Field notes on video, in the age of agents.
Short essays on what actually converts, what the algorithm measures, and where AI tools earn their keep — written by people who ship video, for people who ship video.
- 9 may 20266 min
CapCut vs the new wave of AI-native editors: what's actually different
CapCut has 323M monthly users and a free tier. The new AI editors don't beat it on price. They beat it somewhere else — and miss in places people don't talk about.
· ai-tools· editing· short-form· creators - 5 may 20266 min
What we actually know about the TikTok algorithm in 2026 (and what's still folklore)
Completion rate is documented. Shadowbans-from-emojis are not. A field guide to the difference, with citations.
· short-form· platforms· creators· analytics - 30 april 20266 min
AI voiceover in 2026: ElevenLabs, OpenAI, Google, and when to pay vs use open source
Same script, four engines. The picks aren't where you'd expect — and one of them costs nothing.
· ai-tools· audio· creators· workflow - 25 april 20267 min
AI video tools in 2026: a head-to-head between Runway, Pika, Veo, and Sora
Same prompt, four tools, four very different bills. Where each one earns its keep — and where it quietly bleeds your credits.
· ai-tools· workflow· creators· ads - 21 april 20266 min
Cut every 1.4 seconds: the science (and folklore) of pacing in viral short-form
Why the 1.4-second cut became gospel, where the data actually lands, and the formats where slowing down is winning right now.
· short-form· editing· ads· storytelling - 14 april 20266 min
Captions and retention: what works in 2026 (font, case, position, timing)
An 80% completion lift, Montserrat at 1.2M videos, and why ALL CAPS is quietly losing — what the 2026 caption data actually says.
· captions· short-form· editing· analytics - 7 april 20266 min
Repurposing long videos into short clips: the chop-and-publish workflow
A 60-minute interview should net you 4 to 6 clips worth posting, not 40. Here is the workflow, the tools, and the cadence.
· short-form· ai-tools· workflow· creators - 31 march 20266 min
Aspect ratios decoded: why 4:5 outperforms 9:16 on certain platforms
A 4:5 Instagram feed post takes up 78% of an iPhone screen. A 9:16 Reel uploaded as a feed post? It gets cropped. Here's the cheat sheet.
· platforms· short-form· analytics· workflow - 24 march 20266 min
Cinematic look on a phone budget: settings, gear under $200, edit recipe
A repeatable recipe for a film-look on iPhone or Android — the settings, the under-$200 kit, the edit, and the shot that always works.
· mobile· creators· color· workflow - 17 march 20265 min
What a high-converting UGC ad actually looks like (and what the bad ones get wrong)
A frame-by-frame breakdown of one ad that works, one that doesn't, and the contrarian rule most creators miss.
· ugc· ads· short-form· storytelling - 10 march 20266 min
The viral trend life cycle: when to jump in, when to skip
A 5-phase model for trends, mapped to Demure and Stanley. Plus the contrarian case for skipping 80% of them.
· trends· short-form· ugc - 3 march 20266 min
The 5-beat structure of a direct-response video ad
Hook, problem, solution, proof, CTA. Thirty seconds. Most ads botch beat four — the one doing the heaviest conversion lifting.
· ads· ugc· storytelling· short-form - 24 february 20265 min
Behind-the-scenes content beats polish 9 times out of 10
Duolingo's bloopers lifted engagement 30% in weeks. Glossier rides on 70% word-of-mouth. The unpolished cut is doing the heavy lifting now.
· ugc· storytelling· trends· ads - 17 february 20266 min
The same-character ad strategy: why audiences trust familiar faces
Flo. Mayhem. Old Spice Guy. The data on what recurring characters actually do to conversion — and how to build one when you don't have a Hollywood actor.
· ads· characters· storytelling· ugc - 10 february 20266 min
Sound design without licensing nightmares: where to actually find clean SFX and music in 2026
Where to find SFX and music that won't get you striked, what each license really means, and the AI generators that finally sound usable.
· audio· workflow· creators· ads - 3 february 20266 min
The 3-second hook: short-form opening formulas that actually work in 2026
Seven opening patterns pulled from creators who are still hitting in 2026 — with the failure modes nobody warns you about.
· short-form· storytelling· creators· viral - 27 january 20266 min
Color grading for creators: minimum-viable LUTs and tweaks
A 5-minute grade that beats 90% of creator footage, plus why most paid LUT packs are just Curves you could pull yourself.
· color· editing· creators· workflow - 20 january 20266 min
Story arcs in 30 seconds: 4 frameworks creators use (and one that's overrated)
Four short-form story structures that actually survive a 30-second runtime, broken down second by second — plus the famous one you should probably skip.
· short-form· storytelling· creators· ads - 13 january 20265 min
The B-roll formula: when, how often, and where to cut
B-roll isn't decoration. It's a retention tool with a measurable cadence — and most creators are overdoing it.
· editing· short-form· workflow· creators - 7 january 20266 min
Voiceover scripting for short-form: when to write tight, when to ramble
A spectrum, two word-count budgets, and where to leave the silence editors keep cutting out.
· short-form· audio· storytelling