One money question answered with made-up round numbers. Education only, no advice, no promised returns.
Untested. We have not rendered a video from this brief yet. Rendering costs credits, so it has not been run; the draft steps (scenes, edits, price quote) are free.
Hook (nine words or fewer)
“Why does year 20 earn more than double?”
Frame 1, already in motion
Two bars on a flat background, a short one and a tall one, the tall one growing as the camera pushes in.
The brief to paste
Make a 60-second personal finance explainer with AutoShort. Art style COMIC_BOOK, 9:16, English narration (language en).
Hook, my first spoken line and first caption: "Why does year 20 earn more than double?"
Frame 1 is already moving: two bars on a flat background, a short one and a tall one, the tall one growing, camera pushing in.
Scenes, one idea each:
1. Hook over the two bars: the same 100 units of currency, at 5 percent a year.
2. Year 1: the interest is 5 units. Show one small coin stack added on top.
3. Why year 2 is different: the 5 units now earn interest too.
4. Year 20: the interest that year is about 12.6 units, more than twice year 1.
5. The plain-words reason: earlier interest earns its own interest.
6. Closing: this is general education, not financial advice, and real results vary.
Look of every image: bold comic-book infographic, growing bars and coin stacks on a flat background. No numbers, letters or labels drawn inside any image: the figures live in the narration and captions.
Ending: Say it is general education and that real results vary. No hype, no promised returns.
Use only these made-up round numbers. Never name a real fund, bank, coin or person.
Write the scenes yourself and show me the narration and the visual of every scene before anything renders. Keep the narration to about 145 words. Price it with autoshort_estimate_cost. Render only after I say yes.
- Art style
COMIC_BOOK (Comic Book). Matches the repo template: graphic bars and coins are easier to keep consistent than photos.- Length and format
- 60 seconds, 9:16.
- Language
- Narration: English (en).
- Voice
- Not selectable on the draft path: the product narrates with its default voice. Steer the delivery with short sentences and plain punctuation; premium ElevenLabs voices are a separate paid option (see the options table).
- Caption look
- Picked automatically through MCP. In the dashboard's Motion graphics (beta) style, the "Finance" look is the first one listed for this genre.
- Estimated cost
- 40 credits (about $0.63 on the Starter plan, $0.80 at the $0.02-per-credit list rate). Ask for the price first: autoshort_estimate_cost quotes it for free.
- Tools it triggers
autoshort_list_optionsautoshort_draft_videoautoshort_get_draftautoshort_update_draftautoshort_estimate_costautoshort_render_draft
Visual direction for the images
- Say "bars grow taller" and "coin stacks", never "a chart with the numbers 5 and 12.6".
- Same background colour in every scene so the six images read as one infographic.
- Frame 1 is already a growing bar; an empty gradient at 1.5 s is a known weak start.
- No logos, bank buildings or currency symbols.
Two variations
Shorter, 30 seconds: “Year 20 earns more than twice year 1.”
Only the contrast between year 1 and year 20; three beats.
Make a 30-second personal finance explainer with AutoShort. Art style COMIC_BOOK, 9:16, English narration (language en).
Hook, my first spoken line and first caption: "Year 20 earns more than twice year 1."
Frame 1 is already moving: a small coin stack and a large coin stack side by side, the large one growing.
Scenes, one idea each:
1. Hook over the two stacks.
2. Year 1 adds 5 units to 100. Year 20 adds about 12.6.
3. Why: earlier interest earns interest of its own.
4. Closing: general education, not financial advice, real results vary.
Look of every image: bold comic-book infographic, coin stacks and bars on a flat background, no writing in any image.
Ending: Closing disclaimer.
Use only made-up round numbers.
Write the scenes yourself and show me the narration and the visual of every scene before anything renders. Keep the narration to about 70 words. Price it with autoshort_estimate_cost. Render only after I say yes.
Stickman explainer: “Pip saves one coin. Then the coin saves more.”
Same idea told with one recurring stick figure and one prop per scene.
Make a 45-second personal finance explainer with AutoShort. Art style STICKMAN, 9:16, English narration (language en).
Hook, my first spoken line and first caption: "Pip saves one coin. Then the coin saves more."
Frame 1 is already moving: the stick figure dropping one coin into a jar, camera pushing in.
Scenes, one idea each:
1. Hook over the jar.
2. The jar earns a small extra coin at the end of year one.
3. In year two the extra coin earns an extra coin too.
4. Many years later the extra coins outnumber the ones Pip added.
5. Closing: general education, not financial advice, real results vary.
Look of every image: flat 2D stick figure with one red scarf, flat peach background, one jar or coin per scene, no writing anywhere.
Ending: Closing disclaimer.
Use only made-up round numbers.
Write the scenes yourself and show me the narration and the visual of every scene before anything renders. Keep the narration to about 108 words. Price it with autoshort_estimate_cost. Render only after I say yes.
Do not
Do not draw numbers or labels on the chart. Generated images turn them into gibberish; the figures belong in the narration.
