10 Traits of Winning UGC Scripts

🎬 4 Lessons I Learned From Making 𝗠𝘆 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗙𝗶𝗹𝗺 I started with a flood of ideas. Very quickly, I realised that with a short runtime, I did not need an epic arc. I needed one strong moment and I needed to tell that moment exceptionally well. And honestly, I had a lot of fun. I think part of it comes from the novelty of doing something new. What surprised me most was how non linear the process felt. I jumped around. I iterated. I rewrote. I cut scenes. I rebuilt them. It felt exactly like designing a building, except this time I was designing narrative instead of space. 🏗️📖 1️⃣ 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝘀 𝗜𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 I did not move from beginning to end in a straight line. I sketched ideas, tested them, refined them, scrapped them, improved them. I realised I was applying the same design thinking I use in architecture. Different medium. Same mindset. 2️⃣ 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗱𝘆 🎭 I wanted to make a dark comedy. The problem? I do not know the first thing about writing comedy! That did not stop me. I focused on one simple principle. Contrast. I contrasted chaotic violence with a calm bureaucratic vibe. I contrasted panic with paperwork. I placed the main character in between zombies and an immigration counter. I pushed the absurbity even further through lighting and background music. To my surprise, I think it worked. 3️⃣ 𝗦𝗲𝘁 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 🧱 I realised I could communicate far more through environment and composition than through dialogue. I needed a space that visually reinforced the tension between chaos and calm. I chose a waiting hall. I set up chain link fencing and windows so the zombies could press right up against the barrier emphasizing the continuous danger while officer remained strangely calm. I wanted two realities happening at the same time. Instead of writing 10 seconds of dialogue explaining that Sam has a fak idenfity, I simply showed a close up of the monitor saying exactly that. As they always say: show, do not tell. 🎥 4️⃣ 𝗘𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗱 😅 I struggled with the conclusion. Should I let Sam die? Should I go full B-grade gore? Should I imply the violence? Should the officer react, or remain completely expressionless? In the end, I chose restraint. I showed the gate bursting open. I showed the zombies rushing in. Then I cut away and left space for imagination. I also made a conscious decision not to turn this into an NSFW apocalypse clip. This is LinkedIn after all. 😂 𝗜 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝟴 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁. 𝗜𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝗹𝘆 𝗨𝗦$𝟱 𝗶𝗻 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝘀. That is an incredibly low barrier to experiment with storytelling. I would genuinely love feedback. And if I make another short film, what theme should I explore next? 🚀 AI Tools used: Nano Banana 2, Kling 3.0

Yesterday I attended a Gen AI film-making webinar by Aevy TV, sounds strange, right? I’m a writer, why would I attend such a call When I was working as a scriptwriter, I watched a lot of YT videos, and their channel was one of them, I’d always go back to watch What I felt amazing was their storytelling coupled with spellbound visuals, which hooked me to watch their videos If you look at the genres of videos they cover, they include current, gripping problems faced globally and in India. The first video I came across was a brain-rot video on which I was researching for my scriptwriting project. They had two videos on this topic, which were visually appealing, I mean, the transitions, sound, visual effects, with awesome narration There were many other YT channels in this genre, but I found them to be over dramatic, but Aevy TV videos were subtle yet effective; they make us think So, a few days back, I came across their video editing webinar hosted by their co-founder, and since I felt awestruck while watching their videos, I thought, why not join their webinar To my shock, I found that video editing needs an eye for great taste and a lot of practice. Although the webinar wasn’t overwhelming for beginners like me, there are a lot of layers to apply to a video, such as the storyboarding, sound, visual effects, etc. But as a matter of fact, we now have many AI tools to do these tasks in less time, and they can be taken care of single-handedly. Curiosity made me attend this webinar, and I do not regret it! Have you explored anything new recently?

