Prompts

Lessons learned video rough cut prompts

These prompts cut raw footage into a lessons learned video (45-90s, 5 beats in order), with the pacing and the usual mistakes written in.

By Sulan Zhang, co-founder of Vyra · Updated 2026-09-24

Format: Lessons learned video
Step: Rough cut
Length: 45-90s
Aspect: 9:16 or 1:1
Platforms: TikTok, Reels, Shorts, YouTube, LinkedIn

Real examples from @sulansart

At a glance


Target length	45-90s
Beat order	0-3s: the outcome and how many lessons; 3-8s: the proof on screen; 8-70s: each lesson, what I did, what happened, what I'd do now; 70-80s: the one that matters most; 80-85s: what's next
Pacing	One lesson per 15-20 seconds
Hook	The result as a number, "I posted 100 videos. 3 things I'd change."
Avoid	Generic lessons; No proof; Too many lessons

Prompt it in Vyra

Minimal:

Make a 90-second lessons learned video from these clips. Best takes only.

Standard:

Cut my clips into a 90-second lessons learned video for TikTok. Follow this order.
- 0-3s: the outcome and how many lessons
- 3-8s: the proof on screen
- 8-70s: each lesson, what I did, what happened, what I'd do now
- 70-80s: the one that matters most
- 80-85s: what's next
Pacing: one lesson per 15-20 seconds.
Keep the strongest clip or take for each part and cut the rest. No captions or music yet.

Full:

Cut my clips into a 90-second lessons learned video for TikTok. Follow this order.
- 0-3s: the outcome and how many lessons
- 3-8s: the proof on screen
- 8-70s: each lesson, what I did, what happened, what I'd do now
- 70-80s: the one that matters most
- 80-85s: what's next
Pacing: one lesson per 15-20 seconds.
Keep the strongest clip or take for each part and cut the rest. No captions or music yet.
Open with this. The result as a number, "I posted 100 videos. 3 things I'd change."
Avoid these. Generic lessons. No proof. Too many lessons.
Export 9:16. When you're done, list what you cut with timestamps so I can check.

Why these settings

A numbered beat list gives the agent an order to follow. Leave it out and it picks one for you.
Lessons learned videos usually run 45-90s on TikTok, Reels, Shorts, YouTube, and LinkedIn.
The pacing line (one lesson per 15-20 seconds) sets how long each clip stays on screen.
The full prompt names the common mistakes up front, so you're less likely to see them in the first cut.
Asking for a list of cuts with timestamps makes the first pass quick to check.

Fixes

Too long. "Cut it to 70 seconds. Drop the weakest part first."
Parts out of order. "Follow the order from my first message exactly."
Wrong clip in a part. "For the 3-8s part, show me other clips I could use, with timestamps."
Something you wanted got cut. "Put back the part where [describe it]." It can find the moment from a description.

FAQ

How long should a lessons learned video be? Short versions run 45-90s. Put the number in the first sentence of the prompt so the cut is built around it.

Do I need to trim my clips before uploading? No. Upload the raw clips. Vyra transcribes and describes every scene on upload, so it can find the part that fits each beat.