What we saw: The long uppercase no-text block made the image model redraw garbage text on 3 of 11 trial videos; a short "Pure illustration with no writing in it." replaced it. (our note: howto.md, line 7.)
Do not start on an empty gradient or a blank chart.
What we saw: A slideshow-style video showed an empty gradient with no text at 1.5 s. (our note: quality-benchmark-2026-10-27.md, line 64.)
Do not let the narration add returns, percentages or examples you did not supply; check each figure in the draft.
What we saw: 6 of 13 prompts that said "don't invent statistics" still got a percentage figure in the narration. (our note: video-feedback-2026-10-17.md, line 76.)
Also see Faceless explainer series use case, all prompts and what each step costs.
A three-step process turned into a short customers can follow.
Untested. We have not rendered a video from this brief yet. Rendering costs credits, so it has not been run; the draft steps (scenes, edits, price quote) are free.
Hook (nine words or fewer)
“Three steps to a fixed bike.”
Frame 1, already in motion
A bike on a repair stand, a wrench turning a bolt, camera already circling the wheel.
The brief to paste
Make a 45-second small-business explainer with AutoShort. Art style AUTOSHORTS, 9:16, English narration (language en).
Hook, my first spoken line and first caption: "Three steps to a fixed bike."
Frame 1 is already moving: a bike on a repair stand, a wrench turning a bolt, camera circling the wheel.
Scenes, one idea each:
1. Hook over the bike on the stand.
2. Step 1: book a slot online. A laptop-free close-up: a calendar page with blank squares, no text.
3. Step 2: drop the bike off. The bike leaning at a workshop door.
4. Step 3: collect it the same week with a written note of what was fixed. A tag hanging from the handlebar, blank.
5. Closing: opening hours, "Tuesday to Saturday, nine to five".
Look of every image: photographic, bright clean workshop, tools and a bicycle, no people, no readable signs, tags or screens.
Ending: Say the opening hours once, plainly.
Spoke and Chain is invented: replace the name, the steps and the hours with your own.
Write the scenes yourself and show me the narration and the visual of every scene before anything renders. Keep the narration to about 108 words. Price it with autoshort_estimate_cost. Render only after I say yes.
- Art style
AUTOSHORTS (Professional). Clean photographic workshop; matches the repo template.- Length and format
- 45 seconds, 9:16.
- Language
- Narration: English (en).
- Voice
- Not selectable on the draft path: the product narrates with its default voice. Steer the delivery with short sentences and plain punctuation; premium ElevenLabs voices are a separate paid option (see the options table).
- Caption look
- Picked automatically through MCP. In the dashboard's Motion graphics (beta) style, the "Clean" look is the first one listed for this genre.
- Estimated cost
- 40 credits (about $0.63 on the Starter plan, $0.80 at the $0.02-per-credit list rate). Ask for the price first: autoshort_estimate_cost quotes it for free.
- Tools it triggers
autoshort_list_optionsautoshort_draft_videoautoshort_get_draftautoshort_update_draftautoshort_estimate_costautoshort_render_draft
Visual direction for the images
- One step, one object. Do not ask for a monitor or a booking page; they come back with pseudo-text.
- Name the same bicycle (colour, frame) in every scene.
- Show the written note as a blank tag, then say what it says in narration.
- One short sentence per step keeps picture and voice together.
Two variations
Two-step version, 30 seconds: “Drop it off. Pick it up fixed.”
Fewer steps for a simpler service.
Make a 30-second small-business explainer with AutoShort. Art style AUTOSHORTS, 9:16, English narration (language en).
Hook, my first spoken line and first caption: "Drop it off. Pick it up fixed."
Frame 1 is already moving: a bike wheel spinning on a stand, a hand truing it with a spoke key.
Scenes, one idea each:
1. Hook over the wheel.
2. Step 1: drop the bike off at the door.
3. Step 2: collect it with a written note of what was fixed.
4. Opening hours, said once.
Look of every image: photographic, bright workshop, tools and a bicycle, no readable text.
Ending: Opening hours.
Replace the shop details with your own.
Write the scenes yourself and show me the narration and the visual of every scene before anything renders. Keep the narration to about 70 words. Price it with autoshort_estimate_cost. Render only after I say yes.
Stickman version: “Pip needs a bike fixed. Here is how.”
Same process drawn with one stick figure.
Make a 45-second small-business explainer with AutoShort. Art style STICKMAN, 9:16, English narration (language en).
Hook, my first spoken line and first caption: "Pip needs a bike fixed. Here is how."
Frame 1 is already moving: the stick figure pushing a bike with a flat tyre toward a door.
Scenes, one idea each:
1. Hook with the bike.
2. Step 1: book a slot.
3. Step 2: drop the bike off.
4. Step 3: collect it with a note.
5. Opening hours.
Look of every image: flat 2D stick figure with a red scarf, flat peach background, one prop per scene, no writing anywhere.
Ending: Opening hours.
Replace the shop details with your own.
