# Future Pacing — Vision → Proof

## Core Logic

Paint a compelling future state first → anchor it to the product immediately → progressively prove the vision is real through demonstrations of competence → close with a call to action. The product is named early because the vision _is_ the product; the rest of the video validates the promise.

## Emotional Arc Pattern

```
Aspirational Curiosity ──▶ Anchoring ──▶ Reassurance ──▶ Awe ──▶ Empowerment
     (hook/imagine)       (reveal)     (demo proof)   (mechanism)    (CTA)
```

The reverse-engineered AgentGPT plan verbalizes this as: "From curious and seeking to relieved and empowered. Transitions from a visionary future of work to the tangible reality of an intelligent, self-learning contact center platform." There is no negative valley like PAS — the curve is a steady positive climb, with the product reveal as an _amplifier_ of curiosity rather than a relief from pain.

## Typical Section Sequence

| Order | Type              | Role                                 | Approx % |
| ----- | ----------------- | ------------------------------------ | -------- |
| 1     | hook              | "Imagine..." — paint the future      | 5-8%     |
| 2     | branding          | Name the product immediately         | 5-8%     |
| 3     | pain_point        | Bold promise that removes a burden   | 5-8%     |
| 4     | feature_showcase  | Specific demo proving competence     | 10-15%   |
| 5     | benefit_highlight | Explain the mechanism (how it works) | 12-18%   |
| 6     | feature_showcase  | Show tangible output quality         | 12-18%   |
| 7     | benefit_highlight | Self-improving / feedback loop       | 12-18%   |
| 8     | cta               | Direct command to act                | 15-20%   |

**Reveal timing** — Future Pacing is the **very-early-reveal** archetype; product lands within the first 4-8 seconds (~17%). Future Pacing and BAB are sibling patterns: Future Pacing proves through capability demonstrations + mechanism explanation; BAB proves through a workflow walkthrough. If your proof phase is a tool walkthrough, prefer BAB.

## When to Use

- The product creates a new category or paradigm shift
- The audience doesn't know they have a problem yet — you need to sell the _vision_ first
- The product's capability is so novel that "imagine" is the right framing
- AI products where you need to address the "is this real?" question through progressive proof
- Premium / aspirational positioning where pain framing would feel small

## When NOT to Use

- The audience already knows their pain (→ use PAS to validate it first)
- The product's core value is its UI/workflow steps (→ use Before-After-Bridge or Demo Loop)
- The product is one of many in a crowded category — "imagine" rings hollow when alternatives exist

## Hook strategies that work for Future Pacing

**"Imagine..."** is the archetype-native move — it bypasses critical filters by asking the viewer to visualize a positive future before knowing the product.

Pain validation, statistics, and visceral metaphors do not work — those signal "this is a fix" and undercut the vision framing.

## Persuasion techniques that recur

**Aspiration / innovation bias** (bold absolutes), **Brand authority** (product named with confidence, no apology), **Friction reduction**, **Demonstrated capability** (specific nuanced example before the system-wide claim), **Micro-to-Macro Zoom**, **Human-in-the-loop reassurance** (address AI skepticism with a feedback-loop scene before CTA).

## Common compound

Future Pacing very often runs Feature-Benefit Cascade as its inner rhythm during the proof phase. Write as `"Future Pacing with Feature-Benefit Cascade"` (see guide.md).

## Golden Samples

<agentgpt path="agentgpt.md">
**AgentGPT — Vision-Proof-Trust** (60s, AI Customer Support SaaS)
Opens with "Imagine next generation AI" — names the product at 4s. Uses Micro-to-Macro zoom (specific query → system-wide capability) and Human-in-the-Loop reassurance to counter AI skepticism. Canonically labeled compound "BAB / Feature-Benefit Cascade" — same video, different framing lens. Treat as a hybrid example.
Key technique: Concept-Example-Validation rhythm, bold absolutes ("Omniscient AI"), proactive objection handling.
</agentgpt>
