Channel Trailer Script Outline Planner

What you paste, what you get

You paste: one paragraph about your video channel (who it is for, what they get, the upload rhythm, host on camera or faceless, tone).

You get: a 30-60 second trailer outline in 6 timed beats with a spoken line, on-screen text and a visual note per beat, 3 alternative hooks and a promise check, plus a validation table and four review lenses applied by one model in turn. Self-checked by the same model; spot-check the numbers. It plans text; it does not see your channel or analytics.

How it works

Channel trailers often go wrong the same way: a slow intro before anyone knows what the channel is, a list of everything ever made, a promise of new videos every day from a channel that uploads weekly, or a closing line that asks for four things at once. Channel Trailer Script Outline Planner turns one paragraph about your video channel (who it is for, what they get, the upload rhythm, host on camera or faceless, tone) into a 30-60 second trailer outline in exactly 6 timed beats: hook, who it's for, what you get, proof/sample moment, rhythm/promise and call to subscribe. Each beat has a spoken line, an on-screen text line and a B-roll/visual note, and you get 3 alternative hooks that fit the same seconds. It flags promises it finds that the channel can't keep ("daily" when you upload weekly, or a claim about viewers' results) and is written not to claim subscriber or view growth. It does not see your channel or analytics.

Phase 0 — Intake. Needs who the channel is for, what they get and the upload rhythm. Host or faceless, tone, language and target length are optional (missing ones are marked as assumed). Asks at most 3 questions, only if an essential is missing.

Phase 1 — Context. Anchors for audience, content, rhythm, format and tone, and every promise your paragraph makes, quoted exactly so each one can be checked.

Phase 2 — The outline. 6 beats in a fixed order with whole seconds that add up to 30-60, each with a spoken line, on-screen text (6 words or fewer) and a visual that your format can film, plus 3 alternative hooks with different approaches.

Phase 3 — Validation. Timing, a word-per-second check with word counts at a 2.5 words-per-second working rate, on-screen text length, visual fit for host or faceless, one ask only in the last beat, and a promise check: rhythm as stated, no result claims, no growth claims. Promises that can't be kept get a keepable rewording, and a validation table shows every beat and hook.

Phase 4 — Review lenses. One model applies four review lenses in turn: First-Time Visitor, Promise Keeper, Pacing Editor, Policy & Tone Scout (looks for engagement bait, guilt and growth wording; not a check against any platform's rules). For each finding, the other three lenses each write a challenge, corroborate or no-challenge line. A verdict tags each finding CONFIRMED, CORROBORATED, DISPUTED or NO CHANGE; fixes are applied and the hook to record is named.

Sample output

Output from running this Skill on a sample problem (real, unedited output). Read the hooks against your own channel before recording; the checks are the Skill's own, not a guarantee.

Sample input (an invented example):

My channel "Third Shelf Supper" is for busy renters with a tiny kitchen who keep throwing out half-used vegetables. Each video takes 3-4 leftover ingredients from one fridge shelf and turns them into two dinners, with a 10-minute prep shown start to finish and a quick "what to buy less of next week" tip at the end. I upload one new video every Sunday. It's faceless: overhead camera on a small counter, hands only, calm English voiceover, a bit of dry humor. I'd love the trailer to say there are fresh ideas every day and that you'll cut your grocery bill in half. Around 45 seconds.

Third Shelf Supper: leftovers turned into two dinners · for busy renters with a tiny kitchen who keep throwing out half-used vegetables · rhythm as stated: "one new video every Sunday" · faceless (overhead, hands only, voiceover) · English · 6 beats · 3 hooks · 45 s · SFW

## Essentials

- **Who it's for:** busy renters with a tiny kitchen who keep throwing out half-used vegetables `(given)`
- **What they get:** each video takes 3-4 leftover ingredients from one fridge shelf and turns them into two dinners. The 10-minute prep is shown start to finish, and each video ends with a quick "what to buy less of next week" tip `(given)`
- **Upload rhythm:** "I upload one new video every Sunday" `(given)`
- **Format:** faceless, overhead camera on a small counter, hands only `(given)`
- **Tone:** calm voiceover, a bit of dry humor `(given)`
- **Language:** English `(given)`
- **Target length:** "Around 45 seconds", so T = 45 s `(given)`
- **Words to avoid:** none stated `(assumed)`
- **Requested wording:** "fresh ideas every day" and "cut your grocery bill in half" `(given)`. Neither is used as written. See `## Promise flags`.

