Imported from cdeistopened/skill-stack (.claude/skills/podcast-production/SKILL.md). Install upstream with npx skills add cdeistopened/skill-stack --skill podcast-production. Copyright stays with the author.

Podcast Production Skill

Overview

Transform a raw podcast transcript into polished, multi-platform content assets through four strategic checkpoints. Each checkpoint delivers decision-ready analysis in a markdown file for your feedback before proceeding. You'll provide feedback directly in the checkpoint documents, then we'll iterate before moving to the next phase. Final outputs include publication-ready YouTube strategy and a narrative-driven blog post.

Workflow Structure:

• Start with [Guest]_Source_Material.md (raw transcript + notes)
• Create Checkpoint_1_Story_Discovery.md (your feedback here)
• Create Checkpoint_2_Cold_Opens_and_Clips.md (your feedback here)
• Create Checkpoint_3_YouTube_Strategy.md (your feedback here)
• Create Checkpoint_4_Polished_Transcript_and_Blog.md (final deliverable)

When to Use This Skill

• You have a raw podcast transcript and need to identify the strongest marketing angle
• You want to create a cold open that hooks listeners immediately
• You need YouTube titles and thumbnail strategies
• You're creating social clips from podcast material
• You want to create SEO-optimized blog content from the episode
• You want all assets aligned with your brand identity

THE FOUR CHECKPOINTS

Checkpoint 1: Story Discovery (90-120 min)

Goal: Find the primary story arc that will anchor all episode assets.

Method: Narrative Snippets - mine the transcript for story beats, not just "big ideas."

The Reframe:

• Old approach: List "Big Ideas" → Find clips to illustrate them
• New approach: Find the STORY → The big idea emerges from the story's insight beat

Your deliverable: Checkpoint_1_Story_Discovery.md

What it contains:

• 2-3 Story Arcs identified (6-beat structure)
• Primary Arc selected with rationale
• The Big Idea (derived from Insight/Reflection beats)
• Preview of derived assets (cold open direction, title direction)
• Chapter Outline (timestamped)
• Quote Bank (organized by story beat)

The 6 Beats to Look For:

User decision point: Is the selected story arc the strongest?

Reference: See references/checkpoint-1-narrative-snippets.md for detailed methodology

Checkpoint 2: Cold Opens & Clips (120-150 min)

Prerequisites: Checkpoint 1 complete + Big Idea selected

Goal: Create one approved cold open script and identify 3 approved social clips with on-screen hooks.

Your deliverable: Checkpoint_2_Cold_Opens_and_Clips.md

What it contains:

• One selected cold open script (22-35 seconds, verbatim clips arranged for narrative momentum)
• On-screen text hooks (2-4 words each for social media captions)
• 3 approved social clips (1:00-1:30 each, full verbatim transcripts)
• Each clip includes: duration, on-screen hook, full transcript, platform recommendations, use case
• Design specifications (font, placement, timing)

Output format:

• Cold open: Simple clip sequence with speaker labels and timestamps
• Clips: Verbatim, with complementary on-screen hooks (not redundant)
• Hooks: 2-4 words maximum for mobile readability
• All clips ready to copy/paste directly into production

Skills used:

• video-caption-creation: For on-screen text hooks and short-form video captions (generates 3-5 hook options per clip)
• cold-open-creator: For cold open methodology (optional reference)

User decision point: Approve cold open and social clips for Checkpoint 3

Reference: See references/checkpoint-2-template.md for detailed template

Checkpoint 3: YouTube Strategy (90-120 min)

Prerequisites: Checkpoint 2 complete + Cold open selected

Goal: Define YouTube title, thumbnail, description, and chapter timestamps.

Your deliverable: Checkpoint_3_YouTube_Strategy.md

What it contains:

• Step 1: 10 YouTube title options → GET USER APPROVAL BEFORE PROCEEDING
• Step 2: Thumbnail specification (created AFTER title approval - must complement, not repeat title)
• YouTube description (opening hook sentence + full description + resources + chapters)
• Cold open script (verbatim clips)
• All 3 approved social clips with on-screen hooks
• Chapter breakdown (5-10 words per chapter title, keyword-rich)

Critical workflow: Title selection gates thumbnail creation. Do not propose thumbnails until title is approved.

Skills used:

• youtube-title-creator: For YouTube title strategy
• brand-identity-wizard: For brand alignment verification (if brand profile exists)

Output format:

• Clean, streamlined specifications (no technical jargon)
• Chapter titles follow "My First Million" style (compelling, descriptive)
• Format: (MM:SS) - Descriptive Chapter Title (5-10 words max)
• Description: Opening hook + full description + resources + chapters
• Thumbnail: Simple visual + minimal text (2-4 words only)
• All clips ready to copy/paste

User decision point: Approve final specifications and move to Checkpoint 4

Reference: See references/checkpoint-3-template.md for detailed template

Checkpoint 4: Polished Transcript & Blog Post (120-180 min)

Prerequisites: Checkpoint 3 complete + All selections locked

Goal: Create publication-ready transcript and SEO-optimized blog post.

