Studio stage sketches (rough, for discussion)
Nov 12 2026. For Aydan and Caelan. These are pen-style wireframes. Grey boxes are placeholders. Nothing here is designed or decided. Companion to STAGE-DEFINITIONS-DRAFT.md in the same folder.
Key:
standard
some videos only
copycat skips
OPEN: a Factory question for Caelan
DECIDED: settled by Aydan, Nov 12
The stage rail
Brand packstanding, once per brand
│
Reverse-engineersome: only from a reference video
→
Ideasome. copycat skips
→
Briefstandard
→
Lane A
Sheetsneeds only the brief
runs while lane B is worked on
Lane B
Story arcsome. copycat skips
→
Scriptsome: speech only
→
Timingstandard
→
Voicesome: speech only
→
Timing recheckreal audio lengths
→
Storyboardcopycat skips
→
Keyframesneeds both lanes. copycat skips
→
Video drafts
→
Review and pick
→
Final render
→
Edit
→
Sign-off
Narrated video (Caelan's 2D style): Voice goes first. The narration is recorded and frozen, then Timing reads each shot's length from it. No recheck needed.
Music-only video (Same Day): no Script, no Voice. Timing follows the beat.
Copycat: Timing is copied from the source video's cuts. Video drafts use motion copy in place of Storyboard and Keyframes.
DECIDED: Two stages: Timing, then Voice, then a quick timing recheck.
DECIDED: A copycat skips idea, story arc, storyboard and keyframes. Script and Voice run only when the copy has speech.
The frame around every screen
Brand: Back Nine Holdings ▾
Project: Launch clips ▾
Clip: 1 That one friend ▾
GPU: 4 cards busy, $4.10 of $10
! Card 3 idle 2 min
Stage rail
Brief ✓
Sheets ✓
Timing ✓
Voice ✓
Storyboard ●
Keyframes
Drafts
Story arc (skipped)
the stage's own screen goes here
Orchestrator chat
You: put him on the left in 1B
Orch: that is a Storyboard change. Keyframes for 1B go out of date. Redo? 2 images.
YesNo
type here...
Activity log
14:02 Sheets agent: cart v3 made
14:05 Aydan approved 1A frame
14:09 Card 3 idle 2 min
What can happen here
- Switch brand, project or clip from the top bar.
- Click any stage on the rail. A skipped stage shows greyed, with the reason.
- Talk to the orchestrator in plain English from any screen.
- Click a log line to jump to that item.
- GPU chip: see cards, spend against the cap. On the idle alert: shut the card down, or tell it what to queue.
What the orchestrator does on its own
- Reads every comment and decides which stage it belongs to.
- Marks later work "out of date" when something upstream changes.
- Says the cost before redoing paid work.
- Raises the idle alert after 2 minutes. It never keeps a paid card waiting silently.
DECIDED: The orchestrator decides the kind of fix and asks before any spend.
DECIDED: Every gate is human for now. Either Aydan or Caelan can approve.
0. Brand pack standing
Back Nine HoldingsLookSheetsVoicesModelsRulesFormats
Look line"PS2 game look..."
Locked brand sheets
Full-Timer 🔒
Caddie 🔒
Mike 🔒
Jess 🔒
Patio
Green
Cart
+ add
Voice cast
Full-Timer: Roger ▶
Mike: Eric ▶
Jess: Laura ▶
Caddie: Brian ▶
Locked models
Look images: gpt-image-2.6 flare
Storyboard: gpt-image-2 low, style S3
Video: MiniMax H3, reference mode
RulesHe never smiles at his own jokes
No text inside video
What can happen here
- Edit the look line. Approve it.
- Open a sheet, see its versions, lock or unlock it.
- Play a voice. Recast a character.
- Add or edit a brand rule.
- See which formats and presets are allowed for this brand.
What the agent does on its own
- Keeps versions. Tells each production which sheets already exist.
- Warns which projects use a sheet before you change it.
What goes back up the chain
- Nothing. This is the top. A change here marks work in every project that uses it as out of date.
OPEN: Factory: new library kinds for locations and props, or project assets?
OPEN: Who confirms the exact provider ID for "gpt-image-2.6 flare"?
