Video and Animation with Claude

Start with the script, not the software

Every good short video starts as a script of a few hundred words at most. Write the message in one sentence first: what should the viewer understand or do after watching? Then outline the video in three parts: the opening that states the point, the middle that shows or explains it, and the ending that tells the viewer the next step. If the message does not fit in one sentence, the video will wander, no matter how good the visuals are.

Ask Claude to help structure the script and to tighten the wording, but supply the facts yourself: the product, the steps, the real example. Read the script aloud and time it. Spoken English runs at roughly 130 to 150 words a minute, so a 60-second video needs about 130 words, not 300. Cutting the script before production saves far more time than cutting footage afterwards.

Storyboard every shot

A storyboard is a simple list: for each shot, what the viewer sees, what they hear, and how long it lasts. You do not need drawing skill. A table with those three columns is enough. Ask Claude to turn your script into a shot list, then go through it and fix anything you cannot actually film or show. A shot that needs a location, a person, or a prop you do not have is a shot to replace now, not on filming day.

Write the on-screen text in the storyboard too: titles, captions, and the final call to action. On-screen text is often an afterthought, and it shows. Viewers who watch without sound should still understand the point from the text alone.

Build web animation in artifacts

For animation on a website, Claude can build animated SVG graphics, CSS animations, and small JavaScript animations inside artifacts, where you can preview them immediately. These suit logos that draw themselves, diagrams that reveal step by step, counters, progress indicators, and simple interactive explainers. Ask for one animation at a time, describe the motion plainly, for example fade in, slide from the left, or draw the line over two seconds, and preview it before asking for changes.

Keep web animation restrained. Motion should draw attention to the point, not compete with it. A page where everything moves is a page where nothing is read. One or two purposeful animations per page is usually enough.

Assemble the video with a video tool

Once the script and storyboard are ready, record or gather the footage and assemble it in a video editor, a screen recorder, or a presentation tool that exports video, depending on the kind of video you need. Claude can help with the narration script, the captions file, the description, and the thumbnail text, but the editing itself happens in that tool. Export a draft, watch it from start to finish, and compare it against the storyboard: does every shot match, does the narration match the text on screen, and does the ending give a clear next step?

Check the captions carefully. Captions are read by many viewers and by search systems, and errors in captions undermine an otherwise careful video. Read them as text, not just while watching.

Publish and learn from the result

Before publishing, confirm you have the right to use every image, clip, and piece of music in the video. After publishing, watch the first responses and note where viewers drop off if your platform shows that. A drop-off early in the video usually means the opening did not state the point. A drop-off near the end usually means the middle ran long. Fix the script for the next video, not just the edit.

Turn this script into a storyboard.
Video length: about 60 seconds.
Topic: [what the video explains]
Audience: [who is watching and what they need]

For each shot, give:
- Shot number and duration in seconds
- What the viewer sees
- What the viewer hears (narration or on-screen text)
Rules:
- Total duration must stay under 70 seconds.
- On-screen text must make sense even with the sound off.
- Use only the facts I paste below. Do not invent claims or results.

Script:
[Paste your script here]

Frequently asked questions