YouTube Documentary Scriptwriter – Technology & Storytelling | Hidden Engine – $800-$1,200 Per Project
Hidden Engine is an English-language YouTube channel covering technology, AI, engineering and the systems we depend on. We already have a voice actor, video editor and title/thumbnail designer. We’re looking for an experienced documentary writer who can take ownership of the script, from research and story structure to the final recording draft.
Our ambition is to make documentaries that reach millions of viewers. We understand that no writer can guarantee views, but we expect a strong track record and writing that gives the production a genuinely compelling story to work with.
Our main references are fern and The B1M: accessible, visually driven documentaries that make complex subjects interesting to people without specialist knowledge.
The first project is “Why the World Depends on One Tiny Island,” about Taiwan and the world’s dependence on its chip industry. Existing research and drafts are available, but you will have the freedom to rebuild the story rather than preserve material that isn’t working.
We’re targeting approximately 15 minutes of narration, or around 2,500 words. There is potential for 1–2 scripts per month if the first collaboration works well, with each project agreed separately.
What We’re Looking For
The biggest priority is storytelling.
We need an opening that gives viewers something to care about immediately, followed by a story that develops through meaningful questions, obstacles, discoveries and payoffs. The first three minutes matter enormously, but the rest of the script needs to deliver on their promise.
A viewer should not need to be interested in semiconductor manufacturing before clicking on the Taiwan video. Your job is to make the stakes understandable and give them a reason to stay.
Technical explanations, company history and statistics should appear when they help the story. We don’t want a sequence of topics joined by transitions, repeated explanations, or a dramatic opening followed by several minutes of general background.
The narration should sound natural when spoken aloud. Clear English, good rhythm and specific examples matter more than elaborate vocabulary or constant dramatic statements.
Geopolitics can establish the stakes in the Taiwan story. However, the channel is about technology and real-world systems, not speculative war scenarios. Strong storytelling must remain grounded in accurate reporting.
Responsibilities and Deliverables
- Develop a researched story outline before drafting the complete, recording-ready script.
- Handle the opening, narrative structure, pacing, transitions and ending as part of the writing—not as separate add-on services.
- Provide source links tied to major factual claims, figures and quotations. Clearly distinguish documented events from estimates or hypothetical scenarios.
- Include concise visual suggestions for key moments: what an animation needs to explain, when a map would help, or which evidence should appear on screen. A full storyboard or editing service is not required.
- Complete two focused revision rounds within the agreed brief and deliver clean, original copy ready for our voice actor.
The script should be practical for our existing editor to produce. We welcome imaginative visual storytelling, but it should not depend on expensive filming or access we don’t have.
Ideal Candidate
You have at least three years of relevant experience and can show successful long-form YouTube documentaries you personally wrote. Experience with technology, engineering, business or research-heavy real-world stories is particularly relevant.
We are especially interested in writers with verified scriptwriting credits on multiple million-view videos. Please make your contribution clear: a strategy, editing or thumbnail credit is not the same as writing the script.
Individuals and small writing teams are welcome. If you apply as a team, please identify the person who would actually write our scripts and provide examples of their work.
Budget and Paid Trial
The budget is US$800–1,200 per complete script, depending on experience and the agreed scope.
We will begin with a paid trial for the selected candidate: the first three minutes of the Taiwan documentary, a concise outline of the full story, and sources for the trial’s key claims.
We will agree on the trial fee, full-project price and delivery schedule before work begins. The trial payment should count toward the complete script if we continue. Completing the trial does not commit either side to the full project.
No unpaid custom script is required to apply.
How to Apply
Please include:
- Two or three relevant published videos, preferably including recent work. For each, state exactly what you wrote and whether you handled research, structure and the complete draft.
- One script sample you have permission to share, ideally corresponding to one of those videos.
- A short explanation of one storytelling decision you made in those examples and why you made it. Retention data is useful if you have permission to share it, but not required.
- Your availability, typical turnaround, full-script quote and proposed trial fee.
Please lead with relevant work rather than a general sales pitch. We’re looking for someone who can turn a complicated subject into a story people genuinely want to finish—and build a reliable working relationship over time.