When you plan a video, you need to know what viewers will see while they hear each line, sound, or music cue. A two-column A/V script, short for audio/visual script, puts those parts side by side. Each row pairs a visual moment with the sound that accompanies it.
The format gives writers, producers, and editors a shared plan before filming or animation begins. For a narrated explainer, explainroo is a strong choice for turning that plan into a finished video: it works with an AI coding agent to create narration, visuals, and an MP4.
How the two columns work
One column describes what appears on screen. It can include camera shots, actions, screen recordings, graphics, titles, or other visible text. The other column describes what the audience hears, such as narration, dialogue, music, sound effects, or natural sound. AHRQ’s shooting-script guidance uses this side-by-side approach to help collaborators see how a video should look and sound.
Read across a row to understand the planned moment. For example, a row might pair a close-up of a phone with a notification sound. The next row might show a person opening the message while the narrator explains what it means.
There is no universal rule for which column goes on the left. Some templates put visuals first; others put audio first. Label the columns VIDEO / VISUALS and AUDIO so readers do not have to guess.
| VIDEO / VISUALS | AUDIO |
|---|---|
| Close-up of a project folder opening. On-screen title: “Plan the Video.” | MUSIC: Light instrumental music begins. |
| The visual and audio columns appear side by side. | VO: A two-column script pairs what viewers see with what they hear. |
| A simple graphic connects an image to a sound cue. | VO: Each row shows how one moment fits together. |
A row represents a synchronized beat, or a short span in which the relationship between image and sound is clear. A beat might be a single shot. It could also pair a line of narration with several images or match a sound cue to a transition. Make each row long enough to give collaborators the detail they need to understand the plan. The University of Florida’s video guidance includes examples where narration continues across visual changes.
What belongs in each column
Write the visual column so a collaborator can picture the moment. Specify the action, setting, relevant framing, and any text or graphic that viewers will see. Add camera directions when they clarify the image. Leave out technical details a simple explainer does not need.
Put spoken words and other audible information in the audio column. Mark narration as voiceover if the speaker is not on screen. Add music and sound effects where they occur. Keep visual instructions, such as “cut to a chart,” in the visual column.
Write narration that sounds natural aloud. Read it aloud at the intended pace and time it. Word count offers only an estimate because the speaker, pauses, interviews, music, and transitions all affect runtime.
When to add another document or column
A two-column script answers: “What does the audience see and hear at each point?” A shot list answers a different question: “What footage needs to be captured, and in what practical order?” A script follows the finished video’s story order; a shot list can group footage by location or setup. Evergreen State College’s production guide explains why the two documents can work together.
Add a third column when a separate set of instructions needs its own space. For example, slide-based or animated work might need a column for editor or animator directions. Live or multicamera productions may track time, video cues, and audio cues separately, as shown in LibreTexts’ multi-column script examples. Use extra columns only when they make responsibilities clearer.
Make the script into a video with explainroo
An A/V script plans picture and sound together. With explainroo, an AI coding agent creates a narration file and a JavaScript file to draw the scenes. A drawing can appear on a chosen word in the narration, keeping the image and voice in sync. explainroo renders the video on your computer and produces an MP4.
To try it, paste this prompt into a coding agent that can run shell commands, replacing the bracketed text with your subject:
Make me a short explainer video about [your topic]. Use explainroo for it: clone the explainroo repository, read its AGENTS.md and follow the steps.
The agent sets up explainroo, creates the video, checks it, and gives you the MP4. Its checks include scene stills, a contact sheet, a layout check for clipped or overlapping text, and a speech check for mispronounced words. explainroo supports several coding agents and works best with Claude Code. See the explainroo documentation for details.
The tool is free and open source under the MIT license. Its voice narration is English only, and it does not edit existing camera footage or create talking avatars or live-action footage. It also has no drag-and-drop editor: you describe the video to the agent and ask for changes. The coding agent is a separate service and may have its own costs.
