STOP. READ THIS ENTIRE SKILL.MD BEFORE CALLING ANY ENDPOINT.

create-movie

Orchestrated movie creation for Horus persona. Creates mockumentaries, short films, music videos, and educational content through a phased workflow.

Philosophy

"AI isn't the artist, it's the amplifier" - Nobody & The Computer

Horus uses AI to turn imagination into audiovisual reality. He doesn't just use pre-built tools - he writes code to create his own tools.

Phases

HARDWARE CHECK → RESEARCH → SCRIPT → CASTING → EXPERT REVIEW → GENERATE → ASSEMBLE → LEARN

Note: BUILD TOOLS is optional and only triggered when custom effects are needed.

Phase 0: Hardware Detection (Automatic)

Before any generation, the orchestrator automatically detects hardware via /ops-workstation:

# Automatic hardware check on startup
./run.sh create "prompt"
# → Calls /ops-workstation gpu to detect VRAM
# → Calls /ops-workstation memory to detect RAM
# → Auto-selects optimal model variant

Auto-Selection Logic:

RAM-Based Optimizations:

Override Auto-Detection:

# Force specific model variant
./run.sh create "prompt" --model ltx2-fp4
./run.sh create "prompt" --model ltx2-distilled
./run.sh create "prompt" --runpod  # Force cloud generation

Phase 1: Research (Library-First)

1. Check Horus's Library First:

- horus-filmmaking scope (past techniques, learnings) - horus_lore scope (YouTube transcripts, film analysis) - Ingested movies with emotion tags - Episodic archive (past filmmaking sessions)

1. Search for New Resources:

- /ingest-movie search for films to watch - /ingest-youtube search for tutorials

1. Deep Web Research:

- /dogpile for comprehensive multi-source search - /surf for specific tutorials/references

Phase 2: Script (via /create-story)

• Integrates with /create-story skill for screenplay generation
• Uses Chutes models (chimera, qwen, deepseek-r1) for creative writing
• Parses INT./EXT. headings, dialogue, action, audio cues
• Outputs structured scene breakdown with visual descriptions

Format Options:

• screenplay (default) - Standard INT./EXT. scene headings
• mockumentary - Interview segments with talking heads + B-roll
• reconstruction - Historical recreation with narrator framing

Phase 2.5: Casting (via /create-cast)

• Multi-round collaborative character casting
• Extracts characters from screenplay via script analysis
• Optional reference actor discovery via /discover-talent (TMDB)
• Generates identity packs: front, 3/4, full-body reference images
• Voice casting from existing TTS models or queues training
• Bridge attributes extracted via Federated Taxonomy

Output:

characters/
├── casting_session.json
├── SARAH/
│   ├── character_bible.yaml
│   └── identity_pack/
│       ├── front.png
│       ├── three_quarter.png
│       └── full_body.png
└── voice_assignments.yaml

Phase 2.7: Expert Review (NON-NEGOTIABLE)

When a creative team has multiple personas, this phase enforces a feedback loop before generation:

1. DIRECTOR creates vision (shot list, style notes)
2. TECHNICAL EXPERT reviews for AI video execution
   - e.g., Dan Kieft for Kling, video model specialist for Veo
3. EXPERT sends formal notes to DIRECTOR
   - Technical limitations, proposed changes, questions
4. DIRECTOR approves, revises, or escalates
5. BOTH sign off before generation proceeds

Required Documents:

Expert Personas (queryable via /memory):

• Dan Kieft (scope: dan-kieft) - Kling AI, multi-shot prompting, character consistency
• Video model specialists - Add via /ingest-youtube + /memory learn

Workflow:

# 1. Create initial instructions
# (output: KLING_INSTRUCTIONS_V1.md)

# 2. Query expert persona
./run.sh recall --q "multi-shot prompting" --scope dan-kieft

# 3. Generate expert review
# (output: DAN_KIEFT_REVIEW.md)

# 4. Send to director for approval
# (output: DAN_TO_WILSON_FEEDBACK.md)

# 5. Director approves
# (output: WILSON_APPROVAL.md)

# 6. Final approved instructions
# (output: KLING_INSTRUCTIONS_V2_APPROVED.md)

# 7. ONLY NOW proceed to generation

Skip Conditions:

• Single-persona projects (no creative team)
• --skip-expert-review flag (use with caution)

Phase 3: Build Tools (Optional)

• Write code in Docker-isolated sandbox
• Create custom tools for specific effects
• Iterate on approaches

Phase 4: Generate

• Use ComfyUI, Stable Diffusion for images
• Use auto-selected video model based on hardware (LTX-2 FP8/FP4/Distilled)
• Use Whisper, IndexTTS2 for audio
• If hardware insufficient, automatically suggests /ops-runpod

Phase 5: Assemble

• Combine assets with FFmpeg
• Output MP4 video or interactive HTML

Phase 6: Learn

• Store successful techniques in /memory
• Remember what worked for future movies

Quick Start

cd .pi/skills/create-movie

# Full orchestrated workflow (recommended)
./run.sh create "A 30-second film about discovering colors"

# With options
./run.sh create "film noir detective" \
    --duration 60 \
    --style "high contrast, shadows, venetian blinds" \
    --format mp4 \
    --work-dir ./noir_project

# Individual phases (for manual control)
./run.sh research "film noir lighting techniques"
./run.sh script --from-research research.json --duration 30 --use-create-story
./run.sh build-tools --script script.json
./run.sh generate --tools ./tools --script script.json --style "cinematic"
./run.sh assemble --assets ./assets --output movie.mp4 --format mp4
./run.sh learn --project-dir ./movie_project

CLI Commands

create

Full orchestrated workflow through all phases.

