---
name: animation-ads
description: Activates when the user asks to generate AI animation video ads, claymation ads, Pixar-style ads, anime ads, or any animated marketing video. Automates the storyboard creation, frame generation via Nano Banana 2, and prompt setup for Kling 3.0 animation. Outputs the complete asset bundle ready for assembly in CapCut.
---

# Animation Ads Skill

The full automation layer for Pillar 6's animation ad workflow. Takes a brief, generates the storyboard, produces all 9 frames in style-locked consistency, and outputs ready-to-animate prompts for Kling. The user only needs to run Kling/CapCut manually for final assembly.

## Activation Rules

Activate when:
- The user asks to "make an animation ad," "generate a claymation video," "create a Pixar-style ad," etc.
- The user runs the `/animation-ad` slash command
- A creative brief from Pillar 3 (creative-strategist) recommends video ad production

## Prerequisites

1. **brand-kit.md** in project root with brand colors, voice, products
2. **OpenRouter API key** stored (for Nano Banana 2 access via the nano-banana-ads skill)
3. **Style lock prompts file** at `./skills/style-lock-prompts.md` (download from the Vault)
4. **Kling AI account** at klingai.com (the user runs Kling manually after this skill outputs frames)
5. **CapCut** installed for final video assembly (free desktop app)

---

## Slash Commands

### `/animation-ad [style] [hook] [persona] [product]`

The primary command. Generates a complete animation ad asset bundle.

**Usage:**
```
/animation-ad claymation problem sarah collagen
/animation-ad pixar benefit marcus protein
/animation-ad anime curiosity dana skincare
```

**Workflow:**
1. **Read inputs:**
   - brand-kit.md (brand identity, persona definitions, product details)
   - style-lock-prompts.md (style declaration for the requested style)

2. **Generate storyboard:**
   - Build a 4-shot structure (Hook → Product → Result → CTA)
   - Write scene descriptions for each shot tied to the hook + persona + product
   - Output a `storyboard-[concept-name].md` file

3. **Generate the 3x3 frame grid prompt:**
   - Combine style declaration + character description + 9 frame descriptions into a single Nano Banana 2 prompt
   - The 3x3 grid approach forces visual consistency across all frames

4. **Call nano-banana-ads skill:**
   - Generate the 3x3 grid as a single image
   - Crop into 9 individual frames
   - Save to `./output/animation/[concept-name]/frames/`

5. **Generate Kling prompts:**
   - For each pair of consecutive frames, write a motion prompt + negative prompt
   - Save to `./output/animation/[concept-name]/kling-prompts.md`

6. **Generate voiceover script:**
   - 20-30 word script tied to the hook + product
   - Save to `./output/animation/[concept-name]/voiceover.txt`
   - Suggest an ElevenLabs voice ID matching the persona

7. **Generate caption text:**
   - Burned-in caption text matching the voiceover
   - Save to `./output/animation/[concept-name]/captions.txt`

8. **Generate the assembly checklist:**
   - Step-by-step CapCut assembly instructions
   - Audio mixing notes
   - Export settings

### `/animation-ad-from-brief [brief-path]`

Generate an animation ad from an existing creative brief (output of Pillar 3's creative-strategist).

**Usage:**
```
/animation-ad-from-brief ./creative-brief-2026-08-11.md --style claymation
```

The brief specifies the hook, persona, and product. The user picks the style.

### `/multi-style [hook] [persona] [product]`

Generate THREE versions of the same storyboard in three different styles, for A/B testing.

**Usage:**
```
/multi-style problem sarah collagen
```

Default styles: claymation, pixar, anime (most-tested combinations). User can override:

```
/multi-style problem sarah collagen --styles claymation,wesanderson,watercolor
```

Outputs three folders with parallel asset bundles. User then runs Kling/CapCut on each and tests all three in their ad account.

### `/regenerate-frame [concept-name] [frame-number]`

Regenerate a single frame in an existing storyboard.

**Usage:**
```
/regenerate-frame vitapure-claymation-problem-sarah 3
```

Useful when one frame in the 3x3 grid is off-style or has artifacts. Regenerates just that frame using the same character description and style declaration as the others.

### `/build-character-ref [persona]`

Generate a single high-detail character reference image that can be uploaded to Kling's Omni Reference feature for maximum consistency.

**Usage:**
```
/build-character-ref sarah --style claymation
```

Outputs a single 2K image of the character in neutral pose, centered composition. Use this image in Kling Omni Reference whenever you generate clips for this persona.

