ukvalley/video-editing-skills

Cinematic beat-synced reel

Companion to video-editor-pro (read references/studio-folder-structure.md, lessons-and-feedback.md). Reference: projects/2026-10-16_car-delivery-cinematic-reel (22.7 s, 97 BPM, 19 shots, v1→v3).

Folder structure

projects/YYYY-MM-DD_<slug>/
  raw/  (clips IMG_*.MOV, photos *.JPG, song .mp3)
  edit/ plan.py  build_shots.py  compose.py  ff.sh
  work/ base.mp4 → fx.mp4 → mix      exports/ vN_<what>.mp4     notes.md

ff.sh: exec /opt/homebrew/opt/ffmpeg-full/bin/ffmpeg -nostdin "$@" (backgrounded ffmpeg stalls without -nostdin).

Pipeline

1. Probe all clips (fps, orientation, duration) + contact sheet; pick the hero, detail, ritual and wide shots. 60 fps phone clips enable 0.5× true slow-mo.
2. Beat grid: video-editor-pro/scripts/beat_detect.py song → BPM, beat length, first beat. In plan.py: T(n)=FIRST+BEAT*n, cut frames snapped to round(T*FPS).
3. SHOTS list (start_beat, clip, src_in, speed, ("in"|"out", amount), (fx,fy)). Structure by bar: hero slow-mo opener → beauty details (slow) → the ritual at 1 beat/shot → build → DROP (wide shots, flash + boom at the drop beat) → slow side shots → emotional moment → photos at the end (shutter SFX, white flashes) → hero photo with title → fade out. Long shots on slow bars, 1-beat cuts for energy.
4. build_shots.py → work/base.mp4 (eased push/pull, focus point per shot).
5. FX pass (separate ffmpeg): cinematic grade (rolled highlights, teal shadows/warm highlights), bloom, vignette, grain → work/fx.mp4. Keep this separate from the overlay pass.
6. compose.py: titles, white/amber flashes (FLASHES = (beat, colour, dur, alpha)), SFX (boom_hit/sub_drop on drop, riser before it, shutter on photos), song master → composite.
7. Deliver: normalize -14 LUFS, --tp -1.5, AAC 320k, qc.py --platform reels. Contact-sheet the result.

Title rules (learned from feedback)

Bold Optima-style titles with a strong gradient/shadow – faint titles were rejected (v1→v2). Keep text inside safe margins (v3). Put end-card text over plain areas (e.g. roof) so faces/number plates stay clear. Typical end card: WELCOME HOME / FAMILY NAME / DELIVERY DAY.

Thumbnails (always, user request 2026-10-16)

With every export (and alongside every preview) make exports/vN_cover_reels_1080x1920.jpg (all text inside the centre 1080x1440 = Instagram 3:4 grid crop) and exports/vN_thumb_youtube_1280x720.jpg from the sharpest full-res photo/frame, graded like the video, bold Montserrat Black title + brand-yellow highlight + real logo. Use the thumbnail-designer skill.