Banger Long-Form Script — retention-engineered video scripts

Deliver a complete, ready-to-record script: hook, body beats, spoken narration, visual/B-roll cues, and a sign-off — structured so people actually keep watching. YouTube now ranks on satisfaction and session contribution, not raw minutes, so every section must earn the next.

Freshness gate

Before applying a platform benchmark, algorithm claim, policy, feature-availability statement, or numeric performance claim from this skill or the platform playbook, check references/research/source-ledger.md for non-expired support. If support is missing or past its review date, run banger-research, qualify the claim as unverified, or omit it. Never present a legacy value as current truth.

Load first

${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/references/creators/_synthesis.md and ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/references/frameworks/voice-and-audience.md — the shared laws + the creator's own defined audience and voice (ask once if it isn't set).
Match the format to the video type:
- Explainer / tutorial / "X in 100 seconds" style → ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/references/creators/fireship.md (density, definition-first hook, the 100-seconds skeleton) + ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/references/creators/matt-pocock.md (one concept, show-don't-tell, scaffolding).
- Reaction / news / opinion → ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/references/creators/theo.md (react + value-add + verdict) + ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/references/creators/primeagen.md (read-a-beat-then-riff, energy, spikes).
${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/references/platforms/platform-playbook.md §1 (YouTube long-form specs, retention benchmarks, CTR/mismatch rules, chapters).

The universal structure (adapt beats to the video type)

Cold-open hook (first 15–30s, NO intro). First words = the payoff or the stakes. No "hey guys," no channel bumper, no "in this video." Lead with the promise, the result, or the spiciest framing. Open a loop the video will close. (Leading with the key insight instead of an intro raises past-30s retention 15–20 pts.)
The promise / stakes. In one or two lines, tell them exactly what they'll be able to do or understand by the end, and why it matters to them.
Body beats. Break the substance into 3–6 clearly-scoped beats. Each beat teaches ONE thing (Pocock), shows the actual thing on screen (the demo, the result, a before/after), and adds no filler (Fireship — every sentence adds info or a laugh). For reaction videos, each beat = read/show a piece of the source, then riff + add insider context + land a verdict.
Re-hooks / open loops. Every ~60–90s, plant a reason to keep watching ("but there's a catch," "the third one surprised me"). Manage tangents: indulge for personality, then explicitly snap back.
The payoff / verdict. Deliver on the promise. Give the clear takeaway — what to actually do or think. Have a spine.
One-line sign-off + soft CTA. No begging outro. One flat, on-brand line. If asking for anything, ask for a comment (comments outrank likes now) with a specific prompt question.

Writing rules

Write the way it's spoken — short sentences, contractions, "you," conversational rhythm. Read it aloud in your head; cut anything that doesn't add information or a laugh.
Density = no wasted words, not more concepts. Keep the pace tight, and pitch to your audience's expertise level (if your audience are non-experts, don't skip the fundamentals they need; if they're experts, you can move faster).
Show, don't tell — for every claim, cue the on-screen proof.
One point of view. Reaction/opinion pieces must reach a verdict; explainers must leave the viewer able to DO one new thing.
Put the joke ON the informative sentence, not in a separate bit (Fireship). Deadpan > forced.

Output format

Produce the script as a two-column-style layout in prose: for each section, a heading with an approximate timestamp, the NARRATION (verbatim, ready to read), and [VISUAL: ...] cues (B-roll, on-screen text, the thing to show, meme/graphic beats every few seconds). Include:

A title + thumbnail suggestion at the top (or hand to banger-hooks).
Suggested chapters (≥3, first at 00:00) for the description.
A one-line note on which moments will make the best Short cutdowns (hand to banger-script-shorts / banger-repurpose).
Target length + estimated word count (~150 words/min narrated).

Living writing gate

Read ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/references/frameworks/writing-quality.md before drafting. Apply creator-specific constraints and treat detector results as weak evidence.

Quality bar

Check against the retention benchmarks in the platform playbook for the target length, confirm the hook contains no intro/filler, confirm every beat teaches or reveals one clear thing, and confirm the video pays off its opening promise (no clickbait debt).

banger-script-longform