creating-shot-list

Shot List Creation

Decompose the story into discrete 8-second shots mapped to asset IDs and Veo 3 generation prompts. Save as shots.json.

Instructions

1. Read story.md, characters.json, and backgrounds.json.
2. Break each scene into 1–3 shots of exactly 8 seconds each.
3. Assign sequential IDs: shot_001, shot_002, ...
4. For each shot:
   • characters: List of character_ids present (must match characters.json IDs)
   • background: The bg_id for this location (must match backgrounds.json IDs)
   • action: Clear visual description of what happens in this 8-second clip
   • camera_movement: e.g., "static wide shot", "slow dolly-in", "pan left", "close-up on face", "tracking shot"
   • dialogue: Spoken line if any, or "" if none
   • mood: Emotional tone
   • veo_prompt: Self-contained Veo 3 generation prompt (see format below)

Veo Prompt Format

Each veo_prompt must be fully self-contained — describe the shot as if standalone. Do NOT use asset IDs (char_001, bg_001) — Veo reads this directly.

Pattern:

[Art style], [shot type + camera movement], [character description + action],
[setting description], [lighting and mood], [duration hint]

Example:

Pixar-style 3D animation, slow dolly-in from wide to medium shot, a 12-year-old
girl with curly auburn hair and teal jacket steps into a magical sunlit forest
clearing, bioluminescent mushrooms and golden sunbeams, sense of wonder, 8 seconds

Output File: shots.json

{
  "shots": [
    {
      "shot_id": "shot_001",
      "scene_number": 1,
      "scene_title": "Scene title from story.md",
      "shot_number_in_scene": 1,
      "duration_seconds": 8,
      "characters": ["char_001"],
      "background": "bg_001",
      "action": "Luna steps into the forest clearing, eyes wide with wonder",
      "camera_movement": "Slow dolly-in from wide shot to medium shot",
      "dialogue": "",
      "mood": "Wonder and discovery",
      "veo_prompt": "Pixar-style 3D animation, slow dolly-in from wide to medium shot, a 12-year-old girl with curly auburn hair and teal adventure jacket steps cautiously into a magical forest clearing with bioluminescent mushrooms, warm golden sunbeams filter through ancient oak trees, sense of awe and discovery, 8 seconds"
    }
  ]
}

Review Gate (MANDATORY)

After saving shots.json, present this EXACTLY:

✅ Shot List Creation complete. Output saved to shots.json.

📋 Summary:
- Total shots: [X]
- Scenes covered: [X]
- Characters referenced: [list unique char_ids used]
- Backgrounds referenced: [list unique bg_ids used]
- Estimated total video length: [X shots × 8 sec = X seconds (~X min)]

👉 Please review shots.json. Key things to check:
  - Does each shot's action match the story flow?
  - Are veo_prompts detailed and fully self-contained (no asset ID references)?
  - Are all character_ids and bg_ids valid (match the JSON files)?
  - Is the pacing right (shots per scene)?

You can:
  - Approve → say "approved" or "proceed"
  - Request changes → e.g., "add a close-up of Luna's face after shot_003"
  - Edit shots.json directly → tell me when done

⏸️ Waiting for your approval before generating video clips.

NEVER proceed to the next skill automatically. Wait for explicit approval.

Allow iterative refinement — add, remove, or reorder shots as needed.