Branching Video Script Template: Plan Every Scene Before You Film

The shoot is booked, but nobody knows which line follows the viewer’s second choice. A branching video script template prevents that uncertainty by recording the words, visuals and destination of every scene before production begins. It gives writers, performers and editors one shared plan.

Start with a scene card for each clip. Give it a stable ID, one purpose, exact dialogue, visible choices and explicit next-scene IDs. Then read every possible route aloud.

A branching video script describes both what viewers see and how their choices change what comes next. A conventional dialogue script alone may leave the routing decisions undocumented.

First define the audience and the action the experience should support. Wistia’s scripting guide recommends establishing the audience and takeaways, marking shot directions and reading the script aloud. Apply that production discipline to every branch.

1. Scene ID and filename: Use a stable identifier such as SC01-opening. Keep a separate revision number when the script changes.
2. Purpose and entry context: State what this scene does and what the viewer already knows when arriving.
3. Visual action: Describe location, framing, props and the information that must be visible.
4. Dialogue and sound: Write the actual spoken words, speaker names and meaningful audio cues.
5. Choice prompt and labels: Record exactly what the viewer will choose. Each option should describe a distinct action.
6. Destinations: Map every option to a specific scene ID. Mark endings explicitly.
7. Production and access notes: List continuity details, caption text, important visual information to describe and the person responsible for each asset.

This is a working document, not a required IVPLEX import format. You can maintain it in a document or spreadsheet and use it while building the project.

Hypothetical example: An agency is filming a short collaboration scenario. A colleague receives an unclear request and must decide what to do next.

SC01-opening
Purpose: establish the ambiguous request.
Dialogue: “Could you send the version we discussed?”
Choice prompt: “What would you do next?”
Option A: “Ask which version is needed” → SC02-clarify.
Option B: “Send the most recent file” → SC03-assume.

SC02-clarify: The colleague asks for the filename and deadline; the requester supplies both. Destination: SC04-reflect.

SC03-assume: The requester explains that a different version was needed. The scene shows the consequence without labelling the person as careless. Destination: SC04-reflect.

SC04-reflect: “Which detail would you confirm next time?” This neutral wording works after either route. “Now that you asked the right question” would not: some viewers never saw that action.

Record each clip separately and carry the same IDs into the production asset list. The editor should be able to find a destination without interpreting a paragraph of notes.

Keep scenes focused on one purpose. Vanderbilt’s educational-video guide discusses segmenting information and removing material that does not support the learning goal. That supports deliberate scene boundaries; it does not establish a universal ideal clip length.

Plan access needs while scripting. W3C’s media planning guidance recommends including accessibility requirements early in production. Assign captions, transcripts and descriptions as appropriate rather than assuming the finished player will create them. Verify support in the intended delivery setup.

• Read routes aloud: Check that dialogue sounds natural and that a shared scene makes sense after every incoming path.
• Review change impact: When a destination changes, update both the scene card and asset list.
• Approve the map before recording: Ask the writer, producer and subject expert to agree on the choices and consequences.

IVPLEX’s getting-started walkthrough describes a visual editor with video nodes, conditions, quizzes and audience-choice paths. Use your scene IDs to organise the clips and translate the approved routing plan into that workflow. Start with one opening, two responses and one ending before expanding the project.

Is a branching script the same as a storyboard?

The script records dialogue and routing; a storyboard adds visual planning. They can share the same scene IDs.

Can different branches reuse an ending?

Yes, if the ending’s wording and context work after every incoming route.

How many choices should I script first?

Two meaningful options are a manageable starting point. Add more only when they serve the audience’s task.