Write the scenes yourself and show me the narration and the visual of every scene before anything renders. Keep the narration to about 108 words. Price it with autoshort_estimate_cost. Render only after I say yes.
Do not
Do not ask for a screen, booking page or sign in the picture; say it in narration.
What we saw: The long uppercase no-text block made the image model redraw garbage text on 3 of 11 trial videos; a short "Pure illustration with no writing in it." replaced it. (our note: howto.md, line 7.)
Do not write long sentences per step: picture changes are timed by words and lead the voice.
What we saw: Scene cuts led the voice by about 1 s: scene lengths are computed from words at 2.5 words per second while the voice ran at 2.7. (our note: qa.md, line 62.)
Do not open with a street view of the shop. Start on the repair.
What we saw: A bedtime story opened on a wide establishing frame and a 16-plus-word "In a soft watercolour world..." first sentence. (our note: hook-first-2026-10-26.md, line 20.)
Also see Faceless explainer series use case, all prompts and what each step costs.
One familiar scene, the widely reported reason behind it, and a two-minute tip. Education only.
Untested. We have not rendered a video from this brief yet. Rendering costs credits, so it has not been run; the draft steps (scenes, edits, price quote) are free.
Hook (nine words or fewer)
“You cleaned your desk instead of starting.”
Frame 1, already in motion
A hand wiping a desk beside an untouched laptop, the cloth moving across the frame.
The brief to paste
Make a 30-second psychology facts short with AutoShort. Art style AUTOSHORTS, 9:16, English narration (language en).
Hook, my first spoken line and first caption: "You cleaned your desk instead of starting."
Frame 1 is already moving: a cloth wiping a desk beside an untouched laptop, the cloth moving across the frame.
Scenes, one idea each:
1. Hook over the desk.
2. The scene everyone knows: tidy desk, pencils sharpened, the report not opened.
3. The reason, as widely reported in psychology research: procrastination is usually about avoiding an uncomfortable feeling, not about time.
4. The tip: promise yourself only the first two minutes of the task.
5. Closing: start the timer, not the whole report.
Look of every image: photographic, clean modern desk, a clock face turned away from camera, one untouched document with a blank page. No faces, no readable text on any screen or page.
Ending: Educational only. No medical claims.
Write the scenes yourself and show me the narration and the visual of every scene before anything renders. Keep the narration to about 70 words. Price it with autoshort_estimate_cost. Render only after I say yes.
- Art style
AUTOSHORTS (Professional). Photographic desk scenes; the default removes people, so the desk and the objects do the acting.- Length and format
- 30 seconds, 9:16.
- Language
- Narration: English (en).
- Voice
- Not selectable on the draft path: the product narrates with its default voice. Steer the delivery with short sentences and plain punctuation; premium ElevenLabs voices are a separate paid option (see the options table).
- Caption look
- Picked automatically through MCP. In the dashboard's Motion graphics (beta) style, the "Paper" look is the first one listed for this genre.
- Estimated cost
- 40 credits (about $0.63 on the Starter plan, $0.80 at the $0.02-per-credit list rate). Ask for the price first: autoshort_estimate_cost quotes it for free.
- Tools it triggers
autoshort_list_optionsautoshort_draft_videoautoshort_get_draftautoshort_update_draftautoshort_estimate_costautoshort_render_draft
Visual direction for the images
- Say "an untouched document with a blank page", never "a report titled ...".
- Same desk, same lamp in every scene; change only the object in focus.
- No clock faces with readable digits: turn the clock away or show a sand timer.
- Hands are acceptable for the wiping gesture; do not ask for a face.
Two variations
Stickman version: “Pip cleaned the whole desk. Not the report.”
The same idea with a recurring stick figure, matching what we ran for the Pip series.
Make a 30-second psychology facts short with AutoShort. Art style STICKMAN, 9:16, English narration (language en).
Hook, my first spoken line and first caption: "Pip cleaned the whole desk. Not the report."
Frame 1 is already moving: the stick figure polishing a desk with a cloth, a blank paper on the edge.
Scenes, one idea each:
1. Hook over the polished desk.
2. Pip sharpens every pencil.
3. The reason, as widely reported: avoiding an uncomfortable feeling, not a lack of time.
4. The tip: only the first two minutes.
5. Pip opens the blank paper.
Look of every image: flat 2D stick figure with a red scarf, flat peach background, one prop per scene, no writing anywhere.
Ending: Educational only, no medical claims.
Write the scenes yourself and show me the narration and the visual of every scene before anything renders. Keep the narration to about 70 words. Price it with autoshort_estimate_cost. Render only after I say yes.
Question-led: “Why do you tidy when you should start?”
Lead with the question; same reason and tip.
Make a 30-second psychology facts short with AutoShort. Art style AUTOSHORTS, 9:16, English narration (language en).
Hook, my first spoken line and first caption: "Why do you tidy when you should start?"
Frame 1 is already moving: a pile of papers being squared on a desk, a hand tapping the edge.
