In an animation explainer, the decision is whether to write words first or pictures first. I would write them together, beat by beat: one sentence for one visual change, with a pause where the motion needs room. That keeps narration from racing ahead of the image and keeps the image from waiting for words.
What matters when you choose how to pair words with pictures?
- The order of ideas: the narration should follow the order in which a newcomer meets the idea, not the order in which the team understands it.
- The match between words and visible objects: each sentence should name or imply something the viewer can see at that moment.
- The speed of delivery: the voice should not outrun the motion, because the eye needs time to find and read the picture.
- The amount of on-screen text: text on screen competes with the voice, so it should carry only what the voice does not say.
- The pauses for movement: a visual change needs a beat of silence or a short phrase, not a full sentence spoken over it.
These criteria conflict. More on-screen text speeds understanding but splits attention; more pauses slow the pace but let motion land. Choose based on the single idea the viewer must remember.
How do you judge each criterion in an animation explainer?
| Criterion | A useful check |
|---|---|
| Order of ideas | Read the script while hiding the storyboard; does each sentence create the next picture? |
| Match with visible objects | Point to the screen for every noun; if nothing is there, cut or move the sentence. |
| Speed of delivery | Speak the line at normal pace while watching the motion; stop if you finish before the motion ends. |
| On-screen text | Remove every on-screen word that repeats the voice; keep labels and numbers the voice skips. |
| Pauses for movement | Mark a short silence where an object enters, exits, or changes; if the voice fills it, the motion feels rushed. |
Order of ideas. A newcomer does not need the conclusion first. If the first sentence names the benefit before the problem exists on screen, the picture has nothing to do. Start with the object or situation the viewer sees, then add the claim. For example, show a cracked pipe before saying that pressure causes leaks; the sentence then explains what the eye has already found.
Match with visible objects. The voice should not describe a thing that appears later. When the sentence names a part, that part should be the part the eye is already on. If the sentence is abstract, give it a concrete visual anchor before it is spoken. A phrase like "the system fails" needs a visible failure, not a diagram of the whole system.
Speed of delivery. Fast speech can sound confident, but it leaves no time for recognition. A line that fits the motion often feels slightly slow on its own. That is usually right, because the viewer is doing two jobs at once. If you feel the urge to speed up, the sentence is probably carrying two ideas.
On-screen text. Text is not a transcript. It works best as a label, a number, or a short phrase that the voice does not repeat. If the viewer reads and listens to the same words, one of them is wasted. A label such as "step two" can guide attention while the voice explains why step two matters.
Pauses for movement. Motion is part of the sentence. A wipe, a build, or a character crossing the frame needs time to register. A pause of a few words, or a breath, lets the picture finish its thought. If the voice fills that space, the motion looks like background decoration.
Which red flags show it is the wrong choice?
- The script can be read without looking at the pictures and still make sense; that means the pictures are decoration.
- Every sentence begins with an abstract noun and no visible object follows.
- The voice keeps talking while a complex change happens on screen.
- On-screen text repeats the spoken sentence word for word.
- The ending explains the idea again in different words, as if the first pass failed.
- A single sentence names three separate objects that never appear together.
One red flag is enough to stop and revise. Fixing it early is cheaper than fixing it after the animation is built.
What should you ask before you commit?
- Can I point to the picture for the main noun in each sentence?
- Does each visual change have a moment of silence or a short phrase?
- Is any on-screen text doing a job the voice cannot do?
- Would the sequence still work if I removed half the words?
- Does the last image leave the idea in a stable, visible form?
- If I mute the video, can I still tell what each beat is about?
These questions are not a checklist to pass once. They are a way to find the sentence that is doing too much.
Frequently asked questions
Should the script or the storyboard come first?
Neither should be finished first. Start with a rough list of pictures, write one sentence beside each, then revise both. The first draft of an animated video is usually a set of beats, not a polished page of prose. If one side is locked early, the other is forced to serve it. The goal is a shared order, not a winner.
How much on-screen text should an explainer video use?
Use on-screen text for labels, numbers, and short phrases that the voice skips. An explainer video does not need a transcript on screen. If the text and the voice say the same thing, cut one of them. The viewer should not have to choose between reading and listening. Text earns its place when it reduces the number of words the voice must carry.
What if the animation is already finished?
Write the narration to the motion, not to your original idea. Watch the sequence once without sound and note what changes and when. Then write one line for each change. If a sentence has no matching change, it is probably commentary and can be cut. An explainer video script written after the pictures should be shorter than one written before them, because the pictures have already done part of the explaining.
Try this on your next draft: read the script beside a rough storyboard and mark every sentence that has no visible partner. Rewrite those sentences or cut them, then read the whole thing aloud while watching the motion. The goal is not fewer words; it is words that arrive when the picture is ready for them.
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