ASTRA 1.1 — ON-PICTURE HOOKS

1. Extract the whole ZIP into a NEW folder. Keep your older editor folder.
2. Double-click START_EDITOR.cmd. Python 3.12 64-bit with Tcl/Tk is recommended.
3. Keep “New hooks + on-picture captions” checked. Select Auto 1080p or Auto 4K.
4. Click “1. Analyze + review layouts”. Choose your actual Sync results folder
   containing edit_plan.json and media/soundtrack.wav, not this software folder.
5. Review the browser images, Style_Guide.json and Preflight_QA.json.
6. Click “2. Render cinematic MP4”. Play Astra_Cinematic/Cinematic_Final.mp4.
7. Or click “Build cinematic AE project”. Then open the new generated JSX via
   After Effects > File > Scripts > Run Script File. Preview ASTRA_FINAL.

EDIT PLAN, MUSIC AND SOUND
Click "API keys" once and choose the text file holding your ElevenLabs key.
Analyze writes a rule-based Edit_Decisions.json (hook, graphics, music, sound effects) and a
Director_Brief.json. For a Claude-directed plan, open this folder in VS Code and ask Claude Code:
"direct the edit in <your Sync folder>\Astra_Cinematic". Then click Analyze again.
The review page shows the plan with a music player. Set "reviewed": true to keep hand edits.
"Make SFX pack" creates the sound-effect starter pack once (uses ElevenLabs credits).
Put your own music in the assets\music folder to use it instead of generated music.

CAPTIONS, GRAPHICS AND BRAND
Caption look: set "caption_template" (Auto, Classic, Bold Pop, Clean Documentary, Minimal Lower,
Boxed Highlight, Gradient Word, Typewriter). On Auto the director chooses one for the video.
The director also adds lower thirds, chapter titles, a call to action and circles/arrows that follow
what they point at. Anything without a clear position is skipped and listed on the review page.
For a channel look, copy brands\Example to brands\<YourChannel>, edit brand.json, add your logo,
and set "brand": "<YourChannel>". The first analysis downloads two small detection models (5 MB).

GRAPHICS THEMES
Eleven complete graphics themes with 66 animated templates (hooks, lower thirds, maps, statistics,
timelines, diagrams, quote cards...). On "graphics_theme": "Auto" the director (or the rules) picks the
theme for each video; set a theme name to use one look for every video, or "Off" for the earlier
graphics. Previews: run  cinematic_cli.py design-catalog  and  cinematic_cli.py design-demo .
After Effects/Premiere templates: cinematic_cli.py design-fonts, then design-ae (see
docs/THEMES_AND_TEMPLATES.md).

MORE FORMATS
Tick 9:16 / 16:9 / 4:5 / 1:1 under "After rendering, also export" before step 6.
Each extra format is planned and rendered into its own Astra_Cinematic_<size>
folder; Formats_Report.json lists any format that could not be laid out safely.
Timelines may be 23.976, 24, 25, 29.97, 30, 50, 59.94 or 60 fps. iPhone HDR clips
are converted to SDR automatically (first use takes a moment per clip).

For NEW projects, use your manifest and source-media folder and Create Timeline
+ Preview as before. Narration and source-audio keep/reduce/mute behavior remain.
The portrait caption requirement applies even if the legacy captions box is off.
Landscape does not receive speech captions.

OPENING HOOK
Use the Opening hook field to supply your preferred title. If blank, portrait
mode extracts the first four script words; it does not invent a sensational claim.
A separate hook is suppressed if it cannot fit alongside mandatory captions.
Landscape opening hooks require explicit text; other graphics follow script cues.

STYLING
Edit cinematic_settings.json, then Analyze again. Default engine is On-picture.
Font choices: Auto, Anton, Bebas Neue, Inter. Hooks pair display type with a
bundled bold italic Playfair accent. Manual font files and colors are supported.
Default detection protects dominant face proposals and all manual zones; other
subject proposals are warnings. Set strict_subject_safety true to block overlap
with ALL sampled proposals. If no safe area exists, export blocks instead of
creating a bar or silently covering the protected area.

Legacy rail mode and the older native-text AE exporter are retained but are not
the new default. Read docs/UPDATE_AND_SETUP.md for controls and limitations.

The validation movie uses illustrative word timestamps; use your real aligned
Sync job for production. Native Adobe rendering must be verified on your PC.
