Playbook · YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels and TikTok
How to make behind-the-scenes clips for Shorts, Reels and TikTok
Short answer
Show how a product / event / episode was actually made, in a short-form clip that builds trust and curiosity. Deliver 9:16 on YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels and TikTok. Burn captions in on every platform.
Start from: vertical phone camera, behind-the-camera selfie angles and process B-roll.
The steps
- Capture B-roll: Shoot 2-3 minutes of process clips on phone; favour motion, not talking head.
- Pick 3-5 strongest moments: Filter to moments that change or reveal something. (Highlight detector)
- Crop 16:9 to 9:16: Subject-tracking reframe so the action stays in the safe-zone. (Landscape to Vertical)
- Burn captions: Use lower-thirds, not full-width - let the action breathe. (Burn-in)
- Export pack: 9:16 short + 1:1 carousel for the same source. (Content Pack)
What to produce: Vertical 30s B-roll highlight (9:16, 30 s); Process carousel (5-8 slides) (1:1).
Platform by platform
| Platform | Aspect | Length | Captions | Reframe from 16:9 | Safe zone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YouTube Shorts | 9:16 | up to 30 s | Burned in | Yes | Apply before upload |
| Instagram Reels | 9:16 | up to 30 s | Burned in | Yes | Apply before upload |
| TikTok | 9:16 | up to 30 s | Burned in | Yes | Apply before upload |
Behind-the-scenes clips on YouTube Shorts
- Hook
- First 3 seconds decide Shorts retention - open on the strongest beat.
- Captions
- Burned-in captions; Shorts allow heavier caption styling.
- Deliver
- Vertical 30s B-roll highlight (9:16); Process carousel (5-8 slides) (1:1)
YouTube Shorts export preset · YouTube Shorts safe-zone overlay
Behind-the-scenes clips on Instagram Reels
- Hook
- Lead with motion; Reels favours strong visual hooks.
- Captions
- Burned-in lower-thirds; Reels tolerates heavy captions.
- Deliver
- Vertical 30s B-roll highlight (9:16); Process carousel (5-8 slides) (1:1)
Instagram Reels export preset · Instagram Reels safe-zone overlay
Behind-the-scenes clips on TikTok
- Hook
- Lead with the surprising beat; TikTok rewards pattern interrupts.
- Captions
- Burned-in captions; place inside the platform safe-zone.
- Deliver
- Vertical 30s B-roll highlight (9:16); Process carousel (5-8 slides) (1:1)
Pitfalls to avoid
- Talking-head intro makes the clip feel like every other channel
- Music bed that masks the real audio of the process
- Forgetting the brand/product reveal moment
Turn one source into the clips
Koldflux turns one long video into ready-to-post vertical clips with captions.
Questions people ask
What aspect ratio should behind-the-scenes clips use?
9:16 on YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels and TikTok.
How long should behind-the-scenes clips be?
YouTube Shorts: up to 30 s, Instagram Reels: up to 30 s and TikTok: up to 30 s.
Do behind-the-scenes clips need burned-in captions?
YouTube Shorts: burned-in recommended, Instagram Reels: burned-in recommended and TikTok: burned-in recommended.
Related playbooks and guides
Sources
- Hootsuite social content playbook, verified September 18, 2026.
- HubSpot content types overview, verified September 18, 2026.