video/skills/pipelines/hybrid/edit-director.md

Edit Director - Hybrid Pipeline

When To Use

This stage creates the layered edit logic for a source-led video with support elements. The order matters: anchor cut first, support layers second.

Prerequisites

Layer	Resource	Purpose
Schema	schemas/artifacts/edit_decisions.schema.json	Artifact validation
Prior artifacts	state.artifacts["assets"]["asset_manifest"], state.artifacts["scene_plan"]["scene_plan"], state.artifacts["script"]["script"]	Source/support assets and timeline intent
Playbook	Active style playbook	Typography and motion consistency

Process

1. Lock The Anchor Cut First

The viewer should understand the story before support overlays are added. If the anchor cut is weak, support layers will not save it.

2. Add Support In Priority Order

Typical order:

1. subtitles,
2. speaker or context labels,
3. diagrams or stat cards,
4. optional inserts,
5. CTA elements.

3. Protect Readability

Never stack too many support layers in one moment. If subtitles, labels, charts, and overlays collide, simplify.

4. Use Metadata For Layering Logic

Recommended metadata keys:

• anchor_cut_notes
• layer_order
• overlay_windows
• variant_edit_rules

5. Quality Gate

• the anchor cut works on its own,
• support layers clarify instead of distract,
• mobile readability survives,
• variants remain consistent.

Common Pitfalls

• Trying to fix a weak cut with extra graphics.
• Letting support layers compete with the source.
• Building each platform variant as a separate editorial philosophy.