Storyboarding for Social Content

Shot-by-shot storyboards for TikTok, Reels, YouTube Shorts, and UGC ad scripts. Built around retention physics, not film-school conventions.

When to Use

• TikTok / Reel / YouTube Short planning
• UGC ad scripts (creator briefs, testimonial mashups)
• Multi-platform video campaigns

When NOT to Use

• Static ads (ad-creative) · Written posts (content-machine) · Slide decks (use slides skill)

Platform Specs (2025-2026)

Platform	Ratio	Resolution	Max duration	Sweet spot	File
TikTok	9:16	1080×1920	10 min in-app / 60 min upload	21-34 sec	MP4/MOV, H.264, 287MB mobile / 500MB web
Instagram Reels	9:16	1080×1920	3 min in-app / 15 min upload	<90 sec for Explore boost	MP4/MOV, 4GB
YouTube Shorts	9:16	1080×1920 (up to 4K)	3 min	15-60 sec	MP4
YouTube long-form	16:9	1920×1080+	unlimited	8-12 min (mid-roll ads)	—

Universal safe zone for cross-posting: Keep all text, faces, logos inside the center 900×1400 of the 1080×1920 frame. Top 14% + bottom 20-35% are covered by UI on at least one platform.

The 3-Second Rule (Data-Backed)

TikTok's algorithm scores hook retention separately from total watch time. 2025 creator analytics:

3-sec retention	View multiplier	Outcome
85%+	2.8×	Viral tier — FYP push
70-85%	2.2×	Optimal reach
60-70%	1.6×	Average
<60%	baseline	Minimal distribution

Target: keep ≥65% of viewers past 0:03. If you're losing >35% in 3 seconds, the hook is broken — rewrite the opening, not the body. 84% of viral TikToks in 2025 used an identifiable psychological trigger in the first 3 seconds.

Named Hook Formulas

The scroll-stopping element must fire in 0-2 seconds. Seconds 3-5 expand it. Never introduce — interrupt. Banned openers: "Hey guys," "Welcome back," "So today I'm gonna..."

Hook	Template	Trigger
POV	"POV: you just found out [revelation]"	Puts viewer inside the scenario; personal relevance
Stop-scrolling callout	"Stop scrolling if you're a [role] who [pain]"	Audience self-selects; filters for high-intent
Contrarian	"Everyone says X. That's completely wrong."	Cognitive dissonance demands resolution
Unfinished story	"I almost [drastic action] until I found..."	Open loop — Zeigarnik effect
Negative listicle	"3 [category] mistakes that are costing you [outcome]"	Loss aversion > gain framing
Number hook	"$47,000 in 30 days — here's the exact breakdown"	Specificity = credibility
Secret reveal	"What [authority] doesn't want you to know about X"	Insider info promise
Surprise reaction	Open on a shocked face, silent beat, then reveal	Viewer's brain asks "what are they reacting to?"
Visual interrupt	Start mid-action, mid-motion, mid-chaos	Pattern break — no static frame 1

The silent test: Watch your first 3 seconds on mute. If text overlay + visual alone don't communicate the promise, it fails — ~85% of social video is watched muted.

Script Structure by Video Type

Organic short-form (15-60s) — Hook → Value → Loop

0:00-0:02  HOOK         Visual interrupt + text overlay with the promise
0:02-0:05  EXPAND       Why this matters to YOU (the viewer)
0:05-0:XX  DELIVER      The value. Pattern-interrupt every 3-5s: cut, zoom, text pop, angle change
0:XX-end   LOOP/CTA     End mid-sentence OR loop back to frame 1 for rewatch. Soft CTA in caption, not in video.

Mid-video retention hooks at ~15s and ~30s ("but here's the part nobody talks about...").

