Start with a shot contract
Define subject, action, environment, camera, duration, aspect ratio, and exclusions. For product work, say what must remain physically and visually unchanged.
Use references deliberately
Reference images can anchor identity, wardrobe, packaging, palette, and composition. Change one major variable per iteration so you can identify what improved.
Evaluate motion
Review anatomy, object permanence, camera intent, product geometry, text rendering, temporal flicker, and transition quality at normal and half speed.
Build platform variants
Adapt pacing and framing for each destination rather than cropping one master blindly. Re-check captions, safe zones, and the opening frame after every format change.