Why your video fails before the first 5 seconds You spent hours crafting the perfect message. You picked the right music. Your editing is clean. But people scroll past anyway. The problem isn't your content. It's your hook. Here's the truth most creators miss: In the first 3-5 seconds, your viewer hasn't decided to watch yet. They've decided whether to keep scrolling. If you don't grab them instantly, nothing else matters. 3 Reasons Your Hook Isn't Working: You start with context, not curiosity "Hi everyone, welcome back to my channel..." ❌ That's a greeting. Not a hook. You're asking for attention before giving a reason to stay. You bury the benefit Viewers need to know immediately: "What's in this for me?" If they can't answer that in 3 seconds, they're gone. You forget the visual hook Words matter, but so does what they see. A static talking head in the first frame loses to movement, text, or curiosity gaps every time. The Fix: The 3-Second Rule Your first 3 seconds must do ONE of these: Ask a bold question they NEED answered Show the stunning result they'll get Start in the middle of the action Use motion + text to create curiosity Example: Instead of "Today I'll show you AI video tips," try: "Your AI videos look fake. Here's why." ⏐ [fast cuts of bad vs. good examples] Why This Matters A weak hook means: Low retention = algorithm stops showing your content Wasted hours on videos nobody finishes Missed opportunities to build audience and income Strong hooks = people watch longer = more reach = more trust = more opportunities. I learned this hook framework inside the AI Video Editing track of the SkillUp & Earn training. Understanding how to structure content for retention is just as important as the editing itself. Want me to review your video's first 5 seconds? Comment VIDEO below and I'll personally take a look at your hook and give you one specific tip to improve it. First 5 people only. What's the most common mistake you see in video hooks? Drop it in the comments. #SkillUpAndEarn #SkillToIncomeAcademy #AIVideoEditing #VideoHooks #ContentCreation #Retention #DigitalSkills #LearnWithMe #Cohort1 See less

Finally, an AI that edits your actual footage — not fake clips. I edit videos. Not professionally, but enough to know how broken the process is. You film a 45-minute talking-head session. Then you spend 3 hours: • Scrubbing through every pause and "um" • Syncing audio that somehow drifted • Hunting for B-roll that fits • Adding captions manually • Then doing it all again for vertical, square, and landscape cuts By the time you're done, you've forgotten why you wanted to make the video in the first place. Then I came across EditWithAva. Ava isn't just an editor. She's like having a whole personal video team in your pocket. She watches your raw footage, understands what's being said, and can: 🎬 Script – Helps draft hooks and storyboards based on your references 🎙 Narrate – Adds voiceover if you don't have a recorded track ✂️ Edit – Assembles the best takes, removes filler, paces the story 🖼 Refine – Adds B-roll, captions, and cleans audio 🔄 Remix – Creates multiple versions for different platforms in seconds All from a simple conversation. No timeline. No technical skills. What surprised me: Unlike every "AI video" tool flooding my feed, Ava isn't trying to replace footage with prompts. She's working with your content—the messy, authentic, actually-shot-by-you stuff. She understands context, selects the best moments, and assembles them with actual creative intent. This is for: • Solo creators drowning in post-production • UGC teams cutting multiple versions for different platforms • Anyone who's ever dreaded opening Premiere or CapCut Not affiliated. Just genuinely impressed. Your first 5 videos are free to test. 👉 Try Ava free: https://editwithava.com They’re live on Product Hunt today 🚀 : https://lnkd.in/gYtsFRhX Anyone else tried it? Curious how it handles longer interviews. #VideoEditing #AI #CreatorEconomy #ContentCreation #Productivity #TechTools

🚀 I just realized something scary… Creating content is no longer about how good you can edit. It’s about how clearly you can 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭. And that shift is happening faster than most creators think. Here’s the new workflow I’ve been testing lately 👇 Instead of: ❌ Cutting clips for hours ❌ Manually adding subtitles ❌ Searching music + thumbnails You simply upload your real photos or videos and say things like: 👉 “Make this into a short viral reel with captions” 👉 “Highlight the best moments and add background music” 👉 “Turn this into a polished LinkedIn post” And it just… gets done. That’s exactly what RkiveAI is built for. What makes it different (and honestly impressive): ✔ It edits your 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚 - not templates ✔ Adds subtitles, effects, voiceovers, music, thumbnails automatically ✔ Everything stays editable (AI + manual control) ✔ Feels like having a full content team in one tool The crazy part? This is where content creation is heading. Prompt > polish > publish. Creators who adapt early will move 10x faster than everyone else. If you’re serious about growing on social media in 2026, learning “AI-assisted editing” might be more valuable than learning Final Cut or Premiere. 𝐓𝐫𝐲 𝐢𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐰 : https://app.rkiveai.com/ 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭 𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐭: https://lnkd.in/dST3cUbV? #ContentCreation #AIForCreators #VideoEditing #CreatorEconomy #SocialMediaGrowth #AItools #PersonalBrand #FutureOfWork

