Foundation source: use contexts/design-foundations-system.html for baseline
rhythm, type roles, surface use, motion restraint, and editorial image/text
placement before adapting to frame size.
System Waterfall
Apply in order: foundation context, tokens and brand systems, media framework, channel data, this video sheet, motion/storyboard template when present, render/export checks. Frame pixels are output geometry; type hierarchy, caption attachment, overlays, motion restraint, and safe areas inherit from the cascade.
Media
Default formats:
- 16:9: 1920 x 1080.
- 9:16: 1080 x 1920.
- 1:1: 1080 x 1080.
Surface: Blueprint Dark for title cards and technical motion; Warm Light for documentary/explainer cards.
Margins And Safe Areas
- 16:9: 120px safe margin.
- 9:16: 120px sides, 160px top, 260px bottom.
- 1:1: 96px safe margin.
- Keep bottom-right free of critical content for platform controls.
Typography Scaling
- Title: Newsreader 72-120px.
- Subtitle: Lexend 34-48px.
- Caption/lower third: IBM Plex Mono or Lexend 24-32px.
- Minimum readable video text: 32px at 1080p.
Spacing
- Title systems: 2-4rem source equivalent.
- Lower thirds: 1-1.5rem internal padding source equivalent.
- Sequence spacing: 3-5rem source equivalent.
- Snap title, subtitle, lower-third, caption, and source-note spacing to the same baseline-derived rhythm used by still media.
Grid
- 16:9: 12 columns x 6 rows.
- 9:16: 6 columns x 10 rows.
- 1:1: 6 columns x 6 rows.
- Gap: 24px.
Layout System
- Title card: mark, label, title.
- Chapter card: section marker, one sentence.
- Data card: one number, one sentence, one source.
- Lower third: name, role, context.
- End card: one CTA and URL.
- Use Z-pattern for sparse title and end cards. Use vertical/layer-cake scanning for narrated explainers and 9:16 social cuts.
- Bento groupings are allowed only for a small set of peer metrics or proof modules. Avoid dashboard-like title cards.
Motion
Motion should clarify sequence.
- Fade/slide: 300-600ms.
- No kinetic type storms.
- No glowing AI node loops.
- Honor platform compression: avoid thin low-contrast lines in motion.
- Text over footage requires a controlled overlay or negative-space placement. Captions, lower thirds, and source notes stay attached to the subject or evidence they identify.