The job finder

Before you begin

You usually know the job before you know the chapter. This finder lists 162 jobs a director actually has on an AI commercial, in the order a production meets them, and sends each one to the section that teaches it, with the section's title beside its number.

How to use it

• Find the stage you are at, then the job, in words close to the ones you would use on a set.

• "10.4" means Chapter 10, section 4. Every pointer carries the section's title, so you can find it by name. Where two sections are given, start with the first.

• The sections of a tool chapter have the same ten titles in every chapter, so a tool section carries the tool's name in brackets: "16.6 Settings (Kling)".

• A reference at the back is named by its letter: B holds the templates, C the checklists, D the failures by symptom, E the house rules, F the glossary, G what is still open, I an index of every example.

• When something has already gone wrong, go straight to Reference D, which sorts failures by what you see or hear.

Getting your bearings

I want to…	Go to
know what AI does well on a commercial, where it still fails, and what makes it look amateur	1.2 What it does well; 1.3 Where it still fails
decide who on a small crew runs which tool, and who signs what	1.5 The crew, and who uses which tool; 1.4 The director's job now
see the whole production in one picture, with its gates and its three records	The production at a glance, The production in one picture
find the right tool for a job at a glance	The production at a glance, Which tool for which job
read an example, know what its label promises and what "not run" means, or find every example by chapter	How to use this book, How to read an example; Reference I, Index of examples
look up a word the book uses	Reference F, Glossary
see what nobody yet knows, and what would settle it	Reference G, Still open

Directing a model in words

I want to…	Go to
understand why the same words give a different picture on a different model, and decide what to attach and what to write	2.1 Every model is a different reader; 2.2 The inputs own what they carry; the words carry the rest
check that a prompt settles what a model needs, and know what the two grades are	2.3 What every prompt settles
choose the writing format for a job, and put camera and light numbers in a prompt so that they do something	2.4 Choose the writing format by the job; 2.5 Numbers, each beside its result
translate a prompt copied from a forum ("8K", "chiaroscuro")	2.6 Borrowed words, and other people's prompts
keep subtitles, stray music and overlaid text out of every result	2.7 Exclusions and the closing line
know how long a prompt should be, and when to stop rewording	2.8 How long; 2.9 Where to stop prompting
brief an AI assistant to run the jobs	2.10 When the reader is an assistant

The idea and the treatment

I want to…	Go to
read a brief, and rewrite it before I answer it	3.3 Reading the brief, then rewriting it
find the tension an idea stands on, and keep it clear of the category's habits	3.4 From observation to tension; 3.5 The refusal list comes before any idea
generate ideas, get unstuck, and test whether the brand is necessary to the idea	3.6 Generating ideas; 3.7 Testing an idea
write the concept page and hand it on	3.9 The concept page, and handing it on
decide what a treatment is for, and who reads it	4.1 What a treatment is for, and who reads it; 4.3 The shape of a treatment
turn a feeling into something a camera can see	4.2 From feeling to what the camera sees
write the scene breakdown	4.4 The scene breakdown
time a line of dialogue before anything is made, and specify the first two seconds	4.5 The first seconds, and how long a line takes
decide what to lock and what to leave to discover	4.6 Departments, the lock, and what is left to discover
read a reference frame and borrow from it without copying	4.7 Visual references, and how to read them
build a treatment deck, and argue for an AI production	4.8 Presenting the film
have the treatment read fresh, keep its records and hand it on	4.9 The fresh read, the records and handing on

Shots, light and the world

I want to…	Go to
decide what each shot is for, write the breakdown, and plan around what a model finds hard	5.1 What a shot list decides, and who decides it; 5.2 Writing the breakdown
write a camera move a model can follow	5.4 The move
choose a family of move or a posture for the camera, and plan a transition, a wipe or a point of view	5.5 Families of move, and motion postures; 5.6 Point of view, wipes, transitions and a grammar that changes
place the camera, choose a lens, and keep the geography and the axis across a scene	5.7 Placement and lens; 5.8 Geography and format
make a shot bold without making it busy	5.9 What bold means on a high-budget commercial
give every light a cause, set contrast and exposure, and keep a warm lamp and a cool screen on one face	6.2 Sources: one cause for each effect; 6.3 Contrast and exposure; 6.4 Colour temperature, and two light worlds
set the palette and the brand colour, and plan the grade	6.5 Palette, brand colour and the grade
describe the finish as a camera would capture it, and leave grain to post	6.6 The finish, in two layers
read a reference for its light, and brief a look in words	6.7 Reading a reference for its light; 6.8 Building a look, and briefing it in words
make a room, its objects and its people look lived in, not built	7.1 Why a generated world looks built; 7.2 Surfaces; 7.3 People: clothes and skin
dress a product or an object so it looks used, and place it truthfully	7.4 Objects and the product
fill the edges and the depth of a frame without clutter	7.5 Density and the edges of the frame
build a world, and a period world	7.6 The world; 7.7 Period truth
check a frame's realism before I sign it	7.9 The check before you sign a frame

