diff --git a/docs/atomic_events.md b/docs/atomic_events.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2d13a96
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/atomic_events.md
@@ -0,0 +1,165 @@
+# Atomic Events — Design Spec
+
+Status: **Stage A + Stage B implemented (2026-07-27).** Motivated by a future **Glitch
+Studio GUI** that edits each video occurrence as a self-contained object.
+
+Implemented:
+- Per-occurrence presentation resolves via `transformer.resolve_video_presentation`
+  (precedence: inline/GUI override > shorthand prefix > videos.json > default; video
+  `end_on` default = `next_video`, `[narration:]` runs to end).
+- events.json is materialized/atomic: `derive_events` writes `handle/cutout/layer/end_on/
+  take`; `events_to_marker_timings` round-trips them as overrides.
+- Inline grammar `[prefix:handle, key=value, …]` (`parser.parse_marker`), threaded through
+  alignment into `MarkerTiming.overrides`. Supported inline keys: **cutout, layer, end_on,
+  take** (the fully-wired per-event fields). Unknown keys are ignored.
+- The key-reuse collision validator hard-error was removed (reuse is legal now).
+
+Deferred (follow-ups): inline override of the *global* params (skip/zoom/volume/
+use_audio_channels/pause_narration) — the renderer reads these from `video_source` in ~13
+places, so wiring them per-event is a separate change; stripping the moved fields from
+videos.json (kept as fallback defaults for now); a validator warning for unknown/unwired
+inline keys.
+
+## Problem
+
+Presentation/timing properties (`cutout`, `layer`, `end_on`, `take`, `pause_narration`)
+live on the **videos.json handle**, but they are really properties of *where a clip is
+used*, not of the file. The shorthand prefix (`vst:` = square/above, `vsb:` =
+square/below) is per-marker, but `_project_markers_to_videos` collapses it onto the
+single handle record (last-wins). So one handle used two ways collides:
+
+- `[vst:glitch_ccd_binning]` (above) and `[vsb:glitch_ccd_binning]` (below) → videos.json
+  can only store `layer: below`, so the first occurrence renders under the slide (hidden).
+- video5 has 5 such collisions today (glitch_ccd_binning, pexels/12471039…,
+  mainvideopart1, shotnoiseacc, slide_periodogram).
+
+A stopgap validator hard-error (`validate_project`, gnommo/validator.py) currently blocks
+render on these. This spec removes the *cause* so that guard is no longer needed.
+
+The naive fixes are both rejected: copying the file/handle (duplication on disk), and a
+"hybrid override + materialize" layer (too much indirection). Instead: **the per-occurrence
+properties move onto the event.**
+
+## Field homes
+
+**videos.json — asset + global defaults (one value per handle):**
+`source_file`, `output_file`/`processed_file`, `filter`, `has_audio`, `is_shared`,
+`src_mtime`, `duration` (probed; asset-only, never per-event), and the globals
+`zoom`, `skip`, `volume`, `use_audio_channels`.
+
+**events.json — per-occurrence (one value per event):**
+`handle` (the video id, **prefix-free**), `cutout`, `layer`, `end_on`, `take`,
+`pause_narration`.
+
+**Resolution order for a rendered clip:** event field (if set) → videos.json value (for the
+globals) → config default. The per-occurrence fields have no videos.json fallback — they
+are always materialized onto the event at build time.
+
+Notes:
+- `end_on` **defaults to `next_video`** for videos when unspecified (was implicitly
+  `next_slide`). Existing videos.json `end_on` values are migrated onto events explicitly,
+  so current projects keep their behavior; only *new* unspecified markers get the new default.
+- `take` is the event-level cut length, only meaningful when `end_on=take`; otherwise the
+  end is implicit from `end_on` and `take` stays null.
+- `skip` stays a global (asset trim-in) while `take` is per-event — a deliberate asymmetry:
+  "where this asset generally starts" vs. "how long this occurrence plays."
+- `zoom`/`volume`/`use_audio_channels` stay global but are inline-overridable per event
+  (below), so they can diverge without a videos.json copy.
+
+## Authoring: shorthand + inline overloads
+
+The manuscript stays the compact authoring surface. The shorthand letters encode
+`cutout`+`layer` (and `pause_narration` via the `…p:` variants). Anything the letters
+don't encode — chiefly `end_on`, and any per-event override of a global — is given as
+inline **`key=value`** pairs (simplified from the earlier `{"json":"form"}`):
+
+```
+[vsb:glitch_ccd_binning2]                          # square/below, end_on defaults to next_video
+[vsb:glitch_ccd_binning2, end_on=next_video]       # + explicit end_on
+[vsb:glitch_ccd_binning2, take=5, volume=0.5]      # + per-event overrides of globals
+[video:glitch_ccd_binning2, cutout=square, layer=below]   # generic; equivalent to [vsb:…]
