Explainer video template

Make a topic easier to understand with a short video. Bring a link, document or brief and build the explanation around the ideas that matter.

See it in action with NASA Glenn turbojet explainer.

From this input to this video

A labeled cutaway explains how a turbojet produces thrust, using NASA Glenn’s public guide as the source.

Create a 30-second explainer video about how a turbojet engine produces thrust. Source material: https://www.grc.nasa.gov/www/k-12/airplane/aturbj.html (paste a URL, attach a PDF, or leave blank if describing the topic directly). Audience: students learning how jet engines work. Structure: open with the core question the audience has, explain the compressor raises air pressure, fuel burns in the burner, the turbine extracts energy to drive the compressor through a central shaft, and the nozzle accelerates the exhaust to produce thrust clearly in the middle, close with Explore turbojet engines with NASA Glenn. Visual style: Machine anatomy: a labeled isometric conceptual cutaway showing the compressor, burner, turbine, shaft and nozzle. Narration: friendly English voiceover. Aspect ratio: 16:9. Keep the explanation faithful to the source. Use labeled illustrations to clarify the real relationships or sequence. Use motion to explain the concept, and credit the source without implying endorsement.

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Prompt

Create a 30-second explainer video about how a turbojet engine produces thrust. Source material: https://www.grc.nasa.gov/www/k-12/airplane/aturbj.html (paste a URL, attach a PDF, or leave blank if describing the topic directly). Audience: students learning how jet engines work. Structure: open with the core question the audience has, explain the compressor raises air pressure, fuel burns in the burner, the turbine extracts energy to drive the compressor through a central shaft, and the nozzle accelerates the exhaust to produce thrust clearly in the middle, close with Explore turbojet engines with NASA Glenn. Visual style: Machine anatomy: a labeled isometric conceptual cutaway showing the compressor, burner, turbine, shaft and nozzle. Narration: friendly English voiceover. Aspect ratio: 16:9. Keep the explanation faithful to the source. Use labeled illustrations to clarify the real relationships or sequence. Use motion to explain the concept, and credit the source without implying endorsement.

Selected style

Machine anatomy

Source material

Read the video transcript

How does a turbojet push a plane forward? Air enters the inlet, and rows of compressor blades raise its pressure, step by step. In the burner, a little fuel mixes with that air and burns: in a typical engine, about two pounds of fuel for every hundred of air. The hot gas spins the turbine, which turns the compressor through a central shaft. The energy that's left speeds the exhaust through the nozzle. Faster out than in: that's thrust. Explore turbojet engines with NASA Glenn.

Make it yours

Fill in your details here, or continue and finish your brief in ngram.

Help filling in your brief
[duration]
How long.
[topic]
What you are explaining.
[source]
URL, PDF, or leave blank.
[audience]
Who is watching.
[concept]
The one idea to land.
[takeaway-or-cta]
What viewers do next.
[style]
Visual feel.
[narration]
AI voiceover or captions only.
[aspect-ratio]
Output format.

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What this template is

An explainer video template is a reusable prompt plus scene structure that turns a concept, URL, or document into a short video that answers one clear question. ngram writes the script, sequences the scenes, and generates motion graphics or visuals — so you only need to name the topic, the audience, and what you want them to walk away knowing. The output is a 30-second clip ready for YouTube, a landing page, or a product onboarding flow.

channel: YouTube
Scene structure

What the template builds

Four beats, 30 seconds — the shape most explainer prompts converge on.

  1. 1

    Hook question

    5s

    Open on the question the audience already has. Text-forward, no answer yet — just the tension that keeps them watching.

  2. 2

    Core explanation

    16s

    Break the concept into two or three clear steps with motion graphics or annotated visuals. No jargon; one idea at a time.

  3. 3

    Why it matters

    6s

    Show the consequence — what changes once the viewer understands this. One concrete outcome, not a list.

  4. 4

    Takeaway or CTA

    3s

    Close on what the viewer does next. A question answered, a product to try, or a next step to take.

Customize

Make it yours

Duration

A 15-second version leads with the answer; a 60-second version can walk through three sub-concepts.

15s30s60s

Narration

AI voiceover is the default. Switch to captions-only for feed autoplay where sound is off.

AI voiceoverCaptions + musicNo audio

Style

Motion graphics suit abstract concepts; illustrated or cinematic styles work better for physical processes.