Your deliverables:

• [Guest]_YouTube_and_Show_Notes.md (refined from Checkpoint 3)
• [Guest]_Polished_Transcript.md (new, contains transcript + blog)

What it contains:

• Full polished transcript (cleaned for readability)
• Embedded blog post (~1,000 words) focused on core insight
• Guest bio and resource links
• SEO headers and structure

Skills used:

• transcript-polisher: For transcript cleanup and formatting
• podcast-blog-post-creator: For narrative-driven blog post creation (if using this skill)

Output structure:

1. [Guest]_YouTube_and_Show_Notes.md - Handoff file for video production (title, thumbnail, cold open, show notes, timestamps)
2. [Guest]_Polished_Transcript.md - Publication-ready transcript with embedded blog post

Reference: See references/checkpoint-4-template.md for detailed template

WORKFLOW TIMELINE & FILE STRUCTURE

KEY PRINCIPLES

Verbatim Only

All quoted transcript must be exactly as spoken. You can cut/rearrange, never paraphrase.

Mine the Entire Transcript

Don't limit analysis to one section. The strongest angle might be anywhere.

Bold Over Safe

Surprising, contrarian moments beat safe, obvious observations.

Story Over Summary

Create narrative momentum. Clips should have complete arcs, not just be "good quotes."

Simple Over Complex

• Thumbnails: 3 elements max
• Titles: One clear idea
• Clips: Clear beginning, middle, end

Brand Aligned

All outputs should reflect your brand's visual and tonal guidelines. Your target audience should see themselves.

SKILL DEPENDENCIES & WHERE TO USE THEM

Checkpoint 1 Dependencies

Narrative Snippets Method:

• Use: references/checkpoint-1-narrative-snippets.md
• Why: Find the story arc first, then derive the big idea from its insight/reflection beats
• The story IS the big idea - you don't find ideas then illustrate them

Checkpoint 2 Dependencies

Cold Open Creation:

• Use: cold-open-creator SKILL
• Why: Methodology for identifying scenes, arranging clips, testing against quality gates

Caption Suggestions:

• Use: video-caption-creation SKILL
• Why: Guidelines for on-screen text, platform-specific captions, engagement tactics

Checkpoint 3 Dependencies

YouTube Titles & Thumbnails:

• Use: youtube-title-creator SKILL
• Why: Title + thumbnail synergy, search optimization, design strategy

Brand Alignment (if brand profile exists):

• Use: brand-identity-wizard SKILL
• Why: Verify messaging aligns with your mission, values, and audience understanding

Checkpoint 4 Dependencies

Transcript Polish:

• Use: transcript-polisher SKILL
• Why: Clean, readable transcript formatting for blog post integration

Blog Post Creation:

• Use: podcast-blog-post-creator SKILL
• Why: Narrative-driven blog post; SEO optimization; guest representation

QUALITY GATES (At Each Decision Point)

Before Checkpoint 1 -> Checkpoint 2:

Is the story discovery complete?

• Primary story arc has at least 4 of 6 beats identified?
• The Insight beat (beat 4) is non-obvious and compelling?
• The Reflection beat (beat 6) has universal application?
• Alternative story arcs were considered?
• Big Idea clearly derives from the story (not stated separately)?
• Have you mined the entire transcript (not just first/last sections)?
• Quote bank is organized by story beat?

Before Checkpoint 2 -> Checkpoint 3:

Does the cold open work?

• Passes 4 out of 5 quality tests? (Stranger, Itch, Stakes, Tease, Emotion)
• Ends with unresolved cliffhanger (doesn't answer the question)?
• All clips are verbatim (no paraphrasing)?
• Duration is 22-35 seconds?
• Social clips have distinct angles (not all making same point)?
• On-screen hooks are 2-4 words max?

Before Checkpoint 3 -> Checkpoint 4:

Is the strategy aligned?

• YouTube title clearly communicates core finding?
• Title includes guest name for authority?
• Thumbnail is simple (2-4 words only)?
• Thumbnail visual is complementary (not redundant with title)?
• Description hook is compelling (1 sentence)?
• Chapter titles are 5-10 words (keyword-rich, compelling)?
• All resources/links are correct?
• Aligned with your brand?

Before Checkpoint 4 -> Publication:

Are final assets publication-ready?

• Transcript is clean and readable?
• Blog post is ~1,000 words with clear narrative arc?
• All quotes are verbatim with proper attribution?
• Guest bio includes credentials and links?
• SEO headers present and optimized?
• Tone is conversational (sounds like you, not formal)?
• Ready for blog publishing?
• Social clips ready to post with on-screen hooks?

