One script, three lengths: 60, 180 and 600 s billed at 10, 30, 100c
A 60-second Reel, a 180-second Short and a 600-second TikTok each fit their platform's page. Sume Timeline bills them at $0.10, $0.30 and $1.00.
Cut one script to 60, 180, and 600 seconds and each fits a vendor limit: a 60-second Reel, a 180-second YouTube Short, and a 600-second TikTok recorded in the app. Sume Timeline bills them at $0.10, $0.30, and $1.00, because the rate is $0.10 per started output minute.
The limits are from YouTube Help (Shorts up to 3 minutes), TikTok Support (record up to 10 minutes), and Instagram Help (record up to 20 minutes; over 3 minutes not recommended to new audiences), all read 2026-10-06.
What does each length cost and where does it fit?
The figures are laid out below.
| Length | Billed minutes | Timeline cost | Fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60 seconds | 1 | $0.10 | Reels, Shorts, TikTok |
| 180 seconds | 3 | $0.30 | Shorts maximum; Reels at the recommended ceiling |
| 600 seconds | 10 | $1.00 | TikTok in-app record limit; too long for Shorts |
How do I produce all three?
Write the 600-second master first, then derive the shorter cuts from it. For each target, set audio.duration_seconds to 60, 180, or 600 and choose the video[] slots and audio.source_in that carry the highlights. Each is its own render with its own Idempotency-Key. The default output is 1080x1920 MP4, which suits all three platforms, per the Timeline 1.0 docs.
The whole set costs $1.40 to render. If you also want a 61-second cut, note it bills 2 minutes, so trim it to 60 seconds.
What should the shorter cuts keep?
The hook and the point, not a squeezed copy of everything. A 60-second cut is a different edit, not a faster playback. Check each body with the unbilled POST /v1/timeline-1.0/plan call, which returns billable_minutes and the estimated cost, before you submit.
Sources
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