Planning and budget

I want to…	Go to
know where a change is cheap and where it costs, and what the four gates are	8.1 Where a change is cheap, and the four gates
settle the decisions every project makes on the first day, including whether the exact take ships or a new performance is acceptable	8.2 Decisions made at the start of every project; 22.2 Write the contract before any picture; How to use this book, Four decisions every project makes at the start
list what the audience must learn before any footage exists, and turn the treatment into one production plan	8.3 Obligations before footage; 8.4 From the treatment to one production plan
build the shot table, and keep a shot record and a run record	8.5 The shot table; 8.6 The shot record; 8.7 The run record
plan continuity and the order in which the pictures are made, and name the files and folders	8.8 The continuity plan, and the order of work; 8.9 Names, folders and the workbook
write a spending packet, and price a shot at its true cost	8.10 The spending packet and the budget; 34.3 Spending inside an approval

Stills

I want to…	Go to
decide whether a decision lives in the prompt, the shot record or the settings	9.1 What this stage decides, and where each decision lives
write a finished frame from words: the twelve elements in order, camera and light with a result beside each number	9.2 The twelve elements; 9.3 Numbers beside results
freeze an action for a keyframe, and inventory the frame	9.4 The frozen instant, and the frame inventory
write the finish, the emotion, the exclusions and the closing line	9.5 The finish, emotion, exclusions and length
make a cheap test still to prove a route or a look	9.6 The test grade, and when it is right
choose between the two stills tools	9.7 Which tool for which job; 12.1 What it is (GPT Image 2.5)
judge a frame that has come back, and repair it until I can sign it	9.8 Reading what comes back; 9.9 Repairing a frame until you can sign it
make the start frame of a moving shot, a speaking frame, or a start-and-end pair	9.10 Keyframes for motion
make a storyboard, a review grid or a key visual	9.11 Boards and key visuals
sign a frame and hand it on with its record	9.12 Signing and handing on

Identity, references and the world in the frame

I want to…	Go to
tell the model what every attached picture is for, and fence what it must not bring	10.1 What a reference does
tell a master from an anchor and from an in-look anchor	10.2 Master, anchor and in-look anchor
build the identity stack of a character, write the identity clause once, and write an anchored prompt	10.3 The identity stack; 10.4 The identity clause; 10.5 The manifest and the anchored prompt
make a character sheet or a single view such as a profile, and a state of a character: wet, jacket off, a bruise	10.6 The master's grammar, sheets and single views; 10.7 States, props and expressions
work with a real actor's face, or a real person's likeness	10.8 Real people, and an actor's name as a rights decision; 34.7 Real people, and the references you attach
fill a frame with extras	10.9 Crowds and extras
make a room that recurs, and see it from a new camera position	10.10 Places and plates
keep a product exactly as the client makes it	10.11 Products: the real thing is the authority
decide which words are generated and which are set in post, and get Arabic in a frame exact	10.12 Text in the frame: two layers
change one thing in an approved frame	10.13 The one-change edit
relight a frame, extend it, turn it to a new angle, or take a look from a picture	10.14 Relight, extend, new angles, and a look from a picture

The stills tools

Each tool has one section for every job below; the same ten titles run through all of them.