COMMON MISTAKES TO AVOID

• Using only one section of transcript (mine the entire episode)
• Paraphrasing quotes (all quotes must be verbatim)
• Creating complex thumbnails (keep to 3 elements max)
• Choosing the "safe" angle instead of the surprising one
• Making cold open too long (25-35 seconds max)
• Resolving the cliffhanger (always cut before the answer)
• Skipping quality gates (get approval before each phase)
• Making blog post too long or too short (target ~1,000 words)
• Burying guest credentials (introduce early and naturally)
• Writing blog post in formal tone (write like you're talking to your audience)

FILE STRUCTURE & DELIVERABLES

Episode Folder Structure

All episode files go in: studio/podcast/episodes/[NNN]-[guest-name]/

Example: studio/podcast/episodes/001-lewis-kallow/

episodes/
└── 001-lewis-kallow/
    ├── Transcript.md                      # Raw/cleaned transcript
    ├── Checkpoint_1_Story_Discovery.md    # Story arc analysis
    ├── Checkpoint_2_Cold_Opens_and_Clips.md
    ├── Checkpoint_3_YouTube_Strategy.md
    ├── Checkpoint_4_Polished_Transcript_and_Blog.md
    ├── SHOW-NOTES.md                      # Final show notes
    ├── NEWSLETTER_AND_BLOG.md             # Blog post + newsletter
    └── [guest]-underlord-prompts.md       # Descript prompts (optional)

Source Material Phase

[Guest]_Source_Material.md

• Raw transcript (rough or cleaned)
• Guest background/context
• Episode links and resources
• Notes on tone, highlights, structure

Checkpoint 1 Output

Checkpoint_1_Story_Discovery.md

• 2-3 Story Arcs identified (6-beat structure)
• Primary Arc selected with rationale
• The Big Idea (derived from Insight/Reflection beats)
• Chapter outline with timestamps
• Quote bank (organized by story beat)
• Preview of derived assets You provide feedback: Is the selected story arc strongest?

Checkpoint 2 Output

Checkpoint_2_Cold_Opens_and_Clips.md

• One approved cold open script (22-35 seconds)
• On-screen text hooks (2-4 words each)
• 3 approved social clips (1:00-1:30 each)
• Design specifications
• Platform recommendations You provide feedback: Approve cold open and clips, suggest on-screen hook edits

Checkpoint 3 Output

Checkpoint_3_YouTube_Strategy.md

• 10 YouTube title options (using youtube-title-creator frameworks)
• Thumbnail specification (visual + 2-4 words)
• YouTube description (hook + full description + resources)
• Chapter breakdown (5-10 words per chapter, keyword-rich)
• Cold open script (final)
• All 3 social clips (with final on-screen hooks) You provide feedback: Approve title/thumbnail/chapters

Checkpoint 4 Output (Final Deliverables)

Checkpoint_4_Polished_Transcript_and_Blog.md

• Full polished transcript (cleaned for readability)
• ~1,000 word blog post (in your voice)
• Guest bio with credentials and links
• SEO headers and structure You provide feedback: Review for publication

Ready for Distribution

• YouTube: Upload video with Checkpoint 3 specs (title, thumbnail, description, chapters)
• Blog: Publish Checkpoint 4 content
• Social: Share Checkpoint 2 clips with on-screen hooks
• Newsletter: Promote with Checkpoint 4 blog excerpt

REFERENCES

For detailed instructions and templates, see:

Core Methodology:

• references/checkpoint-1-narrative-snippets.md - Story discovery method (primary)

Templates:

• references/checkpoint-1-template.md - Checkpoint 1 template (legacy)
• references/checkpoint-2-template.md - Checkpoint 2 template
• references/checkpoint-3-template.md - Checkpoint 3 template
• references/checkpoint-4-template.md - Checkpoint 4 template

Examples:

• references/checkpoint-2-example.md - Complete Checkpoint 2 example with quality gates

RELATED SKILLS

• cold-open-creator: Scene selection, clip arrangement, quality testing
• video-caption-creation: Caption/overlay suggestions for clips
• youtube-title-creator: YouTube title and thumbnail strategy
• podcast-blog-post-creator: SEO-optimized blog post
• transcript-polisher: Polish raw transcript for readability
• brand-identity-wizard: Brand alignment verification

SUCCESS METRICS

For YouTube Performance:

• CTR: Title + thumbnail is compelling (>6% is good for most niches)
• Retention: Cold open hooks in first 5 seconds
• Conversion: Viewers finish episode

For Blog Performance:

• SEO: Post ranks for target keywords
• Engagement: Readers make it to guest bio/links
• Sharing: Post is shareable (format, length, voice)

For Social Performance:

• Shareability: Clips standalone compelling
• Captions: Text makes sense without audio
• Platform fit: Clips work on target platforms

For Overall Strategy:

• Alignment: All assets reinforce same theme
• Brand consistency: Recognizable across formats
• Topic clarity: Viewers immediately understand episode topic
• Asset completeness: All deliverables ready for team handoff