+```
+
+Rules:
+- The first token inside `[]` is `prefix:handle` (handle may contain `/`, e.g. `pexels/123`).
+- Remaining comma-separated tokens are `key=value`. Values are type-inferred: numeric →
+  float, `true`/`false` → bool, else string. Allowed keys: `cutout`, `layer`, `end_on`,
+  `take`, `skip`, `zoom`, `volume`, `use_audio_channels`, `pause_narration`,
+  `always_visible`.
+- An inline key overrides whatever the shorthand implied (e.g. `[vst:x, layer=below]` →
+  above from the prefix, then below from the override). Last-writer-wins, prefix first.
+- `[video:handle, …]` is the fully-explicit form the GUI round-trips: no prefix magic, every
+  presentation field named.
+
+Why `key=value` over JSON: no braces/quotes to escape inside `[]`, one obvious separator,
+and it reads cleanly in a script. The GUI still stores the resolved values as real JSON
+fields on the event — the manuscript form is just sugar that populates them.
+
+## Build-time materialization
+
+At build (`build_render_plan` / scaffold construction), each video marker resolves to an
+atomic event dict:
+
+```json
+{
+  "type": "video",
+  "handle": "glitch_ccd_binning",
+  "cutout": "square",
+  "layer": "above",
+  "end_on": "next_video",
+  "take": null,
+  "pause_narration": 0.0,
+  "narration_time": 0.0, "adjustment": 0.0, "final_time": 0.0,
+  "mapping": "exact", "confidence": 1.0, "context": "…"
+}
+```
+
+`id` (currently `"vst:glitch_ccd_binning"`) is replaced by `handle` + explicit fields. The
+render pass reads presentation straight off the event and no longer consults the prefix or
+the videos.json presentation fields. `merge_events` must preserve manual event edits (the
+GUI's writes) across rebuilds, the same way it preserves `adjustment` today.
+
+## Code touchpoints
+
+- **models.py** — `VideoSource` sheds `cutout`/`layer`/`end_on`/`take`/`pause_narration`
+  (or they become defaults-only); `VideoEvent` already carries `cutout`/`layer`/`end_on` —
+  extend to `take`/`pause_narration` sourced from the event, not the handle.
+- **parser.py `parse_manuscript`** — extend the marker grammar to accept
+  `prefix:handle, key=value, …`; update the malformed-marker detector (which today flags
+  spaces/commas inside `[]`).
+- **transformer.py `_extract_video_events`** — resolve `cutout/layer/end_on/take/
+  pause_narration` from (prefix ∪ inline overrides), not from `video_source`.
+- **scaffold.py** — event schema: `handle` + presentation fields; `merge_events` preserves
+  GUI edits; migration for existing events.json.
+- **cli.py** — retire `_project_markers_to_videos` and `_writeback_video_metadata` (they
+  project/writeback per-handle presentation) in favor of seeding event fields.
+- **validator.py** — **remove** the key-reuse collision hard-error (reuse is legal now).
+- **renderer.py** — read presentation from the event (mostly already does via `VideoEvent`).
+
+## Migration
+
+Existing projects (video0–video6, …) have presentation on the handle and prefixed `id`s in
+events.json. A one-shot migration, run on build:
+
+1. For each video event, split the prefixed `id` into `handle` + implied `cutout`/`layer`.
+2. Fill `end_on`/`take`/`pause_narration` from the handle's current videos.json values
+   (preserving today's behavior — including handles that explicitly set `next_slide`).
+3. Strip the moved fields from videos.json handles (leave the globals).
+4. Idempotent: a second run is a no-op once events carry `handle`.
+
+## Staging
+
+- **Stage A** — schema split + per-event resolution from the shorthand prefix, migration,
+  remove the collision guard. Shorthand-only authoring keeps working; the 5 video5
+  collisions resolve. (This is the part that fixes the bug.)
+- **Stage B** — the inline `key=value` overload grammar + malformed-marker updates.
+
+Keep the validator collision hard-error in place **until Stage A lands** — removing it
+earlier would let the hidden-overlay bug back in on video5.
+
+## Open questions
+
+- `always_visible`, `use_audio_channels`: confirmed as inline-overridable globals — do any
+  need to become fully per-event?
+- Does the GUI want events fully flattened (every field present) or sparse (only overrides,
+  inherit the rest)? Affects whether the build writes defaults explicitly.
diff --git a/gnommo/cli.py b/gnommo/cli.py
index 737c25a..2be2e77 100644
--- a/gnommo/cli.py
+++ b/gnommo/cli.py
@@ -707,19 +707,16 @@ def cmd_import(project_path: Path, force: bool, verbose: bool) -> int:
         if len(keynote_files) > 1:
             print(f"  Warning: Multiple .key files found, using {keynote_file.name}")
         _import_presenter_notes(project_path, keynote_file, verbose, config)
+    elif verbose:
+        print("  No .key file found, skipping presenter notes import")
 