I want to…	Go to
write a prompt for Nano Banana Pro, fill its template, and see finished examples	11.3 The prompt, in this tool's dialect (Nano Banana Pro); 11.4 Templates (Nano Banana Pro); 11.5 Examples at the standard (Nano Banana Pro)
set size, aspect and variants on Nano Banana Pro	11.6 Settings (Nano Banana Pro)
check a Nano Banana Pro still before I sign it, and fix what fails	11.7 Checks before you sign (Nano Banana Pro); 11.8 Failures and fixes (Nano Banana Pro)
know Nano Banana Pro's limits, prices and terms, and what changed in its version	11.9 Limits, prices and rights (Nano Banana Pro); 11.10 Version notes (Nano Banana Pro)
make a transparent element, a layout-led frame, or a fast exploration on GPT Image 2.5, and check the result	12.1 What it is (GPT Image 2.5); 12.3 The prompt, in this tool's dialect (GPT Image 2.5); 12.7 Checks before you sign (GPT Image 2.5); 12.8 Failures and fixes (GPT Image 2.5)

Choosing how to make a shot

I want to…	Go to
choose the operation before I write a word	13.1 What this stage decides, and who decides it; 13.2 The operations
record the route in one line, and check it	13.3 The route line; 13.7 The checks, the gate and the records
decide whether to leave the start frame behind, and whether several shots may share one generation	13.4 When to leave the start frame behind; 13.5 One shot, one clip; several shots in one generation

Making the shot move

I want to…	Go to
know what the frame owns, what the words own and what the settings own in a moving shot, and how the anchor enters a clip	14.1 Who owns what; 14.2 How the anchor enters a clip
get a start frame ready to animate, and write a finished motion prompt: the seven elements in order	14.3 The start frame: state 0, and room for the move; 14.4 The seven elements, in order
give a move a measured size, and check the clip on a rigid feature	14.5 Measured moves: sizing one, and measuring it
give a move a body: dolly, slider, crane	14.6 Rig physics: give the move a body
write where a clip ends, or make it land on a second frame	14.7 The endpoint; 14.8 Start and end frames
write a dolly zoom, a punch-in, or a lock that waits and then follows	14.9 Camera devices
rotate or reveal a product and keep its label	14.10 Product moves: rotation, reveal and arrival
turn a head without changing the face, write an action beat, or play a move in reverse	14.11 Turns; 14.12 Action beats; 14.13 Reverse motion, and the composite repair
carry continuity from one shot into the next, and keep a sign readable under a move	14.14 Scale and continuity
choose format, length and resolution, buy handles, and probe a file	14.15 Format, length, resolution, handles and probing
check a moving shot, and know when to stop	14.16 Checking a moving shot, the ladder, and when to stop

Directing performance

I want to…	Go to
direct a believable performance with a task and cues, and repair one that has not landed	15.2 What makes a performance believable; 15.3 From the scene's psychology to one visible event; 15.4 The task and the cues; 15.10 Repairing a performance, and the gate
block a scene, and direct a listener's reaction or a handover between two people	15.5 Blocking: where bodies are and where eyes go; 15.6 Listeners, handovers and two-shots
direct an Egyptian performance: register, timing and the witnessed joke	15.8 Egyptian performance: register, timing and the witnessed joke

The video tools

I want to…	Go to
choose between Kling, Seedance and Wan for a shot	13.6 Which tool for which operation; 16.1 What it is (Kling); 17.1 What it is (Seedance 2.5); 18.1 What it is (Wan 3.0)
write a Kling prompt, and fill its template	16.3 The prompt, in this tool's dialect (Kling); 16.4 Templates (Kling)
set Kling's sound switch, mode, length and aspect, and check the clip that returns	16.6 Settings (Kling); 16.7 Checks before you sign (Kling)
see what Kling 4.0 would change, and what to re-check when it is listed	16.1 What it is (Kling); 16.10 Version notes (Kling)
bind references in a Seedance prompt, take a camera or a timing from footage, or edit or extend a clip	17.2 How it reads what you give it (Seedance 2.5); 17.3 The prompt, in this tool's dialect (Seedance 2.5)
write a director's technique token into a Seedance motion prompt	17.3 The prompt, in this tool's dialect (Seedance 2.5)
set Seedance's size, length and mode, and check the clip that returns	17.6 Settings (Seedance 2.5); 17.7 Checks before you sign (Seedance 2.5)
use Wan 3.0 as the economy route, Veo 3.1 for a sound-led shot, or MiniMax H3 for a 2K plate	18.1 What it is (Wan 3.0); 18.3 The prompt, in this tool's dialect (Wan 3.0); 19.1 What it is (Veo 3.1 and MiniMax H3); 19.3 The prompt, in this tool's dialect (Veo 3.1 and MiniMax H3)
know which other video tools are worth watching	Chapter 20, Other video tools worth knowing
know what each video tool costs, and what may ship to a client	16.9 Limits, prices and rights (Kling); 17.9 Limits, prices and rights (Seedance 2.5); 18.9 Limits, prices and rights (Wan 3.0); 19.9 Limits, prices and rights (Veo 3.1 and MiniMax H3)

