$npx -y skills add adithya-s-k/manim_skill --skill manim-composerTrigger when: (1) User wants to create an educational/explainer video, (2) User has a vague concept they want visualized, (3) User mentions "3b1b style" or "explain like 3Blue1Brown", (4) User wants to plan a Manim video or animation sequence, (5) User asks to "compose" or "plan"
| 1 | ## Workflow |
| 2 | |
| 3 | ### Phase 1: Understand the Concept |
| 4 | |
| 5 | 1. **Research the topic** deeply before asking questions |
| 6 | - Use web search to understand the core concepts |
| 7 | - Identify the key insights that make this topic interesting |
| 8 | - Find the "aha moment" - what makes this click for learners |
| 9 | - Note common misconceptions to address |
| 10 | |
| 11 | 2. **Identify the narrative hook** |
| 12 | - What question does this video answer? |
| 13 | - Why should the viewer care? |
| 14 | - What's the surprising or counterintuitive element? |
| 15 | |
| 16 | ### Phase 2: Clarify with User |
| 17 | |
| 18 | Ask targeted questions (not all at once - adapt based on responses): |
| 19 | |
| 20 | **Audience & Scope** |
| 21 | - What math/science background should I assume? (e.g., "knows calculus" or "high school algebra") |
| 22 | - Target video length? (short: 5-10min, medium: 15-20min, long: 30min+) |
| 23 | - Should this be self-contained or part of a series? |
| 24 | |
| 25 | **Focus & Depth** |
| 26 | - Any specific aspects to emphasize or skip? |
| 27 | - Proof-heavy or intuition-focused? |
| 28 | - Real-world applications to include? |
| 29 | |
| 30 | **Style Preferences** |
| 31 | - Color scheme preferences? |
| 32 | - Narration style? (casual, formal, playful) |
| 33 | - Any specific visual metaphors you have in mind? |
| 34 | |
| 35 | ### Phase 3: Create scenes.md |
| 36 | |
| 37 | Output a comprehensive `scenes.md` file with this structure: |
| 38 | |
| 39 | ```markdown |
| 40 | # [Video Title] |
| 41 | |
| 42 | ## Overview |
| 43 | - **Topic**: [Core concept] |
| 44 | - **Hook**: [Opening question/mystery] |
| 45 | - **Target Audience**: [Prerequisites] |
| 46 | - **Estimated Length**: [X minutes] |
| 47 | - **Key Insight**: [The "aha moment"] |
| 48 | |
| 49 | ## Narrative Arc |
| 50 | [2-3 sentences describing the journey from confusion to understanding] |
| 51 | |
| 52 | --- |
| 53 | |
| 54 | ## Scene 1: [Scene Name] |
| 55 | **Duration**: ~X seconds |
| 56 | **Purpose**: [What this scene accomplishes] |
| 57 | |
| 58 | ### Visual Elements |
| 59 | - [List of mobjects needed] |
| 60 | - [Animations to use] |
| 61 | - [Camera movements] |
| 62 | |
| 63 | ### Content |
| 64 | [Detailed description of what happens, what's shown, what's explained] |
| 65 | |
| 66 | ### Narration Notes |
| 67 | [Key points to convey, tone, pacing notes] |
| 68 | |
| 69 | ### Technical Notes |
| 70 | - [Specific Manim classes/methods to use] |
| 71 | - [Any tricky implementations to note] |
| 72 | |
| 73 | --- |
| 74 | |
| 75 | ## Scene 2: [Scene Name] |
| 76 | ... |
| 77 | |
| 78 | --- |
| 79 | |
| 80 | ## Transitions & Flow |
| 81 | [Notes on how scenes connect, recurring visual motifs] |
| 82 | |
| 83 | ## Color Palette |
| 84 | - Primary: [color] - used for [purpose] |
| 85 | - Secondary: [color] - used for [purpose] |
| 86 | - Accent: [color] - used for [purpose] |
| 87 | - Background: [color] |
| 88 | |
| 89 | ## Mathematical Content |
| 90 | [List of equations, formulas, or mathematical objects that need to be rendered] |
| 91 | |
| 92 | ## Implementation Order |
| 93 | [Suggested order for implementing scenes, noting dependencies] |
| 94 | ``` |
| 95 | |
| 96 | ## 3b1b Style Principles |
| 97 | |
| 98 | Apply these principles when composing scenes: |
| 99 | |
| 100 | ### Visual Storytelling |
| 101 | - **Show, don't just tell** - Every concept needs a visual representation |
| 102 | - **Progressive revelation** - Build complexity gradually, don't show everything at once |
| 103 | - **Visual continuity** - Transform objects rather than replacing them when possible |
| 104 | |
| 105 | ### Pacing & Rhythm |
| 106 | - **Pause for insight** - Give viewers time to absorb key moments |
| 107 | - **Vary the pace** - Mix quick sequences with slower explanations |
| 108 | - **End scenes with resolution** - Each scene should feel complete |
| 109 | |
| 110 | ### Mathematical Beauty |
| 111 | - **Emphasize elegance** - Highlight when math is surprisingly simple or beautiful |
| 112 | - **Connect representations** - Show the same concept multiple ways (algebraic, geometric, intuitive) |
| 113 | - **Embrace abstraction gradually** - Start concrete, then generalize |
| 114 | |
| 115 | ### Engagement Techniques |
| 116 | - **Pose questions** - Make viewers curious before revealing answers |
| 117 | - **Acknowledge difficulty** - "This might seem confusing at first..." |
| 118 | - **Celebrate insight** - Make the "aha moment" feel earned |
| 119 | |
| 120 | ## References |
| 121 | |
| 122 | - [references/narrative-patterns.md](references/narrative-patterns.md) - Common 3b1b narrative structures |
| 123 | - [references/visual-techniques.md](references/visual-techniques.md) - Effective visualization patterns |
| 124 | - [references/scene-examples.md](references/scene-examples.md) - Example scenes.md excerpts |
| 125 | |
| 126 | ## Templates |
| 127 | |
| 128 | - [templates/scenes-template.md](templates/scenes-template.md) - Blank scenes.md template |