-    # Generate slides.json for each slide directory (after Keynote export)
-    slides_base = project_path / "media" / "slides"
-    slides_dirs = (
-        [d for d in slides_base.glob("*/") if d.is_dir()]
-        if slides_base.exists()
-        else []
-    )
-    for slides_dir in slides_dirs:
-        _generate_slides_json(slides_dir, verbose)
-    else:
-        if verbose:
-            print("  No .key file found, skipping presenter notes import")
+    # Generate slides.json for this project's slide export dir only. Slides always
+    # export to media/slides/<project>/ (consistent across projects); sibling folders
+    # like spec/, prompt/, render/ are auxiliary AI-workflow files, not slide images,
+    # so scanning them just produced spurious "No image files" warnings.
+    project_slides_dir = project_path / "media" / "slides" / project_path.name.lower()
+    if project_slides_dir.is_dir():
+        _generate_slides_json(project_slides_dir, verbose)
 
     # Import shared assets (pexels, etc.) from shared_assets directory
     # Look for shared_assets relative to project or in parent directories
@@ -1317,8 +1314,9 @@ def _generate_slides_json(directory: Path, verbose: bool) -> None:
 # each new videos.json entry (and backfilled onto existing ones) so nothing is
 # an invisible optional. Auto-managed fields (output_file, duration, has_audio,
 # is_shared, attribution) are intentionally omitted — they're set by the tool.
-# end_on defaults to null = "use the marker-type default" (video → next_slide,
-# narration → play to end); set it to "next_slide", "end", or "take" explicitly.
+# end_on defaults to null = "use the marker-type default" (video → next_video,
+# narration → play to end); set it to "next_slide", "next_video", "loop", "end", or
+# "take" explicitly (resolved per-event by transformer.resolve_video_presentation).
 _VIDEO_DEFAULTS = {
     "cutout": "square",           # named zone from project.json cutouts
     "layer": "above",             # above | mid | below (relative to slides/narrator)
@@ -1330,7 +1328,7 @@ _VIDEO_DEFAULTS = {
     "use_audio_channels": "both", # both | left | right
     "always_visible": False,      # always on screen (like the talking head)
     "pause_narration": 0.0,       # seconds to freeze narration for a cutscene
-    "end_on": None,               # null | next_slide | end | take
+    "end_on": None,               # null | next_slide | next_video | loop | end | take
 }
 
 
diff --git a/gnommo/parser.py b/gnommo/parser.py
index 4fc5e65..e195c0b 100644
--- a/gnommo/parser.py
+++ b/gnommo/parser.py
@@ -54,6 +54,55 @@ def _resolve_case_insensitive(path: Path) -> Path:
     return resolved
 
