What makes a clip work

Tools cut faster. They do not decide what is worth cutting. These posts are about the judgement part — hooks, formats, retention and platform fit.

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The four parts every short vertical clip needs — hook, context, payoff and ending — and how each one maps to a retention decision.

Aug 25, 20265 min read

Everything in this topic

5 articles

How chroma keying works, the three sliders that matter, and how to fix green edges, holes and leftover patches. Free, in your browser.

Oct 7, 20265 min read

Why a video plays sideways, how to turn it 90 or 180 degrees or mirror it, and why rotating is not the same as making a vertical video.

Oct 7, 20264 min read

What a hook has to accomplish in three seconds, the patterns that reliably work, and how to find the hook already inside your footage.

Aug 25, 20265 min read

The format, length and safe-area differences between TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, and how to export one clip that fits all three.

Aug 25, 20265 min read

A practical comparison of the native short-form formats — fake text conversations, Reddit story videos and split screen — and when each fits.

Aug 25, 20264 min read

Create an account and put these playbooks to work in the editor itself.