---

## Output Structure

After `/animation-ad` runs, the output folder structure looks like:

```
./output/animation/[concept-name]/
├── storyboard.md           # The 4-shot storyboard
├── frames/
│   ├── grid.png             # The 3x3 grid as one image
│   ├── frame-01.png         # Cropped Frame 1
│   ├── frame-02.png         # Cropped Frame 2
│   ├── ...
│   └── frame-09.png         # Cropped Frame 9
├── kling-prompts.md         # All Kling motion + negative prompts
├── voiceover.txt            # Voiceover script
├── captions.txt             # Burned-in caption text
├── character-reference.png  # For Kling Omni Reference (if generated)
└── assembly-checklist.md    # Step-by-step CapCut instructions
```

---

## Generation Rules

### Storyboard generation

Always use the 4-shot structure:
1. **THE HOOK (0-3 sec)** — Stop the scroll. Most visually interesting frame.
2. **THE PRODUCT (3-6 sec)** — Show product being used or interacted with.
3. **THE RESULT (6-9 sec)** — Show outcome or benefit.
4. **THE CTA (9-12 sec)** — End card with offer and brand.

Each shot needs 2-3 frames (start, optional middle, end) to give Kling clear start/end points for animation.

### Frame consistency rules

When generating the 3x3 grid prompt, ALWAYS include:

```
CONSISTENCY REQUIREMENTS:
- Character appears identically in every frame (same face, same proportions, 
  same wardrobe). Use this exact character description in every frame: 
  [character description from brand-kit.md persona]
- Lighting direction is identical across all frames: [direction]
- Color palette is restricted to: [list from brand-kit.md]
- Same set/environment in Shots 1-3 (CTA frame can be different/cleaner)
- Style declaration applies to every frame uniformly: [paste style 
  declaration from style-lock-prompts.md]
```

### Voiceover script rules

- 20-30 words maximum (10-12 second ad)
- Match the persona's voice cue from brand-kit.md
- Include the product name once
- End with a soft CTA, not "BUY NOW"
- Reading pace: ~2 words per second when read naturally

### Caption rules

- Match voiceover text exactly (don't paraphrase)
- Segment captions to appear with their corresponding voiceover line
- 3-5 words per caption frame max (readable at thumbnail size)

---

## Style Selection

If the user doesn't specify a style:

1. Read brand-kit.md positioning
2. Read most recent creative-analyzer report for any animation ad style data
3. Read latest spy report for what's working in the user's niche
4. Make a recommendation:

```
Recommended style for this concept: [style]
Reasoning: [Based on brand positioning, persona age, current niche trends]

Alternative styles to consider: [2-3 others]

Proceed with [recommended style]? (y/n/specify)
```

---

## Cross-Skill Integration

**Calls into this skill:**
- The user (directly)
- creative-strategist (Pillar 3) when recommending video ad production for the next batch

**This skill calls:**
- nano-banana-ads (for actual frame generation)
- brand-kit (for persona, character, product details)
- style-lock-prompts.md (for style declaration and Kling negative prompts)

**Output flows to:**
- Manual workflow: user runs Kling 3.0 (using prompts from kling-prompts.md), then CapCut for final assembly
- Pillar 2 (Bulk Uploader) — once .mp4 is exported, upload to Meta Creative Library and use destination URL pointing to advertorial (Pillar 4)
- Pillar 3 (Creative Analytics) — once running, analyze hook rate, completion rate, and ROAS

---

## Common Issues and Fixes

### "Frames look style-consistent but the character looks different"

The 3x3 grid prompt should fix this in most cases. If it persists:
1. Run `/build-character-ref [persona]` to create a single character reference image
2. Use that reference in Kling Omni Reference for all clips
3. Consider reducing the visible character changes between frames (less pose variation = more apparent consistency)

### "The product looks cartoonish but doesn't match my real product"

Add specific product details to brand-kit.md. The skill can only generate what it's told. For example:
```
Product: VitaPure Collagen
Container: Matte cream-colored 16oz jar with terracotta label
Label text: "VitaPure" in bold serif font, "Collagen Peptides" 
in smaller sans-serif below
Color palette: Cream jar (#f8f4ec), terracotta label (#b8542a), 
forest green text (#2d3a2c)
```

### "Kling output looks too smooth, lost the stop-motion feel"

Strengthen the negative prompt. The default style-lock-prompts.md negative prompt should work, but for stubborn cases add:
```
NEVER smooth interpolation, NEVER fluid CGI motion, NEVER 
photorealistic rendering, NEVER plastic surfaces. Movement must 
have visible step-by-step quality.
```

### "Generated faces have weird artifacts (extra eyes, melted features)"

Common Nano Banana 2 issue with character close-ups. Fixes:
- Regenerate just that frame (`/regenerate-frame`)
- Reduce face close-ups in the storyboard (favor medium shots over close-ups)
- Add to the prompt: "Clean facial features, exactly two eyes, exactly one mouth, normal proportions"

---

## Notes

- This skill produces the asset bundle. Final video assembly still requires manual work in Kling and CapCut. Total time: 1-2 hours for a finished ad once you've done it 2-3 times.
- For batch production, run `/multi-style` for one concept rather than running `/animation-ad` 3 times. The grid generation is more cost-efficient when style variations share the same storyboard.
- Save winning storyboards. If a claymation ad performs well, you can often produce a different product's animation ad using the same storyboard structure with character/product swaps. The storyboard is reusable; the asset bundle is not.
- For agencies with multiple clients, store each client's character references separately in `./assets/clients/[client-name]/character-refs/`. Reference consistency is per-brand, not global.