---
name: tube-cog
description: YouTube content creation powered by CellCog. Create YouTube videos, Shorts, thumbnails, scripts, long-form content, educational videos, tutorials, vlogs. AI-powered YouTube creator tools.
metadata:
  openclaw:
    emoji: "📺"
author: CellCog
dependencies: [cellcog]
---

# Tube Cog - YouTube Content Powered by CellCog

Create YouTube videos that get views - from Shorts to long-form tutorials to eye-catching thumbnails.

---

## Prerequisites

This skill requires the `cellcog` skill for SDK setup and API calls.

```bash
clawhub install cellcog
```

**Read the cellcog skill first** for SDK setup. This skill shows you what's possible.

**Quick pattern (v1.0+):**
```python
# Fire-and-forget - returns immediately
result = client.create_chat(
    prompt="[your YouTube content request]",
    notify_session_key="agent:main:main",
    task_label="youtube-content",
    chat_mode="agent"  # Agent mode for most content
)
# Daemon notifies you when complete - do NOT poll
```

---

## What Content You Can Create

### YouTube Shorts

Vertical, snackable content for discovery:

- **Quick Tips**: "Create a 45-second Short explaining one JavaScript trick"
- **Reactions/Commentary**: "Make a Short reacting to a viral tech moment"
- **Teasers**: "Create a Short teasing my upcoming full video on AI"
- **Trending Formats**: "Make a 'Things that just make sense' Short for programmers"
- **Behind-the-Scenes**: "Create a BTS Short of my content creation process"

**Example prompt:**
> "Create a 50-second YouTube Short: 'The VS Code shortcut that changed my life'
> 
> Hook: 'Stop coding like it's 2010'
> Demo: Show the multi-cursor feature
> Reaction: Mind-blown moment
> CTA: 'Full tutorial on my channel'
> 
> Fast-paced, screen recording style with facecam energy."

### Long-Form Videos

In-depth content that builds audience:

- **Tutorials**: "Create a 4-minute tutorial on building a REST API with Python"
- **Explainers**: "Make a 3-minute video explaining how blockchain works"
- **Reviews**: "Create a comprehensive review of the new MacBook Pro"
- **Documentaries**: "Make a mini-documentary about the history of video games"
- **Essays**: "Create a video essay on why minimalism is becoming popular"

**Example prompt:**
> "Create a 4-minute YouTube video: 'Build Your First AI App in 2026'
> 
> Structure:
> - Hook (15 sec): Show the finished app
> - Intro (30 sec): What we're building and why
> - Setup (45 sec): Environment and dependencies
> - Core tutorial (2 min): Step-by-step coding
> - Testing (1 min): Run and demo
> - Outro (30 sec): Next steps and subscribe CTA
> 
> Style: Educational, friendly, clear explanations. Code on screen with voiceover."

### Thumbnails

Click-worthy images that drive views:

- **Reaction Thumbnails**: "Create a thumbnail with shocked face and bold text"
- **Tutorial Thumbnails**: "Make a clean thumbnail for a coding tutorial"
- **Versus Thumbnails**: "Create an X vs Y comparison thumbnail"
- **Listicle Thumbnails**: "Make a '10 Things' style thumbnail"
- **Story Thumbnails**: "Create an intriguing thumbnail that hints at drama"

**Example prompt:**
> "Create a YouTube thumbnail for: 'I Built an App in 24 Hours'
> 
> Elements:
> - Person looking stressed/determined
> - Timer showing 24:00:00
> - Code on screen in background
> - Bold text: '24 HOURS'
> 
> Colors: Dark background, yellow/orange accents
> Style: High contrast, readable at small size"

### Scripts & Outlines

Content planning before production:

- **Full Scripts**: "Write a complete script for a 4-minute video on productivity"
- **Video Outlines**: "Create a detailed outline for a product review"
- **Hook Variations**: "Give me 5 different hooks for my video about investing"
- **CTA Scripts**: "Write compelling end-screen call-to-action scripts"

