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name: x-launch-video-structure description: When the user is planning, scripting, or editing a product launch video for X (Twitter) and needs the structure. Also use when the user mentions "launch video", "demo video", "product launch on X", "60 second demo", "how to structure a launch", or "my launch video isn't working". Produces a beat-by-beat timing sheet, not copy. metadata: version: 1.0.0 source: x-launch-playbook

X Launch Video Structure

A launch video for X is not a walkthrough. It's a 60-second unit of attention with five hard beats, and if you miss any of them the post dies before it propagates. This skill gives you the beat sheet.

When invoking: Ask for the product name, the one pipeline (not one feature — one pipeline) the video will show, and the ICP. Then produce the beat sheet.

The iron rules

1. Under 60 seconds, always. Over 60s and you lose viewers raised on 15-second Reels. No exceptions for "our product is complicated."
2. One pipeline, not one feature. Pick one end-to-end user pipeline (e.g. "agent researches a lead, writes an email, posts a Slack recap"). Not "you can upload a PDF." The pipeline is a story; the feature is a spec sheet.
3. Show, don't explain. Every second of voiceover competes with a second of product on screen. The product must be visible within the first 5 seconds.

The 5-beat structure

Beat	Time	What	Failure mode
1. Hook	0:00 - 0:01	A 3-5 word phrase that captures the product's essence. Visually distinct — a face, a logo, a single on-screen word. See launch-video-hook-generator.	Hook is a logo card with no human / no text / no motion. Dead on arrival.
2. One-liner	0:01 - 0:05	One sentence stating what the product is. Framed as a claim, not a description. ("You can now give OpenClaude a brain." "Momo is a CRM for AI agents.")	Sentence is a feature list with commas.
3. Problem / ICP story beat	0:05 - 0:15	10 seconds max. Show (don't tell) the ICP's problem. If you narrate, narrate as the ICP in first person. See icp-roleplay-demo-script.	Explaining the problem in third person. "Many founders struggle to..." — skip.
4. Pipeline demo	0:15 - 0:50	35 seconds of actual product use. Show the pipeline from trigger to outcome. Cut aggressively — every shot should advance the pipeline. No UI tour.	Feature tour, menu clicks, tab switches.
5. Outcome + CTA	0:50 - 0:60	Show the result. End card with domain name or @handle so people can find you when they pause.	Fading to black with a "thanks for watching."

Script compression

Write a full script first. Then cut it in half. Then cut it again.

• Default prose has ~60% filler. Your audience hears all of it.
• Kill every word that isn't load-bearing. "Actually," "basically," "so," "I think," "you know" — all out.
• Rule of thumb: the speakable script for a 60-second video is ~130-150 words max.
• Do not use a general LLM to write the final script. LLMs re-introduce filler ("Let's dive into," "In today's video," "As you can see"). Use one to brainstorm structure, then rewrite the final script by hand.

Production notes

• Voice should be yours, not a studio read. X rewards founder voice.
• First second needs motion. A static frame with a logo will be scrolled past.
• Captions on (default). Most X video plays with sound off.
• Export at 1080×1920 (vertical) for phone-first viewing, or 1080×1080 square. Not 16:9 landscape.

Output format

When asked to structure a launch video, produce:

1. Beat sheet — the 5 beats with exact timings and what happens in each.
2. Speakable script — final, compressed, ≤150 words.
3. On-screen text list — every word the viewer will see overlaid.
4. Shot list — each cut in the pipeline demo beat, ~6-10 shots.
5. End-card copy — domain, handle, one-line CTA.
6. What to cut — 2-3 things the user probably wants to include that are hurting the video.

Related skills

• launch-video-hook-generator — produces beat 1
• icp-roleplay-demo-script — produces beats 3-4 as a story
• x-viral-template-miner — find current-month video templates before scripting
• hook-and-headline-writing — for non-video hook work