Going Viral with Bouncing Balls
Export settings and creative patterns that help bouncing-ball videos perform on short-form.
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Export Vertical, Always
Short-form platforms are vertical. Export at the 9:16 aspect ratio so your video fills the entire phone screen — cropped or letterboxed landscape footage consistently under-performs. Set the ratio in the REC tab before you record.
Record at 60 FPS in 9:16. The combination of vertical framing and smooth high-frame-rate motion is what makes these loops feel "satisfying" in the first second of autoplay.
Hook in the First Two Seconds
Autoplay feeds are won or lost in the first two seconds. Start your recording at a visually interesting moment, not a calm empty canvas, and use a title hook ("Will it escape?") to set up a question the viewer wants answered. Anticipation is the engine of retention.
Make It Loop
Perfect loops trigger automatic replays, which inflates watch time and signals the algorithm to push your video further. Time your run so the ending state matches the opening frame — for example, end exactly when a melody completes or a ball count resets — so the loop point is seamless and viewers cannot tell where it restarts.
Match the Mode to the Outcome
Different modes drive retention in different ways. Use the format whose payoff fits the video you want to make.
| Goal | Best mode |
|---|---|
| Suspense / "will it make it?" | Escape or Ghost Escape |
| Music / "ball plays a song" | Rhythmic |
| Build-up / crescendo | Spawner |
| Calm / mesmerizing | Drawer or Spiral |
| Satisfying destruction | Breaker or Spiral |
Platform Notes
TikTok, Reels, and Shorts all reward the same fundamentals — vertical framing, a fast hook, clean loops, and crisp audio. Keep audio sync tight so the bounces land on the beat, and keep clips short enough that viewers reach the payoff. Paid plans include a commercial license so you can monetize what you export.