How long should text stay on screen?
Rule: hold ≥ max(1.2 s, 0.35 s × words + 0.5 s), counted from when the text stops moving.
1Coffee, roasted every morning.1.9 s
4 words · needs 1.9 s · 2 bars @ 120 BPM
2Three reasons to drop by2.3 s
5 words · needs 2.3 s · 2 bars @ 120 BPM
3Opening Friday — first cup on us2.6 s
6 words · needs 2.6 s · 2 bars @ 120 BPM
Total12.0 s · 6 bars
How to use it
- 01
Paste your lines
One line per scene, exactly as it will appear on screen.
- 02
Set the tempo
Optional: the BPM of your music turns seconds into whole bars, so cuts land on the beat.
- 03
Trim or extend
Lines over ~12 words are hard to read in one scene; split them or give them more time.
Why it matters
Most short videos lose viewers because text flashes by. The same rule runs inside our video engine: every scene is checked against it before rendering.
Questions
How long should a hook stay on screen?
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A 6-word hook needs about 2.6 seconds once it has finished animating in — roughly one bar at 120 BPM plus the entrance.
Why 0.35 seconds per word?
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It's a comfortable reading speed for short, bold on-screen text on a phone, slower than reading a book because the eye has to find the text first.
What is a bar?
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A bar is one musical measure — four beats in most pop music. At 120 BPM a bar lasts 2 seconds. Cutting on bar lines makes edits feel in sync with the music.
Turn it into a finished video
Your AI creative director writes the script, scores original music and cuts every scene to the beat.