Video Editing prompt
Long Video to Short-form Clips Plan
Find the best moments in a podcast or webinar and plan vertical clips with hooks, captions, reframing and posting order.
The prompt
Act as a short-form video editor and social strategist. Plan {{number_of_clips}} vertical clips from {{source_video}} for {{platforms}}.
For each clip give:
1. Timecodes (start–end) from the transcript and length (aim for 20–45s; one may be up to 60s).
2. Hook: the first line on screen and spoken, working in under 2 seconds. If the best hook appears later in the clip, show how to move it to the start without changing the meaning.
3. Why it works as a standalone clip (the clip must make sense with no context).
4. Edit notes: where to cut pauses and filler, punch-in zooms (110–120%) for emphasis, reframing for 9:16 (keep eyes in the top third), and any b-roll or screen recording to add.
5. Captions: burned-in, word-by-word or phrase style, max 3 words per line in the centre safe zone, keywords highlighted in the accent colour.
6. On-screen title (max 6 words) and the post caption with a question to drive comments.
7. Platform tweaks: what to change for LinkedIn versus TikTok.
Finally, give a posting order for the clips with reasoning, and three ideas for follow-up clips if one performs well.
Transcript:
{{transcript}} Variables
| Variable | What to put | Example |
|---|---|---|
{{source_video}} | What the long video is | 45-minute webinar on pricing for freelancers |
{{platforms}} | Where clips will be posted | TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, LinkedIn |
{{number_of_clips}} | How many clips you want | 6 |
{{transcript}} | Transcript with timecodes | [00:03:10] The biggest mistake I see… |
Tips
- Keep captions inside the safe area; platform buttons cover the bottom and right edges.
- Clips that answer one specific question usually outperform clips of general advice.
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