Module 8 · Level 2 · Practitioner

Short-Form Video

Scripting, shooting and editing TikToks, Reels and Shorts — plus the retention curves that decide reach.

6 lessons · about 0.9 hours

Overview · 1:12 · captions on
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Reach lives in the first two seconds. Module 8 is short-form video, from script to retention curve.

TikToks, Reels and Shorts are the reach format of the decade, and they're decided by a graph you can read. This module is the craft: structure, the opening, a script that doesn't sound scripted, and a way to make it every week without burning out.

Lesson 1 is the anatomy of a short-form video, what the performers share. Lesson 2 is the first two seconds and the retention curve. Lesson 3 is scripting without sounding scripted. Lesson 4 is shooting and editing on a phone, no gear. Lesson 5 is trends and sounds, and when to join one. And lesson 6 is batching: one afternoon into weeks of video.

Take the frame. Short-form is vertical, and the exact dimensions are on screen now, with the date we last checked them. Every spec in this module is verified weekly, so you shoot for the shape that'll show.

By the end, you can read a retention graph and fix the drop, write an opening that holds, and batch a fortnight of video in an afternoon.

6 lessons. About 55 minutes. Level 2, module 8. Start with The Anatomy of a Short-Form Video.

What’s inside

  1. 01
    The Anatomy of a Short-Form Video

    What TikToks, Reels and Shorts have in common, where they differ, and the structure almost every performer shares. · 8 min

  2. 02
    The First Two Seconds and the Retention Curve

    How retention graphs decide your reach, and how to engineer the opening moments that keep the curve high. · 9 min

  3. 03
    Scripting Without Sounding Scripted

    Word-for-word scripts, beat sheets and talking-point outlines — how to plan short-form that still sounds human. · 9 min

  4. 04
    Shooting and Editing on a Phone

    The camera settings, framing habits and edit moves that make phone footage look deliberate — no gear required. · 10 min

  5. 05
    Trends, Sounds and Riding the Wave

    How trends and trending audio actually work, when to join one, and how to adapt a format without losing your brand. · 8 min

  6. 06
    Batching: Sustainable Short-Form Output

    The batch-production workflow that turns one afternoon into weeks of video without burning out. · 9 min

Where this sits on your path depends on your assessment. Some people skip this module outright; others start here. The free placement assessment decides — and the first lesson of every module is free to read. Find your level →

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Titles, thumbnails, packaging and watch time — how long-form works, and when it beats short-form.10How Algorithms Actually Work
Ranking signals per platform — documented, not mythology — and what that means for your content.11Analytics I: Reading the Numbers
Native insights, reach vs impressions, engagement rates and benchmarks — know what's working and why.