UGC scripts are supposed to make your life easier.
But the moment you’re staring at a brand-written line that you would never say out loud, you realize the real job isn’t “reading a script.” It’s making someone else’s words sound like your own.
The episode opens with the most honest question creators ask (but rarely admit): how do you make it not sound robotic? Because when it’s not your language, it feels robotic, even if the script is technically “good.”
“Because that’s the trickiest part… because it’s not your words.”
And that’s basically the theme of the whole conversation: how to keep content natural, on-brand, and still professional, without falling into the ChatGPT-buzzword trap.
The first thing they land on is tone. Not hooks. Not structure. Tone.
If you’re working with a fitness brand, your script needs to sound lively and high-energy. If it’s wellness or home/lifestyle, your language needs to slow down, soften up, feel calmer. It’s not just what you say, it’s how it moves.
“I think the very first thing is aligning your tone to the brand.”
Once you get tone right, everything else becomes easier: the words you choose, the pacing, and even the visuals you plan around it.
Then they get into the script vs guidelines debate, and they don’t treat it like a one-size-fits-all rule. Some brands should give scripts, especially when the features matter and creators might miss the points the brand actually cares about. Sometimes you think the product is about “elegance,” but the brand needs “waterproof” and very specific claims in the video.
But other times… you read the first line and you already know it’s going to be a struggle.
“When I see a word bestie… first line… I’m like… I am not bestie.”
That part was funny because it’s true. A script can be “TikTok-y” on paper, but if it doesn’t match the creator’s personality, it instantly reads like acting. And yes, the solution is kind of acting, but with intention.
They frame it like “channeling.” If the script needs a certain vibe, your body language and energy have to match it all the way through. You can’t start with a bubbly “Hey bestie 😄” and then drop back into your normal tone mid-sentence. That’s where the robotic feeling comes from: not the words, but the inconsistency.
And the practical fix is refreshingly unglamorous: repetition.
“Repeating the script as many times as you can and trying new approaches.”
They talk about doing multiple takes with different deliveries, then cutting the ones that feel off. Like an elimination process: you’re not hunting for perfection, you’re hunting for believable.
But here’s the part that matters most if you want to avoid chaos: communication and approval. If a brand gives you a script (or even if they just give loose guidelines), you should feel completely normal saying: “Can I tweak a few words so this sounds authentic to me?” Most brands will say yes, because they want authentic-looking content, not a stiff read-through.
“Look, I really want to make this sound as authentic as possible… if I tweaked a few words…”
Then the conversation shifts into something creators keep learning the hard way: reshoots. Especially for testimonial-style videos where matching lighting, outfit, setup, and continuity is a pain.
They make a strong point: if you’re writing the script yourself, get it approved before you film.
“I will always now get them to sign off my script… as soon as you’re happy with this, I will then go to shooting.”
Because the worst situation is when the brand says “creative freedom” in the brief… and then comes back with “this feels too adsy, we wanted organic.”
They share a real example where the creator didn’t do anything wrong, she followed the brief, used the buzzwords, made a strong ad, and still got hit with tone feedback. The takeaway wasn’t “brands are bad.” It was: protect yourself with approval, because briefs can be misleading (especially when agencies are involved).
And yes, they call out agencies specifically. Not all, but enough: the tone is often rougher, and the miscommunication tends to happen between the agency and the end client, which then lands on the creator.
That’s why they keep repeating the same defensive move: send the script. Save the receipts. Reduce the risk.
Then comes the spicy part: ChatGPT.
They’re not saying “don’t use it.” They’re saying don’t use it lazily.
They talk about how the industry is drifting away from generic “three reasons why” scripts, and leaning harder into authentic storytelling. The problem is creators are feeding prompts into AI, taking the first output, and not rewriting it into their own voice, which creates that unmistakable “AI cadence.”
And the example they gave is brutal: two creators in the same campaign submitted videos with the exact same hook.
“They had the same… the same hook. They haven’t changed a word.”
That’s the real risk. Not that AI is “bad,” but that you’ll sound identical to everyone else using it the same way, and it makes you look careless.
From there they go into language choices that can help or hurt: slang, accents, pronunciation, and swearing.
Slang can be great, but only if the brand’s targeting makes sense. If the ad is meant to hit a specific region, local language adds charm. If it’s going broad, slang can confuse people or feel like a “Google Translate moment.”
“What are they all about? What just happened?”
Accents and pronunciation get a very honest take. Brands want clarity, and strong accents can reduce approvals, not because anyone hates accents, but because ads have to be understood instantly. If the viewer struggles to understand the words, that’s friction, and friction kills conversions.
So the advice becomes: slow down, warm up, re-record if a word is slightly off, and use subtitles while you watch content to connect sound + spelling.
“I still to this day have… subtitles… to see the word and hear it at the same time.”
Then they wrap with swear words, and it’s way more nuanced than “never do it.” They admit swearing can work because it creates shock value and memorability, but it should match the brand’s personality. And creators shouldn’t introduce swearing on their own unless it’s clearly on-brand.
But the biggest hack they share is the beep.
You get the edge without the full risk, and sometimes it even makes the delivery feel more playful.
“It made it extra cute… like she was too shy to say it.”
And the broader lesson underneath all of this is simple: bold only works with context. Whether it’s swearing, a crazy visual hook, or some weird trend, if it isn’t tied to the product story, it’s just cheap attention. It might win you the first three seconds, but it won’t win the sale.
So the real “script secret” isn’t a template.
It’s this: tone first, approval before filming, rewrite AI into your voice, and don’t use edgy language unless you can back it up with context and brand fit.
Because UGC isn’t “just talk on camera.”
It’s making the brand sound like a real person, without losing what the brand actually needs to sell.
