PHOENIX STORY WORKS — SHORT-FORM VIDEO STARTER ======================================= Use this prompt in ChatGPT or another writing assistant. Replace everything inside [brackets]. PROMPT ------ Act as a short-form video director who understands how to hold attention. Create a [15/30/60]-second video about [TOPIC] for [AUDIENCE]. The goal is to help the viewer [DESIRED OUTCOME]. Use a [FRIENDLY / ENERGETIC / CALM / PLAYFUL] tone. Give me: 1. A visual and spoken hook for the first 3 seconds. 2. A simple story arc with 3–5 quick scenes. 3. A shot description, on-screen text, and natural voiceover for each scene. 4. A clear final call to action asking viewers to [ACTION]. Keep the language conversational. Avoid clichés, long introductions, and unexplained jargon. Present the final plan as a table with columns for TIMING, VISUAL, ON-SCREEN TEXT, and VOICEOVER. QUICK CHECK ----------- [ ] Can the first shot be understood with the sound off? [ ] Does every scene add one new idea? [ ] Can the voiceover be read comfortably in the chosen time? [ ] Is the call to action simple and specific? BEFORE YOU WRITE: THE FIVE-MINUTE BRIEF --------------------------------------- Complete these notes before using the main prompt. Specific answers give the AI less room to guess and make the first draft much more useful. Topic: _________________________________________________ Audience: ______________________________________________ What does the audience already know? ____________________ One thing they should learn, feel, or do: _______________ Platform: TikTok / Instagram Reels / YouTube Shorts / Other Target length: 15 / 30 / 45 / 60 seconds What can you realistically film? ________________________ What must not be shown or claimed? ______________________ Desired next step: ______________________________________ HOOK TOOLKIT ------------ A hook is a clear reason to keep watching. Choose one pattern and make it specific to the viewer. Do not use clickbait that the video cannot deliver. 1. Visible result Start on the finished outcome, then explain how it happened. Pattern: "This is what [RESULT] looks like after [TIME OR METHOD]." 2. Common mistake Name a recognisable problem without insulting the viewer. Pattern: "If your [THING] keeps [PROBLEM], check this first." 3. Useful contrast Show an unclear or inefficient approach beside a better one. Pattern: "Instead of [COMMON METHOD], try [BETTER METHOD]." 4. Open loop Introduce a question that the video answers quickly. Pattern: "Why does [SURPRISING THING] happen? It comes down to [CLUE]." 5. Immediate demonstration Begin with motion, sound, or a transformation rather than explanation. Pattern: Show [ACTION] while saying, "Watch what changes when I [METHOD]." STRUCTURE BY LENGTH ------------------- 15 seconds: - 0–2 sec: visual hook and one short line - 2–10 sec: one idea demonstrated in two or three shots - 10–13 sec: result or takeaway - 13–15 sec: concise call to action 30 seconds: - 0–3 sec: hook - 3–8 sec: problem or context - 8–23 sec: three clear beats or steps - 23–27 sec: result and key takeaway - 27–30 sec: call to action 60 seconds: - 0–3 sec: hook - 3–12 sec: context and promise - 12–45 sec: three to five developed beats - 45–54 sec: summary, proof, or transformation - 54–60 sec: call to action WORKED EXAMPLE -------------- Brief: - Topic: revive a drooping houseplant - Audience: first-time plant owners - Goal: help them identify overwatering before adding more water - Platform: Instagram Reels - Length: 30 seconds - Tone: calm and reassuring Example hook: VISUAL: Hold the drooping plant beside a dry wooden skewer. VOICEOVER: "A drooping plant is not always a thirsty plant. Check this first." Example scene sequence: 1. 0–3 sec — Drooping leaves in close-up; hook line. 2. 3–8 sec — Finger touches the topsoil; explain that the surface can mislead. 3. 8–15 sec — Push a wooden skewer into the pot; show the simple test. 4. 15–22 sec — Pull it out and show damp soil stuck to it; explain what it means. 5. 22–27 sec — Move the plant to brighter indirect light and empty the saucer. 6. 27–30 sec — "Save this check for the next time your plant droops." FOLLOW-UP PROMPTS FOR A STRONGER SECOND DRAFT --------------------------------------------- Use one follow-up at a time so you know what improved the result. - "Give me 10 alternative hooks. Make five visual and five spoken. Do not exaggerate the outcome." - "Cut this script by 25% without removing the main lesson or call to action." - "Replace any vague scene with an action that can be filmed in one room." - "Make the on-screen text understandable with the sound turned off." - "Rewrite the voiceover so it sounds like one helpful person speaking to another, not an advertisement." - "Create a filming checklist in the most efficient shooting order." - "Create a second version for viewers who already understand the basics." TROUBLESHOOTING --------------- If the opening feels slow: - Remove greetings, background history, and "today we are going to." - Put the result, mistake, or most useful action in the first shot. If the script feels crowded: - Keep one promise per video. - Move secondary tips into a caption, follow-up video, or download. - Allow roughly 2–3 spoken words per second, with less for emotional delivery. If the scenes all look the same: - Alternate wide, medium, close-up, detail, and point-of-view shots. - Change what the subject is doing, not only the camera angle. - Add one reaction shot and one cutaway that shows context. If the result sounds generic: - Add the exact audience, situation, constraint, and desired outcome. - Give the AI two examples of phrases you naturally use. - Ask it to identify unsupported claims and vague adjectives. FINAL QUALITY AND RESPONSIBILITY CHECK -------------------------------------- [ ] The hook honestly matches what the video delivers. [ ] Important facts, product claims, and instructions have been checked. [ ] The video does not imitate a real person without permission. [ ] Music, footage, fonts, and images are licensed or original. [ ] Captions are included and readable on a small screen. [ ] Text stays away from platform buttons and screen edges. [ ] The call to action is appropriate for the audience and topic. [ ] The final video still sounds and feels like you. Phoenix Story Works — Better prompts. Better videos.