Reference Decode
Turn benchmark clips, contact sheets, or rough creative notes into structured hook and visual-grammar objects before you write storyboards or video generation prompts.
Install
npx skills add https://github.com/postplusai/postplus-skills --skill reference-decodeWhat is this skill?
- Extracts four required objects: hookEssence, viewerQuestion, mustCopyVisualGrammar, forbiddenDrift
- Uses the smallest sufficient source set (hook-first clip, 0–5s opening, contact sheet, or style board)
- Separates visual structure from identity—no copying faces, wardrobe, creator, location, or exact overlays
- Supports no-reference briefs via proxy structure before prompt work
- PostPlus family: Routing & Contracts (familyId routing-contracts)—not final storyboard or provider payload
Adoption & trust: 1 installs on skills.sh; 8 GitHub stars; 2/3 security scanners passed (skills.sh audits); trending (+100% hot-view momentum).
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Journey fit
Primary fit
Validate → scope is the first hard gate where you lock what the ad or short must promise and what may not drift—before expensive generation in Build or distribution tests in Launch. Scope covers decoding references into `hookEssence`, `viewerQuestion`, `mustCopyVisualGrammar`, and `forbiddenDrift` instead of vague “good vibe” summaries.
Common Questions / FAQ
Is Reference Decode safe to install?
skills.sh reports 2 of 3 security scanners passed. Review the Security Audits panel on this page before installing in production.
SKILL.md
READMESKILL.md - Reference Decode
# Reference Decode ## Use When - A benchmark video, contact sheet, frame set, rough idea, or source material needs to become promptable structure. - You need the hook essence, viewer question, visual grammar, and forbidden drift before storyboard or request writing. - A no-reference brief still needs a proxy structure before prompt work. ## Do Not Use When - Do not create the final storyboard grid or provider payload here. - Do not copy faces, exact wardrobe, creator identity, exact location, or exact overlays from benchmark material. ## Core Rule Do not summarize references as "good vibe", "nice pacing", or "strong chemistry". Extract four objects: - `hookEssence` - `viewerQuestion` - `mustCopyVisualGrammar` - `forbiddenDrift` ## Default Workflow 1. Use the smallest sufficient source set: hook-first clip, first 0-5 seconds, hook-first contact sheet, supporting note, or full style board only if needed. 2. Decode the opening mechanism: first clear promise, viewer question, and the exact visual structure that makes the promise legible. 3. Separate structure from identity. Keep camera grammar, shot order, object logic, timing, and relationship logic; do not keep exact identity details. 4. Create a compact decode artifact when it is useful. 5. Print or return the decode block before storyboard or request writing. ## No-Reference Mode When no usable reference exists, operate in proxy mode: - start from the chosen segment pattern - infer the likely viewer question - express must-copy grammar as scene anchors, not imitation notes - express forbidden drift as anti-generic safeguards - state that the output is brief-derived, not observed from footage ## Output Shape The artifact contains `hookEssence`, `viewerQuestion`, `mustCopyVisualGrammar`, and `forbiddenDrift`. ## Stop Conditions - Stop when required user intent, source evidence, or owned input artifacts are missing and guessing would change the result. - If an owned CLI or script command fails, report the exact error and stop. Do not bypass the failure with metadata-only answers, readiness probing, local payload rewrites, fallback providers, or unpublished tools. ## Handoff - Grid, beat sheet, or full render request -> `video-request-architect`. - Explicit learn/do-not-copy boundary -> `reference-contract-builder`. - Prompt already drafted -> `prompt-preflight-qa`. ## Public Command Boundary - Choose the smallest matching command or workflow from the user input and run it directly. - If an owned CLI or script command fails, report the exact error and stop. Do not bypass the failure with metadata-only answers, readiness probing, local payload rewrites, fallback providers, or unpublished tools. - This public skill is instruction-driven. Produce the artifact described by the workflow directly from the available evidence. - Do not call private provider/runtime paths or unpublished local tools. - If the CLI returns a quote-confirmation challenge, run `postplus quote confirm --json --challenge-file <challenge.json>` and retry with the returned token.