./run.sh create PROMPT [OPTIONS]
  --output, -o       Output file (default: movie.mp4)
  --work-dir, -w     Working directory (default: ./movie_project)
  --duration, -d     Target duration in seconds (default: 30)
  --style, -s        Visual style (e.g., 'cinematic', 'film noir')
  --format, -f       Output format: mp4 or html (default: mp4)
  --store-learnings  Store learnings in memory (default: true)
  --skip-research    Skip research phase if research.json exists
  --skip-casting     Skip casting phase (no identity packs)

research

Library-first research: checks Horus's memory and ingested content before external search.

./run.sh research TOPIC [OPTIONS]
  --output, -o       Output file (default: research.json)
  --skip-external    Only search library, skip external sources

script

Generate screenplay with scene breakdown. Integrates with /create-story.

./run.sh script [OPTIONS]
  --from-research, -r  Research JSON file (required)
  --prompt, -p         Override topic from research
  --duration, -d       Target duration in seconds
  --use-create-story   Use /create-story skill for screenplay
  --model, -m          LLM model (default: chimera)
  --output, -o         Output file (default: script.json)

build-tools

Generate custom tools in Docker sandbox.

./run.sh build-tools [OPTIONS]
  --script, -s       Script JSON file (required)
  --output-dir, -o   Output directory (default: ./tools)
  --skip-docker      Use host instead of Docker sandbox

generate

Create images, video, and audio assets.

./run.sh generate [OPTIONS]
  --tools, -t        Tools directory (default: ./tools)
  --script, -s       Script JSON file (required)
  --output-dir, -o   Assets output directory (default: ./assets)
  --style            Visual style to apply

assemble

Combine assets into final output.

./run.sh assemble [OPTIONS]
  --assets, -a       Assets directory (required)
  --output, -o       Output file/directory (required)
  --format, -f       Output format: mp4 or html (default: mp4)
  --fps              Frames per second for MP4 (default: 24)

learn

Store filmmaking insights in memory after a project.

./run.sh learn [OPTIONS]
  --project-dir, -p  Project directory (required)
  --scope            Memory scope (default: horus-filmmaking)
  --dry-run          Show learnings without storing

study

Pre-phase: Learn filmmaking topics BEFORE creating movies. Targeted /dogpile with internal (memory) + external (web) search, then stores via /memory learn.

./run.sh study TOPIC [OPTIONS]
  --scope            Memory scope (default: horus-filmmaking)
  --deep/--quick     Deep research (dogpile) vs quick (YouTube search)
  --list-topics      Show suggested filmmaking topics

# Examples:
./run.sh study "cinematography lighting techniques" --deep
./run.sh study "camera framing composition" --deep
./run.sh study --list-topics

study-all

Comprehensive learning session - studies all core filmmaking topics.

./run.sh study-all [OPTIONS]
  --scope            Memory scope (default: horus-filmmaking)

Output Formats

MP4 Video

Standard video file, playable anywhere.

Interactive HTML

Web-based experience with:

• Frame-by-frame navigation
• Audio controls
• Scene metadata viewer

Shot Specification (HorusShotSpec v0.1)

HorusShotSpec is a YAML-based shot specification format that replaces KSML for video generation.

Schema Overview

shot_id: "ACT1_SC02_SHOT03"
prompt:
  text: "A tense noir interrogation in a dim room. Slow dolly push toward suspect."
  negative: "text overlays, watermarks, shaky camera"
duration_s: 8                    # Valid: 4, 8, 16 seconds
aspect_ratio: "16:9"             # Valid: 16:9, 9:16, 1:1
resolution: "1080p"              # Valid: 720p, 1080p
references:
  subject_images:
    - path: "./assets/detective.png"
      weight: 0.7
controls:
  seed: 42
  safety: "default"
renderer:
  name: "veo"
  model: "veo-3.1-generate-preview"
metadata:
  scene: "SC02"
  act: "ACT1"
  sequence_order: 3

Compilation

The shot_compiler module validates and compiles YAML to Veo API JSON:

from core.shot_compiler import compile_yaml_to_veo_json

veo_request = compile_yaml_to_veo_json(yaml_content)
# → Returns dict ready for Veo API

Validation Rules

Migration from KSML

DEPRECATED: KSML is deprecated in favor of HorusShotSpec YAML.
See docs/KSMLTOYAML_MIGRATION.md for migration guide.

Quick comparison:

See [MODELS.md](references/MODELS.md) for the video model selection guide, VRAM requirements, camera controls, WAN 2.2, and performance expectations.

See [EXAMPLES.md](references/EXAMPLES.md) for workflow patterns, multi-model collaboration, and example sessions.

See [REFERENCE.md](references/REFERENCE.md) for available skills, free/open-source tools, memory integration, and dependencies.