a18-slatted-reveal

name	A18-slatted-reveal
description	motion-graphic scene archetype — headline area fractures into horizontal strips, and each strip swaps from a flat-color fill to a sliver of photography (or a different content layer) in sequence. distinctive single-transition spot mechanic. composes slat-wipe on the strip layer + crossfade out of the original fill.

A18 — slatted reveal

Composes

• slat-wipe (the multi-stripe rectangular reveal — the hero effect)
• Optional pop-in on type that lives over the revealed content
• color-handoff-tonal-bridge (when the underlying photo's color matches the original fill — typically true)

Layout

canvas: 1080x1920 (or pack-specified)

strip_grid:
  axis: horizontal (strips go left-to-right or right-to-left)
  strip_count: 6-12
  strip_height: canvas_h / strip_count
  reveal_direction: top-to-bottom or random

layer_a:                                   # before reveal
  fill: solid color (often pack.primary)
  z_index: 1

layer_b:                                   # after reveal
  fill: photograph or solid contrasting color
  z_index: 2 (but masked per-strip during reveal)

type_overlay:                              # optional
  position: center
  appears: AFTER reveal completes

Choreography

phase_1_hold_on_layer_a:
  start_frame: 0
  effect: hold
  duration_frames: 30                    # 1s of solid color

phase_2_slat_reveal:
  start_frame: 30
  effect: slat-wipe
  per_strip_stagger_frames: 2-3
  per_strip_wipe_frames: 8

phase_3_settle_on_layer_b:
  start_frame: phase_2_end
  effect: hold
  duration_frames: ≥ 30

phase_4_optional_type:
  start_frame: phase_2_end + 6
  effect: pop-in

Style pack compatibility

supported: []
preferred_in: []
incompatible: [SP-D]
notes: this archetype works best in CUSTOM packs (e.g. a sexual-wellness brand pack). None of the 7 default packs explicitly support it, but a custom pack can.

Custom pack overrides

Custom — Wellness Editorial (e.g. terracotta brand)

• Layer A: terracotta solid fill.
• Layer B: warm-toned photography.
• Tonal-bridge: photo's dominant hue matches terracotta so the wipe reads as one surface.
• Type: humanist sans, lowercase, slate over the photo.

Duration

duration_seconds: [4.0, 7.0]
default: 5.0

Need substantial hold both before and after the reveal so the contrast lands.

Quality Checks

• Strip count matches scene aesthetic (6-12 — fewer feels chunky, more feels jittery).
• Reveal direction is consistent (all top-to-bottom OR all random-but-seeded).
• Tonal-bridge: the underlying photo's color is intentionally tied to the original fill.
• Type appears AFTER reveal — never mid-reveal.

Failure Modes

• Reveal feels chunky. Strip count too low. Bump to 8-10.
• Reveal feels jittery. Strip count too high (>15). Reduce.
• Wipe direction is inconsistent across strips. Seeded random got non-seeded. Fix seed.
• Type appears mid-reveal and gets clipped by strips. Move type appearance to after reveal completes.