videoscriptsAI

AI Script Templates for Vertical Microdramas: Beat Sheets, Shot Lists, and Hook Lines

ppicbaze

2026-02-02

12 min read

Ready-to-use beat sheets, shot lists, hook formulas, and AI prompts to produce vertical microdramas fast in 2026.

Hook: Ship vertical microdramas faster — without losing craft

You need attention-grabbing microdramas for mobile feeds, fast. But writing punchy beats, framing every 9:16 shot, and dropping the exact editing markers editors need wastes hours. In 2026 the pressure is higher: platforms and AI-curated vertical hubs (see Holywater’s recent $22M expansion) reward serialized, data-driven short drama. This guide gives ready-to-use beat sheets, shot lists, hook formulas, editing markers, and AI prompt templates so you can produce and scale vertical microdramas with predictable creative and distribution results.

Why this matters in 2026

Vertical-first platforms and AI-driven discovery are changing how serialized short fiction performs. Holywater’s recent funding round to scale mobile-first episodic vertical video is a clear market signal: platforms will prioritize rapid, scalable microdrama that hooks in the first 2–3 seconds and drives retention across episodes. At the same time, AI tools introduced in late 2025 and early 2026—real-time generative fills, advanced reframe, automated lip-sync correction, and faster captioning pipelines—mean creators can iterate faster but must also deliver tighter scripts and precise edit directions for automation to shine.

Creators who plan structure and edit intent up front win: they supply AI tools the signal they need to render high-quality vertical results at scale.

What you’ll get in this article

Three practical beat sheet templates (15s, 30s, 60s)
Vertical shot list templates for common microdrama setups
Hook-line formulas + 20 ready-to-use hooks
Standardized editing markers and how to write them into scripts
AI prompt formulas for: script generation, shot lists, and image/scene generation
A complete 3-episode example with prompts and markers you can copy

Core principles for vertical microdramas (actionable)

Hook in 3 seconds. The first frame must promise a question or conflict.
Visual-first beats. Treat dialogue as a support layer — show, then tell.
Micro-resolution beats. Each cut should shift perspective, escalate stakes, or reveal.
Formatting for automation. Use consistent editing markers so AI editors (or junior editors) can apply rules predictably.
Data-driven iteration. Track 3 metrics per episode: 2-s retention, 15-s completion, and rewatch rate.

Beat sheet templates — Ready to paste into your script AI

15-second microdrama (single beat punch)

0.0–0.03s: Hook visual — a startling image or line. (Establish conflict)
0.03–0.09s: Escalation — action or reaction that raises stakes.
0.09–0.15s: Payoff — reveal, twist, or emotional beat that closes the micro-story or builds serial mystery.

30-second microdrama (mini-arc)

0.0–0.03s: Hook — visual + short hook line (burn caption)
0.03–0.12s: Setup — 1–2 shots showing character + problem
0.12–0.22s: Complication — attempt and failure or moral choice
0.22–0.30s: Twist/payoff — emotional beat or serial cliff (tease next ep)

60-second microdrama (episodic utility)

0.0–0.03s: Shock or mystery hook (captioned headline)
0.03–0.12s: Setup — two quick scenes establishing protagonist + goal
0.12–0.30s: Rising action — obstacles, reveal of secret, or split-second decision
0.30–0.48s: Turning point — failure, reveal, or cliff that escalates stakes
0.48–0.60s: Tag + episodic hook — purposefully leave a question and hint at next episode

Shot list templates (vertical-first)

Single actor — low budget (street/room)

Shot 1 | 0–3s | Tight vertical close-up (face, eyes) | static | react to offscreen sound | CAPTION: Hook
Shot 2 | 3–8s | Medium vertical (waist up) | push-in | character speaks/acts | SFX: door slam
Shot 3 | 8–12s | Over-the-shoulder vertical | slight pan | reveal text/phone | EDIT: quick cut
Shot 4 | 12–15s | Insert vertical detail (phone screen, hand) | static | show clue | CAPTION: clue

Two-hander — confrontation

Shot 1 | 0–4s | Extreme vertical close on A | slight handheld | A delivers hook line | AUDIO: dry
Shot 2 | 4–9s | Reverse medium on B | dolly out | B reacts, steps back | J-CUT from A
Shot 3 | 9–12s | Waist-up 2-shot tall frame | static | both argue | SUBT: burned-in
Shot 4 | 12–18s | Vertical insert (hand slams table) | quick ramp | cut-to-action | SFX: thud
Shot 5 | 18–30s | Vertical close on B (decision) | push-in slow | B reveals twist | CAPTION: cliff

Montage/location fly-through (fast worldbuilding)

Shot 1 | 0–4s | Establishing vertical (street sign, building face) | slide | set tone | TEXT over
Shot 2 | 4–10s | Quick inserts of props/avatars | jarring cuts | build mystery | SOUND DESIGN
Shot 3 | 10–20s | POV vertical move through room | gimbal | find protagonist | MATCH CUT
Shot 4 | 20–30s | Close-up reveal | static | discover clue | AUDIO STING & CAPTION

Hook-line formulas + 20 ready-to-use hooks

Use these formulas to generate thumb-stopping first lines. They work as on-screen captions and voice hooks.

