hyperframes/skills/hyperframes/references/beat-direction.md

Beat Direction

How to plan and direct individual scenes (beats) in a multi-scene composition. Read before writing any multi-scene video.

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Per-Beat Direction

Each beat is a WORLD, not a layout. Before writing CSS specs and GSAP instructions, describe what the viewer EXPERIENCES. The difference between a great storyboard and a mediocre one:

Mediocre: "Dark navy background. '$1.9T' in white, 280px. Logo top-left. Wave image bottom-right." Great: "Camera is already mid-flight over a vast dark canvas. The gradient wave sweeps across the frame like aurora borealis — alive, shifting. '$1.9T' SLAMS into existence with such force the wave ripples in response. This isn't a slide — it's a moment."

The first describes pixels. The second describes an experience. Write the second, then figure out the pixels.

Each beat should have:

Concept

The big idea for this beat in 2-3 sentences. What visual WORLD are we in? What metaphor drives it? What should the viewer FEEL? This is the most important part — everything else flows from it.

Mood direction

Cultural and design references, not hex codes:

• "Geometric, rhythmic, precise. Think Josef Albers or Bauhaus color studies."
• "Warm workspace. Nice notebook energy, not technical blueprint."
• "Cinematic title sequence. The kind of opening where you lean forward."

Animation choreography

Specific motion verbs per element — not "it animates in" but HOW:

Energy	Verbs	Example
High impact	SLAMS, CRASHES, PUNCHES, STAMPS, SHATTERS	"$1.9T" SLAMS in from left at -5°
Medium energy	CASCADE, SLIDES, DROPS, FILLS, DRAWS	Three cards CASCADE in staggered 0.3s
Low energy	types on, FLOATS, morphs, COUNTS UP, fades in	Counter COUNTS UP from 0 to 135K

Every element gets a verb. If you can't name the verb, the element is not yet designed.

Transition

How this beat hands off to the next. Specify the type and parameters.

When to pick which:

Choose shader transition for	Choose CSS transition for	Choose hard cut for
Reveals, big reaction shots, product/logo unveils, energy shifts, "wow" moments	Continuous camera-motion beats where the scene feels like one move broken into cuts	Rapid-fire lists, percussive edits on the beat, comedic timing
Any moment the music/VO punctuates with a downbeat or SFX hit	Beats that ease from one composition into the next with shared motion vocabulary	Sequences of 3+ quick tempo-matched switches
Brand moments where the transition itself is the visual	Minimal/editorial pacing	Anytime a 0.3-0.8s transition would feel too slow

Rule of thumb: if the beat is the centerpiece of the video, shader-transition into it. If the beat is connective tissue, CSS-transition. A brand reel of 5-7 beats usually wants 1-2 shader transitions (the hero reveal + the CTA) and the rest CSS or hard cuts — too many shader transitions flatten their impact.

CSS transitions (choose from skills/hyperframes/references/transitions/catalog.md):

• Velocity-matched upward: exit y:-150, blur:30px, 0.33s power2.in → entry y:150→0, blur:30px→0, 1.0s power2.out
• Whip pan: exit x:-400, blur:24px, 0.3s power3.in → entry x:400→0, blur:24px→0, 0.3s power3.out
• Blur through: exit blur:20px, 0.3s → entry blur:20px→0, 0.25s power3.out
• Zoom through: exit scale:1→1.2, blur:20px, 0.2s power3.in → entry scale:0.75→1, blur:20px→0, 0.5s expo.out
• Hard cut / smash cut (for rapid-fire sequences)

Shader transitions (choose from packages/shader-transitions/README.md):

• Cross-Warp Morph (organic, versatile) — 0.5-0.8s, power2.inOut
• Cinematic Zoom (professional momentum) — 0.4-0.6s, power2.inOut
• Gravitational Lens (otherworldly) — 0.6-1.0s, power2.inOut
• Glitch (aggressive, high energy) — 0.3-0.5s
• See packages/shader-transitions/README.md for the full API, available shaders, and setup

Depth layers

What's in foreground, midground, and background. Every beat should have at least 2 layers:

• "BG: dark navy fill + subtle radial glow. MG: stat cards with drop shadow. FG: brand logo bottom-right."

SFX cues

What sounds at what moment:

• "On the capture pulse — a soft, warm analog shutter click."
• "Left side carries a faint low drone. On fold: drone cuts. Silence. Then a single clean chime."

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Rhythm Planning

Before writing HTML, declare your scene rhythm: which scenes are quick hits, which are holds, where do shaders land, where does energy peak. Name the pattern — fast-fast-SLOW-fast-SHADER-hold — before implementing.

Video type	Typical rhythm pattern
Social ad (15s)	hook-PUNCH-hold-CTA
Product demo (30-60s)	slow-build-BUILD-PEAK-breathe-CTA
Launch teaser (10-20s)	SLAM-proof-SLAM-hold
Brand reel (20-45s)	drift-build-PEAK-drift-resolve

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Velocity-Matched Transitions

Exit the outgoing beat with an accelerating ease (power2.in or power3.in) plus a blur ramp. Enter the incoming beat with a decelerating ease (power2.out or power3.out) plus blur clear. The fastest point of both easing curves meets at the cut — the viewer perceives continuous camera motion, not two discrete animations. Match exit velocity to entry velocity within ~5% tolerance.