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The Scorecard answers: how well does this video execute, for what it is? A 15-second B2B ad and a 33-minute documentary shouldn’t be graded on the same rubric — so videngineer first classifies the format (see What it’s selling), then scores the video on a dimension set specific to that format. Same container, format-specific dimensions and weights.

The output

FieldWhat it holds
formatThe format this video was scored as (from the classification layer)
overall0–10, the weighted mean of the dimension scores
dimensionsOne entry per dimension: key, label, score (0–10), read (a one-line concrete note), weight
verdictA one-line synthesis of the whole scorecard
benchmarkWhich band the overall score lands in

Benchmark bands

OverallRead
8.0+Top-tier execution for its format
6.5–7.9Solid; a few fixable weak points
5.0–6.4Middling — clear room to sharpen
Below 5.0Below the bar for this format

Dimension sets by format

Each format gets its own dimensions and weights. The B2B ad rubric, for example:
DimensionWeightWhat’s judged
Hook · first 3s0.30Does the open grab with a concrete, countable cost or tension — not a tagline?
Problem → cut → calm0.25Is there a clean escalate → hard-cut → reveal arc? Is the cut decisive?
Brand restraint0.15Is the product held back until the calm, with minimal screen time?
Direct CTA0.15Is the close direct — brand and URL clear — not a logo flourish?
Production polish0.15Lighting, motion, edit quality relative to the format’s bar
The other rubrics, at a glance:
FormatDimensions (heaviest first)
ugc_adFirst 3 seconds · native/un-ad feel · persona & trust · payoff/demo · CTA clarity
short_form_hookFirst 3 seconds · loop/retention · payoff · one clear idea
long_form_docNarrative arc · b-roll support · act breaks & re-hooks · retention engineering · authority
explainerConcept clarity · visual metaphor density · logical build · retention · hook
tutorialStep clarity · completeness · pacing · hook/why-watch · screen clarity
product_demoValue clarity · demo flow · proof/outcome · CTA · production
vlogHook · story through-line · personality · pacing & edit · payoff
cinematicVisual craft · mood/atmosphere · sound design · emotional arc
news_commentaryArgument clarity · hook/framing · credibility · pacing
anything elseHook · structure · retention · clarity · production
Every dimension score comes with a read — a one-line, concrete note on why it scored that way, grounded in the blueprint and script data rather than generic praise.

What to do with it

  • Read the read lines before the numbers. “Hook 6.2 — opens on a tagline, tension arrives at second 9” tells you what to fix; the number alone doesn’t.
  • Weight your revisions like the rubric weights. On a B2B ad, a +1 on the hook moves the overall twice as much as a +1 on polish. Spend your iteration budget accordingly.
  • Compare videos within a format only. A 7.4 tutorial and a 7.4 cinematic film are both good — at completely different things. Cross-format comparison is what the format-aware design exists to prevent.
  • If the format looks wrong, check the classification. The scorecard inherits its rubric from What it’s selling — a misread format means a misfit rubric, and that layer records the evidence for its call.

What it's selling

The classification that picks this scorecard’s rubric.

Hooks & re-hooks

The hook dimension, unpacked.

Script analysis

The narrative data the scores are grounded in.

The Blueprint

The visual data behind the production dimensions.