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Free guide · Scripts

Just you and a camera. Here's the shape that holds people.

A talking head is the easiest video to film and the easiest to get wrong. This guide gives you the 6 parts, in order, with the seconds for each, and a prompt that writes it for you.

Time15 minutes
You needOne idea + your phone
You getA filmable 30 to 45s script
LikeCommentShare
@jakedavidsai · 30 to 45 seconds
0 to 3s
HookOne line. Makes them ask "wait, how?"
3 to 8s
ProblemThe pain, in their words.
8 to 15s
The turnWhat most people miss.
15 to 30s
ProofA real story or example.
30 to 40s
PayoffOne thing to do today.
Last 5s
One askFollow, or comment a word.

Why this mattersTalking heads build trust faster than anything else. Rambling ones lose people faster than anything else.

When people see your face and hear you explain something clearly, they start to trust you. That's why talking heads bring in followers and buyers, even when they get fewer views than a trend.

The problem is most people just start talking. They warm up, give background, wander, then trail off. A simple shape fixes that. Six parts, in order, each with one job. Once you know it, every script takes 5 minutes.

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Do it nowThe 15-minute version

1

Learn the 6 parts

Here's the whole video, start to finish, for a 30 to 45 second talking head:

  • Hook (0 to 3s): one line that makes them think "wait, how?"
  • Problem (3 to 8s): name the pain, in the words your customer uses.
  • The turn (8 to 15s): the thing most people miss. This is where you flip what they believed.
  • Proof or example (15 to 30s): a real story, a real customer moment, or show it.
  • Payoff (30 to 40s): the one thing they can do or take away.
  • One call to action (last 3 to 5s): one soft ask. Follow, or comment a word.
One video, one idea. If you catch yourself saying "and another thing", that's a second video.
2

Pick a hook shape that fits

Two hook shapes do most of the work on talking heads:

  • A claim about you: something true about your business that surprises people. Jake's "I'm the only human in my company" reels have 870K, 632K and 512K views. It's a statement, not a question.
  • A reframe: name a belief your customer has, then flip it. "You don't need more leads. You need to call back the ones you have."

Skip alarm hooks like "Your business is behind!" and question hooks like "Are you doing this?" People don't share videos that make them feel bad, and questions are easy to answer "no" to and scroll.

3

Get your script written

Paste this into ChatGPT or Claude. If you made a voice profile in guide 3, paste it in too.

Copy this into ChatGPT or Claude
Write a 30 to 45 second talking-head video script for my business.

Topic: [YOUR ONE IDEA]
Who it's for: [YOUR IDEAL CUSTOMER]
A real story or example I can use: [A REAL CUSTOMER MOMENT OR SOMETHING FROM YOUR WORK]
What I want them to do at the end: [FOLLOW, OR COMMENT A WORD]
How I talk: [PASTE YOUR VOICE PROFILE, OR DESCRIBE IT IN ONE LINE]

Use this exact structure and label each part:
1. Hook (under 12 words). A surprising claim about me or my business, or a reframe of something my customer believes. No questions. No alarm.
2. Problem (1 to 2 short lines). Use words my customer would use.
3. The turn (1 to 2 lines). What most people miss.
4. Proof or example (2 to 4 lines). Use my real story. Don't invent numbers.
5. Payoff (1 to 2 lines). One thing they can do today.
6. Call to action (1 line). Soft. One ask only.

Rules: sentences of 5 to 9 words. First person. Plain words. No pitch in the middle. No hype words. No dashes. Write it the way I'd say it out loud.
Read it out loud with a timer. Over 45 seconds? Cut lines from the proof first, never the hook or the payoff.
4

Film it the easy way

  • Memorize the first 3 lines word for word. Ad lib the rest from your script.
  • If you fumble, restart from the hook with the exact same words. Don't try to fix it mid-sentence.
  • Add one moving part: walk, point at something, hold up the thing you're talking about. A plain sitting head with nothing happening is the version people scroll past.
  • When you land the point, stop talking.

In editing: start talking on frame one, cut every gap so your lines touch, and put a short line of text at the top (7 words or fewer) that says the hook.

ExampleOne script, all 6 parts

A made-up example for a roofing company, so you can see the shape.

Hook

"I tell half my customers not to replace their roof."

Problem

"You see one stain on the ceiling. You think the whole roof is done."

The turn

"Most leaks come from one spot. Not the whole roof."

Proof

"Last week a guy got a quote for a full roof. We fixed one vent boot."

Payoff

"Before you pay for a new roof, ask them to show you the leak."

Call to action

"Follow for more stuff roofers won't tell you."

What kills itWeak vs strong

Alarm hook"Your business is falling behind!"
Claim about you"I answer every lead in under a minute. I'm asleep for most of them."
Question hook"Are you making this mistake?"
Reframe"You don't need more leads. You need to call back the ones you have."
Pitch in the middle"And that's why our service is the best in town."
Proof instead"Last month a customer asked me this exact thing. Here's what I told her."

Our AI content team does this step for clients: scripts in your voice. See how

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