 
+# Inline marker-override keys honored at build time. These are the per-occurrence
+# presentation fields materialized onto events.json and resolved per-event
+# (transformer.resolve_video_presentation). Global params (skip/zoom/volume/…) are not
+# yet overridable inline; unknown keys are ignored.
+_MARKER_OVERRIDE_KEYS = frozenset({"cutout", "layer", "end_on", "take"})
+
+
+def _coerce_marker_value(key: str, raw: str):
+    """Coerce an inline override value: `take` → float; everything else → string."""
+    v = raw.strip().strip('"').strip("'")
+    if key == "take":
+        try:
+            return float(v)
+        except ValueError:
+            return None
+    return v
+
+
+def parse_marker(raw: str) -> "tuple[str, Optional[dict]]":
+    """Split a bracket's contents into (marker_id, overrides).
+
+    Supports the inline-overload grammar `[prefix:handle, key=value, key=value]`:
+    the text before the first comma is the marker id (prefix:handle); the rest are
+    comma-separated key=value overrides. Only _MARKER_OVERRIDE_KEYS are kept (others
+    ignored). A plain marker (no comma) returns (marker_id, None).
+
+    Examples:
+      "vsb:clip"                     -> ("vsb:clip", None)
+      "vsb:clip, end_on=next_video"  -> ("vsb:clip", {"end_on": "next_video"})
+      "video:clip, cutout=square, layer=below"
+                                     -> ("video:clip", {"cutout": "square", "layer": "below"})
+    """
+    if "," not in raw:
+        return raw.strip(), None
+    head, _, tail = raw.partition(",")
+    marker_id = head.strip()
+    overrides: dict = {}
+    for tok in tail.split(","):
+        if "=" not in tok:
+            continue
+        key, _, val = tok.partition("=")
+        key = key.strip().lower()
+        if key in _MARKER_OVERRIDE_KEYS:
+            coerced = _coerce_marker_value(key, val)
+            if coerced is not None:
+                overrides[key] = coerced
+    return marker_id, (overrides or None)
+
+
 def parse_manuscript(
     project_path: Path,
 ) -> tuple[str, list[str], list[tuple[int, str]], list[Citation]]:
@@ -86,9 +135,12 @@ def parse_manuscript(
     text = re.sub(r"\[pause\]", "", text)
     text = re.sub(r"\[stop\]", "", text)
 
-    # Extract all valid markers like [S1], [video:demo], [vf2m:pexels/clip-name], etc.
-    # Include / and - to capture pexels/library video IDs; . to catch file extensions in markers.
-    markers = re.findall(r"\[([A-Za-z0-9_:./\-]+)\]", text)
+    # Extract all valid markers like [S1], [video:demo], [vf2m:pexels/clip-name], and
+    # inline-override forms like [vsb:clip, end_on=next_video]. Include / and - for
+    # pexels/library video IDs; . for file extensions; an optional ",…" tail carries
+    # per-event overrides (parsed out by parse_marker, so `markers` holds bare ids).
+    raw_markers = re.findall(r"\[([A-Za-z0-9_:./\-]+(?:,[^\]\n]*)?)\]", text)
+    markers = [parse_marker(m)[0] for m in raw_markers]
 