## Context

**Anchors**
1. **Who it's for:** busy renters, tiny kitchen, half-used vegetables going in the bin.
2. **What they get:** 3-4 leftovers from one shelf become two dinners, with a 10-minute prep shown start to finish and a "what to buy less of next week" tip at the end.
3. **Upload rhythm:** "I upload one new video every Sunday"
4. **Format:** faceless, overhead camera on a small counter, hands only.
5. **Tone:** calm, dry humor.
6. **Language:** English.
7. **Target length:** 45 s.

**Q-list (quoted exactly)**
- Q01: "turns them into two dinners"
- Q02: "a 10-minute prep shown start to finish"
- Q03: "a quick "what to buy less of next week" tip at the end"
- Q04: "I upload one new video every Sunday"
- Q05: "there are fresh ideas every day"
- Q06: "you'll cut your grocery bill in half"

## Trailer outline

| Beat | Time | Spoken line | On-screen text | B-roll / visual | Checks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B1 Hook | 0-5 s (5 s) | Half a zucchini, two carrots, wilting spinach. Into the bin again? | Half-used again? | Overhead: hands set half-used vegetables from one fridge shelf on the small counter. | TIME PASS / WPS PASS / TEXT PASS / VISUAL PASS / PROMISE PASS / ASK PASS |
| B2* Who it's for | 5-12 s (7 s) | Leftover dinners for busy renters with a tiny kitchen who keep throwing out half-used vegetables. | Leftover dinners, tiny kitchens. | Overhead: hands on the small counter, barely room for a cutting board. | TIME PASS / WPS PASS / TEXT PASS / VISUAL PASS / PROMISE PASS / ASK PASS |
| B3 What you get | 12-22 s (10 s) | Each video turns three or four leftovers from one fridge shelf into two dinners, with the ten-minute prep shown start to finish. | 3-4 leftovers. Two dinners. | Overhead: sped-up clip of hands chopping and cooking through a full prep, cut to two plated dinners. | TIME PASS / WPS PASS / TEXT PASS / VISUAL PASS / PROMISE PASS / ASK PASS |
| B4* Proof/sample moment | 22-31 s (9 s) | Here, carrots and spinach become tonight's fritters and tomorrow's soup, and you hear what to buy less of next week. | Tonight: fritters. Tomorrow: soup. | Overhead: hands flip fritters in a small pan, then ladle soup into a bowl. Clip from an existing episode, or `(to shoot)` if none matches. | TIME PASS / WPS fixed (23→20 words) / TEXT PASS / VISUAL PASS / PROMISE PASS / ASK fixed ("Watch" removed) |
| B5* Rhythm/promise | 31-38 s (7 s) | One new video every Sunday. Same small counter, ten-minute prep, buy-less tip at the end. | New video every Sunday | Overhead: quick cuts of three episode openings on the same small counter, from existing episodes `(assumed)`. | TIME PASS / WPS PASS / TEXT PASS / VISUAL PASS / PROMISE PASS / ASK PASS |
| B6 Call to subscribe | 38-45 s (7 s) | If your fridge shelf needs rescuing, subscribe for two dinners from leftovers every Sunday. | Third Shelf Supper: every Sunday | Overhead: two finished plates side by side on the counter. | TIME PASS / WPS PASS / TEXT PASS / VISUAL PASS / PROMISE PASS / ASK PASS (one ask) |

