Instagram Thread Carousel

Thread-to-Carousel Generator

Convert a text thread into Instagram carousel slides styled as tweet/X post mockups. Each slide renders a clean tweet card with profile picture, display name, verified badge, handle, and the tweet text. Optionally embed images in tweets and combine short tweets 2-per-slide.

Process

Step 1: Gather the Thread

Get the thread content from the user. They may:

• Paste a thread of text directly
• Provide a topic and ask you to write the thread
• Share screenshots or existing tweets to recreate

If writing the thread, use the voice and tone from CLAUDE.md. Each tweet in the thread should be a self-contained thought that flows into the next.

Step 2: Gather Profile Info

Ask for anything not already known:

1. Display name - the bold name shown on each tweet
2. Handle - e.g., @itstylergermain
3. Verified - show the blue checkmark? (default: true)
4. Headshot - path to profile photo. List available files with ls .claude/skills/instagram-thread-carousel/headshots/ and let the user pick, or use the first one found.

If CLAUDE.md has been personalized (audit has been run), pull the name and handle from there.

Step 3: Break the Thread into Slides

Rules for slide layout:

One tweet per slide (default):

• Any tweet with an embedded image gets its own slide
• Tweets longer than ~200 characters get their own slide
• The first tweet (hook) always gets its own slide
• The title slide (slide 1) should ALWAYS have an image. A strong image on the first slide is critical for stopping the scroll.

Two tweets per slide:

• Combine consecutive short tweets (under ~150 characters each, no images) onto one slide
• This keeps the carousel compact and scannable
• A light gray divider line separates the two tweets

Walk through the thread and decide the slide breakdown. Present it to the user before generating:

Slide 1: Tweet 1 (hook) - own slide
Slide 2: Tweet 2 + Tweet 3 - combined (both short)
Slide 3: Tweet 4 - own slide (has image)
Slide 4: Tweet 5 + Tweet 6 - combined (both short)
Slide 5: Tweet 7 (CTA) - own slide

Step 4: Handle Images

Images make carousels significantly more engaging. For each tweet that could benefit from a visual, determine how to source the image:

User-provided images:

• The user provides file paths or URLs directly
• If they provide URLs, download the images to the carousel's ref/ subfolder first

Search for images with Tavily: If the user doesn't provide images (or asks you to find them), use the Tavily image search script to find relevant visuals:

python3 .claude/skills/instagram-thread-carousel/scripts/tavily-image-search.py "search query" workspace/<date>/<title>/ref --count 5

This downloads images and creates a manifest JSON. Review the downloaded images and pick the best ones for each tweet. Good search queries are specific - e.g., "YouTube thumbnail example tech channel" not just "thumbnail".

Requires TAVILY_API_KEY in .env. If not set, skip image search and proceed with text-only slides.

Search for GIFs with Giphy: When the carousel calls for animated content (reaction GIFs, demonstrations, etc.):

python3 .claude/skills/instagram-thread-carousel/scripts/giphy-search.py "search query" workspace/<date>/<title>/ref --count 5

Downloads GIFs and creates a manifest JSON. The thread-to-carousel script automatically handles animated GIFs by outputting both an MP4 (for Instagram) and a PNG (static preview).

Requires GIPHY_API_KEY in .env.

Website screenshots: When the carousel is about a website, product, or tool, take a fresh screenshot instead of relying on Tavily (which often returns outdated images):

python3 .claude/skills/instagram-thread-carousel/scripts/website-screenshot.py "https://example.com" workspace/<date>/<title>/ref/homepage.png --width 1280 --height 800

Options: --width and --height set the viewport, --full-page captures the entire scrollable page. Requires playwright (pip install playwright && playwright install chromium).

Always prefer a live screenshot over a Tavily image search result when the carousel is about a specific website or product.

