Turn a PDF or report into an explainer video
Nobody reads the whole report. A three-minute drawn explainer gets the findings in front of the people who need them, and drawing a chart in front of the viewer is a good way to make a number stick. Doodaro builds that explainer from the text you paste: one scene per finding, a picture for each, narration that reads the numbers out loud.
The one thing to know up front is that a report is longer than a video. Doodaro reads the file for you, but you still choose the six findings that matter and leave the other twenty-two pages behind. That choice is where the video gets good.
2 free minutes · No card needed
How it works
- 1
Upload the PDF, or paste its link
In Story, drop the PDF on 'Upload a file', or use 'Paste a link' for a PDF that lives on the web. Doodaro reads the text out of it, up to 8 MB and 100 pages, and shows the slides it found in the headings. Scanned PDFs with no selectable text will not work: use a copy with real text, or paste your notes instead.
- 2
Doodaro builds the scenes
Pick a style such as Story Infographics, an editorial look with charcoal outlines and flat muted color that suits figures and comparisons. Build scenes gives each finding its own scene with a drawn picture and narration.
- 3
Review, then export
Check every scene that carries a number. If a drawn chart shows the wrong shape, edit the picture description to say what the bars or lines should do and click Redraw on that scene. Then render the full video.
Example: a 28-page annual report on a community food bank
The two-page executive summary was copied into the Story box and cut to a 420-word script with six findings. Build scenes produced nine scenes. Scene 3 was meant to show meals served rising from 90,000 to 140,000, but the drawing showed a falling line, so the picture description was changed to 'bar chart with two bars, the right bar taller, labeled 90k and 140k' and only that scene was redrawn. The video ran 2 minutes 50 seconds.
- Style: Story Infographics
- Voice: steady American English narrator
- Length: 3 minutes
- Format: 16:9
Best practices
- Pick 5 to 7 findings and drop the rest. A 3-minute explainer holds about 450 words, and each finding needs 60 to 70 words to land.
- Give each number its own scene of 8 to 12 seconds. Two numbers in one drawing compete for the viewer's eye.
- Round figures in the narration: say 'about 140,000 meals', not '139,412'. Put the exact figure in the picture description so it appears in the drawing.
- Write the picture description for chart scenes in plain words: how many bars, which one is taller, what the labels say. Descriptions under 30 words draw more reliably than long ones.
- Keep the hold time on number scenes at 3 to 4 seconds so the finished chart stays on screen after the pen stops.
Frequently asked questions
Can I upload a PDF and get a video?
Yes. Upload the PDF in the Story screen, or paste a link to it, and Doodaro pulls out the text and shows a slide outline taken from its headings. You still choose what belongs in the video: a 28-page report has to become about 450 words of narration, and picking the six findings that matter is what makes the video good.
How do I turn a report into a short explainer video?
Copy the executive summary and the 5 to 7 numbers that matter into Doodaro, trim to about 450 words, pick a style and click Build scenes. Review the storyboard, redraw any chart scene that shows the wrong shape, and export the MP4.
Can the video show charts and figures from the report?
Yes, as drawn charts. Describe the chart in the scene's picture description, for example 'two bars, right one taller, labeled 2024 and 2025'. The engine draws it stroke by stroke in the style you picked. Doodaro does not import the original chart image.
How long should a video version of a report be?
Two to four minutes. That is 300 to 600 words of narration at about 150 words per minute. A longer report is better as two or three short videos, one per section.
What if one scene gets a number wrong?
Open that scene with Edit, fix the narration or the picture description, and click Revoice or Redraw. Only that scene is regenerated. The other scenes and the rest of the video stay the same.
Which drawing style works best for reports?
Story Infographics for data-heavy reports, Illustrated Ideas for longer educational pieces, and Minimal Indigo when you want a plain corporate look. One style applies to the whole video, and switching styles redraws the scenes.
Related use cases
Turn a link into a video: paste a URL, get a drawn explainer
Paste the link to an article, a help page or a PDF. Doodaro reads the page, finds the slides in it, and turns them into a hand-drawn video you can edit scene by scene.
Turn a blog post into a drawn explainer video
Copy the key text of a blog post into Doodaro, trim it to a 2-minute script, build the storyboard, redraw one scene and export a drawn explainer.
Turn product docs into a how-it-works video
Paste a feature page or help article into Doodaro, build a storyboard of drawn steps, redraw the one step that misses, and export a how-it-works MP4.
Personal finance explainer videos on a chalkboard
Write a 4-minute finance script with one worked example, build a storyboard in Midnight Chalk, redraw the one chart scene that misleads, and export an MP4.
Ready to draw your next story?
Start with 2 free minutes. No card needed. Your script becomes a storyboard you can fix one scene at a time.