## Alternative hooks

| H | Approach | Spoken line | On-screen text | Checks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| H1 | Question | How many half-used vegetables did you throw out this week? | How many this week? | WPS PASS / TEXT PASS / PROMISE PASS / ASK PASS |
| H2 | Plain statement | Three leftovers from one shelf. Two dinners. Ten minutes. | One shelf. Two dinners. | WPS PASS / TEXT PASS / PROMISE PASS / ASK PASS |
| H3 | Contrast | Your kitchen is tiny. Your leftover pile isn't. | Tiny kitchen. Big leftovers. | WPS PASS / TEXT PASS / PROMISE PASS / ASK PASS |

## Word-per-second check

- B1: Half|a|zucchini|two|carrots|wilting|spinach|Into|the|bin|again = 11 words / 5 s = 2.20 w/s
- B2*: Leftover|dinners|for|busy|renters|with|a|tiny|kitchen|who|keep|throwing|out|half-used|vegetables = 15 words / 7 s = 2.14 w/s
- B3: Each|video|turns|three|or|four|leftovers|from|one|fridge|shelf|into|two|dinners|with|the|ten-minute|prep|shown|start|to|finish = 22 words / 10 s = 2.20 w/s
- B4*: Here|carrots|and|spinach|become|tonight's|fritters|and|tomorrow's|soup|and|you|hear|what|to|buy|less|of|next|week = 20 words / 9 s = 2.22 w/s
- B5: One|new|video|every|Sunday|Same|small|counter|ten-minute|prep|buy-less|tip|at|the|end = 15 words / 7 s = 2.14 w/s
- B6: If|your|fridge|shelf|needs|rescuing|subscribe|for|two|dinners|from|leftovers|every|Sunday = 14 words / 7 s = 2.00 w/s
- H1: How|many|half-used|vegetables|did|you|throw|out|this|week = 10 words / 5 s = 2.00 w/s
- H2: Three|leftovers|from|one|shelf|Two|dinners|Ten|minutes = 9 words / 5 s = 1.80 w/s
- H3: Your|kitchen|is|tiny|Your|leftover|pile|isn't = 8 words / 5 s = 1.60 w/s
- **Total:** 97 words / 45 s = 2.16 w/s

## Promise flags

| ID | Source (Q#, B# or H#) | Wording | Problem | Keepable wording |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P1 | Q05 | "there are fresh ideas every day" | The stated rhythm is one new video every Sunday, so a daily promise cannot be kept. | "One new video every Sunday." (used in B5) |
| P2 | Q06 | "you'll cut your grocery bill in half" | This promises viewers a result. The skill does not allow result claims, and the paragraph gives no basis for this figure. | "Each video ends with one thing to buy less of next week." (the B4/B5 tip wording) |

## Validation

| Item | Seconds | Words | w/s | TIME | WPS | TEXT | VISUAL | PROMISE | ASK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B1 | 5 | 11 | 2.20 | PASS | PASS | PASS | PASS | PASS | PASS |
| B2* | 7 | 15 | 2.14 | PASS | PASS | PASS | PASS | PASS | PASS |
| B3 | 10 | 22 | 2.20 | PASS | PASS | PASS | PASS | PASS | PASS |
| B4* | 9 | 20 | 2.22 | PASS | PASS (fixed) | PASS | PASS | PASS | PASS (fixed) |
| B5* | 7 | 15 | 2.14 | PASS | PASS | PASS | PASS | PASS | PASS |
| B6 | 7 | 14 | 2.00 | PASS | PASS | PASS | PASS | PASS | PASS |
| H1 | 5 | 10 | 2.00 | - | PASS | PASS | - | PASS | PASS |
| H2 | 5 | 9 | 1.80 | - | PASS | PASS | - | PASS | PASS |
| H3 | 5 | 8 | 1.60 | - | PASS | PASS | - | PASS | PASS |

