Launch video formulas: 28 formats that work

For AI agents: find the right skill in one call — curl -s "https://varg.ai/how-to/api/search?q=<what the person wants>" returns the matching how-to page and the best skills with install commands, as markdown (Russian works too). Full index: https://varg.ai/how-to/llms.txt. Every page has a markdown twin: add .md to its path. Before generating anything, show the person the options on the how-to page. From a terminal: curl -fsSL https://varg.ai/install | sh installs the vargai CLI (https://varg.ai/how-to/cli.md): vargai search and vargai install <slug> with no key, every varg model after vargai login.

Refs distils a formula from several measured films of one format: the shape in timed beats, the constants, what the best one did differently and a template prompt. These are all 28 formulas, from 132 films, with the measured ranges Refs publishes for free and the films each was built from (they play from their original post on refs.video). The full formulas, with timed beats and the template prompt, are Refs Pro: your agent gets them with list_formulas and get_formula on the Refs MCP.

How to use one: pick the format closest to your film, watch two of its source films, then ask your agent: "Use the Refs formula <name> for my product <one line>; plan it with plan_video on its best source film." Then build it the way the reference tutorial shows.

GroupFormulasTypical length
Launch films435 s – 2:11
Product demos423 – 64 s
Explainers410 s – 5:56
Teasers413 – 72 s
Motion design415 – 103 s
Interactive + 3D420 – 49 s
Film + music415 – 60 s

Launch films

Build: make a SaaS launch video, Refs starter kit.

The Delayed Hardware Reveal — A 35–38 second music-led object film: macro fragments resolve into a device, a physical action proves its special feature, and a clean hero closes. From 4 films: MX Master 4 Tactile Launch Film (REF-1938), Two Shapes, One Foldable Reveal (REF-0843), The Geometry of a TriFold (REF-0871) and 1 more.

The Physical Capability Proof — A 57–131 second speech-free field or home demo: open on a real action, widen through harder physical tasks, then sign off quietly. From 5 films: Robot companion tested across terrain (REF-1689), A Home Robot Proves Itself Through Chores (REF-0437), Spot’s Cinematic Field-Test Launch (REF-2323) and 2 more.

The Presenter-Led Product Demo — A 49–54 second workplace launch: a relatable presenter raises a problem, shows real software at 17.3–26.7 cuts/min, and closes with one action. From 3 films: Monday Sidekick: AI Workflows in Action (REF-2207), Skeptic to proof: a workplace AI launch ad (REF-2046), Meet Your New AI Teammates (REF-2210).

The Silent UI Workflow — A 46–90 second speech-free software launch: one request advances through readable interface states to a finished output, with 0–12.5 cuts/min. From 4 films: Claude Design: from prompt to finished work (REF-0399), Agents Build and Update a Bug Tracker (REF-0618), Codex Sites: From Request to Shareable App (REF-0450) and 1 more.

Product demos

Build: make an app demo video, HyperFrames.

The Commerce Suite Film — A 57–64 second narrated business film that opens on an attractive store, then proves setup, selling, and growth at 15.1–18.1 cuts/min. From 3 films: A Store Built Into a Commerce Platform (REF-1877), From business idea to live site (REF-1959), From Store Setup to Customer Retention (REF-1781).

The Design-to-Publish Film — A 37–59 second narrated design-tool tour that turns a live edit into a finished responsive site at 4.9–12.2 cuts/min. From 3 films: From Design Canvas to Published Site (REF-0542), Designing a Responsive Site on a Visual Canvas (REF-0657), From design canvas to published website (REF-0536).

The Office Problem to Product Proof Ad — A 30–37 second narrated workplace gag that moves from a visual problem to software proof, then returns to human relief at 4.9–9.7 cuts/min. From 5 films: Chaos to Clarity: A 37-Second Product Demo (REF-2129), The Watchful Manager Product Demo (REF-1886), Projects That Don't Fall Apart (REF-2208) and 2 more.

The Silent Prompt-to-Result Demo — A 23–40 second cursor-led desktop demo that takes one request to a usable output with no voice and 0–7.3 cuts/min. From 3 films: From question to playable proof (REF-0244), From Blank Prompt to Published Web App (REF-0474), One prompt becomes a mobile app flow (REF-0336).