UGC ad (15-30s) — Direct Response formula

The proven DR structure: Hook → Problem → Agitate → Solution → Proof → CTA

0:00-0:02  HOOK      "I was about to [give up on X]..."
0:02-0:05  PROBLEM   Show/say the pain. Be specific.
0:05-0:08  AGITATE   "And it just kept getting worse — [consequence]"
0:08-0:20  SOLUTION  Product in hand. Demo it working. Lo-fi > polished.
0:15-0:22  PROOF     Green-screen reviews behind you, or "my [authority figure] friend told me..."
0:22-0:30  CTA       Verbal + text overlay. "Link in bio" / "Use code X"

UGC ad writing rules:

• Write like you text a friend — contractions, "literally," "obsessed," imperfect grammar
• One emotion per script (relief / excitement / transformation — pick one)
• Modular shooting: film hook, problem, demo, CTA as separate clips → mix-and-match 3 hooks × 1 body × 2 CTAs = 6 ad variants
• For TikTok Spark Ads, script must feel organic — get creator authorization codes; Spark Ads keep organic engagement metrics
• Research pain points in TikTok comments / Amazon reviews / Reddit before writing — use their exact words

Vertical-specific angles: Beauty → before/after transformation. Fitness → "30 days with X" challenge. SaaS → screen recording solving the problem in <10s. Ecom → unboxing + speed-of-delivery.

Shot-by-Shot Storyboard Format

#	Time	Shot	Visual	On-screen text	VO / Audio	Retention device
1	0:00-0:02	CU face	Shocked expression, product out of frame	"I was today years old..."	[silence / gasp]	Surprise reaction hook
2	0:02-0:05	MS	Hold up product	"...when I learned THIS"	"So I've been doing X wrong for 3 years"	Text reveal
3	0:05-0:08	POV	Hands demo the product	—	VO continues	Angle change = pattern interrupt
4	0:08-0:12	Split screen	Before / After	"BEFORE → AFTER"	—	Visual proof
5	0:12-0:15	CU face	Direct to camera	"Link in my bio"	"Code SAVE20 — thank me later"	CTA

Shot types: CU (close-up), MS (medium), WS (wide), POV, OTS (over-the-shoulder), Screen recording, Green-screen, B-roll.

Visual Output — Always Use the Design Canvas

Always render the storyboard visually on the design canvas using the

canvas

skill. Do not just output a text table — build a real, visual storyboard with a generated image for every shot.

Generated Shot Images

Use the

media-generation

skill to generate an image for every shot in the storyboard. Each image should visualize exactly what the camera sees for that shot — match the shot type (CU, MS, WS, POV, etc.), framing, subject, and mood described in the storyboard. These are the storyboard frames, not placeholders.

Canvas Layout

Each shot is a vertical stack on the canvas, arranged left-to-right as a horizontal timeline:

1. Shot image (

   image

   shape, 400w × 300h) — the generated frame for this shot
2. Metadata bar (

   geo

   shape, 400w × 60h) — shot number, timestamp, and shot type. Color-coded by purpose: red/orange for hook shots, blue for value delivery, green for CTA.
3. Script/VO bar (

   geo

   shape, 400w × 80h) — the voiceover line, on-screen text, or audio direction for this shot

Use 440px horizontal spacing between shot columns. Add a title shape across the top with the video concept, platform, and target duration.

For long storyboards (>8 shots), wrap to a second row.

Production Notes

• Cuts: Every 1.5-3 sec on TikTok, every 3-5 sec on YouTube. Static shots >5s bleed viewers.
• Captions: Always burned-in. Platform auto-captions are unreliable and can't be styled.
• Audio: Trending sound at low volume under VO > original audio only. Use

  webSearch

  for "[platform] trending sounds this week" — shelf life is ~7-14 days.
• UGC aesthetic: Phone camera, natural light, slightly messy background. Ring lights and DSLRs read as "ad" and tank trust. Authenticity converts 3-4× polished.
• Research:

  webSearch

  for current top-performing ad hooks — e.g.

  webSearch("[industry] TikTok ad hooks 2026")

  or

  webSearch("[industry] viral ad examples")

  . The TikTok Creative Center (ads.tiktok.com/business/creativecenter) is a useful reference but requires direct browser interaction to filter; search for articles and breakdowns that cite its data.

A/B Testing Plan

Always deliver 3 hook variants for the same body. Variables to test (change one at a time): Hook type (problem vs. outcome), Proof timing (early vs. late), CTA hardness (soft "check it out" vs. hard "buy now"). Run 7-14 days before picking a winner.

Limitations

• Produces scripts/storyboards only — no video rendering
• Cannot access live trending sounds (suggest mood + search query)
• Cannot measure retention curves