Voices

I want to…	Go to
decide who owns each sound in a shot, and write the sound contract	21.1 What this stage decides, and who decides it; 21.2 The sound contract, decided first
choose a road to a voice: recorded, generated or converted	21.3 Three roads to a voice
write a line for the ear, and direct its delivery	21.4 Writing the line: two texts; 21.5 Directing a line
cast a voice, and know who may speak in a final	21.6 Casting a voice, and who may speak in a final
fix a mispronounced Arabic word, by rungs, one word at a time	21.7 The Egyptian line workflow: repair, measure, lock
give a Saudi character a Najdi or Hejazi voice	21.8 Saudi characters: Najdi and Hejazi
say numbers, dates, brand names and English terms in an Arabic line	21.9 Numbers, dates, brand names and English terms
choose the tool for a voice job, and record what was done	21.10 Which tool for which job; 21.11 Checks, the gate and the records

Speaking faces

I want to…	Go to
state the speaking-shot contract for the project, and design the mouth out of the frame where I can	22.1 What this stage decides, and who decides it; 22.2 Write the contract before any picture; 22.3 Design the sync out first
make the keyframe and the talking plate for a speaking shot	22.4 The keyframe and the talking plate
make a face speak the locked take: prepare the take and the plate for Sync Lipsync 3, and set cut_off	22.5 Route A: the exact take; 24.2 How it reads what you give it (Sync Lipsync 3); 24.6 Settings (Sync Lipsync 3)
have a video model perform the line	22.6 Route B: a new performance
check a speaking shot after the pass, and fix a drift	22.7 Checks after the pass or the performance; 24.7 Checks before you sign (Sync Lipsync 3); 24.8 Failures and fixes (Sync Lipsync 3)

The voice tools

I want to…	Go to
write a line for ElevenLabs v4 or v3, and fill its template	23.3 The prompt, in this tool's dialect (ElevenLabs); 23.4 Templates (ElevenLabs)
set the model, the voice and the controls on ElevenLabs	23.2 How it reads what you give it (ElevenLabs); 23.6 Settings (ElevenLabs)
hear a scene's rhythm, make a voice from a description, clone a consenting voice, carry a performance into another voice, or make a sound effect	23.1 What it is (ElevenLabs); 23.2 How it reads what you give it (ElevenLabs); 23.3 The prompt, in this tool's dialect (ElevenLabs)
listen to a take before I lock it, fix what fails, and know what ElevenLabs v4 changed	23.7 Checks before you sign (ElevenLabs); 23.8 Failures and fixes (ElevenLabs); 23.10 Version notes (ElevenLabs)

Music and sound

I want to…	Go to
write the sound spine of a film	25.2 The sound spine
decide whether music enters, and brief a cue like a composer	25.3 Whether music enters, and the composer brief
choose music-first or picture-first, choose a cue and place its entry	25.4 Music-first or picture-first; 25.5 Choosing a cue and placing it
spot every sound event, its frame and its owner	25.6 Spotting: every event, its frame and its owner
describe one effect as a physical event heard from a place, and choose between recording, a library and generating	25.7 An effect is a physical event heard from a place; 25.8 Record, library or generate
place a sound in its room at its distance, and time it to the frame	25.9 Perspective: distance, room and off-screen; 25.10 Timing to the frame
lay beds and room tone, design a transition or a sound bridge, and repair a sound that is placed wrong	25.11 Beds, layers and room tone; 25.12 Designed transitions and sound bridges; 25.13 Repairing a placed sound
set loudness to the delivery specification	25.14 Loudness to the delivery specification; 30.6 Sound in the finish, and loudness
clear the rights of a cue or an effect, and hand the sound to the mix	25.15 Rights; 25.16 The handoff to the mix