     # Find malformed markers (missing brackets, extra spaces, etc.)
     malformed: list[tuple[int, str]] = []
diff --git a/gnommo/scaffold.py b/gnommo/scaffold.py
index 2db1fe3..858772d 100644
--- a/gnommo/scaffold.py
+++ b/gnommo/scaffold.py
@@ -28,7 +28,11 @@ from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Optional
 
 from .models import CAMERA_PRESETS
-from .transformer import MarkerTiming
+from .transformer import MarkerTiming, resolve_video_presentation
+
+# Per-occurrence presentation fields materialized onto video events (atomic events.json,
+# GUI-ready). Round-tripped as overrides so a stored value drives render over the default.
+_PRESENTATION_KEYS = ("cutout", "layer", "end_on", "take")
 
 EVENTS_FILE = "events.json"
 SCAFFOLD_FILE = "scaffold.json"
@@ -97,6 +101,16 @@ _PAUSE_MARKER_PREFIXES = (
 )
 
 
+def _lookup_video(marker_id: str, videos: dict):
+    """Case-insensitive videos.json lookup for a video marker (prefix stripped)."""
+    if not videos:
+        return None
+    handle = marker_id.split(":", 1)[1].lower() if ":" in marker_id else marker_id.lower()
+    return videos.get(handle) or next(
+        (v for k, v in videos.items() if k.lower() == handle), None
+    )
+
+
 def _pause_duration(marker_id: str, videos: dict) -> float:
     """Seconds a pause-variant video marker freezes the narration for, else 0."""
     if not marker_id.startswith(_PAUSE_MARKER_PREFIXES):
@@ -138,8 +152,9 @@ def derive_events(
             if (placed and t.confidence >= _EXACT_THRESHOLD and not after_prev)
             else MAPPING_INTERPOLATED
         )
+        etype = marker_type(t.marker_id, slides, videos, audio)
         e = {
-            "type": marker_type(t.marker_id, slides, videos, audio),
+            "type": etype,
             "id": t.marker_id,
             "narration_time": round(t.timestamp, 3) if placed else None,
             "adjustment": 0.0,
@@ -148,6 +163,27 @@ def derive_events(
             "confidence": round(t.confidence, 3),
             "context": (t.context or "")[:80],
         }
+        # Materialize per-occurrence presentation onto video events so events.json is
+        # atomic (each occurrence self-contained, GUI-editable) rather than depending on
+        # the handle's videos.json entry. Resolved from the shorthand prefix + any prior
+        # override the marker carried.
+        if etype == "video":
+            vs = _lookup_video(t.marker_id, videos)
+            if vs is not None:
+                pres = resolve_video_presentation(
+                    t.marker_id,
+                    vs,
+                    t.overrides,
+                    default_end_on=(
+                        None if t.marker_id.startswith("narration:") else "next_video"
+                    ),
+                )
+                e["handle"] = pres["handle"]
+                e["cutout"] = pres["cutout"]
+                e["layer"] = pres["layer"]
+                e["end_on"] = pres["end_on"]
+                if pres["take"] is not None:
+                    e["take"] = pres["take"]
         pd = _pause_duration(t.marker_id, videos)
         if pd:
             e["pause_duration"] = pd
@@ -289,12 +325,16 @@ def events_to_marker_timings(events: list[dict]) -> list[MarkerTiming]:
     for e in events:
         n = e.get("narration_time")
         eff = (n + e.get("adjustment", 0.0)) if n is not None else -1.0
+        # Carry any stored presentation as overrides so render honors the atomic event
+        # (e.g. a GUI edit) over the shorthand/videos.json default. Absent on old events.
+        overrides = {k: e[k] for k in _PRESENTATION_KEYS if k in e} or None
         timings.append(
             MarkerTiming(
                 marker_id=e["id"],
                 timestamp=eff,
                 context=e.get("context", ""),
                 confidence=float(e.get("confidence", 1.0)),
+                overrides=overrides,
             )
         )
     return timings
diff --git a/gnommo/transformer.py b/gnommo/transformer.py
index 84d3b8d..5d855de 100644
--- a/gnommo/transformer.py
+++ b/gnommo/transformer.py
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ from .models import (
     VideoEvent,
     VideoSource,
 )
-from .parser import get_video_duration, resolve_missing_videos
+from .parser import get_video_duration, resolve_missing_videos, parse_marker
 from .transcriber import TranscribedWord
 
