Instruction file imported from TheLaughingGod1986/orbit-with-ben (.cursor/rules/orbit-next-video-kickoff.mdc). Copyright stays with the author.

Orbit — next video kickoff (Growth System v2)

Locked next long (16 Aug 2026): 007 Neutron Star at 7–9 min in 007_What-Happens-To-Your-Body-Near-A-Neutron-Star (script neutron_star_script_master_v01.md, score 91.1). Do not use empty 007_Neutron-Star. Do not start 013 Moon. Simulation is 015. See orbit-next-production.mdc.

Picture path (27 Aug 2026): Google AI Studio — Veo for world plates, Omni only when Orbit must move. Stills first · 2–3 Veo Fast money shots. Do not Omni the whole film.

When the user asks to build / start / plan the next video, new episode, next long, or similar — do this first. Do not jump to VO, Veo, Omni, Seedance, or picture gen.

Step 0 — gate (blocking)

1. Read 00_Brand/Channel-Setup/YOUTUBE_GROWTH_SYSTEM_V2.md and CONTENT_INTELLIGENCE_STRATEGY.md
2. Topic score (or confirm locked topic) via templates/TOPIC_OPPORTUNITY_SCORE.md / npm run intelligence:score-topics 2b. Fill templates/EPISODE_CLUSTER_PLAN_TEMPLATE.md (experiential angle · 4–8 Shorts · cluster ID)
3. Pre-build vidIQ audit → project 11_Upload-Package/PRE_BUILD_VIDIQ_AUDIT.md from PRE_BUILD_VIDIQ_AUDIT_TEMPLATE.md
4. Cold-open outline: curiosity 5s · stakes 15s · journey 30s
5. Chapter outline: 4–6 acts · world does the science · Orbit in 1–2 inquisitive / story-narrative beats only · Hook→Question→Escalation→Discovery→Payoff→Bigger question
6. Write/refine script with [VISUAL MUST] · [ORBIT ACTS] (only on those 1–2 Orbit beats) · [TEACH]
7. Script reviewer ≥ 90 before any VO or picture:

   cd 07_Content-Ops && npm run review:script -- --file <script.md>

   Below 90 = REJECT — rewrite. Do not generate audio/video.
8. Episode gate (blocking CLI) before VO / picture gen:

   cd 07_Content-Ops && npm run gate:episode -- --project ../02_Video-Projects/<NNN_Slug>

   Must PASS (audit signed · script ≥90 · [ORBIT ACTS] / [VISUAL MUST] / [TEACH] counts).

New episode scaffold

Copy 02_Video-Projects/_template_NNN_Episode-Slug/ → 02_Video-Projects/NNN_Your-Slug/, then run the gate.

Then produce (AI Studio picture economy — locked)

Follow OMNI_LONGFORM_PLAYBOOK.md / orbit-omni-longform-playbook.mdc:

1. Ben Orbit Narrator VO → AI Studio stills first (open world · two science · Orbit ref) → 2–3 Veo Fast money shots (optional one Veo Quality hero) → Omni only for Orbit motion in 1–2 scenes → Mac assemble (mute Veo audio) → picture QA
2. Picture-first open (3s world only) · mid-film chapter cards · soft-join · 10s last-picture hold for Studio end screens → broadcast master. No brand intro. No baked like/subscribe outro.
3. 4–8 punch Shorts (22–27s) → checklist → YouTube package. Picture thumb no Orbit · exact listing title on screen · CTA that week’s Thursday id · zero /go/.

Do not use ElevenLabs Image & Video, Seedance, or Kling for new CG. Do not Omni the whole Thursday film.

After shipping, refresh the next brief from Studio metrics:

cd 07_Content-Ops && npm run brief:next -- --file metrics.json --topic "Next idea"
# writes docs/NEXT_EPISODE_BRIEF.md

Thumbs + social schedule (after YouTube lock)

Once the YouTube long (and Shorts cluster) schedule is locked:

1. Long thumbnails: picture + a short SEA-style hook. No Orbit. No generic CTA. Produce 3 variants; score in VidIQ. Longs: start Studio Thumbnail ABC (or title+thumb ABC) after upload.
2. Short thumbs: custom picture — no Orbit.
3. Social mirror: Meta / Threads from the same YouTube air times. One unique post per Short on Instagram, Facebook, and Threads — no remake/file/title duplicates (orbit-social-no-duplicates.mdc). TikTok is paused (account ban) until Ben lifts TIKTOK_UPLOAD_BLOCK.json. Never post social Shorts before the YouTube long is public.

Defaults (documentary + cluster window)

• Runtime 7–9 min NOW (007 Neutron Star and new longs). Expand to 15–20–30 only later with impressions + hold past ~5 min. Title one promise (no series suffix) · thumb = picture + SEA hook · experiential framing preferred
• 4–8 Shorts: open inside the question · curiosity-gap end · Related pill → that week’s Thursday long (no new Short pins) · same content cluster
• Evidence labels honest (LOW_DATA / EARLY_POSITIVE_SIGNAL) — never overfit one Short
• No dead ends: end screen · cards · long pin → another Orbit documentary; Shorts = Related pill only
• Do not redesign the brand

Kickoff phrases that trigger this

“Build next video” · “Next episode” · “Start V0xx” · “New long-form” · “Growth System v2 first”

Canonical: YOUTUBE_GROWTH_SYSTEM_V2.md · CONTENT_INTELLIGENCE_STRATEGY.md · RETENTION_AND_GROWTH_LOCKED.md · LONGFORM_STORY_AND_VO_PICTURE_GATE.md · OMNI_LONGFORM_PLAYBOOK.md · docs/GEMINI_VEO_CG.md