Explainers

Build: make an explainer video, make an animated chart video.

The Fixed-Canvas Data Animation — A silent-viewing 30–42 second chart film that keeps one visual rule on screen while data advances through time or rank, with no hard cuts. From 3 films: A Century of Warming Drawn as a Spiral (REF-2554), Seven Empires on a Ranked Globe (REF-2675), World GDP as a Moving Treemap (REF-2485).

The Illustrated Model Ladder — A 4:35–5:56 narrated science lesson that climbs from a concrete puzzle to a causal model and practical consequence through slowly evolving 2D scenes. From 4 films: Black Holes: An Animated Life Cycle (REF-0684), What Sleep Loss Does to the Brain (REF-1518), Nuclear energy from promise to reactor (REF-0736) and 1 more.

The Live-Drawn Paradox — A 2:01–3:34 fast voice-led whiteboard lesson that draws an apparent contradiction, tests a model, and resolves the missing piece at 29.2–47.6 cuts/min. From 7 films: A Grandfather Paradox Drawn as a Paper Loop (REF-2013), The Surprising Physics of Reaching the Sun (REF-1933), The Freezing Water Paradox (REF-2094) and 4 more.

The Silent Product Cutaway — A 10–55 second wordless CGI mechanism reveal that opens a product, follows an input through it, and shows the changed output in 0–3.9 cuts/min. From 3 films: Inside the Supersonic Hair Dryer (REF-0932), Protective Cream on a Skin Cutaway (REF-1215), Water Filter Cutaway in Ten Seconds (REF-1059).

Teasers

Build: Kinetic Film by Scenario, make a logo animation.

The Capability Proof Montage — A 30–72-second cinematic tease moves from an experience hook through visible capability to a product clue and announcement, at 15.1–48 cuts/min. From 6 films: Greatness Never Rests: Cinematic EV Trailer (REF-2073), The Veiled Electric Car Reveal (REF-2214), All-Angle Day-to-Night Camera Teaser (REF-2493) and 3 more.

The Dark Staged Product Reveal — A 13–35-second mostly uncut hardware tease moves from an edge-lit detail to a partial or full form, then a spare name or date card at 0–13 cuts/min. From 8 films: Pixel Fold dark-edge reveal (REF-0856), Darkroom Action Camera Reveal (REF-2496), Two-tone phone design reveal (REF-2110) and 5 more.

The Kinetic Type Announcement — A 14–30-second text-led tease reveals a question or claim in timed fragments, then resolves to a product, brand, or launch cue; pace ranges from uncut animation to 41 cuts/min. From 5 films: A Breakup Letter Becomes a Phone Reveal (REF-0834), Pixel 11 Pro's App Roll Call Reveal (REF-0844), The Redacted Security Promise (REF-2197) and 2 more.

The Silent Single-Subject Motion Teaser — A 14.8–21.1-second uncut abstract animation holds one visual subject in continuous motion while sparse type or the surrounding post supplies the announcement. From 3 films: Daybreak horizon reveal (REF-0344), Living Mosaic Waitlist Teaser (REF-0391), Silent Glass Scan Teaser (REF-0421).

Motion design

Build: make a logo animation, make an animated chart video.

The Brand Mark to World — A 16–20-second wordless, music-led identity reveal that constructs one mark and proves it across applications at 22.5–39 cuts/min. From 4 films: A Brand Mark Built Into a Product (REF-0332), Colour tracing a new identity mark (REF-0378), Brilliant logo construction and identity reveal (REF-0402) and 1 more.

The Music-Led Motion Showreel — A 15–55-second portfolio sprint with a fast visual identity, contrasting work at 32.9–58.8 cuts/min, and a readable creator finish. From 10 films: Claude's 15-Second Motion Design Showreel (REF-0005), 40-Second Motion Portfolio Crescendo (REF-1043), Buff’s 2025 Motion Showreel (REF-1047) and 7 more.

