Tutorial8 min read

Micro Drama Script Template: Hook, Turn and Cliffhanger for 10 to 30 Second Episodes

A fill-in micro drama script template for 10, 15 and 30 second vertical episodes: hook in two seconds, one turn, a cliffhanger, lines of eight words or fewer.

VdoBloom Team

Contents (10 sections)

A micro drama episode has three jobs: hook the viewer in the first two seconds, turn the situation once, and stop on a moment that makes them swipe to the next episode. This template gives you the beats for 10, 15 and 30 second episodes, a filled-in example, and the dialogue rules that keep lip-sync clean.

Quick facts

  • Episode shape: hook, turn, cliffhanger. Nothing else fits in under 30 seconds.
  • Dialogue: one short spoken line per shot, eight words or fewer.
  • Shots per episode: about 4 for 10 seconds, 6 for 15 seconds, 9 for 30 seconds.
  • Season size: 3 to 10 episodes with the same two to four characters.
  • Free to try: the AI drama series generator writes a season in this shape for free; you edit it before filming.

The series header (fill this in once)

  • Title: two to four words.
  • Premise: one sentence with a person, a pressure and a question. Need one? See 50 micro drama plot ideas.
  • Genre and look: for example romance, live action.
  • Cast (up to four): name, age range, one-line look, one-line want. Example: “MAYA, thirties, grey coat, wants to keep the shop.”
  • Locations (up to three): one line each. Example: “A narrow flower shop at dusk, warm lamps, rain on the window.”
  • Season question: the one thing the last episode answers.

The 10-second episode (4 shots)

  1. Shot 1, 0 to 2 seconds, the hook. Start in the middle of an action or on a line that needs an answer. No establishing shot.
  2. Shot 2, 2 to 5 seconds, the reaction. The other character responds. One line.
  3. Shot 3, 5 to 8 seconds, the turn. A fact changes the situation: an object, a name, a look.
  4. Shot 4, 8 to 10 seconds, the cliffhanger. Hold on a face or an object. No line, or three words at most.

The 15-second episode (6 shots)

Add one shot before the turn that raises the pressure, and one after it that shows the cost. The hook and the cliffhanger keep their positions: first shot, last shot.

  1. Hook (0 to 2 s)
  2. Reaction (2 to 5 s)
  3. Pressure rises (5 to 8 s)
  4. The turn (8 to 11 s)
  5. The cost (11 to 13 s)
  6. Cliffhanger (13 to 15 s)

The 30-second episode (9 shots)

Thirty seconds is room for two turns, not for more talk. Use the extra shots for a second reversal and for silence: a look held for two seconds reads as drama; a fourth line of dialogue reads as explanation.

  1. Hook
  2. Reaction
  3. Stakes stated in one line
  4. First turn
  5. Pressure rises
  6. A quiet beat (no line)
  7. Second turn
  8. The cost
  9. Cliffhanger

Dialogue rules that survive lip-sync

  • Eight words or fewer per line. Short lines sync cleanly and fit a burned-in caption on one row.
  • One speaker per shot. Two people talking in one shot is where mouths drift.
  • Say the name once per episode. Viewers joining at episode three need it.
  • No questions answered in the same shot. Ask in one shot, answer in the next, or do not answer at all.
  • Write for sound off. Many people watch muted; turn on captions and make sure the story reads from the captions alone.

A filled-in example: three 10-second episodes

Premise: a florist keeps delivering anonymous bouquets to the same office, and today the receptionist asks her who is paying.

Episode 1

  1. MAYA sets a bouquet on the reception desk. LENA: “Who keeps sending these?”
  2. MAYA, not looking up: “I only deliver.”
  3. LENA turns the card over. It is blank.
  4. Close on MAYA’s hand: ink on her fingers. Hold.

Episode 2

  1. Opens on the ink-stained hand. LENA: “You write the cards.”
  2. MAYA: “The sender never does.”
  3. LENA slides a receipt across the desk: paid in cash, every Monday.
  4. MAYA reads the name on it and steps back. Hold.

Episode 3

  1. MAYA: “That is my father’s handwriting.”
  2. LENA: “He works here?”
  3. A lift door opens behind them.
  4. Close on MAYA turning. Hold on her face.

Notice what each episode does not do: explain. Every last shot is a face or an object, and every first shot continues from it.

From template to filmed episodes

  1. Paste the premise into the drama series generator and pick the episode count and length.
  2. Add the cast and locations from your header, with a photo or an AI-drawn character sheet for each lead.
  3. Compare the free season plan with this template. Rewrite any episode whose last shot is not a cliffhanger.
  4. Check each episode’s storyboard image before filming it, then make the episodes in order.
  5. Add the title card and captions, and stitch the season into one binge cut.

For a longer walk-through of the setup, see how to make a vertical AI microdrama with a consistent cast.

Frequently asked questions

How many words is a 10-second micro drama episode?

About 15 to 25 spoken words across three lines, plus a silent last shot.

Should every episode end on a cliffhanger?

In a serial, yes, except the last one, which answers the season question. In a twist format, each episode ends on a reversal instead and stands alone.

Can I write the script myself and still use an AI generator?

Yes. In the VdoBloom generator the season plan is editable shot by shot before anything is filmed, so you can replace the AI’s lines with your own.

Which languages can the characters speak?

In the VdoBloom drama generator: English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Japanese, Korean and Mandarin Chinese.

More micro drama guides

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