video-storytellinglisted

# Narrative structure and pacing This skill owns the shape of the whole video -- what happens when, and why a viewer keeps watching. `video-cinematography` owns what one shot looks like once a beat is decided. Get the structure right first; a beautifully shot sequence in the wrong place in the arc still loses viewers. The guidance here scales with duration -- rules for a 2-minute explainer and a 12-minute video differ in scope but not in kind. Apply the arc template for short pieces, add chapters and retention management for anything genuinely long-form. ## The explainer arc For a single-arc piece (roughly under 5 minutes), structure the narrative in this order, scaling section lengths proportionally to total duration: 1. **Hook** -- a pattern interrupt or counterintuitive claim, one to two sentences. The opening visual must create curiosity, not just look nice. 2. **Tension / information gap** -- state what the viewer probably believes and why it's incomplete or wrong. Establish why this matters to them. 3. **Concept beats** -- one idea per beat, each building on the last. End each beat with a "but" or "therefore" transition into the next, never "and then" (see "But-therefore, not and-then" below). 4. **Palate cleanser** -- a brief pause, a visual beat, or a "let that sink in" moment between concept beats, giving the viewer a moment to consolidate before the next idea lands. 5. **Key insight** -- the "aha" moment the whole piece has been building to.