Make the first moments understandable.

Watch before pausing

Watch the original at normal speed. Write down what you understood about the product, benefit and brand. Then inspect individual frames to locate the evidence behind that interpretation.

Check the same opening without audio. Captions and visible demonstrations may carry different information from the soundtrack. Record the difference without asserting a universal mute rate.

Mark observations, not retention

Record when the product, claim, brand and next action appear. If an element is missing or illegible, say so. These timestamps describe the creative file; they are not a viewer retention curve.

An opening can raise a useful question without displaying every element at once. Judge the choice against the brief and intended placement rather than an invented universal deadline.

Write a Keep / Change / Test brief

Keep the parts that explain the offer or identify the brand. Specify the exact scene or text to change, explain why, and preserve the original version.

Define the proposed test before seeing results. Use real audience evidence and comparable campaign measurements to assess it. The model recommendation remains separate from the human choice and observed result.

Continue the review

Use the Hook Timer to mark creative moments, read the methodology and evidence limits, or return to the industry review guides.