Formulas

Shock + Question: [Startling image] + “What would you do if…?”
Emotion + Promise: [Emotion word] + “Watch me fix/break/steal…”
Mystery + Constraint: [Mysterious item] + “Only 60 seconds to…”
Character + Dilemma: [Name/job] + “must choose between…”

20 Example Hook Lines (copy/paste)

“He forgot the wedding—then the phone rang.”
“She wakes up with someone else’s memories.”
“There’s a secret in my apartment door.”
“If you can trade one memory, which would you sell?”
“The video on my feed shows tomorrow.”
“This is the last unsent message.”
“He says he remembers two lives.”
“My reflection didn’t blink.”
“They left a clue in the bathroom mirror.”
“You have 30 seconds to disappear.”
“She’s perfect—except for the lie I can’t tell.”
“The elevator door closed on a secret.”
“I found my name on a missing list.”
“He promised to return—time’s up.”
“That tiny noise saved my life.”
“If I open this, we both forget.”
“The map was hidden in his playlist.”
“She only answers at midnight.”
“This file knows what I did.”
“One rule: never touch the blue envelope.”

Editing markers — standardize for human & AI editors

Use this mini-language in scripts and shot lists. It speeds up editing passes, automations, and handed-off post workflows.

Common markers (format: MARKER — meaning)

CUT: straight cut
J-CUT: audio from next clip precedes visual cut
L-CUT: audio continues after visual cut
SPEEDRAMP +X%: time ramp (e.g., SPEEDRAMP -50% to 100%)
MATCH CUT: match on shape/action
TEXT-ON: burned caption; include style shorthand (e.g., TEXT-ON: BOLD/WHITE/LOWER-THIRD)
SUBT: subtitles (SRT-ready line)
SFX: sound effect cue
VFX-INPAINT: request for generative fill/cleanup in post
GRADE: color grade note (e.g., GRADE: teal-orange/soft)

AI prompt formulas — for scripts, shot lists, and images

Below are compact prompt templates you can paste into any large-model assistant, image generator, or editor that accepts text prompts.

1) Compact script generator (short-form, vertical)

Prompt formula:
Write a [DURATION]-second vertical microdrama script for a mobile audience. Style: [TONE — e.g., tense, dark comedy]. Hook: [HOOK LINE]. Format output as a beat sheet with timestamps, shot descriptions (vertical framing), dialog (if any), and editing markers (CUT, J-CUT, TEXT-ON). Constraints: single location / low budget / single actor (optional). Keep beats visual-first and include an episodic cliff or tag.

2) Shot list generator

Prompt formula:
Create a shot list for the above beat sheet. For each shot output: Shot# | Duration range | Frame (e.g., VC-EXTREME CLOSE / VC-MEDIUM) | Movement | Lens suggestion (35mm equiv) | Key action | Editing marker | Alternate B-roll options for fast cutaway.

3) Hook-line generator

Prompt formula:
Generate 12 vertical-first hook captions using the formula [FORMULA]. Keep each hook under 7 words and optimized to test for 2s retention. Output as CSV: hook, tone, expected emotional trigger.

4) AI image prompt for vertical backgrounds and props

Prompt formula:
Photorealistic vertical 9:16 background of [LOCATION], mood: [mood], lighting: [golden-hour / neon / cold fluorescent], focal point center-left, do not include people, high-detail, shallow depth of field, output for 9:16 crop, include metadata tags: (aspect:9:16, use-case:background, license:royalty-free-style). Add optional variant: stylize with grain-level X.

5) Story expansion prompt (episode serializing)

Prompt formula:
Expand the beat sheet into [N] episodes (each [DURATION]s). For each episode provide: 1-line logline, 3-beat micro-arc, 1 hook caption for feed, and one A/B test idea for thumbnail/frame. Prioritize cliff spacing and data triggers for iteration.

2026 tool and workflow notes (what’s new & how to use it)

Late 2025 and early 2026 brought generative fills for moving frames, improved auto lip-sync for vertical outputs, and better caption accuracy in multiple languages. Use these features to accelerate production:

Generative fill for video: Clean backgrounds and extend set cheaply. Mark any need with VFX-INPAINT in the script so the tool can batch-process.
Auto lip-sync + voice cloning: Useful for rewrites — but label cloned lines for transparency and comply with platform rules.
AI-assisted reframe: Capture wide and let AI create vertical crops. But you still need vertical-framed shot lists to avoid awkward subjects off-center.
Data hooks: Platforms like Holywater emphasize short-term retention signals. Ship variations of the first 3 seconds and A/B test hook visuals and captions.

