Create a new Short—or find the best Short already hidden inside a long video.
Surfstats supports both sides of short-form production. Create hook-first Shorts from scripts, photos, AI video or recurring characters, or repurpose webinars, podcasts, tutorials and long uploads into scored 9:16 clips with transcription, captions and Video Editor handoff.
Create a Short from scratch—or find the strongest moments inside a long video.
Surfstats supports two complementary short-form workflows: native creation with scripts, AI video, voice and characters, and repurposing with transcription, moment detection, 9:16 rendering, captions and editor handoff.
From source idea or long video to a finished vertical clip
Choose the path that matches the source: create natively when the Short does not exist yet, or repurpose an existing long video when the best material is already recorded.
Four ways to make a new Short before you have any long-form source.
Choose the production style first. A photo-led how-to, native AI-motion clip and talking presenter are different jobs and should not be forced through one generator.
Write a Short first
Start with a 30–60 second hook-first script, scene directions and on-screen text before you spend credits on media.
Start short scriptOne-Click photo Short
Turn one idea into a short-form script, narration, AI-generated still-photo sequence, captions, pan/zoom and a final Video Studio render.
Create one-click ShortNative AI video Short
Generate moving AI clips directly when the concept depends on motion rather than a photo-led sequence, then assemble the strongest shots.
Create AI videoPresenter / character Short
Use a saved Character, reusable World and optional voice/lip-sync workflow for recurring presenter or character-led Shorts.
Create character ShortThe Clip into Shorts workflow is more than a crop button.
Surfstats can work from an uploaded/generated source or use a public YouTube URL for transcription and planning, then detect candidate moments before you decide which clips are worth rendering.
Upload or reuse source video
Upload MP4/MOV/MKV/WebM/M4V, or select a completed Surfstats-generated video already stored in the workspace.
Public YouTube URL planning
Paste a public YouTube URL for direct transcription and moment analysis. Rendering still requires a local/selected source you are entitled to use.
Transcript-first control
Transcribe the source or paste your own timestamped transcript when you want to avoid automatic transcription provider usage.
Detect interesting moments
Generate candidate clips with start/end times, hook ideas, caption text, viral score and hook score for review.
Vertical 9:16 output
Clipping enforces 9:16 crop-fill for YouTube Shorts, TikTok, Instagram Reels and Facebook Reels targets.
Captioned renders
Choose automatic captions for rendered clips and keep the suggested caption/on-screen text visible alongside each candidate.
Generate 5–20 candidates
Control the number of candidate clips and maximum clip duration before detecting and rendering the strongest moments.
Download or edit
Render one clip or all candidates, download individual outputs or a ZIP, or open a rendered Short directly in Video Editor.
Use the focused tool for each part of the Short instead of forcing one generator to do everything.
Ask Surfstats
Describe the Short or repurposing goal and get the recommended tools, order and estimated paid production credits.
Open toolClip into Shorts
Transcribe, detect, score and render vertical moments from existing long-form source video.
Open toolScriptwriter
Prepare the hook, spoken lines, scene directions and on-screen text for a new Short before generating media.
Open toolOne-Click Video
Create a short photo-led narrated video with still images, captions, motion and a final Video Studio project.
Open toolVideo AI
Generate native moving AI video shots when the Short needs action rather than a still-photo sequence.
Open toolCharacter Vlog
Produce recurring presenter/character Shorts with saved identity and reusable scene context.
Open toolVoiceover
Generate controlled narration through Google TTS or ElevenLabs when the Short needs a separate speech track.
Open toolThumbnail
Package the Short or related full video with a clear title/hook visual and saved thumbnail workflow.
Open toolAudio FX Studio
Add music, ambience and sound-effect planning when the final vertical edit needs more than narration.
Open toolVideo Editor
Trim, assemble and finish rendered clips rather than treating the first detected moment or generation as final.
Open toolAssets
Keep approved short-form videos, audio, images and thumbnails available for reuse and delivery.
Open toolStart from a real Surfstats workflow and adapt it to the next Short.
These cards use the same live example catalog as the main Examples and Proof Wall pages. Clone links open the underlying workflow rather than a separate marketing-only demo.
UGC product hook video
Clone a short product video workflow that opens with a problem, shows the product and ends with a clear payoff.
Course launch short
Clone a short-form course promo with hook, captions, voiceover and landing-page CTA.
Voiceover product demo
Clone a voiceover workflow for a short product demo video.
Short-form social pack
Clone a multi-platform social pack for TikTok, Reels, YouTube Shorts and LinkedIn.
YouTube thumbnail concept
Clone a thumbnail direction with visual hierarchy, contrast and title alignment.
Character vlog intro
Clone a character-led vlog intro with tone, scenes and reusable character notes.
Video upscale export
Clone an export-readiness workflow for improving a generated clip before publishing.
Business promo video
Clone a business promo workflow from one offer to video, voiceover, captions and campaign copy.
See the actual cost at the action that spends it.
Short-form production can combine text generation, transcription, AI video/image generation, voice and local rendering. Surfstats therefore shows cost at each paid step instead of advertising one fixed “Shorts price.”
- Clip into Shorts shows save-source, transcription, moment-detection and per-clip render pricing separately.
- The clipping page also estimates Detect + Render All before you press the button.
- Pasting your own transcript can avoid automatic transcription-provider usage.
- Creating a Short from scratch can involve different model/provider charges depending on the chosen image/video/voice route.
- Eligible failed paid provider/render operations are designed to restore the applicable credits.
Scores and hooks help you review. They do not guarantee virality.
Moment/viral/hook scores are creative-selection aids. Platform reach depends on audience, topic, retention, competition, timing, packaging and many factors Surfstats cannot guarantee.
- Review detected start/end points manually before publishing.
- Check captions, names, facts and spoken claims.
- Use only source videos, music, voices, people and brands you have the necessary rights/consent to use.
- A public YouTube URL being technically transcribable does not grant permission to republish its content.
- For paid Shorts advertising, use the dedicated ad workflow and review advertising claims separately.
YouTube Shorts and clipping questions
Long video already recorded? Clip it. Starting from an idea? Create the Short natively.
Surfstats keeps both short-form paths in the same workspace, so scripts, source videos, generated clips, voice, thumbnails, edits and approved assets can be reused instead of rebuilt from scratch.