@aicopycoders/exodus 2026.10.2300-beta.1 → 2026.10.2400-beta.1

package/assets/skills/exodus-video/SKILL.md

@@ -1237,9 +1237,12 @@ Read these out of `storyboard.json` before you build anything, in any tool:
   running order. To find the moment, locate the A-roll scene whose `lineIds`
   contain the cue line, then read the start time of the first word of that line
   out of that scene's `words.json`. A B-roll cutaway (one with `broll`) starts
-  on the first word of `broll.covers` instead and holds through its last word,
+  0.5 s before the first word of `broll.covers` instead (even if that reaches
+  back into the scene before, but never into a reaction or before 0 s), and
+  holds through its last word or for `broll.plannedSec`, whichever is longer,
   0.8 s to 4 s; a shot planned longer than 4 s (a talking character) holds at
-  least `broll.plannedSec`.
+  least `broll.plannedSec`. The next cutaway, a reaction or the ad's end cuts
+  it short.
 - **Reactions.** A cutaway with `cutawayType: "reaction"` is the exception. Do
   not lay it over the speech. Put it into the running order as its own beat
   right after its cue line ends, play its own sound (the audience laughing),

package/assets/skills/exodus-video/scripts/first-cut.mjs

@@ -112,9 +112,15 @@ export const JOIN_LEAD_NEW_SPEAKER_SEC = 0.25;
 /** The gap a cut keeps from an extra heard sound it leaves out (#2541). */
 const EXTRA_CLEARANCE_SEC = 0.05;
 /**
- * A B-roll shot holds over the words it covers (#3912), but never shorter than
- * the eye needs to read it nor so long it drags; a shot planned past the
- * longest hold (a talking character) keeps its planned length.
+ * A B-roll shot arrives this long before the first word it covers, the lead the
+ * top ads use and the planner teaches (#3936).
+ */
+export const BROLL_LEAD_SEC = 0.5;
+/**
+ * A B-roll shot holds over the words it covers (#3912) or for its planned
+ * length, whichever runs longer (#3936), but never shorter than the eye needs
+ * to read it nor so long it drags; a shot planned past the longest hold (a
+ * talking character) keeps its planned length.
  */
 export const BROLL_MIN_HOLD_SEC = 0.8;
 export const BROLL_MAX_HOLD_SEC = 4;
@@ -821,12 +827,14 @@ function heardCovers(seg, texts, cueLineId, covers) {
 }
 
 /**
- * #3912: a B-roll shot's place in its segment. It starts on the first word it
- * covers and holds through the last, between BROLL_MIN_HOLD_SEC and
- * BROLL_MAX_HOLD_SEC, or for its planned length when that runs longer than the
- * cap. Covered words the line does not say leave it at the line's start for
- * its planned length. `texts` maps each line id to its script text. Null when
- * the segment does not speak the cue line.
+ * #3912: a B-roll shot's place in its segment. It starts BROLL_LEAD_SEC before
+ * the first word it covers, which can fall before the segment's own start
+ * (#3936), and holds through the last word or for its planned length,
+ * whichever is longer, between BROLL_MIN_HOLD_SEC and BROLL_MAX_HOLD_SEC, or
+ * for its planned length when that runs longer than the cap. Covered words the
+ * line does not say leave it at the line's start for its planned length.
+ * `texts` maps each line id to its script text. Null when the segment does not
+ * speak the cue line.
  */
 export function brollWindow(seg, counts, cueLineId, texts, broll) {
   const line = lineInSegment(seg, counts, cueLineId);
@@ -840,12 +848,13 @@ export function brollWindow(seg, counts, cueLineId, texts, broll) {
     };
   }
   const heard = heardCovers(seg, texts, cueLineId, broll.covers);
-  const startSec = heard?.startSec ?? wordTimeInSegment(seg, line.before + run.first, line.total, "s");
+  const wordSec = heard?.startSec ?? wordTimeInSegment(seg, line.before + run.first, line.total, "s");
   const endSec = heard?.endSec ?? wordTimeInSegment(seg, line.before + run.last, line.total, "e");
+  const startSec = wordSec - BROLL_LEAD_SEC;
   const span = Math.max(0, endSec - startSec);
   const holdSec = broll.plannedSec > BROLL_MAX_HOLD_SEC
     ? Math.max(span, broll.plannedSec)
-    : Math.min(Math.max(span, BROLL_MIN_HOLD_SEC), BROLL_MAX_HOLD_SEC);
+    : Math.min(Math.max(span, broll.plannedSec, BROLL_MIN_HOLD_SEC), BROLL_MAX_HOLD_SEC);
   return { startSec, holdSec, method, found: true };
 }
 
@@ -1221,6 +1230,7 @@ export function buildTimeline({
   });
 
   const lineTexts = new Map([...scriptLines].map(([id, line]) => [id, line?.text]));
+  const beats = spine.filter((seg) => seg.reaction);
   for (const c of waiting.filter((w) => !w.reaction)) {
     const cue = c.cueLineId ? cueOffsetOnSpine(spine, counts, c.cueLineId) : null;
     if (!cue) {
@@ -1233,7 +1243,9 @@ export function buildTimeline({
       ? brollWindow(seg, counts, c.cueLineId, lineTexts, c.broll)
       : null;
     if (win) {
-      placed.startSec = seg.startSec + win.startSec;
+      // A shot's lead may reach back into the segment before, never into a reaction beat or before the ad.
+      const floor = Math.max(0, ...beats.filter((b) => b.startSec < seg.startSec).map((b) => b.startSec + b.seconds));
+      placed.startSec = Math.max(floor, seg.startSec + win.startSec);
       placed.method = win.method;
       placed.seconds = c.source === "clip" ? Math.min(win.holdSec, c.seconds) : win.holdSec;
       placed.coversFound = win.found;
@@ -1241,7 +1253,6 @@ export function buildTimeline({
     cutaways.push(placed);
   }
   cutaways.sort((a, b) => a.startSec - b.startSec);
-  const beats = spine.filter((seg) => seg.reaction);
   for (let i = 0; i < cutaways.length; i++) {
     const c = cutaways[i];
     const stops = [];

package/package.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@aicopycoders/exodus",
-  "version": "2026.10.2300-beta.1",
+  "version": "2026.10.2400-beta.1",
   "description": "CLI + Claude Code skills for the Copycoders Exodus ad pipeline",
   "repository": {
     "type": "git",