R. Reverse-engineer some videos only
Source videoDrop a video or paste a linkCopycatInspired by
Preset pulled out
Format: split-screen POV, beat cuts
Pacing: 12 cuts in 20 s
Captions, sound, hook
Run one test videoSave preset
What can happen here
- Add a source video.
- Choose copycat (same motion, our characters) or inspired by (structure only).
- Fix a wrong cut point or note.
- Run one test video with the preset. Compare it side by side with the source.
- Name and save the preset, or bin it.
- Keep each source cut as a motion clip for the Video drafts stage.
What the agent does on its own
- Finds cuts, timings, captions, sound and pacing.
- Writes the preset. Sets which stages a copycat skips.
What goes back up the chain
- A test video that misses sends the preset back for changes. Nothing else.
DECIDED: A preset is saved when a human approves its one test video.
DECIDED: The human flags a copycat in the brief. This agent can suggest it.
1. Idea and research some videos only copycat skips
Ideas for Back NineFind moreType my own
A. That one friend whose job is golfpreset: sketch, 3 shotsPick
B. The commutepreset: car ad parodyPick
C. Performance reviewpreset: sketch, 5 shotsPick
What can happen here
- Pick one idea.
- Comment on an idea to get a variation.
- Ask for more.
- Type your own idea and skip the rest.
What the agent does on its own
- Researches trends. Matches ideas to saved presets and the brand rules.
What goes back up the chain
- Nothing. The pick flows down into the Brief.
2. Brief standard
Brief: Clip 1, That one friend whose job is golfAsk for rewriteApprove
Format9:16, about 25 s, dialogue, 3 shots + 2 cutaways
Sheets this video needs
| Thing | Kind | State |
|---|
| Full-Timer | character | in brand pack |
| Mike | character | in brand pack |
| Jess | character | in brand pack |
| Patio | location | in brand pack |
| Scorecard | prop | new, to make |
| Beers | one-off | no sheet |
+ add a sheet
What can happen here
- Approve the brief.
- Comment and ask for a rewrite.
- Edit the text directly.
- Add or remove an item on the sheet list.
- Flip a prop between "gets a sheet" and "one-off".
What the agent does on its own
- Checks the brand pack for sheets that exist.
- Flags things the video model should not make: readable text, logos, real people.
What goes back up the chain
- A new idea direction goes back to Idea.
- Approval starts lane A (Sheets) and lane B at once.
DECIDED: A prop gets a sheet once it appears in 2 or more shots.
3. Story arc some videos only copycat skips
Story arcTry another arcApprove
HookHe turns up at the patio in full golf gear
Progression"What do you actually do?" The scorecard as a business card
Payoff"I had nine meetings." "I had eighteen."
What can happen here
- Approve. Comment on one of the three parts. Ask for another arc. Edit the text.
What the agent does on its own
- Drafts the arc against the preset's pacing.
What goes back up the chain
- "The idea itself is weak" goes to Brief.
4. Script some videos only
Script+ lineApprove all
| # | Who | Line | Type | |
|---|
| 1 | Jess | "Did you just come from work?" | on screen | 💬 |
| 2 | Full-Timer | "Yeah. Long day. Thirty-six holes." | on screen | 💬 |
| 3 | Mike | "Okay, but what do you actually do?" | on screen | 💬 |
| 4 | Full-Timer | "Back Nine Holdings. I manage the back nine." | on screen | 💬 |
| 5 | Narrator | "Some people commute." | off screen, goes to Edit | 💬 |
Agent flag"Have a seat" on an open green: nowhere to sit. Keep as the joke?
What can happen here
- Approve a line or all lines.
- Edit wording. Change who says it.
- Mark a line on screen or off screen.
- Add, remove or reorder lines.
- Comment on a line.
What the agent does on its own
- Checks each line fits the physical scene.
- Keeps lines short enough to fit a 5 or 10 s shot.
What goes back up the chain
- A story problem goes to Story arc. A new character goes to the Brief's sheet list.
DECIDED: Mike says it, as in the test.
