Guide

How to make a short, in seven steps.

The same line a studio runs, small enough to do in an afternoon.

Time
An afternoon, start to finish.
Length
Under a minute, most 20 to 45 seconds.
Aspect
Vertical 9:16.
Must-have
On-screen captions.
Steps
Seven, idea to post.

The steps

Idea to post

  1. 01

    Pick a topic worth the first two seconds

    Shorts live or die on the hook. Choose one idea your audience already cares about, not three.

  2. 02

    Write a tight script

    A hook, three beats, a close. Say one thing well. Read it out loud, and if you stumble, cut it.

  3. 03

    Give it a voice

    A clear, natural voiceover carries a faceless short. Match the pace to the cut, not the other way around.

  4. 04

    Lay in b-roll that matches the beats

    Every line needs something to watch. Change the visual when the point changes.

  5. 05

    Burn the captions

    Most viewers watch on mute. On-screen captions are not optional.

  6. 06

    Choose the cover and opening frame

    The first frame is the thumbnail. Make it legible at a glance.

  7. 07

    Review, then publish to the right feed

    Watch it once as a viewer would. Fix the caption and link, then post.

Shortcut

Where the tool takes over

In Clipstorm, steps two to six happen for you from a topic. Step seven is the review queue, where you keep the final say.

Key Takeaways

What to remember

  • Win the first two seconds or lose the view.
  • One idea, a hook, three beats, a close.
  • Captions and a legible opening frame are not optional.
  • Watch it as a viewer before you post.

FAQ

Questions people ask

How long should a short be?
Under a minute. Most shorts land between 20 and 45 seconds, long enough for one clear idea.
What aspect ratio should I use?
Vertical, 9:16. It fills the screen on phones, where nearly all short-form video is watched.
Do I really need captions?
Yes. Most viewers watch on mute, so on-screen captions are what carry the message. Treat them as required, not optional.

Keep reading

How to Use AI to Create YouTube Shorts (2026)

Turn a topic into a posted YouTube Short with AI, and keep it in your own voice.

How to Use AI to Create Reels (2026)

Make Instagram and Facebook Reels from a topic, one cut to both feeds.

What Does Clipstorm Do?

The full line: script, voiceover, b-roll, captions, one review queue, then publishing to three platforms.

Now rolling

Skip the afternoon.

Bring a topic and let Clipstorm run steps two to six, then review the cut.

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