The Sonified Chart Relay — A 24-second vertical, uncut relay of five or six time-series charts, with roughly four-second chapters and pitched audio tracking the data. From 6 films: Six life trends drawn as sound-driven graphs (REF-2677), Space data graphs turned into sound (REF-2478), Natural Disaster Graphs That Play Their Data (REF-2482) and 3 more.

The World-Building Opening Credits — A 79–103-second, wordless, score-led tour through a symbolic world, paced from 1.5 to 23.3 cuts/min before a delayed title. From 4 films: Clockwork Map Opening Credits (REF-1579), Illustrated Paradise Turns Ominous (REF-1509), A fresco world becomes an opening title sequence (REF-1591) and 1 more.

Interactive + 3D

Build: HyperFrames with three.js, OneTake for one continuous camera.

The Continuous Playable World Tour — A finished world or spatial interface opens immediately, then a continuous route reveals connected places or scales over 24.5–48.6 seconds at 0–3.2 measured cuts/min. From 4 films: A playable AI world inside a pixel handheld (REF-0238), Data Center to Silicon Atom (REF-0069), The Mongol Conquests as a Living Atlas (REF-0148) and 1 more.

The Single-Take Shape Morph — One central visual form repeatedly changes silhouette or material over 19.8–42.9 seconds, in 1–2 shots at 0–3 measured cuts/min. From 3 films: Morphing Particle Attractors (REF-0210), Luminous Particle Toy in Motion (REF-2358), Ukiyo-e Wave Becomes a WebGL Diorama (REF-2377).

The Staged Build Reveal — A recognizable 3D object opens, separates, or rebuilds in 22.6–36.6 seconds, with 0–2.7 measured cuts/min and motion inside long shots. From 3 films: Procedural Trains in an Interactive 3D Atlas (REF-0218), Interactive Turbofan Exploded View (REF-0222), A House Built Through Five Interactive Layers (REF-0245).

The Visible Cause-and-Effect Lab — A persistent input or control visibly changes its output in a silent 30.9–38.6-second screen demo at 0–7.8 measured cuts/min. From 3 films: Handwritten Digits Through a 3D Neural Network (REF-0365), Slides That Open Their Evidence (REF-0031), Elemental Sandbox: Six Abilities in One Arena (REF-2446).

Film + music

Build: make an AI short film, make a UGC ad video.

The Erased Excuse Arrival — A 30–60-second music-led brand film erases an absence excuse, proves the new promise through reunions, and reveals the service late at 18–28 cuts/min. From 4 films: From Wish to Arrival (REF-2515), A ride turns a missed moment into a reunion (REF-2413), The Excuse That Turns Into Arrival (REF-2697) and 1 more.

The Fifteen-Second Service Rescue — A 15-second live-action service ad turns a familiar inconvenience into a phone action and visible relief in 4–7 shots at 12–24 cuts/min. From 7 films: A tired dog becomes a ride request (REF-2417), Oversized Find, Simple Ride (REF-2419), The 5 AM Ride Checklist (REF-2416) and 4 more.

The Miniature Space Expansion — A 15–30-second animated diorama ad makes a cramped setting visibly open into more room, holding the transformation in 2–4 shots at 4–6 cuts/min. From 3 films: A Tiny Room Unfolds Into More Space (REF-1524), A Puppy Outgrows the Hotel Hallway (REF-1435), A miniature room becomes a world after bedtime (REF-1365).

The Price of Regret — A 42–48-second live-action microdrama makes a small saving visibly backfire, then delays the two-price comparison; 18.6–26.2 cuts/min. From 12 films: The Price of Regret (REF-2425), The Cost of Regret (REF-2608), A Lost Teddy, Then the Price Reveal (REF-2428) and 9 more.

Source: refs.video/formulas and llms-full.txt, read 1 Nov 2026. Summaries are Refs' own words; the films stay their makers'.

SaaS launch and demo videos with AI agents

For founders and product teams who launch on X, Product Hunt and the App Store: the launch film, the live demo, the founder video, the app preview and the feature drop, built by Claude Code, Codex or Grok from your real product UI.

Start with the overview: How to make a SaaS launch video with AI

Make

Edit and post