 # Audio trigger offset: play sound this many seconds before the marker
@@ -54,6 +54,59 @@ _SHORTHAND_PREFIXES: dict[str, tuple] = {
     "vsmp:":  ("square", "mid"),
 }
 
+# Cutout zone the narration talking-head defaults to when a segment/source has none.
+# Matches the convention import uses (cli._import_narration_segments writes this).
+_NARRATION_CUTOUT = "talkinghead"
+
+
+def resolve_video_presentation(
+    marker_id: str,
+    video_source,
+    overrides: Optional[dict] = None,
+    default_end_on: Optional[str] = "next_video",
+) -> dict:
+    """Resolve a video marker's per-occurrence presentation to an atomic dict.
+
+    Single source of truth for how a marker becomes an event, shared by the render
+    transformer (_extract_video_events) and the scaffold that materializes events.json.
+    Presentation is per-occurrence: the shorthand prefix (vst: → square/above) decides
+    cutout+layer for THIS marker, so one handle can appear as vst: and vsb: without a
+    videos.json collision.
+
+    Precedence per field: explicit event override > shorthand prefix > videos.json
+    default > built-in default. `default_end_on` is "next_video" for video triggers and
+    None for [narration:] (which runs to the end).
+
+    Returns {handle, cutout, layer, end_on, take, pause_narration}.
+    """
+    overrides = overrides or {}
+
+    prefix = next((p for p in _SHORTHAND_PREFIXES if marker_id.startswith(p)), None)
+    if prefix is not None:
+        handle = marker_id[len(prefix):].lower()
+        impl_cutout, impl_layer = _SHORTHAND_PREFIXES[prefix]
+    else:
+        # Legacy [video:X] / [narration:X] — strip the generic prefix if present.
+        handle = (marker_id.split(":", 1)[1] if ":" in marker_id else marker_id).lower()
+        impl_cutout = impl_layer = None
+
+    cutout = overrides.get("cutout") or impl_cutout or video_source.cutout
+    layer = overrides.get("layer") or impl_layer or video_source.layer
+    end_on = overrides.get("end_on") or video_source.end_on or default_end_on
+    take = overrides["take"] if "take" in overrides else video_source.take
+    pause_narration = overrides.get(
+        "pause_narration", video_source.pause_narration or 0.0
+    )
+
+    return {
+        "handle": handle,
+        "cutout": cutout,
+        "layer": layer,
+        "end_on": end_on,
+        "take": take,
+        "pause_narration": float(pause_narration or 0.0),
+    }
+
 
 @dataclass
 class MarkerTiming:
@@ -63,6 +116,9 @@ class MarkerTiming:
     timestamp: float  # -1 if not found
     context: str  # the text following the marker
     confidence: float  # 0-1, how confident the match is
+    # Per-occurrence presentation overrides carried from events.json (GUI edits) so
+    # render honors them over the shorthand/videos.json defaults. None on fresh align.
+    overrides: Optional[dict] = None
 
 
 def _normalize_text(text: str) -> str:
@@ -226,7 +282,10 @@ def _extract_marker_contexts(
 
     raw_contexts = []
     for i in range(1, len(parts), 2):
-        marker_id = parts[i]
+        # Split the bracket into a bare marker id and any inline overrides
+        # ([vsb:clip, end_on=next_video]); the id drives alignment, the overrides ride
+        # along to the event.
+        marker_id, overrides = parse_marker(parts[i])
 
         if not _is_known_marker(marker_id, slides, videos, audio):
             continue
@@ -240,7 +299,7 @@ def _extract_marker_contexts(
             j += 1
             if j >= len(parts):
                 break
-            if _is_known_marker(parts[j], slides, videos, audio):
+            if _is_known_marker(parse_marker(parts[j])[0], slides, videos, audio):
                 break
             j += 1
 
