What this does
Shows you how to structure a request so it lands the way you intended the first time, and which details are worth specifying versus leaving to the editor.
'The part where I say we grew 3x' beats 'around the middle' every time, and it keeps working even after you have re-cut the video and the timestamps have all moved.
How to do it
Follow these step-by-step instructions in Cubix.
Describe the outcome, not the mechanics
Say what you want to be true of the finished video rather than which tool to use. 'Cut from the end of the intro straight into the demo' works; 'split at 00:42 and ripple delete' assumes a manual workflow and tells the editor nothing about why.
Point at the moment clearly
You have four ways to identify what you mean, and they are not equally precise. By time ('from 01:12 to 01:45'). By what you said ('where I say let me show you') — usually the most reliable, because it resolves against a word-level transcript. By topic ('the section about pricing'). Or by what is visible ('while the page is loading'), which is the only option when the moment has no words attached.
State your constraints, leave the craft open
Constraints are things only you know: the platform, the length, a moment that must survive, a treatment your brand never uses. Craft is where the cuts fall, which look suits the footage, whether a moment deserves a zoom. Specifying constraints firmly and leaving craft open produces better results than prescribing both, because the editor can see footage you are describing from memory.
Say numbers you actually need
A number you state is treated as binding. 'Five clips' means five and 'under 30 seconds' means under 30 seconds. That is useful when you have a real requirement and counterproductive when you do not — left open, a request returns as many clips as the footage genuinely supports.
Use negatives when you want restraint
Saying what you never want is often the fastest route to a professional finish, because 'make it engaging' with no boundaries is a brief with no edges.
Pro Tips for Best Results
- Two or three related outcomes per message is a comfortable rhythm — efficient enough to be worth chaining, small enough that one undo is not expensive.
- Open with the purpose when it is not obvious: 'this is a 45-second LinkedIn clip announcing a feature' changes every decision downstream.
- If a result misses, describe what was wrong with it rather than repeating the original request. The second attempt at the same wording tends to produce the same miss.
- You can name an upload or timeline clip directly by its filename, which is the clearest way to target one clip when several are loaded.
- Singular and plural mean different things for clips: 'make a clip' assembles one video on the timeline, while 'make clips' produces a set of separate candidates to browse.
- Ask for a read before an edit — 'tell me what to cut, with timestamps' — when you want to keep the editorial decision yourself.
There is no syntax to learn and no command list to memorise. Plain description works — being specific about constraints helps, and being specific about mechanics generally does not.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions around this editing workflow.