5. Timing standard
Shot list and timing, Clip 1total 25 sRe-timeApprove
Shot 1A, 10 s, wide, patio
0-3 at the table
3-6 he walks in, sits
6-8 Jess line
8-10 "Thirty-six holes"
5 s10 ssplit shotStoryboard frames: 2waits on: none
Shot 1B, 10 s waits on 1A's pick (same table)
0-3 Mike line
3-5 pulls scorecard
5-7 slides it
7-10 Full-Timer line
After Voice: real audio lengths drop in here. A line that overruns its slot shows red.
Split screen only: crop band set crop box
What can happen here
- Approve the shot list.
- Change a shot's length (5 or 10 s). Split or merge shots.
- Drag a beat or a line to a new second.
- Set how many storyboard frames a shot gets.
- Link a shot to another ("uses 1A's pick").
- Set the crop band for split screen.
- Re-time after the voice lengths arrive.
What the agent does on its own
- Keeps every shot inside the video model's length limit.
- Checks pacing against the preset.
- For a copycat, copies cut lengths from the source.
- Flags overruns when real audio arrives.
What goes back up the chain
- A line too long for any shot goes to Script.
- Later stages send "shot feels rushed" back here.
DECIDED: One storyboard frame per shot by default. Timing can call for more on a busy shot.
DECIDED: The crop is set on the real picked video, in Pick or Edit, not here.
6. Voice some videos only
Voice, Clip 1cast comes from the brand packApprove all
Shot 1A audio (10 s, goes into the video from frame 0)
silence 0-6
Jess (Laura)
Full-Timer (Roger)
▶ "Yeah. Long day. Thirty-six holes." take 2 of 3, 2.1 s, slot 2 s over by 0.1
New takeChange delivery noteSend length to TimingApprove
Shot 1B audio
Mike (Eric)
silence
Full-Timer (Roger)
Narration (off screen, goes to Edit, not into video)▶ "Some people commute."
What can happen here
- Play each line. Approve it.
- Ask for a new take. Add a delivery note ("dead serious").
- Swap the voice for this line.
- Send the real length back to Timing.
- Comment on a line.
What the agent does on its own
- Generates takes with the cast voice.
- Builds one audio file per shot, full shot length, with real silence in the gaps.
- Checks word timing with a transcriber.
What goes back up the chain
- Line runs long: Timing recheck.
- Wording sounds wrong: Script.
- Wrong voice for the character: Brand pack cast.
Locked rule: voice exists before video. The line is pinned from frame 0 and the lips follow it.
DECIDED: Two speakers in one shot is fine. Expect a couple of draft runs to get it right.
DECIDED: ElevenLabs directly. No Sume.
7. Sheets standard lane A, starts after the Brief
Sheets for this videoCharactersLocationsProps+ add sheet
Full-Timer 🔒
Mike 🔒
Jess 🔒
Patio 🔒
Cart v2
Scorecard new
Cart sheet v2, three views on grey
Circle + commentDrawVersions v1 v2RegenerateLock
Comments◯ "no golf bag strapped on the back"
type a comment...
What can happen here
- Approve and lock a sheet.
- Circle part of a sheet and comment. Draw on it.
- Regenerate from the comment. Edit the prompt.
- Compare versions. Roll back.
- Add a sheet. Split a two-person sheet into two.
- Upload a real photo as the base (a product, a shirt).
What the agent does on its own
- Writes prompts with the brand look line.
- Makes one subject per sheet.
- Versions and checksums each sheet.
- Lists every shot that uses it.
What goes back up the chain
- A sheet nobody listed goes to the Brief's sheet list.
- A look problem on every sheet goes to the Brand pack look line.
- Changing a locked sheet marks its keyframes and takes out of date.
8. Storyboard standard copycat skips lane B
Storyboard, Clip 1style S3 ink + grey toneApprove all
1B-1 ink frame, square, 9:16 box marked
Shot 1B, frame 1 of 23-5 s: he places the folded scorecard flat on the table, hand on it
Camera: across the table, slow push in
Circle + commentDrawRedraw+ frameApprove
Comments◯ "Mike's shoulder should be on the right edge"
type a comment...
What can happen here
- Approve a frame or all frames.
- Click into a frame. Circle an area and comment. Draw on it with a marker.
- Redraw from the comment.
- Add or remove a frame for a shot.
- Edit the beat text under a frame.
- See the frames in a strip to check flow.
