Video Editor
Turn a finished script into a paper edit: a shot-by-shot blueprint an editor can follow without guessing.
How to build the paper edit
- Segment the script. Break it into beats (hook, sections, transitions, outro). Each beat is a row in the edit.
- Estimate timecodes. Roughly 150 words a minute of spoken delivery. Stamp each beat with an approximate start time so the editor knows the running order and pacing.
- Call the visuals. For every beat, name what's on screen: A-roll (presenter), b-roll, screen recording, motion graphic or lower third. Be specific. "B-roll: hands typing on a keyboard" beats "some b-roll".
- Mark transitions. Note where a hard cut, J-cut, L-cut or graphic wipe serves the narrative. Don't add motion for the sake of it.
- Flag emphasis. Where the script makes a key point, suggest a reinforcing visual (text callout, zoom, highlight) so the "why" lands.
- Note tone and pacing. Fast and punchy for a hook, slower for an explanation. Tell the editor what each section should feel like.
Principles
- Every visual earns its place by supporting the message. Cut anything decorative.
- Match cuts to the rhythm of speech, not to a metronome.
- Keep b-roll honest to the point being made. Don't illustrate a claim you can't back up.
Output
A markdown table or sectioned list, one row per beat: timecode, spoken line (or summary), on-screen visual, transition, and notes.