Day 19: Why I stopped “guessing” my way through video editing 🎬 I used to sit down to edit a video and feel like I was staring at a jigsaw puzzle with 1,000 pieces and no box cover. I’d look at my raw clips, look at my empty timeline, and just... wait. I was waiting for "inspiration" to tell me which clip should come first and how the story should flow. Most times, that inspiration didn't show up until I had wasted three hours moving clips back and forth. That was before I started using AI as my Scene Planner. Now, before I even touch an editing software, I have a conversation with AI. I don't ask it to "make the video for me." Instead, I describe the story I want to tell. I tell it about the clips I’ve filmed and the vibe I’m going for. Then, I ask: "If you were a world-class film editor, how would you arrange these scenes to keep the audience hooked?" Suddenly, I’m not just guessing anymore. The AI helps me see the "bones" of my video. It suggests where a close-up shot would add emotion or where a quick cut would add energy. It’s like having a production assistant who has watched every great movie ever made, sitting right next to me and saying, "Hey, what if we started with the ending first to grab their attention?" This takes the heavy lifting off my brain. When I finally open my editing app, I’m not staring at a blank screen. I’m following a map. I know exactly which clip goes where because the "thinking" part is already done. AI gives me the structure, which actually gives me more freedom to be creative with the colors, the music, and the soul of the video. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the "mess" of your raw footage, stop trying to fix it in the edit. Try planning the scenes with your AI assistant first. It’s the difference between wandering in the dark and walking into a room with the lights turned on. Have you ever tried "storyboarding" your ideas with AI before you start filming or editing? Let’s chat in the comments! 👇 #80DayAIChallenge #AICoach #VideoEditing #Storytelling #ContentCreation #SimpleAI

The writers' room I was in ended unexpectedly. I had just finished a pilot script. Good one. Really good. It was about a mythical place where British Lit characters all lived in one town - characters like Mowgli, Watson and The Queen of Hearts. But scripts have always had a tiny audience — managers, agents, producers, the small circle whose job is to decide if your thing gets to exist. That's not new. That's just the reality of the format. I had hundreds of stories in my head. So I started writing them. But in stories. Short stories. Before that I'd shot tons of short films. Something people can actually see. Real feedback. Not waiting six months for a pass. But shorts were an even faster process. I had a system for writing them. I started with concept — the "what if." Then theme. Characters. Story. Draft, which would then get feedback from readers and I’d improve. This how sprints work! Sprint. Ship. Test. . I had turned a creative process into a product loop and it was working. But more importantly, it taught me something critical. Voice doesn't come from staring off into the sunset and thinking harder as if that’s what Hemingway did. It comes from making more. Enough reps and your actual obsessions start bleeding through. You can't think your way to that. Hollywood didn't iterated, instead they industrialized. Three-act structure had already been proven over centuries. Stage. Oral tradition. Page. By the time film arrived the formula existed. Hollywood just plugged in the stars, the money, and the distribution. Then Jaws happened. It was a national release... at first. Then international. Suddenly, the industry blew up. People love talking about stories over drinks and if someone else is paying, why not? So development became a thing. It bloated. It worked — while DVD revenue and residuals covered the overhead. But now, that revenue is gone but drinks are still on the cal and calls are still being rolled. Creators operate differently. We iterate in public. Social video was the first wave — an exponential explosion of people making things, testing things, finding what lands. Here's a shot from one of my iterations! With AI, the cost of a rep — a short, a scene, a proof of concept — is collapsing toward zero. The first generation of AI-enabled creators may not all be great writers yet. But they'll learn. Either way the content flood is already here. But as a creator it’s important to continue despite the blizzard headed our way because voice leads to IP. And that's what everyone is after. Hollywood built an entire infrastructure to protect its IP once it existed. Creators are discovering IP through reps — testing concepts in public until something connects, an audience forms, a world worth owning emerges. After tons of shorts. 20 scripts. A Google Doc with 200 pages of story ideas. A pilot that deserved more readers. Now a sci-fi film in my apartment hallway, I know what my voice is so it’s time to create! IP awaits.

Frequently we get this question, how does Kedy.AI achieve "AI-Agent as Video Editor". Kedy.AI watches videos, understands visuals, and also analyse subtitles to pick the most viral moment from your videos with "a single click". Video editing will be obsolete it 6 to 12 months. You need to integrate AI video editing methods into your video production pipelines fast otherwise it might be too late. Take a look, this is done with a single click with Kedy.AI : https://lnkd.in/d_KzmNSu

Many agents have been underwhelmed by AI because they are using vague instructions. The secret to generating high-quality property descriptions isn’t the tool itself, but the quality of the prompt. To get a description that sounds like a professional copywriter wrote it, you must provide the right context, tone, and specific details. Think of it as briefing a new assistant; the more specific your instructions, the better the outcome. Our latest blog post breaks down the perfect three-part prompt structure that will help you create compelling, persuasive, and SEO-optimized listing descriptions every single time.

Neil Horner has been making me look good for almost two decades, collaborating on live action, CGI, animation and everything in between. His move into AI is equally as impressive!