Motion graphicsIllustratedCinematicMinimal text

Aspect ratio

Pick one channel and aspect ratio before generating, then review the framing and text placement in the editor.

16:9 YouTube9:16 Reels/Shorts1:1 feed
Variations

Common variations

15-second answer-first cut

Lead with the answer, skip the tension build. Good for social feeds where the viewer is already curious.

tweak

Reduce to 15 seconds. Skip the hook question and open directly with the core explanation. End on one-line takeaway.

60-second multi-concept walkthrough

Cover two or three related sub-concepts with a clear transition between each. Works for product onboarding or educational series.

tweak

Extend to 60 seconds. Cover [concept-1], [concept-2], and [concept-3] in sequence. Add a brief recap beat before the CTA.

URL-sourced product explainer

Paste a product URL and let ngram pull the copy, extract the value proposition, and write the script from the live page.

tweak

Source material: [product-url]. Extract the product's core benefit and audience from the page. Structure as intro + value prop + CTA.

PDF-to-concept explainer

Upload a document — whitepaper, policy, spec — and get a visual summary of its key idea in under 30 seconds.

tweak

Source material: uploaded PDF. Identify the single most important concept and explain it visually. Ignore sections that are not relevant to [audience].

How it works

How it works

1

Open the template

"Use this template" drops you into the editor with the prompt prefilled. No blank page.

2

Add your details

Replace the brackets with your topic, your source (URL, PDF, or plain description), and your audience. Attach a file if you have one.

3

Approve the plan, then refine

Review the proposed plan and its script, then approve it to create your video. Preview the result and ask ngram to adjust the pacing, visuals or narration.

More templates

Related templates

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Ship it anywhere

Plug explainers into your stack

Wire explainer creation into the tools you already use.

YouTube
Social Publishing Beta

whenThe finished explainer video is ready to share with its YouTube audience

thenCompose the explainer video as a YouTube post, then publish it.

Integrate with YouTube
LinkedIn
Social Publishing Beta

whenThe finished explainer video is ready to share with its LinkedIn audience

thenShare the explainer video on LinkedIn once the post is composed.

Integrate with LinkedIn
Zapier
Automate

whena new article or doc is published

thenauto-generate an explainer and notify the team

Integrate with Zapier
n8n
Self-host

whena webhook fires from your CMS

thengenerate an explainer in a self-hosted flow

Integrate with n8n
X (Twitter)
Social Publishing Beta

whenThe finished explainer video is ready to share in an X update

thenCompose the explainer video as an X post, then publish it.

Integrate with X (Twitter)
REST APIMCP serverWebhooksBuild your own integration in ~30 lines.

Frequently asked

Do I need a URL or file to use this template?

No. You can describe the topic directly in the [topic] and [concept] slots. URL and PDF are optional inputs that give ngram richer source material — if you have them, attach them; if not, the text prompt is enough.

What is the best length for an explainer video?

30 seconds works for most single-concept explainers on social or a landing page. 60 seconds fits multi-concept topics or onboarding contexts where the viewer expects depth. 15 seconds is for pure awareness — open on the answer, skip the setup.

Can I use this template for a product explainer?

Yes. Paste your product URL as the [source] slot and set [audience] to your buyer persona. ngram reads the page, extracts the value proposition, and writes a script around it. You get a narrated product explainer without writing a word.

What visual styles does the explainer template support?

Motion graphics is the default and works for most abstract or process-based topics. Illustrated and cinematic styles suit physical or narrative content. Minimal text works for social-first content where the caption carries the message.

How do I make an explainer video without voiceover?

Set [narration] to "captions only" in the slot. ngram generates on-screen captions timed to the scenes with background music. Most explainers published to LinkedIn and Instagram run captioned and muted.

Can this template explain a technical concept to a non-technical audience?

Yes. Set [audience] to describe the non-technical viewer (e.g., "small business owners with no finance background") and [concept] to the plain-language version of the idea. ngram adapts the script's vocabulary to the audience you name.

What aspect ratios can I export?

Use 16:9 for YouTube and websites, 9:16 for Reels and TikTok, or 1:1 for feed posts. Set [aspect-ratio] before generating and prepare any other layout as a separate edit.

Make your first explainer video with ngram.

Paste a URL, describe your topic, or upload a PDF. ngram writes the script and builds the scenes.

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