creative-source-scout

name	creative-source-scout
description	Use when brainstorming, selecting, or verifying external creative websites for content-machine videos, including animation/component libraries, design inspiration, stock media, 3D models/textures, AI image/video tools, music/SFX, fonts, icons, and other source assets.

Creative Source Scout

Use When

• The user asks for sites like 21st.dev, animation libraries, UI component sources, 3D assets, stock media, AI video tools, music, SFX, fonts, icons, or broader creative resource discovery.
• A short needs stronger visuals and the agent should scout outside inspiration or asset sources before coding or rendering.
• A skill needs a source list but should not pretend that discovery is the same thing as license approval.

Core Rule

Site discovery is not license approval. Treat every catalog entry as a candidate until its current terms, watermark rules, attribution needs, pricing, and download rights are checked.

Catalog

Use references/creative-source-catalog.v1.json for a broad 1000-site candidate brainstorm. The catalog is intentionally raw and wide so agents can filter by category instead of relying on memory.

Regenerate or check it with:

npm run creative-sources:gen
npm run creative-sources:check

Workflow

1. Choose the production need first: ui-components, animation-motion, 3d-assets, game-dev-assets, ai-generation, visual-assets, audio-music, fonts-icons, inspiration, creative-coding, or design-tools.
2. Filter the catalog to 5-12 plausible candidates for the task.
3. Browse the official site or license page before using anything in a public render.
4. Prefer code-native inspiration when licenses are unclear: study the pattern, then rebuild an original Remotion/SVG/HTML/Three.js version.
5. For copied or downloaded assets, record source URL, author/provider, license, attribution text, retrieval date, transforms, and output path in the run's asset ledger or source notes.
6. Hand off to the relevant production skill: motion-design-coder, procedural-gameplay-backgrounds, short-form-production-playbook, video-render, or publish-prep-review.

Deep References

• Do not open deep policy refs for a brainstorm-only shortlist.
• Open provenance gates before copying, downloading, generating, packaging, or public use.
• Open audio policy only for music, SFX, ambience, extracted audio, or YouTube-origin audio.
• Use creative-technique-map.md when converting source-site research into concrete short-form motion, 3D, AI-video, stock, audio, font, icon, or creative-coding tactics.
• Use provenance-and-license-gates.md before copying, downloading, packaging, or publishing external assets.
• Use audio-source-policy.md when scouting royalty-free, open-licensed, SFX, music, or YouTube-origin audio.

Handoff Contract

Return this shape before downstream work uses any source:

• selectedSource: site, component, model, track, font, or provider URL
• usageMode: inspiration-only, code-native-rebuild, downloaded-asset, generated-asset, or reference-provider
• licenseStatus: verified, needs-review, or rejected
• attribution: author, title, license, license URL, and source URL
• policyRoute: quick map, provenance gate, audio policy, or none
• evidencePath: source notes, license file, certificate, or review bundle path when known
• nextGate: source-media review, media-index, video-render, or publish-prep-review
• fallback: safest original/local alternative if rights are unclear
• downstreamSkill: target skill and why it should receive this source

High-Leverage Buckets

• Animation/UI: use for hook cards, explainer overlays, product UI demos, and landing-page-style motion.
• 3D/game assets: use for rights-cleared gameplay-like loops, props, characters, materials, and environment references.
• Stock/visual assets: use for B-roll, icons, illustrations, mockups, texture layers, and visual metaphors.
• AI generation: use for providers, APIs, model references, and experimental visual lanes when deterministic local assets are not enough.
• Audio/music: use for SFX, music beds, voice references, and platform-native sound texture; route exact asset choices through the audio source policy before direct use.
• Inspiration/creative coding: use for style direction, not as copy-paste permission.

Hard Blocks

• Do not use a catalog entry as proof that the asset is free or safe.
• Do not copy a published component, model, track, or clip into this repo without a license and attribution note.
• Do not use watermarked previews in public demos.
• Do not rip arbitrary YouTube audio or treat “no copyright” uploads as rights evidence.
• Do not add paid or gated assets as required defaults.
• Do not replace the chosen content lane just because a source site has a cool asset.

Output Expectations

When advising, return:

• category selected
• shortlist of candidate sites
• why each site fits the current video
• license/current-availability checks still required
• safest fallback if rights are unclear

When executing, produce:

• source shortlist or selected asset notes
• asset ledger entries for anything copied or downloaded
• original code-native recreations when assets are not clearly reusable
• review notes for watermark, attribution, and safe-zone risk

Validation Checklist

• The selected sites match the actual short-form lane.
• Current terms were checked before any asset was copied.
• Source and attribution notes exist for every external asset.
• The final render has no unexpected watermark or burned-in source text.
• External inspiration was rebuilt as original work when rights were ambiguous.