cycle-atlas/.agents/skills/short-form-video/README.md

Short-Form Video

Engineer a 9:16 video that survives the swipe. Short-form is a retention machine, not a small launch film: a hook that earns the first second, pattern interrupts that reset attention every few seconds, and often a loop that buys watch-time past 100%. The craft is timing, not polish. For creators making Reels, TikToks, and YouTube Shorts (7–60s, vertical).

When it activates

• "Make a Reels/TikTok/YouTube Shorts video" or "build a short-form video template."
• "Write a hook for a short" or "fix the first 3 seconds."
• "Edit for retention," "add pattern interrupts," or "pace cuts for a vertical video."
• "Make a video loop" or "set up 9:16 safe areas."

Example prompts

• "Build a reusable 9:16 short-form template — one design, many topics."
• "Fix the drop-off in this Reel: tighten pacing and add pattern interrupts."
• "Write three hook options for a 30-second educational short."

What's inside

• SKILL.md — the retention arc, hook grammar, and pacing rules.
• references/retention-pacing.md — deeper guidance on retention editing and pacing.

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Part of Short-Form Video Skills · Built by iart.ai — the AI motion agent for editable, on-brand motion graphics.