Scenes, one idea each:
1. Hook over the papers.
2. The scene: tidying instead of starting.
3. The reason, as widely reported: avoiding an uncomfortable feeling.
4. The tip: two minutes only.
5. Closing line.
Look of every image: photographic, clean desk, no faces, no readable text.
Ending: Educational only.
Write the scenes yourself and show me the narration and the visual of every scene before anything renders. Keep the narration to about 70 words. Price it with autoshort_estimate_cost. Render only after I say yes.
Do not
Do not ask for readable text on the report, the screen or the clock.
What we saw: The long uppercase no-text block made the image model redraw garbage text on 3 of 11 trial videos; a short "Pure illustration with no writing in it." replaced it. (our note: howto.md, line 7.)
Do not state a percentage or study result you did not supply and cannot source.
What we saw: 6 of 13 prompts that said "don't invent statistics" still got a percentage figure in the narration. (our note: video-feedback-2026-10-17.md, line 76.)
Do not open on "We all know the feeling..." as a scene-setter; start on the cloth on the desk.
What we saw: Hook rule: first sentence at most 9 words, no scene-setting opener, a face or a concrete action in the first shot. (our note: hook-first-2026-10-26.md, line 22.)
Also see Faceless explainer series use case, all prompts and what each step costs.
One trick for a tiny kitchen shown as a before and after, in 15 seconds.
Untested. We have not rendered a video from this brief yet. Rendering costs credits, so it has not been run; the draft steps (scenes, edits, price quote) are free.
Hook (nine words or fewer)
“Your mugs are stealing a whole shelf.”
Frame 1, already in motion
A cabinet door swinging open on a shelf stacked with mugs, the stack wobbling.
The brief to paste
Make a 15-second life hack with AutoShort. Art style AUTOSHORTS, 9:16, English narration (language en).
Hook, my first spoken line and first caption: "Your mugs are stealing a whole shelf."
Frame 1 is already moving: a cabinet door swinging open on a shelf stacked with mugs, the stack wobbling.
Scenes, one idea each:
1. Hook over the wobbling mug stack.
2. Before and after in two quick beats: the stacked shelf, then the same shelf empty with mugs hanging from hooks underneath.
3. Closing question: what else is stealing your shelf space?
Look of every image: photographic, bright clean kitchen, mugs, hooks, a shelf. No people, no faces, no readable labels on any item.
Ending: End on the question.
Write the scenes yourself and show me the narration and the visual of every scene before anything renders. Keep the narration to about 33 words. Price it with autoshort_estimate_cost. Render only after I say yes.
- Art style
AUTOSHORTS (Professional). Bright photographic kitchen, objects only.- Length and format
- 15 seconds, 9:16.
- Language
- Narration: English (en).
- Voice
- Not selectable on the draft path: the product narrates with its default voice. Steer the delivery with short sentences and plain punctuation; premium ElevenLabs voices are a separate paid option (see the options table).
- Caption look
- Picked automatically through MCP. In the dashboard's Motion graphics (beta) style, the "Clean" look is the first one listed for this genre.
- Estimated cost
- 40 credits (about $0.63 on the Starter plan, $0.80 at the $0.02-per-credit list rate). Ask for the price first: autoshort_estimate_cost quotes it for free.
- Tools it triggers
autoshort_list_optionsautoshort_draft_videoautoshort_get_draftautoshort_update_draftautoshort_estimate_costautoshort_render_draft
Visual direction for the images
- Before and after must share the same kitchen: name the shelf, wall colour and mug colours in both visuals.
- Hooks and mugs are small details: ask for a close-up of the hooks, not the whole kitchen.
- No people: show the problem with the mugs, not a person reaching.
- Keep it to three scenes; 15 seconds is about 32 words.
Two variations
Two tricks, 30 seconds: “Two tricks that give a cupboard back.”
Add a second trick (a tension rod under the sink) and double the length.
Make a 30-second life hack with AutoShort. Art style AUTOSHORTS, 9:16, English narration (language en).
Hook, my first spoken line and first caption: "Two tricks that give a cupboard back."
Frame 1 is already moving: a cupboard door swinging open on a jam of mugs and cleaning bottles.
Scenes, one idea each:
1. Hook over the jam.
2. Trick one: mug hooks under the shelf.
3. Before and after of the shelf.
4. Trick two: a tension rod under the sink for spray bottles.
5. Before and after under the sink.
6. Closing question.
Look of every image: photographic, bright kitchen, objects only, no people, no readable labels.
Ending: Closing question.
Write the scenes yourself and show me the narration and the visual of every scene before anything renders. Keep the narration to about 70 words. Price it with autoshort_estimate_cost. Render only after I say yes.
Stickman version: “Pip found a hook for every mug.”
Same hack drawn with a stick figure and one prop per scene.
Make a 15-second life hack with AutoShort. Art style STICKMAN, 9:16, English narration (language en).
Hook, my first spoken line and first caption: "Pip found a hook for every mug."
