# Studio chat and selected-clip regeneration

> The exact current boundary of Director chat in the project workspace.

Canonical: https://docs.onira.studio/studio/chat-and-directed-edits
Section: studio

Director chat is a narrow assistant rail inside the project workspace. In the current verified editing path, it can regenerate one selected PREVIEW timeline video clip through the `regenerate_video` action.

It is not a general conversational editor. Do not use chat to promise still-image, narration, voice, music, sound-effect, subtitle-style, screenplay-text, clip-order, or timeline-structure edits.

## Chat states

The chat rail can show:

- Static conversation history.
- Streaming assistant responses.
- Thinking state with elapsed time.
- Tool-call state while the selected-clip action is being prepared.
- Slow response notice after a long response.
- Retry banner after a failed send.
- Stop generating action for in-flight responses.
- Pipeline progress indicator while production is running.

The chat history is loaded per project. Draft text is stored per project in local browser storage.

## Composer locking

The composer is locked while:

- The pipeline is running and not waiting for blueprint approval.
- The pipeline has failed.

While locked, messages can queue in the current session and send once the lock releases.

## Blueprint approval

Blueprint approval is a distinct review-gate control. It is not evidence that chat can perform arbitrary blueprint or asset edits.

## Selected PREVIEW clip workflow

1. Open the Timeline after the project reaches PREVIEW.
2. Select the video clip that needs replacement.
3. Describe the requested change while that clip remains selected.
4. Review the generated replacement in the timeline.
5. Compare available versions and keep the accepted one before rendering.

The selected clip context identifies the visual, clip index, timing, duration, and thumbnail where available. The current chat action is scoped to that video clip.

## Separate direct controls

Other Studio surfaces can expose direct controls such as blueprint portrait or subject regeneration, voice selection, subtitle styling, track muting, video-version selection, render, and download. These are separate controls, not chat capabilities. Availability must be checked in the deployed product before relying on a control in a production workflow.

## Feedback and cited actions

Messages can carry feedback state and cited action chips. A cited action chip can navigate to the selected project entity or tab; it does not broaden the action that chat is allowed to execute.

## Good requests

Use a request that describes the replacement for the selected PREVIEW video clip:

- "Regenerate clip 4 with a colder, more archival look."
- "Replace the selected clip with slower camera movement and less dramatic light."
- "Regenerate this selected video clip without readable signs in the background."

Do not ask chat to rewrite narration, restyle subtitles, replace a still image, change music, rearrange the timeline, or revise the screenplay. Use a verified direct control where one exists; otherwise the change is outside the current editing boundary.

## Product and publication boundary

- Onira produces a reviewable MP4; it does not upload or schedule social posts.
- Creators remain responsible for facts, sources, rights, disclosure, policy review, and final publication.
- Research is research-assisted; creator verification is required before publication.
- Onira does not guarantee factual accuracy, legal clearance, monetization, reach, or production success.
- The current Timeline and Studio surfaces support defined review and regeneration workflows, not arbitrary nonlinear editing.