What the agent does on its own
- Turns each shot's beats into a layout prompt.
- Draws with the cheapest usable model.
- Marks the 9:16 crop on the square image.
- Checks no cutaway repeats another shot.
What goes back up the chain
- "Too much happens in this shot": Timing.
- "Line does not fit the picture": Script.
Success is the layout being right. Never redo a frame just to make it prettier.
DECIDED: S3 loose ink everywhere for now.
DECIDED: Generic figures and block props, no outfits. Detailed frames get copied exactly, mistakes included (T8).
DECIDED: Storyboard means these drawn frames. Timing owns the shot list.
9. Keyframes standard copycat skips
Keyframes, shot 1Aneeds: approved frame + locked sheetsprev shotnext shot
Start keyframeMike and Jess at the patio table, PS2 look
Previous pick, last framereference, keeps the look locked across the cut
Sheets used1 Patio
2 Mike
3 Jess
4 Full-Timer
+ add refswap
Comments◯ "Jess's lanyard is missing"
type a comment...
Circle + commentRegenerateApprove
Neighbours prev end
1A start
1A pick, last frame
1B start
1B pick, last frame
X1
What can happen here
- Approve the start keyframe.
- Circle an area and comment.
- Regenerate. Edit the prompt.
- Add or swap a sheet used as a reference.
- Skip the keyframe when the shot continues the same camera (it starts from the previous pick's last frame).
- Check the keyframe against its storyboard frame and its neighbours.
What the agent does on its own
- Builds the keyframe from the frame's layout plus the sheets.
- Uses the previous pick's last frame as a reference so the look carries over.
- Checks characters are on model.
What goes back up the chain
- Wrong layout: Storyboard.
- Wrong face, outfit or prop: Sheets regen.
- Right picture, wrong mood: prompt fix here.
DECIDED: They are called keyframes.
DECIDED: Start keyframe only, never an end one (T8). The first shot and every cut to a new angle get one; a continuing shot starts from the previous pick's last frame.
DECIDED: Keyframes are a standard stage. The old rule is replaced.
DECIDED: Caelan, from the separate image worker brief: any size, keyframes at 768x1344.
10. Video drafts standard
Drafts, shot 1B4 seeds, 480x864about 20 min on 4 cardsQueue drafts
References, in order (max 9)
Picture 1: Patio sheet (location)
Picture 2: Mike sheet
Picture 3: Full-Timer sheet
Picture 4: Scorecard sheet (prop)
Picture 5: 1B start keyframe
Picture 6: last frame of 1A's pick (continuity)
+ addswapreorderremove
Audio pinned from frame 0
Prompt (timed beats)
At 00:03.000, his hand reaches into his back pocket
At 00:04.000, fingers close on the folded scorecard
At 00:05.000, he slides it across to Mike
Edit prompt
Motion copy (optional)
Reference clip: swing_cut8b.mp4
Big feed, about 39 min per 5 sSmall feed, about 23 min per 5 s
Warning: big feed adds about 16 min per 5 s clip. Slightly sharper fine detail.
Queue1A done. 1B waiting on 1A pick. X1 running, card 2.
What can happen here
- Read and edit the prompt.
- Add, swap, reorder or remove a reference.
- Attach a motion clip. Choose big or small feed after reading the time warning.
- Change shot length here only by going back to Timing.
- Queue the drafts. Reorder the queue. Push a fix to the front.
- Stop a job.
What the agent does on its own
- Builds the prompt from the beats and the storyboard frame.
- Passes only the references the shot needs.
- Runs shots in one scene in order, using the last frame of the pick, unless a keyframe fixes the layout.
- Keeps cards busy. Never picks the feed size silently.
What goes back up the chain
- A prop that keeps coming out wrong: new sheet from Sheets.
- Not enough time for the action: Timing.
- No audio for a talking shot: Voice.
DECIDED: Not the default until a turbo pick locks the same at full size.
OPEN: The Factory video worker only does image-to-video today. Who extends it?
11. Review and pick standard
Review, shot 1B▶ play allsound onshow crop bandprev shotnext shot
Reason for pickonly take where his hand stays on the card
What is wrong with the others◯ seed 3: card floats before he touches it
4 more1 moreMirror flipTrimCircle + comment on a frameMove crop bandRough cut of clip
What can happen here
- Play all 4 takes side by side, in story order.
