Three rules / advice format: structure, script and how to clone it

Three rules / advice format is a proven short-video structure. Here is why it holds attention, how its beats are timed, a script you can start from, and the command that clones it for your own subject.

Why this format works

Numbered advice promises a finite list, so viewers stay until the count finishes. It is the cheapest structure to write and the easiest to re-run weekly.

Structure breakdown

1. 1. Promise (0–3s)

   “Three rules that made me X. The second one is illegal in some places.”

2. 2. Rule 1 (3–15s)

   The obvious one — it earns credibility and keeps pace.

3. 3. Rule 2 (15–30s)

   The surprising one; this is the clip's real payload and the moment most people share.

4. 4. Rule 3 (30–45s)

   The counter-intuitive closer, delivered fast, then cut.

A script you can start from

Segments, takes and selection anchors — this is the part of the project that changes when you re-run the format:

<script>
<segment> id="rule-one">
  <take>Rule one: || @buy-asset buy something that sends you a bill. || Yes. || Rule two: || @rent-it <D | Dee> do not buy it, || rent it out.</take>
</segment>
<script>

What you need

• — A topic you can honestly speak about
• — One visual per rule
• — A caption style with numbered markers

Run it

hypit run clone --reference ./reference/three-rules.mp4 --script ./three-rules.svs --variants 10

The reference video stays fixed. Change the script, re-run, and you get a new edit in the same format — that is the whole point of cloning instead of prompting.

Keep reading

• All clone formats
• Use cases
• Comparisons
• Quickstart
• Glossary

FAQ