Short-form is where attention lives now — and where most brands post content that gets scrolled past. The difference between a short that dies at 200 views and one that travels isn't luck. It's the edit: the hook in the first second, the pacing that never lets attention drop, the captions that hold muted viewers.
The Astra Forge edits short-form video for US brands at $15 per short: Reels, TikToks, and YouTube Shorts cut hook-first, captioned, and finished in 48 hours per video. Send raw clips, a long video to cut down, or just an idea — we handle the rest.
One revision round. No commitment. Free sample edit to prove it.
The anatomy of a scroll-stopping short
Every short we cut is built around the same skeleton, because the platforms reward the same behavior: a hook in the first 1-3 seconds that earns the next 10, pacing with a cut or visual change every few seconds, and captions styled to be readable at a glance.
We open with your strongest moment — not your logo, not an intro, the payoff or the provocative claim — then structure the remaining seconds to deliver on the hook's promise. B-roll, zooms, sound effects, and on-screen text keep the eye moving. Music is chosen for energy, not just background fill.
This isn't guesswork; it's the editing pattern behind the shorts that consistently outperform. Whether the source is your talking-head footage, a podcast episode, or raw phone clips, the edit follows what the algorithm rewards: retention. Pair this with our podcast-to-shorts service if your long-form content should be feeding your short-form channels.
Repurpose what you have, or start from scratch
Most of our short-form work starts from footage you already own: a webinar, a talking-head video, a podcast episode, even a screen recording. We find the moments worth clipping and cut them into standalone shorts that make sense without the original context — each one captioned, paced, and formatted for 9:16.
Starting from scratch works too. Send raw phone clips — a product demo, a behind-the-scenes moment, a quick tip — and we'll shape them into finished shorts with hooks, captions, and music. Fitness coaches send workout clips (see our fitness industry page); ecommerce brands send product footage that becomes AI UGC-style ads.
Either way, you approve a free sample edit first. If the style isn't right, we adjust before you've spent anything.
Volume without the quality drop
Posting three times a week beats posting once a month — but only if every post holds the standard. That's the failure mode of cheap editing: the first videos look great, then quality slides as volume rises. Our workflow is built to prevent exactly that.
Every short goes through the same pipeline: hook check, caption accuracy pass, audio leveling, format verification for each platform. Batch your clips and they move through on a rolling 48-hour-per-video turnaround, so a month of content can be produced in days, not weeks.
The monthly packages are priced for this rhythm: Starter at $199/mo gets you 15 shorts, Growth at $499/mo gets 30 shorts plus talking-head minutes, Brand at $999/mo gets 50 shorts plus avatar and talking-head. All include captions, color, and voiceover work, one revision round, and pause-or-cancel-anytime flexibility. Compare on pricing.
What $15 per short actually includes
Hook-first edit with retention pacing. Styled word-by-word captions. Licensed music and sound effects. B-roll integration from your footage. Color correction and audio cleanup. One revision round. Delivery in 9:16, ready for Reels, TikTok, and Shorts.
Turnaround is 48 hours per video; 24-hour rush is available at +25% when you're riding a trend. There's no minimum order — one short costs $15, fifteen shorts cost $225, and the monthly packages discount from there.
The Astra Forge is an AI video editing agency for US brands, founded February 2026, also serving the UK, Europe, Canada, and Australia. Start with a free sample edit: send a clip, get a finished short back, and post it. If it performs, we'll talk about the other 29.
How it works
1. Send your footage
Raw clips, a long video to cut down, or just an idea — phone footage is perfectly fine.
2. We edit with AI
We cut hook-first, add styled captions, b-roll, music, and pacing engineered for retention.
3. You review
Finished short within 48 hours per video, with one revision round to nail your style.
4. Scale
Batch your clips monthly and keep every feed active — pause or cancel anytime.
Pricing
Short-form edits from $15, talking-head editing at $30/finished min, AI avatar videos at $50/finished min — or a monthly package from $199/mo. 24h rush delivery available (+25%). See full pricing →
Frequently asked questions
What formats do you deliver?
9:16 vertical, ready for Reels, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts, with captions burned in. Need square or landscape versions too? Just ask on the lead form.
How fast is turnaround?
48 hours per video as standard. 24-hour rush delivery is available at +25% for trend-chasing or launches.
What footage do you need from me?
Whatever you have: raw phone clips, talking-head recordings, podcast episodes, webinars, screen recordings. We'll find the moments and cut them into standalone shorts.
Is the music licensed?
Yes — we use licensed/royalty-free music and sound effects in every edit, so your posts won't get muted or flagged.
How many revisions do I get?
One revision round per video is included. Most clients lock their style on the free sample edit, so revisions are usually minor tweaks.