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One vertical video, 40 to 50 seconds
A 9:16 MP4 for YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels and TikTok.
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- Storybook shorts
A story in 45 seconds, told by a telescope, a bottle or a gold record.
An old telescope, a message in a bottle, a golden record. Each one tells its own story in 40 to 50 seconds, drawn in crayon and ink, in the same narrator’s voice every time.
I write the script first. Then I make the English and Indonesian versions together, from that one script, so the picture fits both. I have made more than 200 of these, for two channels.
What you get
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A narrator you choose
You hear a sample and pick the voice. It stays the same in every video of the series.
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Captions timed to each word
Burned into the picture and easy to read on a phone.
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The script
The version you approved, with a timing for each beat.
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A caption for each platform
Written to tell the story behind the video, not to repeat it.
How I make it
Pick the object and the idea
We choose something with a real story and a small, honest ending. I write the script and test it: could someone who has never heard it retell it in two sentences?
Agree the look and the voice
You approve one finished frame and one voice sample. After that, the colours, the lines and the narrator do not change.
Draw, animate, narrate
The frames are drawn in a wobbly crayon style and animated. The narration is made from the approved script and timed to the picture.
Notes, then posting
You leave notes on the exact second. I change only what you flagged, and the finished videos go into your posting queue.
A real example
Two channels, 120 stories
Bright Greendot (English) and Titik Hijau Cerah (Indonesian) run on exactly this format. There are 120 stories in the bank, a small mint dot in the corner of every video, and a calendar of four posts a day on each channel.
See the full storyThis is for you if…
- You want a channel people recognise, not a pile of separate clips
- Your subject is quiet, curious or tender
- You need the same video in English and Indonesian
This is probably not for you if…
- You want a hard-sell product ad in 15 seconds
- You want realistic people on screen
- You need a long documentary
Questions about storybook shorts
How long is one video?
Usually 40 to 50 seconds. That fits Shorts, Reels and TikTok. If a story needs more time I will say so before I write it.
Can the narrator speak my language?
English and Indonesian today, each with its own narrator, made from the same script. For another language I would first need to find a voice I am happy with, so ask.
Is every frame drawn by hand?
The look is hand-drawn crayon and ink. The animation and the timing are done in code, which keeps every frame consistent and makes changes quick.
Can I use my own character or mascot?
Yes. Send me what you have. I will build the look of the series around it and keep it the same in every video.
Want to see one made for you?
Send me the idea in two lines. I will tell you honestly whether it suits this format, and what I would make.