Frame 1 is already moving: the stick figure catching a falling stack of mugs.
Scenes, one idea each:
1. Hook with the falling mugs.
2. Pip hangs the mugs from hooks; the shelf is empty.
3. Closing question.
Look of every image: flat 2D stick figure with a red scarf, flat peach background, one prop per scene, no writing anywhere.
Ending: Closing question.
Write the scenes yourself and show me the narration and the visual of every scene before anything renders. Keep the narration to about 33 words. Price it with autoshort_estimate_cost. Render only after I say yes.
Do not
Do not ask for a "before and after" split in one image: two-panel images came back stacked. Make two scenes.
What we saw: One beat came back as a stacked two-panel image. (our note: qa.md, line 15.)
Do not ask for labels, brand names or text on the products.
What we saw: The long uppercase no-text block made the image model redraw garbage text on 3 of 11 trial videos; a short "Pure illustration with no writing in it." replaced it. (our note: howto.md, line 7.)
Do not open with "Do you have a small kitchen?" Start on the wobbling stack.
What we saw: Hook rule: first sentence at most 9 words, no scene-setting opener, a face or a concrete action in the first shot. (our note: hook-first-2026-10-26.md, line 22.)
Also see Faceless explainer series use case, all prompts and what each step costs.
One checkable fact in 30 seconds, with the surface temperature as a rounded figure.
Untested. We have not rendered a video from this brief yet. Rendering costs credits, so it has not been run; the draft steps (scenes, edits, price quote) are free.
Hook (nine words or fewer)
“Venus is hotter than Mercury. Here is why.”
Frame 1, already in motion
A glowing orange planet surface seen from orbit, clouds streaming past the camera.
The brief to paste
Make a 30-second science facts short with AutoShort. Art style AUTOSHORTS, 9:16, English narration (language en).
Hook, my first spoken line and first caption: "Venus is hotter than Mercury. Here is why."
Frame 1 is already moving: a glowing orange planet surface seen from orbit, thick clouds streaming past the camera.
Scenes, one idea each:
1. Hook over the clouds.
2. Mercury is closer to the sun, so people expect it to be hotter.
3. Venus has a thick atmosphere of carbon dioxide.
4. That atmosphere traps heat: a runaway greenhouse effect.
5. The surface is roughly 465 degrees Celsius.
6. Closing question: what would you want to ask the planet?
Look of every image: cinematic space imagery, glowing clouds, rocky surface, no people, no spacecraft logos, no text or labels on any image.
Ending: End with a question that invites the viewer to think.
Use only the facts above. No other numbers, dates or mission names.
Write the scenes yourself and show me the narration and the visual of every scene before anything renders. Keep the narration to about 70 words. Price it with autoshort_estimate_cost. Render only after I say yes.
- Art style
AUTOSHORTS (Professional). Photographic space imagery suits the subject.- Length and format
- 30 seconds, 9:16.
- Language
- Narration: English (en).
- Voice
- Not selectable on the draft path: the product narrates with its default voice. Steer the delivery with short sentences and plain punctuation; premium ElevenLabs voices are a separate paid option (see the options table).
- Caption look
- Picked automatically through MCP. In the dashboard's Motion graphics (beta) style, the "Tech" look is the first one listed for this genre.
- Estimated cost
- 40 credits (about $0.63 on the Starter plan, $0.80 at the $0.02-per-credit list rate). Ask for the price first: autoshort_estimate_cost quotes it for free.
- Tools it triggers
autoshort_list_optionsautoshort_draft_videoautoshort_get_draftautoshort_update_draftautoshort_estimate_costautoshort_render_draft
Visual direction for the images
- Say "two planets side by side, one close to a bright sun, one wrapped in thick cloud". Skip diagrams: they need labels.
- No temperature numbers inside images; the figure is in narration.
- One planet per scene.
- Keep light colour consistent: orange glow for Venus, grey-white for Mercury.
Two variations
Loop ending: “Venus beats Mercury for heat. Why?”
Open on a short claim and end the last sentence mid-thought so the video loops back into the hook.
Make a 30-second science facts short with AutoShort. Art style AUTOSHORTS, 9:16, English narration (language en).
Hook, my first spoken line and first caption: "Venus beats Mercury for heat. Why?"
Frame 1 is already moving: a glowing orange planet surface, clouds streaming past the camera.
Scenes, one idea each:
1. Hook over the clouds.
2. Mercury is closer to the sun, so it should be hotter.
3. Venus wraps itself in a thick carbon dioxide atmosphere.
4. That atmosphere traps heat.
5. The surface is roughly 465 degrees Celsius. And that is because...
Look of every image: cinematic space imagery, no people, no text on any image.
Ending: The last sentence ends mid-thought so it flows back into the hook.
Write the scenes yourself and show me the narration and the visual of every scene before anything renders. Keep the narration to about 70 words. Price it with autoshort_estimate_cost. Render only after I say yes.
Stickman version: “Pip put a blanket on Venus.”