Website recordings with Steel: When you need a video recording of browsing a website (for animated carousel slides or reference), use the Steel browser:

python3 .claude/skills/instagram-thread-carousel/scripts/steel-browse.py browse-plan.json workspace/<date>/<title>/ref

Create a browse-plan.json with a list of actions:

{
  "viewport": { "width": 1920, "height": 1080 },
  "actions": [
    { "action": "navigate", "url": "https://example.com", "label": "Open homepage", "wait": 2000 },
    { "action": "click", "selector": "button.cta", "label": "Click CTA", "wait": 1500 },
    { "action": "click_at", "x": 960, "y": 540, "label": "Click center", "wait": 1000 },
    { "action": "scroll", "y": 500, "label": "Scroll down", "wait": 1000 },
    { "action": "hover", "selector": ".card", "label": "Hover card", "wait": 1000 },
    { "action": "type", "selector": "input.search", "text": "query", "label": "Type search", "wait": 1000 },
    { "action": "keyboard_type", "text": "hello world", "label": "Type text", "wait": 1000 },
    { "action": "keyboard_press", "key": "Enter", "label": "Press Enter", "wait": 1000 }
  ]
}

Outputs recording.mp4 and moments.json to the output directory. Requires STEEL_API_KEY in .env and pip install steel-sdk playwright.

Image rules:

• Images appear below the tweet text with rounded corners
• Tweets with images always get their own slide (the image needs the space)
• Prefer landscape or square images - very tall images eat too much slide space
• Screenshots, product shots, and UI mockups work best for this format

Step 5: Generate the Config

Each carousel gets its own folder under workspace/ organized by date and title. Pick a short, descriptive name based on the topic (e.g., thumbnail-generator, claude-youtube, ai-agents-101).

Folder structure:

workspace/<date>/<title>/
├── config.json        # Slide config
├── ref/               # Reference images used in slides
│   ├── screenshot.png
│   └── ...
├── slide-01.png       # Generated slides
├── slide-02.png
└── ...

Create the config file at workspace/<date>/<title>/config.json:

{
  "profile": {
    "name": "Display Name",
    "handle": "@handle",
    "verified": true,
    "headshot": ".claude/skills/instagram-thread-carousel/headshots/tyler-headshot.png"
  },
  "theme": "light",
  "slides": [
    {
      "tweets": [
        {
          "text": "This is the first tweet.\n\nIt can have multiple paragraphs.\n\nUse \\n for line breaks.",
          "image": null
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "video": "workspace/<date>/<title>/ref/demo.mp4"
    },
    {
      "tweets": [
        { "text": "Short tweet one.", "image": null },
        { "text": "Short tweet two.", "image": null }
      ]
    },
    {
      "tweets": [
        {
          "text": "Tweet with an image below it.",
          "image": "workspace/<date>/<title>/ref/screenshot.jpg"
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Config options:

• theme - "light" (white background, dark text) or "dark" (black background, light text). Default: "light".

Video slides:

• Use "video": "path/to/video.mp4" at the slide level (no tweets needed)
• The script copies the MP4 to the output as slide-XX.mp4 and extracts a slide-XX.png preview
• Instagram carousels support mixing images and videos - use video slides for screen recordings, demos, or animated content
• Use the screen-demo skill or Steel browser recordings to create polished demo videos, then reference the output MP4 in the carousel config
• Video slides do NOT render tweet-style cards - they're raw video files for Instagram

Text formatting tips:

• Use \n for line breaks within a tweet
• Use \n\n for paragraph breaks (adds extra spacing)
• Arrow bullets work: → Point one\n→ Point two
• Emoji and special characters are supported (font-dependent)

Step 6: Run the Script

python3 .claude/skills/instagram-thread-carousel/scripts/thread-to-carousel.py workspace/<date>/<title>/config.json workspace/<date>/<title>

This generates numbered PNG files: slide-01.png, slide-02.png, etc. inside the carousel folder.

Step 7: Present the Results

Show the user:

1. How many slides were generated
2. The folder path where everything is saved
3. Offer to adjust - re-run with different text, different slide breakdown, or different images

Read and display the generated slide images so the user can see them inline.

Animated slides: When a slide contains an animated GIF, the script outputs both an .mp4 (full-color video for Instagram) and a .png (a static preview of the first frame). Always display the .png preview - never try to read the .mp4 file directly. Tell the user the MP4 version is saved alongside it for posting.

