HookCraft is an open-source, autonomous content production suite, viral hook laboratory, and dual-track video storyboard generator engineered for high-retention short-form media (Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, TikTok, and LinkedIn Carousels).
Built by Pardeep Kumar in partnership with ToolNPlay.com and CodeBodh.com.
Install HookCraft instantly on any macOS, Linux, or Windows (WSL) machine with a single terminal command — no git cloning or folder copying required:
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/toolnplay/hookcraft/main/install.sh | bashThe installer auto-detects your agent environment (Antigravity, Claude Code, or local workspace) and installs all templates, data archetypes, Python helpers, and SKILL.md in one step.
Most AI writing tools generate generic paragraphs that fail to perform on short-form video algorithms. HookCraft bridges the critical gap between viral viewer psychology and modern generative AI video production:
Raw Idea / Topic
│
▼
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ HookCraft Retention Engine │
│ • 8-Point Hook Verification Filter (<12 words) │
│ • Visual Pattern Interrupt Injection │
│ • Strict 30-Second Time-Budget Pacing (5 Beats) │
│ • Humanizer Voice Filter (Zero AI Clichés) │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
│
├──► 🎙️ Audio Track (Spoken dialogue, word-budgeted)
├──► 💬 On-Screen Text (High-contrast kinetic captions)
├──► 🎬 9:16 AI Prompts (Veo 3.1, Google Flow, Imagen 3)
├──► ⏱️ .SRT Subtitles (Drag-and-drop CapCut/Premiere)
└──► 🧲 Comment-to-DM Inbound Lead Loop (ToolNPlay)
Algorithms on Instagram, YouTube Shorts, and TikTok decide whether to push your video based on two primary signals:
- Viewed vs. Swiped Away Rate (>75% required)
- Average Percentage Viewed / Completion Rate (>85% required)
HookCraft enforces an 8-Point Hook Filter before presenting any opening line:
- Length: Spoken line is under 12 words (delivered in under 2.8 seconds).
- Cognitive Loop: Opens an immediate curiosity gap or challenges consensus truth.
- Audience Specificity: Flags the target persona in the very first sentence.
- Zero Fluff: Strictly bans "Hey guys", "Welcome back", or slow logo intros.
- Visual Interrupt: Pairs audio with an aggressive camera move (crash zoom, tactile prop slam, POV sweep).
- Seamless Loop: The closing sentence effortlessly flows back into the opening hook for infinite replays.
HookCraft divides every short-form script into five scientifically-timed narrative beats:
| Beat | Timestamp | Purpose | Pacing Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beat 1 | 00:00 - 00:03 |
Pattern Interrupt & Hook | < 12 spoken words. Rapid visual cut. |
| Beat 2 | 00:03 - 00:08 |
The Stakes & Problem | Agitates the bottleneck or friction. |
| Beat 3 | 00:08 - 00:15 |
The Paradigm Shift & Step 1 | Delivers the first actionable unlock. |
| Beat 4 | 00:15 - 00:22 |
Step 2 & Visual Proof | Demonstrates the result or tool. |
| Beat 5 | 00:22 - 00:30 |
Actionable CTA & Loop | Inbound keyword trigger + replay loop. |
HookCraft produces a complete, ready-to-shoot table synchronizing voiceover, kinetic captions, and generative AI video prompts:
| Timestamp | Spoken Audio (Voiceover) | On-Screen Text (Captions) | AI Video / B-Roll Prompt (9:16) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 00:00 - 00:03 | "Stop paying thousands to marketing agencies when these three AI tools exist." | STOP PAYING AGENCIES 🛑 | Fast crash zoom into glowing computer monitor showing modern futuristic dashboard, moody studio blue and orange rim light, 35mm lens, 9:16 vertical. |
| 00:03 - 00:08 | "Tool number one handles your entire video scripting and storyboarding in 10 seconds." | TOOL 1: INSTANT SCRIPTS ⚡ | Over the shoulder shot of creator typing one prompt into clean code editor, rapid text appearing effortlessly on screen, cinematic 4k. |
| 00:08 - 00:15 | "Tool number two generates full 4K cinematic b-roll with perfect camera angles automatically." | TOOL 2: 4K VIDEO GEN 🎬 | Ultra-detailed vertical tracking shot through a cyberpunk city street with vibrant neon reflections, photorealistic Veo render, 9:16. |
| 00:15 - 00:22 | "And tool number three turns every single comment into an automated DM lead funnel." | TOOL 3: 24/7 LEAD ENGINE 📈 | Macro close-up shot of smartphone screen showing incoming notifications and clean green conversion graphs, soft bokeh background. |
| 00:22 - 00:30 | "Drop a comment with 'TOOLS' and I'll send you the direct access links right now." | COMMENT 'TOOLS' 👇 | Professional creator looking directly into camera with confident warm smile, studio ring light, clean minimal background, large text overlay. |
- Instagram Reels: High-dwell captions, 3-tier hashtag cluster (Broad, Niche, Community), and comment trigger automation.