The greenhouse effect as a blanket joke with one stick figure.
Make a 30-second science facts short with AutoShort. Art style STICKMAN, 9:16, English narration (language en).
Hook, my first spoken line and first caption: "Pip put a blanket on Venus."
Frame 1 is already moving: the stick figure draping a huge grey blanket over a small planet.
Scenes, one idea each:
1. Hook with the blanket.
2. Mercury is closer to the sun but has no blanket.
3. Venus wears a thick carbon dioxide blanket.
4. The blanket traps heat: the surface is roughly 465 degrees Celsius.
5. Closing question.
Look of every image: flat 2D stick figure with a red scarf, flat peach background, one prop per scene, no writing anywhere.
Ending: Closing question.
Write the scenes yourself and show me the narration and the visual of every scene before anything renders. Keep the narration to about 70 words. Price it with autoshort_estimate_cost. Render only after I say yes.
Do not
Do not ask for a diagram or labelled planets. Labels are redrawn as gibberish.
What we saw: The long uppercase no-text block made the image model redraw garbage text on 3 of 11 trial videos; a short "Pure illustration with no writing in it." replaced it. (our note: howto.md, line 7.)
Do not let the narration add temperatures, distances or dates beyond the ones you gave.
What we saw: 6 of 13 prompts that said "don't invent statistics" still got a percentage figure in the narration. (our note: video-feedback-2026-10-17.md, line 76.)
Do not begin with a wide shot of the solar system and "Our solar system is full of surprises".
What we saw: Cats video opened on a wide room with the cat asleep far away and a 12-word "Did you know..." line. (our note: hook-first-2026-10-26.md, line 18.)
Also see Faceless explainer series use case, all prompts and what each step costs.
A surprising claim first, a reason in the middle, a last line that leads back into the first.
Untested. We have not rendered a video from this brief yet. Rendering costs credits, so it has not been run; the draft steps (scenes, edits, price quote) are free.
Hook (nine words or fewer)
“Sealed honey barely spoils, and few explain why.”
Frame 1, already in motion
A spoon lifting a thread of golden honey from a jar, the thread stretching toward the camera.
The brief to paste
Make a 30-second curiosity fact short with AutoShort. Art style AUTOSHORTS, 9:16, English narration (language en).
Hook, my first spoken line and first caption: "Sealed honey barely spoils, and few explain why."
Frame 1 is already moving: a spoon lifting a thread of golden honey from a jar, the thread stretching toward the camera.
Scenes, one idea each:
1. Hook over the honey thread.
2. The claim again with one concrete object: a sealed jar of honey.
3. The reason as cause and effect: very low water and high sugar make it hard for microbes to grow.
4. A second, smaller surprise: bees help by fanning the nectar with their wings to dry it.
5. The last line rephrases the hook so it can loop: "...and that is why sealed honey barely spoils, and few explain why".
Look of every image: photographic macro, golden light, honey, wood, glass, bees seen from a distance. No people, no faces, no labels on jars.
Ending: The closing sentence ends mid-thought so it flows back into the hook.
Use only widely documented facts. No percentages, no dates, no invented records. Tell me which lines you are unsure of, and I will check them against a reliable source before we render.
Write the scenes yourself and show me the narration and the visual of every scene before anything renders. Keep the narration to about 70 words. Price it with autoshort_estimate_cost. Render only after I say yes.
- Art style
AUTOSHORTS (Professional). Macro photographic scenes; objects only.- Length and format
- 30 seconds, 9:16.
- Language
- Narration: English (en).
- Voice
- Not selectable on the draft path: the product narrates with its default voice. Steer the delivery with short sentences and plain punctuation; premium ElevenLabs voices are a separate paid option (see the options table).
- Caption look
- Picked automatically through MCP. In the dashboard's Motion graphics (beta) style, the "Tech" look is the first one listed for this genre.
- Estimated cost
- 40 credits (about $0.63 on the Starter plan, $0.80 at the $0.02-per-credit list rate). Ask for the price first: autoshort_estimate_cost quotes it for free.
- Tools it triggers
autoshort_list_optionsautoshort_draft_videoautoshort_get_draftautoshort_update_draftautoshort_estimate_costautoshort_render_draft
Visual direction for the images
- Frame 1 is the most striking image of the claim (the honey thread), not an overview.
- One object per scene, with the same light.
- Cause and effect is easier to draw as two objects ("a sealed jar", "a spoon") than as a diagram.
- No diagrams: they need labels the image model cannot spell.
Two variations
History flavour: “Roman roads are still under your feet.”
A history-facts claim with the same loop shape.
Make a 30-second curiosity fact short with AutoShort. Art style AUTOSHORTS, 9:16, English narration (language en).
Hook, my first spoken line and first caption: "Roman roads are still under your feet."
Frame 1 is already moving: a stone road surface, weathered paving stones, camera gliding along the joins.