The music and sound tools

I want to…	Go to
write a Suno brief, instrumental or not, and fill its template	26.3 The prompt, in this tool's dialect (Suno); 26.4 Templates (Suno)
repair one section of a cue and keep the rest, or get stems	26.6 Settings (Suno)
check a Suno cue, fix what fails, and know what I may do with the file	26.7 Checks before you sign (Suno); 26.8 Failures and fixes (Suno); 26.9 Limits, prices and rights (Suno)
write a cue as a timed plan of sections on Eleven Music	27.3 The prompt, in this tool's dialect (Eleven Music)
make an effect or a short bed with Firefly or Stable Audio, or a sketch on Lyria	28.3 The prompt, in this tool's dialect (sound-effect generators); 28.4 Templates (sound-effect generators)

The cut and the verdict

I want to…	Go to
decide who does what in the cut, and get ready before the first cut	29.1 What the edit decides, and who decides it; 29.2 Before the first cut
log a take by its usable interval, and curate a batch	29.4 Logging a take by its usable interval; 29.5 Curating a batch
build the first causal cut	29.6 Assembly A: the first causal cut
try alternates, and write J and L cuts	29.7 Alternates, and J and L cuts
check continuity and contact joins	29.8 Continuity and contact joins
cut to a rhythm, or time a shot to a sound	29.9 Rhythm and sound-led timing
judge the work in the running cut	29.10 Judging the work in the running cut
ask for a replacement without losing what worked	29.11 Back to generation
diagnose a failing shot, climb the ladder, know when to stop, and lock the picture	29.12 Diagnosing, the ladders, and when to stop; 29.14 Locking the picture

Finishing, captions and delivery

I want to…	Go to
put the finishing steps in order, probe a file, and conform it on purpose	30.1 The finishing order; 30.2 Probe and conform
repair a shot, and decide whether to upscale it	30.3 Repair, then decide whether to upscale
set the colour of generated footage, then add grain and halation last	30.4 Colour; 30.5 Texture: grain and halation, last
build captions, and put Arabic text on the screen	30.7 Captions, and Arabic text
make the other aspect ratios and versions	30.8 Aspect ratios and versions
build motion graphics, native or generated	30.9 Motion graphics: native or generated
use Premiere Pro's generative and caption tools and the upscalers on the platform, and know what they cost	32.1 What it is (Premiere Pro); 32.3 The prompt, in this tool's dialect (Premiere Pro); 32.6 Settings (Premiere Pro); 32.9 Limits, prices and rights (Premiere Pro)

Handing over

I want to…	Go to
know what a handover is for, and name the folder, the files and the slates, including a rough cut's label	31.1 What a handover is for; 31.2 The folder, the names and the slates
prepare the delivery masters and packages	31.3 Delivery masters and packages
choose the route into Premiere	31.4 The routes into Premiere
build and verify a handoff	31.5 Building and verifying a handoff

Running the production, and paying for it

I want to…	Go to
set up and read the Higgsfield account, admit a route and read its contract	33.1 What it is (Higgsfield); 33.2 How it reads what you give it (Higgsfield)
send a job, wait for it, and recover one that was lost	33.3 The prompt, in this tool's dialect (Higgsfield)
check the label against what actually ran, keep the job history, and fix a platform failure	33.7 Checks before you sign (Higgsfield); 33.8 Failures and fixes (Higgsfield)
add up three figures for one job, check the cost on the day, and spend inside an approval	34.1 Three figures for one job; 34.2 Checking the cost on the day; 34.3 Spending inside an approval
plan with dated prices, and know what the platform's terms mean for a client job	34.4 Planning prices, dated; 34.5 Higgsfield's terms, for a client job
handle a client's material and a stand-in	34.6 Client material and stand-ins
clear a voice, a cue or a sound effect for a final, and write the rights line	34.8 Voices: what may ship; 34.9 Music and sound effects; 34.10 The rights line, and what may ship
put the right clauses in the client contract	34.11 What to put in the client contract

Two whole productions, and where things are

I want to…	Go to
follow a finished AI trailer through every stage	Chapter 35, Mastorna
follow a client launch film from the brief to the verdict	Chapter 36, A client launch film
find the template or the checklist for the record or the moment I am at	Reference B, Templates; Reference C, Checklists
go from a symptom to its cause and its fix	Reference D, Failures by symptom

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Contents of The AI Commercial Director's Handbook

Next: Chapter 1 · What changes when the camera is a model