Banger script shorts

Banger Shorts Script — vertical scripts engineered for the swipe

Short-form lives or dies in the first 1–3 seconds (a weak open = swipe-away = the algorithm stops pushing it). Every word earns the next. Design for muted autoplay, for the loop, and for one single takeaway.

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/frameworks/voice-and-audience.md (the creator's own defined audience — ask once if it isn't set) + ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/references/frameworks/hooks-bank.md (the opener).
• ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/references/creators/fireship.md (density / no dead air) + ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/references/creators/matt-pocock.md (one concept, show-don't-tell).
• ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/references/platforms/platform-playbook.md §2–4 (Shorts / TikTok / Reels specs, safe zones, ideal length, SEO, sound rules). Confirm which platform(s) — the specs and audio rules differ.

The short-form structure

1. Hook (0–3s) — the most important line. State the payoff, the promise, or the pattern-break immediately. Put the topic keyword in the FIRST spoken line (speech-to-text SEO) and as bold on-screen text (OCR SEO). No intro, no "hey guys."
2. Deliver ONE thing (3–45s). A single trick, tip, comparison, or reveal — shown, not described. Fast, tight, zero filler. If it needs two ideas, it's two Shorts.
3. The loop / payoff (final 2–3s). Close the loop so it can replay seamlessly (each loop = a view + an engagement signal). End on the result or a line that sends them back to the top.
4. CTA (optional, light). One line max — a question for comments, or "follow for more [specific thing]."

Writing rules

• Ideal length: TikTok 21–34s, Reels 15–90s, Shorts 15–45s — go longer only if you can hold completion. Aim for the tightest cut that still lands the point.
• Caption everything — 30%+ watch muted. Provide burned-in on-screen text for every line.
• Keep text in the safe zone — out of the top bar and the bottom caption/CTA area and the right-side button rail (exact px in the platform playbook). Note this in the visual cues.
• Density — one idea per sentence, no dead air, visual change every 1–5 seconds.
• Standalone — a Short cut from a long video must have its OWN fresh hook and make sense with zero context (Shorts are decoupled from long-form now).

Output format

For each Short, deliver:

• HOOK (the exact first line + the on-screen text for it).
• SCRIPT — line-by-line narration with [on-screen text] and [visual/B-roll] cues and rough timestamps.
• CAPTION — the post caption with the keyword front-loaded + 3–5 hashtags (broad + niche).
• SOUND — note to add a native trending audio on each platform (and that TikTok sounds don't transfer to Reels — swap per platform).
• LOOP NOTE — how the end connects back to the start. If producing for multiple platforms, give each its own hook/first-frame and caption (don't ship one file everywhere — duplicate detection weights the first ~0.5s). Batch: offer to generate 3–5 variants from one idea.

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

Confirm the hook works in 3 seconds with sound off, the Short teaches/reveals exactly one thing, text sits inside the safe zone, and it loops. If it drags, cut it shorter.