Scenes, one idea each:
1. Hook over the stones.
2. The claim again: many modern roads follow ancient routes.
3. The reason: the ground, the water and the hills did not change.
4. A smaller surprise: some stretches use the original paving.
5. The last line leads back into the hook.
Look of every image: photographic, paving stones, hills, milestones with no text, no people, no faces.
Ending: Mid-thought ending that loops.
Only widely documented facts, no numbers.
Write the scenes yourself and show me the narration and the visual of every scene before anything renders. Keep the narration to about 70 words. Price it with autoshort_estimate_cost. Render only after I say yes.
Stickman version: “Pip tried to make honey go bad.”
Same fact as a comedy with one stick figure.
Make a 30-second curiosity fact short with AutoShort. Art style STICKMAN, 9:16, English narration (language en).
Hook, my first spoken line and first caption: "Pip tried to make honey go bad."
Frame 1 is already moving: the stick figure shaking a jar of honey, then sniffing it.
Scenes, one idea each:
1. Hook with the jar.
2. Pip leaves it in the sun. It stays fine.
3. The reason: very low water, high sugar.
4. Pip gives up and eats it.
5. The last line loops back to the hook.
Look of every image: flat 2D stick figure with a red scarf, flat peach background, one prop per scene, no writing anywhere.
Ending: Mid-thought ending that loops.
Write the scenes yourself and show me the narration and the visual of every scene before anything renders. Keep the narration to about 70 words. Price it with autoshort_estimate_cost. Render only after I say yes.
Do not
Do not open on a wide shot or a 12-word "Did you know..." line: our cats fact short did, and its first frame was a wide room with the cat asleep far away.
What we saw: Cats video opened on a wide room with the cat asleep far away and a 12-word "Did you know..." line. (our note: hook-first-2026-10-26.md, line 18.)
Do not add percentages or statistics: narration invents them even when told not to.
What we saw: 6 of 13 prompts that said "don't invent statistics" still got a percentage figure in the narration. (our note: video-feedback-2026-10-17.md, line 76.)
Do not ask for diagrams, jar labels or captions inside images.
What we saw: The long uppercase no-text block made the image model redraw garbage text on 3 of 11 trial videos; a short "Pure illustration with no writing in it." replaced it. (our note: howto.md, line 7.)
Related real videos (not made from this recipe)
StoryShort cats fact short, 25 Oct (sibling product)
Made in StoryShort, not AutoShort, opened on a wide room with a 12-word "Did you know" line. YouTube: 116 views, 87.7 % swiped away, 15 unique viewers.
Our note: measurements-2026-10-28-storyshort.md, line 13.
Also see Faceless explainer series use case, all prompts and what each step costs.
A deadpan narrated comedy with the same stick figure in every scene. This is the recipe behind our "Pip Has One Job" series.
Verified: a real video exists. Watch it on its public page.
Pip ep1 "One Cup" (product video cmvq6ktui002lbp1w1jvhitwg): COMPLETED, one create, 40 credits, STICKMAN style, our QA verdict PASS (minor findings: face drift on one beat, cuts about 1 s ahead of the voice). Our three episodes ran through the product's video API with per-scene narration and visuals, the same engine the draft tool feeds, not through the MCP tool itself. After posting: YouTube 3 views at 5.3 h (our own views included); Facebook Reel 416 views at 5.5 h with a 40.9 % 3-second rate, our best Page reel at that time. No signup or purchase was attributed to it.
Our note: qa.md, line 9,29-34.
Hook (nine words or fewer)
“Pip has one job today.”
Frame 1, already in motion
Pip the stick figure at a sink with a stained mug, the camera already pushing in on its face.
The brief to paste
Make a 30-second stickman comedy with AutoShort. Art style STICKMAN, 9:16, English narration (language en).
Hook, my first spoken line and first caption: "Pip has one job today."
Frame 1 is already moving: Pip the stick figure at a sink with a stained blue mug, camera pushing in on its face.
Scenes, one idea each:
1. Hook: Pip has one job today. Wash one cup. It takes nine days.
2. Pip writes the job on a list and moves it to tomorrow.
3. Pip faces a big pale-yellow rectangle (a screen with nothing on it).
4. The stained mug stares back; Pip crosses its arms from across the room.
5. Pip holds up a blank paper.
6. Pip kneels, eyes closed, arms behind its head. Punchline: "Tomorrow has never met Pip."
Look of every image: The product adds the stick figure lock. Add only: a short red scarf is Pip's one accent colour, flat peach background, one prop per scene, a medium shot every time, thick uniform black outlines. No writing anywhere: paper and screens are blank. Emotion by posture only.
Ending: The last sentence is the punchline or a loop line.
Narration: deadpan third person, present tense, one or two short sentences per scene, one joke per scene.
Write the scenes yourself and show me the narration and the visual of every scene before anything renders. Keep the narration to about 70 words. Price it with autoshort_estimate_cost. Render only after I say yes.
- Art style
STICKMAN (Stickman). A product-locked recurring stick figure; the same lock is added to every scene.- Length and format
- 30 seconds, 9:16.
