Watchdog

Use this skill to study public creator videos and build a style system the user can reuse for AI-video generation and edits.

Do not clone a creator one-for-one. Extract transferable traits: palette, pacing, motifs, camera language, transitions, texture, typography, composition, sound/edit rhythm, and prompt vocabulary.

Boundaries

• Use only public content the user provides or public pages/endpoints accessible without bypassing login/paywalls.
• Do not reveal private account data or secrets.
• Do not repost downloaded source videos back to the user unless they own them or explicitly provided them for that purpose.
• Style output should be “inspired by / visual DNA,” not an exact copy or impersonation.

Workflow

1. Normalize the target:
   • Instagram: @name, instagram.com/name, Reel/Post URLs.
   • TikTok fallback: creator Linktree or same-handle TikTok can help if IG blocks direct video access.
2. Collect public references:
   • Run scripts/collect_style_refs.py --target <handle-or-url> --out style_refs/<name> --limit 8.
   • If download fails, ask the user for 2-5 Reel links or uploaded screen recordings.
3. Build contact sheets:
   • Run scripts/make_contact_sheet.py style_refs/<name> --fps 2.
4. Inspect the contact sheets and, when useful, the videos.
5. Produce a Style DNA brief:
   • motifs
   • palette
   • pacing/edit rhythm
   • typography/text treatment
   • camera/composition
   • overlays/effects
   • sound/audio relationship
   • “do” and “avoid”
6. Create reusable generation assets:
   • a Seedance/vidy prompt pattern
   • optional postprocess notes or script ideas
   • optionally scaffold a new skill if the user asks.

Deliverable Template

**Style DNA**
- Motifs:
- Palette:
- Motion/Edit:
- Texture:
- Text:
- Composition:
- Sound:

**Prompt Recipe**
...

**Edit Recipe**
...

**Use It Like**
“make this in <style-name>”

Useful Commands

python ~/.codex/skills/watchdog/scripts/collect_style_refs.py \
  --target @example \
  --out style_refs/example \
  --limit 8

python ~/.codex/skills/watchdog/scripts/make_contact_sheet.py \
  style_refs/example \
  --fps 2

Notes

• Instagram public profile JSON may expose recent media thumbnails and video URLs via web_profile_info, but it can change or block. Treat it as opportunistic.
• yt-dlp works well for many TikTok public profiles and sometimes individual Instagram links.
• Linktree and bios can confirm same-handle cross-platform accounts.