**Seven checks**
1. TIME: PASS. There are 6 beats in the fixed order and 3 hooks. Every beat is at least 3 s, B1 is 5 s, times run 0-45 s with no gaps, and the total is 45 s.
2. WPS: PASS on the final version. B4's draft ran 23 words / 9 s = 2.56 w/s and was fixed.
3. TEXT: PASS. All on-screen text is 6 words or fewer, makes no claim beyond its spoken line, and `none` is used 0 times.
4. VISUAL: PASS. Every visual is faceless, overhead, hands only, on the small counter. The B4 clip is marked `(to shoot)` if no matching episode exists.
5. PROMISE: PASS. B5 rhythm matches Q04. There are no result, growth, view or subscriber claims and no superlatives. Q05 and Q06 are flagged [P1, P2] and not used as written. Q01-Q04 are keepable as stated.
6. ASK: PASS. B6 has one ask (subscribe). B1-B5 and H1-H3 have none. "Watch" was removed from the B4 draft.
7. Avoid list and SFW: PASS. No avoid list was given, all content is SFW, and no real people or brands appear.

**Changes**
- B4 spoken line (Phase 3, WPS + ASK): before "Watch the carrots and spinach become a quick fritter tonight and a soup tomorrow, then hear what to buy less of next week." → after "Here, carrots and spinach become tonight's fritters and tomorrow's soup, and you hear what to buy less of next week."
- B2 spoken line and on-screen text (Phase 4, 1a): see `### Changes applied`.
- B5 visual (Phase 4, 3a): see `### Changes applied`.

**Counts:** beats 6, hooks 3, total seconds 45, total words 97, overall 2.16 w/s, promise flags [P1, P2].

## Review lenses

### Findings per lens

**Lens 1: First-Time Visitor**
- **1a [B2]:** "This is for busy renters with a tiny kitchen who keep throwing out half-used vegetables." After B1 and B2, a visitor knows who the channel is for but not that it is a cooking channel until B3 at 12 s. That is where they might leave. Fix: open B2 with "Leftover dinners for…" (same 15 words) and set the on-screen text to "Leftover dinners, tiny kitchens."
- **1b [B1, B6]:** "Half-used again?" / "Third Shelf Supper: every Sunday". The channel name only appears at 38 s. Fix: change B1's on-screen text to "Third Shelf Supper".

**Lens 2: Promise Keeper**
- **2a [Q05, Q06, B5]:** "there are fresh ideas every day" / "you'll cut your grocery bill in half" / "One new video every Sunday." The trailer already keeps the weekly rhythm and makes no result claim. Both requests are handled in [P1, P2]. No change proposed.
- **2b [B4]:** "tonight's fritters and tomorrow's soup". These specific dishes may not match any existing episode, so the trailer could show something the channel hasn't made. Fix: make the line generic: "Here, carrots and spinach become two different dinners, and you hear what to buy less of next week."

**Lens 3: Pacing Editor**
- **3a [B5]:** "Overhead, hands wipe the small counter and set out the next shelf's leftovers." This visual repeats B1's shot and makes the edit feel like a loop. Fix: use quick cuts of three episode openings on the same counter, which carries the "every Sunday, same setup" idea.

**Lens 4: Policy & Tone Scout**
- No findings. There is no bait, growth wording or guilt, the dry humor in B1 and B6 fits the stated tone, and there are no real people or brands.

### Cross-check

- `[1a, B2] Lens 2: no challenge / Lens 3: corroborate - "B2 gets a clearer job at the same 15 words, so the timing does not change." / Lens 4: no challenge`
- `[1b, B1, B6] Lens 2: no challenge / Lens 3: no challenge / Lens 4: challenge - "Phase 2 B1 rule: no channel name first; the name is on screen in B6 and on the channel page itself."`
- `[2a, Q05, Q06, B5] Lens 1: no challenge / Lens 3: no challenge / Lens 4: no challenge`
- `[2b, B4] Lens 1: no challenge / Lens 3: challenge - "A generic line removes the concrete moment B4 exists for; the dishes are marked (assumed) in Notes to be swapped for a real episode's dishes." / Lens 4: no challenge`
- `[3a, B5] Lens 1: no challenge / Lens 2: no challenge / Lens 4: no challenge`

### Verdict

- **1a: CORROBORATED.** Raised by Lens 1, corroborated by Lens 3 in the cross-check for 1a. Applied.
- **1b: DISPUTED.**
  - Lens 1 says the name arrives too late and should appear in B1's text.
  - Lens 4 says B1 must not lead with the channel name, and the name is already in B6 and on the page.
  - Not applied. The user decides.
- **2a: NO CHANGE.** No lens proposes a change. P1 and P2 remain as flags.
- **2b: DISPUTED.**
  - Lens 2 says specific dishes may not exist in any episode.
  - Lens 3 says a generic line loses the concrete proof moment, and the dishes are already marked as assumptions to swap.
  - Not applied. The user decides.
- **3a: CONFIRMED.** Applied.