- Language
- Narration: English (en).
- Voice
- Not selectable on the draft path: the product narrates with its default voice. Steer the delivery with short sentences and plain punctuation; premium ElevenLabs voices are a separate paid option (see the options table). We used the default Google narrator.
- Caption look
- Picked automatically through MCP.
- Estimated cost
- 40 credits (about $0.63 on the Starter plan, $0.80 at the $0.02-per-credit list rate). Ask for the price first: autoshort_estimate_cost quotes it for free.
- Tools it triggers
autoshort_list_optionsautoshort_draft_videoautoshort_get_draftautoshort_update_draftautoshort_estimate_costautoshort_render_draft
Visual direction for the images
- One subject per scene: the figure plus at most one prop.
- Name the accent colour in every scene visual (the red scarf) so it never disappears.
- A prop never gets a face. Emotion is posture: hands on cheeks, arms up, arms crossed.
- Hold the mug "out in front of her at arm's length, far from her face": "raising a mug" was drawn as drinking.
- Leave the top of the frame empty on frame 1: the cover title sits over the head for 1.5 s.
Two variations
Episode 2: escalate: “Pip's one job now has three friends.”
Next episode in the same series: the list gets a list.
Make a 30-second stickman comedy with AutoShort. Art style STICKMAN, 9:16, English narration (language en).
Hook, my first spoken line and first caption: "Pip's one job now has three friends."
Frame 1 is already moving: Pip with arms out, a long blank list unrolled down to the floor.
Scenes, one idea each:
1. Hook over the unrolled list.
2. The list reads like a paper body: empty boxes only.
3. Pip counts on its fingers beside a steaming mug.
4. Pip eats two small cookies on plates.
5. Pip wears the list as a cape.
6. Pip refuses to look at the mug. The punchline is the list now has a list.
Look of every image: the product adds the stick figure lock; add only the red scarf, flat peach background, one prop per scene, no writing anywhere (list boxes stay empty squares), medium shots only.
Ending: A deadpan last line.
Write the scenes yourself and show me the narration and the visual of every scene before anything renders. Keep the narration to about 70 words. Price it with autoshort_estimate_cost. Render only after I say yes.
A different small task: “Pip has one job today: answer one email.”
Same engine, new task; keep the gag shape (plan, avoid, escalate, payoff).
Make a 30-second stickman comedy with AutoShort. Art style STICKMAN, 9:16, English narration (language en).
Hook, my first spoken line and first caption: "Pip has one job today: answer one email."
Frame 1 is already moving: Pip at a desk staring at a laptop with a blank glowing screen.
Scenes, one idea each:
1. Hook over the glowing screen.
2. Pip writes the job on a list and moves it to tomorrow.
3. Pip tidies the desk instead.
4. The laptop gets a plant on top of it.
5. Pip holds a blank paper, thinking.
6. Punchline: the email is one word long.
Look of every image: the product adds the stick figure lock; add only the red scarf, flat peach background, one prop per scene, no writing anywhere (screen and paper are blank), medium shots only.
Ending: A deadpan last line.
Write the scenes yourself and show me the narration and the visual of every scene before anything renders. Keep the narration to about 70 words. Price it with autoshort_estimate_cost. Render only after I say yes.
Do not
Do not write "raising", "lifting" or "holding" a mug near the face: it was drawn as the figure drinking. Say "at arm's length, far from her face".
What we saw: The wording "raising a mug" and "holding a mug" was drawn as the figure drinking from it, on two beats. (our note: qa.md, line 44-45.)
Do not ask for any writing, numbers or labels in the image: a long no-text block got redrawn as garbage text on 3 of 11 trial videos; keep the instruction short.
What we saw: The long uppercase no-text block made the image model redraw garbage text on 3 of 11 trial videos; a short "Pure illustration with no writing in it." replaced it. (our note: howto.md, line 7.)
Do not expect the face to stay identical: blush marks and open-eye variants appeared on some beats. Use posture for emotion.
What we saw: Blush marks and sleepy or open-eye variants appeared on some beats although the character lock says two dot eyes and one curved line. (our note: qa.md, line 63.)
Do not write long sentences: cuts led the voice by about 1 s. Use one or two short sentences per scene.
What we saw: Scene cuts led the voice by about 1 s: scene lengths are computed from words at 2.5 words per second while the voice ran at 2.7. (our note: qa.md, line 62.)
Do not leave the top of frame 1 busy: the cover title covers the head for the first 1.5 s.
What we saw: The burnt-in cover title sits over the top of the head on frame 1 for the first 1.5 s. (our note: qa.md, line 65.)
Related real videos (not made from this recipe)
Pip ep2 "The List Has a List" on YouTube
QA PASS (minor). YouTube: 3 views at 2.2 h, 50 % stayed. Episode 3 first try failed QA (the mug was drawn as drinking) and was re-made once.
Our note: baseline-youtube.md, line 57.
Also see Faceless explainer series use case, all prompts and what each step costs.