---
source_hash: 60a4b761d0cea4d9933d517cb8d9932f9c71c5b9f47b6fdfb3fd34063e339602
post: /posts/workflows/direct-the-screen
shape: doctrinal
---

# Context Pack: Direct the screen

Agent reference for the rewritten live-direction essay. Only quoted excerpts are verbatim. “Never wrote a prompt” describes not preparing a complete design brief in advance; Ari still gave instructions throughout.

## Verbatim excerpts

> They were short notes against something I could see.

> A successful compile still leaves the visual judgement to you.

> The named values make the result repeatable.

## Reported build

Ari used her film-directing practice on a live website: inspect the frame, give one note, let the agent implement it and see the result before calling the next change. She reviewed the frames and called the moves.

The result had twelve CRT monitors playing the showreel at different seconds, scanlines, flicker and teal light. “Make the cursor knock the screens” led to signal tearing, colour separation and occasional black static followed by recovery. “Dirtier” added a pink/teal pointer spark; the headline received a custom glitch typeface. These details emerged during the loop rather than all being specified at the start.

## Five-step contract

1. Get the page running and inspect it; aesthetic notes need a visible reference.
2. Change one thing per round so the reaction has an identifiable cause.
3. Name and expose every tunable visual value as a dial the human can steer without translating every note into code.
4. The agent proves its edit compiles before calling it finished; the human still judges the visual result.
5. Save the chosen final dial values as a reusable design system.

A written brief remains useful. Live direction supplies direct evidence of how the rendered thing looks and moves. It does not eliminate human authorship or make compilation proof equivalent to visual acceptance.

## References and starting point

Use the open-source [art-direct skill](https://github.com/Pushing-Squares/art-direct) on one screen with a clear purpose. Give one concrete note, wait for the result, inspect it and retain the chosen settings.

The essay keeps `CrtKnockFidget`, `DialsToTokensFidget` and both live-loop and prompt-versus-direction diagrams. Canonical body: `content/posts/workflows/direct-the-screen.mdx`.