The Best Prompts for Editing YouTube Videos

Rough cut

1. Follow the script, best takes only

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   Build a [12]-minute edit that follows my attached script in order. For every line I recorded more than once, use the best take. Tight pacing, with a short breath before each new section.

   Eddie matches each scripted line to its takes, keeps the cleanest one and reports any line it could not find.

2. No script, clear structure

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   Make a [10]-minute video from my recording with this structure: hook, the problem, [3] main points, my verdict, and a call to subscribe at the end.

   Eddie builds the structure from the transcript and reports the length against the target.

Highlights

1. Hook first

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   Find the most surprising [10] seconds of the video and use it as a cold open before the intro.

   Eddie picks a self-contained moment and moves it to the front.

2. Retention notes

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   Watch the edit and give me notes on the hook, pacing and audio with timestamps. Tell me where viewers are most likely to drop off.

   Eddie renders the edit and returns editorial notes from a video-understanding model, as text or timeline comments.

3. Chapters for the description

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   Add a chapter title at each new section, then list the chapters with timestamps for my YouTube description.

   Eddie places the titles and reads them back with their times.

Social clips

1. Shorts that point to the video

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   Make [3] vertical Shorts under [50] seconds from moments that stand alone, each ending on a line that makes people want the full video.

   Eddie builds each Short as its own 9:16 edit and reports each length.

Captions

1. Punchy captions

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   Add punchy captions with the active word highlighted, [2] to [3] words per card, kept away from my face.

   Eddie places captions from the word timings and can avoid detected faces.

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. Show what you mention

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   Every time I mention [the product / a feature / a website], show my matching b-roll or screen recording over it. Add a slow punch-in on me for each recommendation.

   Eddie places your footage over the matching lines and adds a subtle push-in on the segments you described.

2. Fill gaps with stock

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   Where I talk about [topic] and have no footage, find stock clips that fit and show me the options before importing them.

   Eddie searches stock footage on those themes and imports only the clips you choose.

Music

1. Music for intro and outro only

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   Put a low [electronic] bed under the intro and the outro only, ducked under my voice, with a whoosh on the cut out of the cold open.

   Eddie places the music as two cues and adds a sound effect at the cut you named.

Export

1. Thumbnail frame

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   Export a still of the frame at [time] where [I react to the result], for my thumbnail.

   Eddie exports that frame as a JPEG at the edit's frame size.

2. Upload-ready file

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   Set the final loudness for the web and export the video as an MP4. If my footage is 4K, quote me a 4K upscaled export too.

   Eddie renders the MP4 and quotes the 4K upscale before it charges anything.

3. Grade it in Resolve

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   Export the edit as a timeline for DaVinci Resolve so I can colour grade it.

   Eddie writes a Resolve FCPXML that carries the cut, crops, motion and audio levels and points at your camera files.