Separate generation failure from edit problems
Late-frame deformation and reversed motion usually require generation repair. A slow entrance or dead tail may only need a trim. Check the timeline before paying for another generation.
Build repair targets from evidence
'Make it better' is not executable. State the timecode, the conflict with the shot brief and the portion that must remain unchanged.
- Preserve the approved opening
- Locate the first broken frame
- State the required ending
- Block new characters or props
Never overwrite a candidate
A new result should become another version. The old take may have stronger performance; the new one may solve the ending. Comparison and rollback are part of production, not optional history.
Know when to stop
If an artifact neither changes story comprehension nor creates an obvious visual break, another model call may not be worth it. Spend on the shots that carry the narrative turn.