Templates
Freeform guide
Use the Freeform template family for flexible, hook-first stock montage videos on any topic.
Freeform is Vidquel's general-purpose template family. When your topic does not need character dialogue or chat UI, Freeform routes your prompt through a fast montage pipeline — narration plus matched visuals scene by scene.
When to choose Freeform
- Tips, hacks, and single-subject explainers
- Faceless YouTube Shorts and Reels channels
- Listicles and roundups without a rigid viral format selected
- Hybrid niches that blend education and entertainment
- High-volume production where speed beats specialization
How Freeform structures videos
- 5–8 scenes with one narration line each
- Stock or AI visuals matched to keywords per scene
- Hook-first pacing — strongest claim in scene one
- Subtle motion presets across scenes for visual variety
- Typical total runtime between 18 and 45 seconds
Create workflow
- Pick your platform: TikTok, Shorts, or Reels (9:16) or LinkedIn (1:1)
- Select Freeform on the template picker
- Choose a voice — Nova and Atlas work well for retention; Sage for expertise
- Write a prompt with hook, supporting points, and optional CTA
Tip
Freeform responds well to numbered promises — "3 mistakes," "5 tools," "the one habit" — even if you are not using the Listicle viral format explicitly.
Prompt best practices
- Lead with specificity — concrete outcomes beat vague themes
- One idea per scene — split crowded lines in the scene editor after generation
- Visual alignment — choose media that evokes the emotion of each line
Scene editor essentials
- Timeline view shows scene order and cumulative duration
- Edit narration without regenerating the entire video
- Replace stock or AI visuals per scene
- Adjust scene length to match voiceover pacing
- Preview and style subtitles before export
Platform guidance
- TikTok — keep total runtime under 30 seconds for first tests
- YouTube Shorts — Freeform is the workhorse for faceless channels
- Instagram Reels — invest in strong opening visuals during media swaps
- LinkedIn — square export; use Sage voice and professional hooks
Credits and scaling
Plan roughly 8 credits per 30-second Freeform video. Free tier includes 50 monthly credits; Pro offers 2,000 and Business 10,000 for sustained Campaign volume.
Important
Freeform is flexible, not formless — weak hooks still fail. Spend editing time on scene one before batching dozens of variations.
Scale winners with Campaigns — duplicate projects, rotate hooks, keep a consistent CTA. AI Studio can outline scenes from a blog post or generate drafts with Allow actions on.