Writing a good first message
A good first message covers three things:- What you want the type of video, the topic, and the key points
- Who it’s for your audience and what they already know
- How it should feel the tone, style, and length
Tips for better results
- Use a Clueprint when one fits. Clueprints are pre-designed templates that handle layout, styling, and structure. They do most of the design work and you get a more polished result with less back-and-forth.
- Answer questions with a sentence. When Clueso Agent asks a clarifying question, give it a real answer, not just “yes” or “sure”. A sentence of context helps it make better decisions.
- Name the clip and name the fix. “Clip 3 - make the title larger” is fast to act on. “Something looks off” triggers another question.
- Ask it to review before you export. “Look through the whole video and flag anything that looks off” is a genuinely useful prompt. It can spot spacing, contrast, and timing issues you might miss.
Using your credits wisely
Every message to Clueso Agent uses credits. Here’s how to get more done with fewer messages.1
Use a smaller model for simple jobs
Straight trims, batch voiceovers, “cut this bit out”. A smaller model handles those fine and costs about half as much per message, sometimes less. Keep the bigger model for when you want it to watch the footage and work out what should change.
2
Batch your edits into one message
Ask for several changes in one message instead of sending them one at a time. Five edits in one message costs roughly a fifth of five separate messages.
3
Start a new chat for each section
The longer a chat gets, the more each message costs. If you’re working on different parts of the video, start a fresh chat for each section.
4
Say everything the first time
Going back and forth to nail down one change costs as much as the change itself. Include all the detail upfront: the clip, the element, the exact change, and a rough timestamp if it helps.
5
Describe the moment and add a timestamp
If you’re pointing at a specific moment in the video, describe it in words and include a rough timestamp from the editor. This stops Clueso Agent from spending time hunting for the right spot.
6
Roll answers into your next instruction
When Clueso Agent asks a question, don’t send the answer on its own. Combine it with your next instruction. One message instead of two.
7
Do easy trims yourself
Simple trims and cuts are faster on the timeline than describing them in chat. Save Clueso Agent for the work that needs judgement: figuring out what to cut, where the dead air is, and how to restructure a section.
8
Connect your own Claude for repetitive work
For high-volume repetitive tasks like splitting, trimming, and batches of voiceovers, you can connect Clueso to your own Claude via MCP. That runs on your own API key and doesn’t use your Clueso credits.
Common mistakes to avoid
1
One-word messages
“animate”, “go”, “start”, “yes”. These always trigger a follow-up question, so you never save time. Give Clueso Agent something to work with.
2
Saying 'this' with nothing attached
“Animate this logo” or “use this image” with no file attached. Always attach files in the same message where you reference them.
3
Describing the subject instead of the brief
“Make a video on flowers” describes a topic. It says nothing about the point, the audience, or the length, so Clueso Agent has to invent all three. Add context.
4
Asking for a rebuild when you wanted a tweak
If most of the video is working, don’t ask Clueso Agent to redo it. Name the specific clips and changes you want instead.
5
Assuming it remembers what you never said
Clueso Agent doesn’t know your brand colours, your competitors, or last quarter’s launch unless it’s in the conversation, in a Clueprint, or in a file you attached.
6
Going quiet mid-build
Clueso Agent asks a question and the answer never comes. If you’ve changed your mind, say so. “Actually, forget the intro, start at the demo” is completely fine at any point.
Quick reference
- Say what you want, who it’s for, and how it should feel before anything else.
- Attach your logo, footage, deck, or link in the same message.
- Use a Clueprint if one fits. It does most of the design work for you.
- Batch multiple edits into one message to save credits.
- Use a smaller model for simple jobs, the bigger one for creative decisions.
- When something’s wrong, name the clip and name the fix.
Reach out to support@clueso.io if you have any questions about how to get started.
Create with chat
Start a video by chatting with Clueso Agent
Edit with chat
Steer Clueso Agent once it starts building