### Changes applied

- **B2 spoken line (1a):** before "This is for busy renters with a tiny kitchen who keep throwing out half-used vegetables." → after "Leftover dinners for busy renters with a tiny kitchen who keep throwing out half-used vegetables." Phase 3 re-run: 15 words / 7 s = 2.14 w/s, all PASS.
- **B2 on-screen text (1a):** before "Busy renters. Tiny kitchens." → after "Leftover dinners, tiny kitchens." Phase 3 re-run: 4 words, TEXT PASS.
- **B5 B-roll / visual (3a):** before "Overhead, hands wipe the small counter and set out the next shelf's leftovers." → after "Overhead: quick cuts of three episode openings on the same small counter, from existing episodes `(assumed)`." Phase 3 re-run: VISUAL PASS.

### Hook to record

B1 as final: "Half a zucchini, two carrots, wilting spinach. Into the bin again?"

### Recommendation

- **Hook and length:** record B1 as the hook, total 45 s.
- **B1:** 1b DISPUTED. The user decides.
- **B2:** 1a CORROBORATED (applied).
- **B3:** clean.
- **B4:** 2b DISPUTED. The user decides.
- **B5:** 3a CONFIRMED (applied); 2a NO CHANGE.
- **B6:** 1b DISPUTED. The user decides.
- **Promise flags:** P1 flag (see Notes); P2 flag (see Notes).

## Notes

- **Assumptions to confirm:**
  - The vegetables in B1 (zucchini, carrots, spinach) and the dishes in B4 (fritters, soup) are examples. Swap them for those from a real episode.
  - The B4 and B5 clips assume existing episodes are available. If none matches, B4 is `(to shoot)`.
  - No words-to-avoid list was given.
- **Requested wording not used:**
  - P1: "fresh ideas every day" does not match a Sunday-only schedule. Use "One new video every Sunday."
  - P2: "cut your grocery bill in half" is a result promise. Use "Each video ends with one thing to buy less of next week."
- Confirm current trailer and channel-page options in your platform's own help or studio.
- Time the real take. If it runs long, trim the longest beat first (B3, 10 s).
- This plan is reasoned from your paragraph only. It cannot predict subscribers or views.
- If useful, I can do a 15-second cut-down, the trailer in a second language, or a host-on-camera version.

Use cases

• Planning a channel trailer before you record the voiceover
• Keeping a trailer's promises in line with your real upload rhythm
• Fitting what you say into 30-60 seconds with on-screen text and B-roll for each beat
• Trying 3 different hooks against the same timing

FAQ

Does it look at my channel or analytics? No. The outline is reasoned only from the paragraph you paste.

Will it promise subscribers or views? No. It is instructed not to claim subscriber growth, views or approval, and it rewrites result claims such as "you'll save half" into what you say the videos show.

What if I upload weekly but want to say "daily"? It flags the mismatch and uses your stated rhythm in the trailer instead.

Does it work for faceless channels? Yes. Visuals follow your format: faceless outlines are written without a face on screen, and any shot that needs new filming is marked.

Does it know the platform's trailer rules? It uses its own working frame (30-60 seconds, 2.5 words per second) and tells you to confirm current options in your platform's own help.

Which tools? Built for Claude Code; other agents that read SKILL.md files (such as Codex CLI or OpenClaw) should also work. No network access or extra tools needed. One-time download, no hosting, no API key. GlowHalo is not affiliated with or endorsed by Anthropic, OpenAI or OpenClaw; the names are used only to say which agents the file is written for.

Not affiliated with or endorsed by YouTube or Google; platform names are used only to describe what the plan is for.