the six shots, trims them in her phone editor and checks every caption.

Checklist

• The video has one point, written as one sentence.
• The opening shot shows the most interesting thing, with hook text on screen.
• There are four to six middle shots, each a few seconds long.
• Each shot has planned words on screen.
• The closing shot shows the next step, on screen and spoken.
• The video is filmed vertically, steady and in good light.
• Captions are added and proofread.

Try it

Pick one task your business does every week. Write a six-shot plan using the table above, with on-screen words. Film it in one session, using the plan as your checklist.

Tips

• Keep a running list of shot ideas on your phone as you notice them during work.
• Film each shot two or three times so you can pick the best take.
• Wipe your phone's camera lens before filming.
• Read every automatic caption before you post.

Sources

1. "Understand three-minute YouTube Shorts," YouTube Help, https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/15424877
2. "Captions/Subtitles," W3C Web Accessibility Initiative, https://www.w3.org/WAI/media/av/captions/