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Emotion Close Up

Stage: Package → Thumbnails
Score: 4
Evidence: platform observation

What It Is

A thumbnail using a close-up frame of the speaker showing strong emotion — surprise, excitement, intensity. The facial expression does the selling.

Quality Bar

  • Readable at 120x120px minimum
  • Maximum 5-7 words of text
  • High contrast between text and background
  • Brand colors consistent with show identity
  • Face visible when using headshot or emotion styles

When Not To Use

Avoid when the speaker's expression does not genuinely convey energy. Forced emotion reads as clickbait.

Prompt Template

Copy and customize this prompt to generate this pattern:

Create a thumbnail using the Emotion Close Up pattern.

Context:
- Episode topic: [what is this episode about]
- Key visual element: [what should dominate the thumbnail]
- Show brand colors: [hex codes or color names]
- Text overlay (if any): [maximum 5-7 words]

Requirements:
- Readable at 120x120px minimum
- High contrast between text and background
- Brand colors consistent with show identity
- 16:9 for YouTube, 1:1 option for podcast apps

Replace the bracketed placeholders with your specific details. The more context you provide about your audience, guest, and episode content, the better the output.