Hook and shot list generator for TikTok, Reels and Shorts

Fill in what your video is about and who it is for. You get eight hook options built from tried formulas, and a shot list timed to your chosen length with framing and a word budget for each shot. Copy it or download it as a CSV for Google Sheets or Excel.

Pick a hook

How it works

Nothing here is guessed by a model. The page fills templates with your words and does simple sums, so the same inputs always give the same list.

The hooks

Each hook has three layers: what you say, what the first frame shows, and the words on screen. A hook only appears once you have filled in the fields it needs. The formulas (result first, call out the viewer, the mistake, against the usual advice, numbered list, the question, start mid-story, and a wordless point of view) are explained with examples in our guide to hook formulas.

The timings

BeatTimeWhy
Hook3 secondsTikTok advises introducing what your video is about in the first 3 seconds (TikTok creative best practices).
Set-up15% of the length, at least 2 secondsOne line on why it matters, then straight on.
PointsWhat is left, split into 1 to 5 points of about 8 secondsOne idea per point keeps each shot simple to film.
Payoff20% of the length, at least 3 secondsDeliver what the hook promised.
Call to action3 seconds, on videos of 20 seconds or moreOne clear ask. TikTok also recommends ending on a clear call to action.

The percentages are our starting structure, not a platform rule: move time between beats when you film. Word budgets use the same sum as our script timer: seconds × words per minute ÷ 60, rounded down.

Worked example: 30 seconds at 150 words per minute

Hook 3 s (7 words). Set-up 15% of 30 = 4.5, rounded to 5 s (12 words). Payoff 20% of 30 = 6 s (15 words). Call to action 3 s (7 words). That leaves 13 s, which makes two points: 7 s (17 words) and 6 s (15 words). Total: 3 + 5 + 7 + 6 + 6 + 3 = 30 seconds. An automated test checks that the timings add up exactly for every length from 10 to 180 seconds and every format.

Framing

Each format has a main framing and an alternate, and points swap between them so the edit has a cut to hide joins. Close-ups are kept for the hook and the payoff, where your face carries the moment. If you are filming alone, film all the shots from one set-up together before moving the tripod: our guide to filming yourself alone covers the set-up.

Questions

Is this an AI generator?

No. It fills proven hook formulas and a fixed story structure with the words you type, in your browser. Nothing is sent anywhere, so it also works offline once the page has loaded.

What is a shot list?

A numbered list of every shot in a video, in the order of the edit, with what each shot shows, how it is framed and roughly how long it lasts. It stops you forgetting a shot and lets you film shots with the same set-up together.

How are the timings worked out?

The hook gets 3 seconds, the set-up about 15% of the length, the payoff about 20%, and a call to action 3 seconds on videos of 20 seconds or more. The rest is split into points of roughly 8 seconds each, from one to five. The timings always add up to your chosen length.

How many words can each shot have?

The word budget is the shot's seconds times your pace in words per minute, divided by 60, rounded down. At 150 words per minute a 6-second shot gets 15 words.

Can I open the CSV in Google Sheets or Excel?

Yes. The download is a standard comma-separated file with a header row. Open it in Sheets, Excel or Numbers and add columns for anything else you track.

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