Text Style Guide

When writing threads for the user, follow these patterns from high-performing tweet-style carousels:

Hook Tweet (Slide 1) - The Most Important Slide

The hook makes or breaks the entire carousel. A bad hook means zero impressions; a great hook stops the scroll. The thread hook must work as a standalone tweet - if it wouldn't perform on its own, it won't perform as a carousel opener either.

Core principles:

• The hook must stop someone from scrolling. If it doesn't interrupt, nothing else matters.
• The first line and second line must connect logically. A disconnected transition kills the hook.
• Match market awareness. Audiences are desensitized - "I make $10K/month" or "I'm a millionaire" doesn't stop anyone anymore. The claim has to be genuinely surprising for the current landscape.
• Cast a wide net AND deliver on it. A broad hook only works if the content actually applies to the wide audience you promised.

Proven hook frameworks (master these first, then experiment):

1. Borrowed Authority - Open with a well-known person's name, then follow with a surprising claim or hot take. The name grabs attention; the claim holds it.

   • "Chris Williamson is undergoing massive toxin-induced mental health issues"
   • "You can copy Donald Trump.\nYou can copy Barack Obama.\nYou can copy Bill Clinton."

2. Surprising Statistic - Lead with a specific, hard-to-ignore number. Stats create instant credibility and curiosity.

   • "99% of lottery winners go broke within 5 years."
   • "20+ years of business in a nutshell:"

3. Direct Listicle - State exactly what the list is about. No cleverness needed - the format itself stops the scroll. Listicles and how-tos are the two highest-performing written content formats on the internet.

   • "Signs of high vibration:"
   • "7 supplements I'm getting my aging parents to take:"

4. High-TAM "Everyone" Hook - Cast the widest possible net, but ONLY if the content genuinely delivers for that audience. A bad "everyone" hook claims breadth but delivers niche content.

   • GOOD: "Everyone on the planet should read this book" - recommends a universally applicable book
   • GOOD: "Everyone needs to hear this" - shares a universal life lesson
   • BAD: "Everyone's teaching you tactics" - pivots to niche entrepreneur advice

5. Numbers Up Front - Start the hook with a number. Specific numbers outperform vague claims.

   • "20+ years of business in a nutshell:"
   • "7 supplements I'm getting my aging parents to take:"

6. Direct "You" Address - Point directly at the reader. Make them feel personally called out.

   • "You have the exact same tax code as Donald Trump."
   • "You can copy Barack Obama."

What kills a hook:

• Desensitized claims - "I'm a millionaire" doesn't stand out anymore. If using a flex, it has to be genuinely extraordinary for the platform.
• Disconnected lines - The first and second lines must flow. "I'm a millionaire. If you suddenly become rich overnight..." doesn't connect.
• Cliches - "Playing checkers while a small group is playing chess" means nothing. Everyone can say it.
• Wide net, narrow delivery - Don't say "everyone" if the content only applies to a niche audience.
• Unlikely scenarios - "If you suddenly become rich overnight" is more likely to get dunked on than to get authentic engagement.

Body Tweets

• One idea per tweet
• Use arrow bullets (→) for lists
• Break up dense info across multiple tweets
• Numbers and dollar amounts grab attention
• Short paragraphs with line breaks between them
• Waterfall structure for lists: Order list items from shortest to longest sentence length. This creates a staircase/waterfall visual that's aesthetically pleasing and makes people stop to read.

  → People stare at you
  → Kids like you
  → Animals feel safe around you
  → Strangers tell you their life story
  → You walk into a room and the energy shifts
  

• Contrasting pairs work well for frameworks: Alternate between two categories to create rhythm.

  Chess: manage their energy
  Checkers: manage their time
  Chess: optimize their psychology
  Checkers: optimize their funnel
  

• 7 is the sweet spot for listicles. Not too short, not too long - scans well on a carousel.

CTA Tweet (Last Slide)

• Clear call to action: follow, save, share, comment
• Can summarize the key takeaway
• Keep it short - the carousel already delivered the value

Layout Reference

Each slide is 1080x1350px (Instagram 4:5 portrait).

