# Chapter Craft

## Stage Rules

- Use a fixed 16:9 stage, normally 1920 by 1080, scaled to the viewport.
- A chapter is a pure function of the current step.
- One step should focus on one visual idea.
- Lists reveal one meaningful item at a time.
- Use hidden or low-emphasis controls so the recording surface stays clean.
- Keep large text readable when screen-recorded and compressed.

## Visual Decisions

Before implementing a chapter, answer:

- What is the relationship between this step and the previous step: contrast, reveal, zoom, sequence, proof, consequence, or recap?
- What should the viewer remember after this step?
- Which source detail makes the screen more specific than a generic slide?
- Is this a diagram, object, quote, metric, timeline, interface state, or spatial metaphor?
- What can move because the content itself changes, rather than because everything needs an entrance animation?

## Anti-Patterns

- Synchronized stagger of many bullets when the narration discusses them one by one.
- Purple gradient backgrounds, floating decoration, or generic cards that do not explain the content.
- Fake dashboards, fake screenshots, fake citations, or invented metrics.
- Tiny body text that looks fine in a browser but fails in recorded video.
- Persistent chrome, large page numbers, or visible instructions in the recording frame.

## Completion Check

- Every step renders a complete screen.
- Text fits at the target stage size.
- The chapter still makes sense if the recording pauses on any step.
- Visual state follows narration order.
- Any media used is local, real, generated for the task, or clearly marked as a placeholder.
- Keyboard and click navigation still work after the chapter is registered.