The Best Prompts for Editing News Packages

Rough cut

1. Track, bite, track, bite

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   Build a [1:45] package: track paragraph 1, the [first] bite, track paragraph 2, the [second] bite, track paragraph 3, then the stand-up to close. Use the reporter track for the voice sections.

   Eddie builds the structure in your order, with the recorded track as the spine of the voice sections, and reports the duration against the slot.

2. Hit the slot

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   The package is [12] seconds over. Trim it to [1:45] without touching the bites.

   Eddie shortens the track sections and reports the new duration.

Highlights

1. Bite options

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   Find the best [8] to [12] second bites: one from [resident] about [impact on them], and one from [official] on [when it will be fixed]. Give me two options for each with timestamps.

   Eddie searches the interview transcripts and returns short, complete bites.

2. A web version

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   Make a [60]-second web version with only the strongest bite and the key facts as titles.

   Eddie builds a shorter edit and places the titles you describe.

3. A headline teaser

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   Make a [10]-second teaser for the bulletin headlines: the most striking general view with the [engineer's] strongest line over it.

   Eddie builds a short edit from the shot and the bite you named.

Social clips

1. A vertical explainer

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   Make a [45]-second vertical version for social, with large captions on every line and the key fact as a title in the first [2] seconds.

   Eddie builds a 9:16 edit with captions and an opening title.

Captions

1. Supers

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   Add supers "[Name], [Role]" on each bite, for the first [4] seconds of each one.

   Eddie adds a lower third on each bite from its graphics templates.

2. Correct names before supers

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   Correct the spelling of [name] and [place] everywhere in the transcript.

   Eddie fixes the words, keeping their timings, so supers and captions match.

B-roll

Eddie uses your own b-roll first. Where you have nothing that fits, it searches stock footage: free Pexels clips, plus your own Shutterstock catalog if you connect it. When neither has the shot, it can generate a short b-roll clip. It quotes the credits first and generates nothing until you agree. You can also tell it to use only your own footage.

1. Our pictures only

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   Cover all the track sections with our own general views, matched to what the track says. Use only our footage, no stock and nothing generated.

   Eddie places your general views over the track and uses nothing else when you say so.

2. Blur what must be hidden

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   Blur [the licence plate of the red car] in the [traffic] shot, and [the children's faces] in the [school gate] shot.

   Eddie blurs each region for as long as it is on screen, in the player, the render and the exports.

Export

1. To the finishing suite

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   Export the package as a Premiere Pro project for the finishing suite, and as a 1080p MP4 for the website.

   Eddie writes a .prproj with the cuts and renders the MP4 with supers and blurs.

2. A summary for the producer

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   Write a one-page summary of this story's interviews with the key quotes and their timestamps, as a Word document I can download.

   Eddie reads the transcripts and builds a downloadable document.