Complete example: 3-episode vertical microdrama (copyable)

Below is a compact, ready-to-run sequence for a 3-episode arc. Each ep ~45s. Included: beat sheet, shot list, editing markers, and the exact AI prompt to generate assets.

Series concept

Logline: A courier discovers every package she delivers changes the recipient’s memories. She must decide which parcel to deliver and which to destroy.

Episode 1 — "The Wrong Package" (45s)

Beat sheet

0–3s: Hook — close-up of trembling hand holding a small blue envelope. TEXT-ON: "DO NOT OPEN" (HOOK)
3–15s: Setup — courier scans address; phone pings; montage of previous deliveries (fast cuts)
15–33s: Complication — she delivers to an apartment; recipient clutches the envelope and studies it with a blank stare
33–45s: Tag — recipient whispers, "I remember you" — cliff: courier looks at camera (direct-to-audience) TEXT-ON: "What did she lose?"

Shot list (abbreviated)

Shot 1 | 0–3s | VC-EXTREME CLOSE | static | hand w/ blue envelope | TEXT-ON: "DO NOT OPEN" | SFX: paper rustle
Shot 2 | 3–8s | VC-MEDIUM | handheld push | courier scanning | J-CUT: city noise
Shot 3 | 8–15s | VC-INSERTS | rapid cuts | previous envelopes montage | SPEEDRAMP -40%/normal
Shot 4 | 15–28s | VC-MEDIUM | push-in | door exchange | MATCH CUT to envelope in recipient hand
Shot 5 | 28–45s | VC-CLOSE | slow push | recipient whispers; courier stares | L-CUT; TEXT-ON: cliff

Editing markers and notes

Start with 0.5s of black to allow platforms to detect first frame (helps A/B testing of hooks).
SUBT all dialog. Burn last 3s with cliff caption.
GRADE: muted teal/amber; VFX-INPAINT background to remove distractors.

AI prompt used

Prompt:
Write a 45-second vertical microdrama beat sheet: tense, cinematic, visual-first. Hook: "DO NOT OPEN". Include timestamps, shot list entries optimized for 9:16, and editing markers (CUT, J-CUT, L-CUT, TEXT-ON). Single location: apartment hallway. Single actor: courier. Provide 3 thumbnail/frame A/B test ideas.

Episode 2 — "Echoes" (45s)

Beat highlights: hook is recipient humming a song the courier doesn't remember; courier discovers a name on the shipping manifest that should be hers.

Episode 3 — "Choice" (45s)

Beat highlights: courier intercepts a package meant for her mother; must choose to return, open, or destroy it — ends with a forced choice and a cliff.

Testing and metrics (fast experiments)

Run the following micro-experiments for each episode:

Hook A/B: Test 3 variations of first 3s (different captions or different close-ups).
Caption format: Burn vs. optional subtitle; measure completion and rewatch rate.
Thumbnail test: Face close-up vs. prop close-up vs. motion frame.

Track 2-s retention, 15-s completion, and rewatch rate. Use results to inform next episode’s hook and opening visual.

Legal & ethical checklist (quick)

Label any voice-clone or synthetic face assets in metadata and comply with platform rules.
If you use AI image generators, choose a licensing model that allows commercial use; store prompts and seed numbers for provenance.
Keep records of any actor releases and model releases for likenesses used in generative fills.

Actionable takeaways

Use the 3 beat-sheet templates to structure your next microdrama idea; always prioritize the 3-second hook.
Embed the editing markers from the start — it saves edit time and improves automated workflows.
Ship multiple hook variations and iterate using short-loop metrics to inform serial pacing (the Holywater playbook).
Use the provided AI prompt formulas to generate scripts, shot lists, and vertical assets quickly—then polish with practical shoots and purposeful edits.

Final note — scaling episodic vertical work in 2026

Platforms are investing in vertical-first serialized formats and the tooling to serve them. That means creators must think like both storytellers and product teams: design microdramas to feed AI discovery, measure short-form signals, and iterate. Use the templates and prompt formulas above to create consistent, testable, and highly re-usable creative building blocks across series.

Call to action

Ready to ship your first vertical microdrama? Download the free template pack and copy-ready prompt library on picbaze.com, test the example series, and share your performance data. Join our creator cohort to receive monthly prompt updates tuned to 2026 platform signals and Holywater-style episodic strategies.

picbaze

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Senior editor and content strategist. Writing about technology, design, and the future of digital media. Follow along for deep dives into the industry's moving parts.