Clip Prompts: Tell the AI Which Moments You Want
Describe the moments you want before upload and HypeNest picks matching clips first. How to write a clip prompt, examples by video type, and how to read results.
An AI clipper picks the moments it thinks will work best as Shorts. That's the right default when you want the strongest parts of a video. But often you already know what you need: the money tips for a finance channel, the funniest reactions from a podcast, or every mention of a new feature for a launch week.
A clip prompt tells the AI that before it starts. This guide shows how it works in HypeNest, how to write one that matches the right moments, and what to do when the results aren't what you expected.
Quick answer
Before you create Shorts, fill in "What should the Shorts be about?" with a short description of the moments you want, such as "money tips anyone can use today". HypeNest picks matching moments first and fills the remaining clips with the best other moments from the video. On the project page, matching clips appear in their own group, so you can see at a glance which ones answer your request.
Describe the content, not the format: clip count, length and captions come from the upload settings, not from the prompt. More on clip selection on the Clips page.
How a clip prompt works
- The field is optional. Leave it empty and HypeNest picks the best moments as usual.
- With a prompt, moments that match it are picked first, strongest first.
- If fewer moments match than the number of clips you asked for, the rest are the best other moments from the video, so you still get a full set.
- The prompt only decides which moments are picked. Titles, descriptions and hooks are written the same way as without it.
- It works for both clip types: continuous clips and Montage.
- On the project page, matching clips are grouped under "From your request" and the others under "More from this video".
What you can ask for
A good prompt describes something the AI can recognize in what is said or shown. These four kinds of requests work well:
A topic
A kind of moment
An audience
A type of content
How to write a prompt that matches
- Keep it to one theme. "Pricing tips" is clear; "pricing tips, funny moments and the intro" pulls the selection in three directions.
- Use the words the speakers use. If the video says "onboarding", ask for onboarding, not "the first-run experience".
- Be specific, but not so narrow that only one moment can match. "Mistakes new founders make" finds several; "the mistake at minute 12" finds at most one.
- Leave format out. Instructions about clip count, length, captions or titles are ignored; set those in the upload settings.
- Describe what happens, not why you want it. "Moments where she explains a chart" works better than "something for our LinkedIn audience".
- Keep it short. A sentence is enough; the field takes up to 500 characters.
Example prompts by video type
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Podcast | "Stories from the guest's first year in business" or "moments where the hosts disagree". |
| Webinar or product demo | "Every feature shown on screen with a short explanation" or "answers to audience questions". |
| Course lesson | "Short definitions of key terms" or "common mistakes and how to fix them". |
| Live stream | "Clutch plays and big reactions" or "when chat makes the streamer laugh". |
| Interview | "Strong opinions about the industry" or "practical advice listeners can apply today". |
Reading the results
Open the project and start with the "From your request" group. Those clips matched the prompt; the clips under "More from this video" are the strongest other moments, which are often worth keeping too.
If you see "No clips matched your request", the video probably doesn't cover that topic, or the prompt was narrower than the content. HypeNest shows the best moments from the video instead. For the next video, try a broader wording or the words the speakers actually use.
A prompt changes which moments are picked, not how much the video is searched. For long or dense videos, a deeper analysis setting in the upload settings finds more candidates to choose from.
FAQ
What is a clip prompt?
Do I have to write a prompt?
What if nothing in the video matches?
Can the prompt set the clip length or number of clips?
Does the prompt change the titles?
Ask for the moments you need
Write one sentence before upload and get clips that answer it first, with the best other moments alongside.