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Episode script outline builder

Builds a segment-by-segment episode script outline with runtime timing, host direction notes, transition cues, and platform-specific hooks calibrated to a defined show format and topic. Use when developing an episode…

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Purpose

Turn a show format and an episode topic into a shootable segment-by-segment outline — with per-segment runtime, host direction, transition cues, and platform-tuned hooks — so the production team walks into the shoot or edit with a complete structure instead of a blank page.

When to Use

Invoke this skill when the user asks to:

  • Outline or script an episode of a show or series
  • Break a topic down into segments with timing
  • Plan a shoot or recording session for episodic content
  • Convert a rough episode idea into a shootable structure
  • Build a repeatable episode template for a recurring format
  • Add host direction, hooks, or transition notes to an existing rundown

Inputs Required

Before starting, collect:

  • Show format: Interview / solo monologue / panel / video essay / reaction / tutorial / narrative / hybrid
  • Episode topic: The specific subject, story, or question this episode covers
  • Target runtime: Total episode length in minutes
  • Primary platform: YouTube / TikTok / Instagram Reels / podcast / long-form streaming / multi-platform
  • Host(s) and role: Who is on camera/mic and their function (main host, co-host, guest, narrator)
  • Episode goal: What the viewer should feel, learn, or do by the end
  • Recurring segments (if any): Any fixed bits, sponsor reads, or callbacks the format always includes

If runtime or platform is missing, default to a 12-minute YouTube episode and note the assumption.

Instructions

Step 1: Confirm the Format Spine

Map the episode to a proven structure for its format type:

  • Interview: Cold open hook → intro/context → 3–5 topic blocks → signature closing question → CTA
  • Solo monologue / video essay: Hook → thesis → 3–4 argument beats → counterpoint/turn → payoff → CTA
  • Tutorial: Hook (result preview) → what you'll need → sequential steps → common mistakes → recap → CTA
  • Panel: Hook → guest intros → 2–4 debate prompts → hot-take round → closing statements → CTA
  • Narrative: Cold open → inciting question → escalating beats → climax → resolution → CTA

Select the spine and state it in one line before building segments.

Step 2: Build the Segment-by-Segment Outline

For every segment, produce a block containing:

  1. Segment name + number
  2. Runtime: Duration in mm:ss and a running cumulative timestamp (must sum to target runtime)
  3. Purpose: One sentence — why this segment exists in the episode
  4. Content beats: 2–4 bullet points of what actually gets said or shown (specific to the topic, not generic)
  5. Host direction: Delivery, energy, blocking, or camera note (e.g., "drop energy, lean in — this is the confession beat")
  6. Transition cue: The exact line, gesture, or edit that moves into the next segment

Allocate runtime deliberately: the hook gets 5–10% of total, the core value segments get 60–70%, the close and CTA get the remainder. Never let a single mid-episode segment exceed 25% of total runtime without a subdivided beat structure.

Step 3: Engineer the Platform-Specific Hooks

Write hooks tuned to how the primary platform surfaces retention:

  • YouTube: A 0–15s hook that names the payoff and creates an open loop; note a mid-roll re-hook around the 40% mark to survive the drop-off cliff
  • TikTok / Reels: A 0–3s pattern interrupt (visual or verbal) plus a "watch till the end" tension line in the first 8 seconds
  • Podcast: A cold-open teaser clip pulled from the strongest later moment, then a spoken hook question
  • Long-form streaming: A cold open that establishes stakes before any branding

Deliver 2 hook variants for the opener so the producer can A/B or choose on the shoot day.

Step 4: Add Production Notes and CTA

  • Flag any B-roll, graphics, or lower-third needs inline per segment
  • Insert sponsor read / recurring segment placement if provided in inputs
  • Write a specific CTA matched to the episode goal (subscribe, comment prompt, next-episode tease, link in bio) — not a generic "like and subscribe"

Output Format

  • Structure: Numbered segment blocks in sequence, each with the six sub-fields from Step 2; a hook section up top with 2 variants; a running timing column
  • Length: 700–1,100 words depending on runtime and segment count
  • Format: Structured rundown — labeled segment blocks with bolded field names, scannable, not prose paragraphs
  • Sections: Format spine (1 line) → Opening hooks (2 variants) → Segment-by-segment outline → Production notes summary → CTA
  • Tone: Working showrunner — decisive, production-ready, written to be handed to a host or editor as-is

Quality Checklist

Before delivering output, verify:

  • [ ] Segment runtimes sum exactly to the target total (show the cumulative timestamps)
  • [ ] Every segment has all six fields: name, runtime, purpose, content beats, host direction, transition cue
  • [ ] Content beats reference the actual episode topic — no placeholder or generic filler
  • [ ] The hook section contains 2 distinct opener variants tuned to the named platform
  • [ ] No single mid-episode segment exceeds 25% of total runtime
  • [ ] The CTA is specific to the episode goal, not a boilerplate subscribe line

Notes

  • The cold open earns the rest of the episode — spend disproportionate care on the first 15 seconds regardless of format
  • If the topic is thin for the target runtime, recommend cutting runtime rather than padding segments — pacing beats length on every platform
  • For recurring shows, this outline doubles as a reusable template: lock the format spine and swap only the topic-specific content beats each episode

How to use this skill

This file is a Claude Code skill in Anthropic's standard format — markdown with YAML frontmatter at the top.

Installing in Claude Code:

  • ~/.claude/skills/<folder-name>/SKILL.md — auto-loads in every session anywhere on your machine (recommended for skills you'll use across multiple projects)
  • <your-project>/.claude/skills/<folder-name>/SKILL.md — auto-loads only when working in that project (recommended for project-specific skills)

Restart Claude Code or open a new session to register.

Using in Claude.ai, ChatGPT, Gemini, or other AI tools:

  1. Drag this file into a new chat, or copy and paste its contents
  2. Send your task or request as your next message — the AI will apply the skill where it fits

For Claude Code skill details: https://docs.anthropic.com/en/docs/claude-code/skills