- Pick one. Write the reason.
- Say what is wrong with the others.
- Pause on a frame, circle the problem, comment.
- Ask for 4 more, or 1 more.
- Try a free fix first: mirror flip or trim.
- Split screen: turn on the crop band. It darkens what gets cut off. Move the band.
- Watch the rough cut once every shot has a pick.
What the agent does on its own
- Posts takes as soon as all 4 finish.
- Turns each complaint into a fix and retakes only that shot.
- Releases shots that were waiting on this pick.
- Builds the rough cut.
What goes back up the chain
- "Hand goes through the cup": prompt fix in Drafts.
- "He is on the wrong side": Storyboard, then Keyframes.
- "Wrong shirt": Sheets.
- "Feels rushed": Timing.
- "Line is flat": Voice.
12. Final render standard
Final, shot 1B768x1344, same seed, frames from the pick▶ play both
Lock frames cut from the pick+ third frame
ChecksFirst second: no flash frame ✓
Timing vs pick: +0.1 s
Re-lockTrim first framesCircle + commentApprove
All shots1A ✓ | 1B review | 1C rendering, card 1, 9 of 14 min
What can happen here
- Play draft and final side by side.
- Approve the final.
- Re-lock with a third frame if it drifted.
- Trim a flash frame at the start.
- Circle a problem and comment.
- Send the shot back to Review to pick another take.
What the agent does on its own
- Cuts the lock frames from the picked take.
- Renders one final per shot at full size. Never upscales.
- Checks the first second and the timing against the pick.
What goes back up the chain
- Final drifted: re-lock here, or back to Review.
- Faces too small to read: Storyboard (reframe closer).
13. Edit standard
Edit, Clip 1 version BRe-run edit, about 2 minApprove cut
Timeline
caption: "that one friend whose job is golf"
music bed, ducks under voices
Settings table (one per video)
| Cut points | 1A 0-10, 1B 0-10, 1C 0.5-5 |
| Crop per shot | none |
| Captions | script wording |
| Music | track 2, hits at 3.0 and 12.5 s |
| End card | Back Nine Holdings |
Comments◯ at 0:12 "cut one beat earlier"
type a comment...
What can happen here
- Watch the cut. Approve it.
- Comment at a time on the timeline.
- Change a cut point, a crop, a caption, the music or the end card. Each is a one-line change and a re-run.
- Swap between versions (A with cutaways, B patio only).
- Add narration and music here, never inside the video model.
What the agent does on its own
- Runs the edit script.
- Ducks music under voices. Sets loudness.
- Lands cuts on the beat.
- Reads each clip's real length.
What goes back up the chain
- "Change what happens in shot 1B": orchestrator sends it to the right stage, reruns only that shot, then re-cuts.
- Caption or music change: stays here.
OPEN: Extend the Factory assembly worker, or adopt the existing edit script as the worker?
OPEN: The assembly worker scales to 1080x1920. Is a plain resize at delivery allowed under "no upscaling"?
14. Sign-off and delivery standard
Sign-off, Clip 1Send backSign off as Aydan
ChecksSize and length ✓
Loudness ✓
No black frames ✓
Every shot has a pick and a reason ✓
Where it goesRaw clips and finals: B2 storage
Finished video: shared drive
Run record: drive, 00 Admin / Runs
Run summary14 shots, 56 drafts, 14 finals, GPU $9, images $x, voice $0.40
GPU box: off ✓
NextHand to posting (later)
What can happen here
- Watch the final once more.
- Sign off by name.
- Send it back with a comment.
- Open the run record and the cost.
- Download or share the file.
What the agent does on its own
- Runs the technical checks.
- Checksums and stores every file.
- Confirms the GPU box is off and billing stopped.
- Writes the run record.
What goes back up the chain
- A "send back" comment goes to the orchestrator, which routes it like an Edit comment.
- Posting is a separate approval. Sign-off never publishes.
DECIDED: Raw media in B2, finished files on the drive, briefs and storyboards in the project backend.
End of sketches. Rough on purpose. Mark it up.