Cut a 30-second teaser from a long interview using the transcript

What we are making

A 30-second teaser cut from a 20- or 40-minute interview, without scrubbing the whole thing. The in-editor assistant searches the transcript for moments that work out of context, proposes three teaser structures with timecodes and running times, and, once you pick one, removes everything else from a duplicated sequence with ripple deletes. Joins get markers so you can smooth them by hand. Music, captions, and B-roll stay yours.

It uses the same panel and the same propose-then-apply pattern as Turn reviewer comments into a first revision pass; this time the input is the transcript instead of the comments.

Three steps

Step 1. Duplicate the sequence and load context

In Premiere Pro, duplicate the master sequence and open the copy. In the YouViCo For Editor panel, let it pull the transcript and the workspace brief. If the transcript has no timecodes or is full of misheard names, run it again now; the prompt stops if it cannot map words to time.

Step 2. Write the two-line brief

Put this in the workspace brief, replacing the placeholders:

Platform: <YouTube Shorts / Instagram Reels / LinkedIn>. Target length: <30 s>.
Audience: <who>. The one thing they should remember: <message>.

The assistant uses the target length to size the cut and the message to rank moments. Vague briefs produce generic teasers.

Step 3. Paste the prompt and pick a teaser

Paste the prompt below into the panel chat. You get three numbered teasers, each with its moments, timecodes, and running time. Reply with the number you want. The assistant builds it, reports each deletion, and lists what still needs a human.

TEASER CUT FROM TRANSCRIPT

You are assisting the editor of the currently open Premiere Pro sequence,
which is a duplicate made for a teaser. Inputs available to you: the
transcript with timecodes (@transcript), the workspace brief (@brief),
and the frames on screen.

1. UNDERSTAND THE GOAL. Read @brief first: platform, target length,
   audience, and the one message the teaser must land. Do not propose
   anything before you have read it.

2. FIND CANDIDATE MOMENTS. From @transcript, list 6-8 short passages
   (3-12 seconds each) that work out of context: a hook that raises a
   question, a concrete claim or number, an emotional line, a clear
   payoff. For each give the timecode range, the exact words, and one
   line on why it works. Skip passages that need surrounding context to
   make sense.

3. PROPOSE THREE TEASERS. Assemble three different orderings of 3-4
   moments each, within the target length. Each one: hook, two beats,
   payoff or call to action. Show the running time. Mark any join where
   the speaker's sentence would be cut mid-clause.

4. WAIT FOR MY PICK. Do not touch the timeline until I reply with the
   teaser number.

5. BUILD IT WITH RIPPLE DELETES. Remove everything outside the chosen
   ranges, in order, keeping 8-12 frames of handles at each join.
   Report each deletion in one line with the resulting duration. Add a
   marker named "HOOK" at the first moment and a marker named "JOIN n"
   at every join.

6. FLAG WHAT NEEDS A HUMAN. Music, captions, B-roll, and any join you
   marked in step 3 stay untouched. List them at the end.

Do not reorder moments beyond the chosen teaser. Do not change audio
levels or add transitions. If the transcript has no timecodes, say so
and stop.

Tips before you run it

• Never on the master. The build step is a series of ripple deletes. A duplicated sequence costs nothing; an undo chain across forty deletions is painful.
• Handles are the point. The 8-12 frame handles at each join are what let you fix a clipped word with a trim instead of a re-run. Keep them.
• Read the mid-clause flags. A join that cuts a sentence in half is where teasers feel machine-made. The prompt marks them; either accept the join or ask for the previous or next moment instead.
• Vertical comes after the cut. The prompt does not reframe. Once the 30 seconds are locked, use Premiere’s Auto Reframe or crop by hand.
• Review it where the stakeholders are. Export the teaser and upload it to the same YouViCo project as the interview. A guest link lets the client compare it with the full cut without an account.
• It runs on your plan. The panel uses the AI subscription you signed in with. A 40-minute transcript is a long prompt, so a plan with a large context window helps.

Frequently asked questions

Can it pick B-roll or cutaways?

No. It reasons about the transcript and the frames on screen, and it only removes ranges. Cutaways, music, and captions are listed under “needs a human” at the end.

What if the interview has two speakers?

A transcript with speaker labels helps a lot. Add one line to the brief saying whose voice should carry the teaser, and the assistant will prefer that speaker’s moments.

Can I ask for a 60-second version afterwards?

Yes. Duplicate the master again, change the target length in the brief, and run the same prompt. Do not extend the 30-second cut in place; the handles will not be there.