@@ -248,22 +307,22 @@ def _extract_marker_contexts(
         following_text = " ".join(following_text.split())
         following_text = _strip_unknown_markers(following_text, slides, videos, audio)
         following_text = " ".join(following_text.split())
-        raw_contexts.append((marker_id, following_text))
+        raw_contexts.append((marker_id, following_text, overrides))
 
     contexts = []
-    for i, (marker_id, following_text) in enumerate(raw_contexts):
+    for i, (marker_id, following_text, overrides) in enumerate(raw_contexts):
         if following_text:
             words = following_text.split()[:10]
-            contexts.append((marker_id, " ".join(words), False, "before"))
+            contexts.append((marker_id, " ".join(words), False, "before", overrides))
         else:
             borrowed = False
             for j in range(i + 1, len(raw_contexts)):
-                next_marker_id, next_text = raw_contexts[j]
+                next_marker_id, next_text, _ = raw_contexts[j]
                 if next_text:
                     if next_marker_id in (slides or {}):
                         break
                     words = next_text.split()[:10]
-                    contexts.append((marker_id, " ".join(words), True, "before"))
+                    contexts.append((marker_id, " ".join(words), True, "before", overrides))
                     borrowed = True
                     break
             if not borrowed:
@@ -278,9 +337,9 @@ def _extract_marker_contexts(
                 if preceding_text:
                     words = preceding_text.split()
                     tail = " ".join(words[-6:])
-                    contexts.append((marker_id, tail, False, "after"))
+                    contexts.append((marker_id, tail, False, "after", overrides))
                 else:
-                    contexts.append((marker_id, "", False, "before"))
+                    contexts.append((marker_id, "", False, "before", overrides))
 
     return contexts
 
@@ -484,7 +543,7 @@ def align_markers_to_transcription(
     last_idx = 0
     last_end_time = 0.0
 
-    for marker_id, anchor_text, is_borrowed, anchor_type in contexts:
+    for marker_id, anchor_text, is_borrowed, anchor_type, overrides in contexts:
         if not anchor_text.strip():
             marker_time = last_end_time + 1.0
             timings.append(
@@ -493,6 +552,7 @@ def align_markers_to_transcription(
                     timestamp=marker_time,
                     context="(after previous)",
                     confidence=1.0,
+                    overrides=overrides,
                 )
             )
             last_end_time = marker_time
@@ -517,6 +577,7 @@ def align_markers_to_transcription(
                         timestamp=marker_time,
                         context=f"(end of: {anchor_text[:40]})",
                         confidence=confidence,
+                        overrides=overrides,
                     )
                 )
                 last_idx = match_end_idx
@@ -529,6 +590,7 @@ def align_markers_to_transcription(
                         timestamp=adjusted_time,
                         context=anchor_text[:50],
                         confidence=confidence,
+                        overrides=overrides,
                     )
                 )
                 if not is_borrowed:
@@ -544,6 +606,7 @@ def align_markers_to_transcription(
                     timestamp=-1.0,
                     context=anchor_text[:50],
                     confidence=0.0,
+                    overrides=overrides,
                 )
             )
 
@@ -557,7 +620,7 @@ def align_markers_to_transcription(
             if timing.timestamp >= 0:
                 continue
 
-            marker_id, anchor_text, is_borrowed, anchor_type = contexts[i]
+            marker_id, anchor_text, is_borrowed, anchor_type, overrides = contexts[i]
             if not anchor_text.strip():
                 continue
 
@@ -612,6 +675,7 @@ def align_markers_to_transcription(
                     timestamp=marker_time,
                     context=f"(repaired: {anchor_text[:40]})",
                     confidence=confidence,
+                    overrides=overrides,
                 )
 
