Pick a depth. Each prompt opens in your AI pre-loaded with the lesson. Click a row to preview the prompt.
A 30-second ad is not a single asset anymore. It's a specification — and every platform consumes a different permutation of it. Vertical 9:16 for Reels and TikTok. Square 1:1 for IG feed. Horizontal 16:9 for YouTube and CTV. 6-second bumpers for pre-roll. 15-second cutdowns for mid-roll. Subtitle bakes for sound-off viewing. OOH still frames. The filmmaker who understands platform-native craft wins two ways: better performance on each surface, and lower cost because a well-planned asset renders into all formats without re-shoots. AI generation still charges per shot — but AI post-production (reframing, resizing, subtitling) is essentially free.
Rules of thumb from agency post houses: (1) Shoot the hero wider than the frame you'll deliver — crop-in to the vertical and leave room for horizontal. (2) Put the subject on the centreline; platforms crop edges. (3) Put text and product in the centre third vertically; top and bottom get clipped on CTV. (4) Subtitles are default, not optional — 85% of Facebook feed video is watched on mute. (5) Sound-forward hook in the 16:9, sound-optional in the 9:16. AI tools default to 16:9; force the vertical and square re-renders or ask the reframing tool (Adobe Premiere Auto-Reframe, Runway reframe) to do it.
# Platform deliverable matrix
Asset Aspect Length Subtitles Hook position Notes
----- ------ ------- --------- ------------- -----
Hero spot (TV/YT) 16:9 :30/:60 no :00–:05 Sound on, cinematic
YouTube bumper 16:9 :06 optional :00–:02 Brand + one beat
Pre-roll skippable 16:9 :15/:30 optional :00–:05 pre-skip Hook before skip button
Reels / TikTok 9:16 :15/:30 YES :00–:03 Sound-off friendly
IG feed square 1:1 :15/:30 YES :00–:03 Centred, logo in safe area
Stories 9:16 :15 YES :00–:02 Add a sticker CTA
CTV (Hulu, Netflix ads) 16:9 :15/:30 optional :00–:05 Loud, premium, no CTA click
OOH still 9:16 — — — One image, one line, one logo
Production planning rule:
Shoot at 4K, 16:9, with subject centred → all formats crop out of one master.
AI video tools: render 16:9 → use Auto-Reframe tools for 9:16 and 1:1 deliverables.