- YouTube Shorts: Search-optimized titles under 55 characters, pinned comment blueprint, and high-volume description tags.
- TikTok SEO: Search density keywords in the first 10 words, trending audio cue pairing, and niche-specific tags.
- LinkedIn Carousels: Formats the entire narrative into a downloadable 10-slide PDF presentation with high save and dwell metrics.
- X / Twitter Threads: Repurposes the core insights into a numbered viral thread with a strong bookmark CTA.
Once installed, use HookCraft directly inside Antigravity, Claude Code, or Cursor:
- Full Production Factory:
"Run HookCraft factory on: 3 AI tools for freelance developers" - Viral Hook Laboratory:
"Generate 10 HookCraft hooks for web design" - Competitor Video Teardown:
"Teardown this video transcript using HookCraft: [paste transcript]" - 10-Slide High-Save Carousel:
"Create a HookCraft carousel outline for: How to automate social media" - 14-Day Strategic Content Calendar:
"Build a 14-day HookCraft content calendar for AI automation"
Converts any HookCraft markdown storyboard into a timestamped .srt subtitle file ready for CapCut or Premiere:
python3 scripts/export_srt.py examples/sample_reel_storyboard.md my_subtitles.srtTakes raw visual concepts and formats them into cinematic 9:16 vertical prompts:
python3 scripts/format_video_prompt.py "Creator working on dual monitor setup in moody studio" "subtle push-in"Configure your brand voice, forbidden words, and default lead magnets in brand.json:
{
"creator": "Pardeep Kumar",
"organization": "ToolNPlay.com",
"website": "https://toolnplay.com",
"contributors": [
{
"name": "CodeBodh",
"website": "https://codebodh.com"
}
],
"brand_voice": {
"tone": "Direct, authoritative, high-energy, actionable, zero fluff",
"forbidden_words": ["in today's fast-paced world", "dive in", "game changer", "unleash", "delve"]
},
"default_cta": {
"trigger_keyword": "WORKFLOW",
"lead_magnet": "Free step-by-step setup guide and downloadable prompts",
"dm_response": "Hey! Here is the link to the resources: https://toolnplay.com/resources"
}
}HookCraft generates cinematic prompts optimized for Google DeepMind Veo (Veo 3.1), Google Flow, OpenAI Sora, Runway Gen-3, and Imagen 3.
Yes! Use python3 scripts/export_srt.py <storyboard.md> <output.srt> to generate compliant .srt files that import directly into any video editing timeline.
Yes. HookCraft adheres to the open Agent Skill Standard (SKILL.md), making it natively compatible with Antigravity, Claude Code, Cursor, and any LLM environment.
HookCraft was created by Pardeep Kumar at ToolNPlay.com in collaboration with CodeBodh.com.
viral-hooks • shortform-video • instagram-reels • youtube-shorts • tiktok-scriptwriter • agent-skills • antigravity • claude-code • cursor-rules • video-storyboard • srt-subtitles • veo-prompts • google-flow • content-automation • toolnplay • codebodh
Distributed under the MIT License. See LICENSE for details.
If you use HookCraft in your research or production pipelines, please cite it using CITATION.cff.
Lead Creator: Pardeep Kumar
Official Platforms: ToolNPlay.com & CodeBodh.com