---

## YouTube Specs

| Format | Dimensions | Duration |
|--------|------------|----------|
| Standard Video | 1920×1080 (16:9) | Up to 4 minutes |
| Shorts | 1080×1920 (9:16) | Up to 60 seconds |
| Thumbnail | 1280×720 | - |

---

## Video Styles

| Style | Best For | Characteristics |
|-------|----------|-----------------|
| **Educational** | Tutorials, explainers | Clear, structured, helpful |
| **Entertainment** | Vlogs, reactions | Personality-driven, dynamic |
| **Professional** | B2B, corporate | Polished, trustworthy |
| **Documentary** | Essays, deep dives | Cinematic, researched |
| **Fast-Paced** | Shorts, compilations | Quick cuts, high energy |

---

## Chat Mode for YouTube Content

| Scenario | Recommended Mode |
|----------|------------------|
| Shorts, thumbnails, scripts, standard tutorials | `"agent"` |
| Documentary-style content, complex video essays, multi-part series planning | `"agent team"` |

**Use `"agent"` for most YouTube content.** Shorts, thumbnails, and standard videos execute well in agent mode.

**Use `"agent team"` for complex narratives** - documentaries, video essays, or content requiring deep research and storytelling craft.

---

## Example Prompts

**Educational tutorial:**
> "Create a YouTube tutorial: 'Docker for Beginners - Full Course'
> 
> Length: 20 minutes
> Audience: Developers who've never used Docker
> 
> Chapters:
> 1. What is Docker and why use it? (3 min)
> 2. Installing Docker (2 min)
> 3. Your first container (4 min)
> 4. Dockerfile basics (4 min)
> 5. Docker Compose (4 min)
> 6. Real-world example (3 min)
> 
> Style: Screen recording with clear voiceover. Beginner-friendly, no jargon."

**Engaging Short:**
> "Create a YouTube Short: 'AI wrote my entire codebase'
> 
> Hook: 'I let AI write 100% of my code for a week'
> Content: Quick montage of AI coding, my reactions, the chaos
> Twist: 'And it actually... worked?'
> CTA: 'Full video on my channel'
> 
> Fast cuts, meme energy, relatable programmer humor."

**Click-worthy thumbnail:**
> "Create a thumbnail for: 'Why I Quit My $300K Job'
> 
> Show: Professional person walking away from office building
> Expression: Confident, peaceful
> Text: '$300K → QUIT' in bold
> Style: Cinematic, slightly desaturated, text pops
> 
> Must be readable at small sizes."

---

## ⚠️ Important — Video Generation Expectations

AI video production for YouTube is still at the frontier of what's possible. While some users generate high-quality videos that are ready to publish, others may spend significant credits and still not achieve a usable result. Even spending thousands of credits does not guarantee a satisfactory outcome — this is the nature of where AI video technology stands today.

There is a real learning curve to generating videos with CellCog. It takes time, money, and patience. Your prompting skill, the complexity of what you're trying to create, and how well the foundation models perform on your specific request all play a role. Results improve as you develop intuition for what works, but we want to be upfront: video generation is inherently unpredictable, and there is always a risk that the output may not meet your expectations.

---

## Tips for Better YouTube Content

1. **Hook in 5 seconds**: YouTube viewers decide instantly. Front-load the value or intrigue.

2. **Thumbnails matter more than titles**: A great video with bad thumbnail won't get clicked. Invest in thumbnail quality.

3. **Retention > Length**: A tight 8-minute video beats a padded 20-minute video. Respect viewer time.

4. **Chapters improve watch time**: Structure long videos with clear chapters. Helps SEO too.

5. **End screens work**: Ask for subscribes when viewers are most engaged (after delivering value).

6. **Shorts feed long-form**: Use Shorts to drive traffic to your main channel content.