Single tweet slide:

• White background (light theme) or black background (dark theme)
• Circular profile pic (80px) - top left
• Bold name + blue verified badge + gray handle - next to pic
• Tweet text - large, clean sans-serif, generous line spacing
• Optional image - full width, rounded corners, below text
• Content vertically centered on the slide

Two-tweet slide:

• Same layout, two tweets stacked
• Light gray divider line between them
• Both vertically centered together

Generating Images for Slides

If the user doesn't have enough screenshots or reference images to fill out a carousel, generate them with Gemini. The script produces 16:9 landscape images designed to embed inside carousel slides below the tweet text. It has a built-in style guide that ensures dark, moody, cinematic results matching the carousel aesthetic.

python3 .claude/skills/instagram-thread-carousel/scripts/generate_carousel_image.py \
    --prompt "description of the image you need" \
    --output workspace/<date>/<title>/ref/generated-image.png

Options:

• --reference path/to/screenshot.png - Pass existing images for context (e.g., a raw screenshot to stylize into a mockup)
• --headshot .claude/skills/instagram-thread-carousel/headshots/tyler-headshot.png - Include a person in the generated image
• --examples path/to/style-ref.png - Style inspiration images

Then reference the generated image in the slide config:

{"text": "slide text here", "image": "workspace/<date>/<title>/ref/generated-image.png"}

Good prompts for carousel images:

• Product mockups: "A sleek MacBook screen showing [product UI] floating on a dark cinematic background with subtle blue glow accents"
• Concept illustrations: "A dark moody illustration showing a terminal prompt on the left with a glowing arrow pointing to a finished YouTube thumbnail on the right"
• Before/after: "Split image: left side shows a messy manual process, right side shows clean automated output - dark tech aesthetic with cyan accents"
• Process diagrams: "Three connected nodes on a dark background showing: raw data → AI processing → polished output, with subtle neon connecting lines"
• Styled screenshots: Pass the raw screenshot as --reference and prompt: "Render this UI screenshot on an elegant floating device mockup with dramatic dark lighting and subtle shadow"

Requires GEMINI_API_KEY in .env.

Troubleshooting

Fonts look wrong: The script tries SF Pro → Helvetica → Arial → DejaVu Sans. If none are found, it falls back to Pillow's default. Install a clean sans-serif font for best results.

Text overflows the slide: Break long tweets into multiple shorter ones. The script wraps text automatically, but very long tweets with images may push content off the bottom.

Images look stretched: Images maintain their aspect ratio. Very tall images will take up a lot of slide space - crop them to landscape or square before using.

Profile pic not found: Check the path in the config. Headshots should be in .claude/skills/instagram-thread-carousel/headshots/. The script draws a gray circle as a placeholder if no headshot is found.

Animated slides look wrong or crash the session: The script outputs .mp4 (via ffmpeg) for animated slides instead of GIF, preserving full color. A .png preview is also saved for chat display. If ffmpeg is not installed, it falls back to GIF (which has color limitations). Install ffmpeg with brew install ffmpeg.

Emoji rendering: The script uses pilmoji with AppleEmojiSource for native Apple emoji rendering. If pilmoji is not installed (pip3 install pilmoji), emoji will render as blank squares. The emoji vertical alignment is corrected with emoji_position_offset=(0, -6) in the script.

Image Fitting Rules

When a slide has both text AND an embedded image, the text must be short enough that the image isn't cut off or shrunk too small. Follow these rules:

Slides with images should have SHORT text:

• 1-3 short lines max when an image is present
• If the content needs more text, split it across two slides: one image slide with a brief label, and one text-only slide with the detail

When the user provides their own images:

• Always use the user's real screenshots/images over generated ones
• Check the image dimensions - landscape images fit best below tweet text
• If an image is getting cut off, shorten the text first before resizing the image

Splitting content for image slides: Instead of cramming a long explanation + image onto one slide, do this:

• Slide A (image slide): Short punchy text (1-2 lines) + the image
• Slide B (detail slide): The longer explanation, text-only

This keeps image slides clean and readable at carousel-swiping speed.