     # Deduplicate slide markers. The manuscript pattern [SN]\n\n[SN] text... is
@@ -733,8 +797,9 @@ def build_render_plan(
     # sum of the segment durations and skip is already baked into each segment.
     if narration_schedule:
         narration_video_id = "narration"
+        # cutout left unset — resolved to the talkinghead zone below (single source).
         narration_video = narration_source or VideoSource(
-            source_file="", cutout=config.default_slide_type, always_visible=True
+            source_file="", always_visible=True
         )
         narration_skip = 0.0
         full_duration = sum(seg.duration for seg in narration_schedule)
@@ -770,7 +835,20 @@ def build_render_plan(
         if timing.timestamp >= 0:
             marker_times[timing.marker_id] = timing.timestamp
 
-    cutout = config.cutouts[narration_video.cutout]
+    # Narration talking-head cutout. Narration segments carry no cutout of their own,
+    # so default to the dedicated "talkinghead" zone (the convention import uses when it
+    # creates narration entries — see cli._import_narration_segments), falling back to
+    # the project's default slide type only if that zone isn't defined. Guard the lookup
+    # so a misconfigured cutout gives a clear error instead of a bare KeyError.
+    narration_cutout_name = narration_video.cutout or (
+        _NARRATION_CUTOUT if _NARRATION_CUTOUT in config.cutouts else config.default_slide_type
+    )
+    if narration_cutout_name not in config.cutouts:
+        raise ValueError(
+            f"Narration cutout '{narration_cutout_name}' not found in project cutouts "
+            f"{list(config.cutouts)}"
+        )
+    cutout = config.cutouts[narration_cutout_name]
     # Adjust duration for skip (content starts at skip, so effective duration is less)
     effective_duration = full_duration - narration_skip
     narration_videos: list[tuple[str, VideoSource, CutoutDefinition]] = [
@@ -1194,14 +1272,10 @@ def _extract_video_events(
         marker_timings, slides, total_duration
     )
 
-    # Pause-variant prefixes — the only thing the render pass still needs from
-    # shorthand markers at event-build time (pause_narration is per-event, not stored in videos.json).
-    _PAUSE_PREFIXES = {"vftp:", "vfbp:", "vfmp:", "vf2tp:", "vf2bp:", "vf2mp:", "vstp:", "vsbp:", "vsmp:"}
-
-    # Collect video markers: (time, video_id, event_type, pause_narration)
-    # video_markers: (timestamp, video_id, marker_type, pause_narration)
-    # cutout and layer are read from videos.json (projected there by _project_markers_to_videos)
-    video_markers: list[tuple[float, str, str, bool]] = []
+    # Collect video markers. Carry the full marker_id (so presentation resolves from
+    # its shorthand prefix PER occurrence) and any per-event overrides from events.json.
+    # video_markers: (timestamp, marker_id, handle, trigger_type, overrides)
+    video_markers: list[tuple[float, str, str, str, Optional[dict]]] = []
 
     for timing in marker_timings:
         if timing.timestamp < 0:
@@ -1229,8 +1303,9 @@ def _extract_video_events(
                     f"run render once to project values, or set cutout manually."
                 )
                 continue
-            pause_narration = shorthand_match in _PAUSE_PREFIXES
-            video_markers.append((timing.timestamp, video_id, "video", pause_narration))
+            video_markers.append(
+                (timing.timestamp, mid, video_id, "video", timing.overrides)
+            )
             continue
 
         # --- legacy [video:xxx] ---
@@ -1247,7 +1322,9 @@ def _extract_video_events(
                     f"[video:{video_id}] has no valid cutout in videos.json — skipped."
                 )
                 continue
-            video_markers.append((timing.timestamp, video_id, "video", False))
+            video_markers.append(
+                (timing.timestamp, mid, video_id, "video", timing.overrides)
+            )
             continue
 
         # --- [narration:xxx] ---
@@ -1264,29 +1341,41 @@ def _extract_video_events(
                     f"[narration:{video_id}] has no valid cutout in videos.json — skipped."
                 )
                 continue
-            video_markers.append((timing.timestamp, video_id, "narration", False))
+            video_markers.append(
+                (timing.timestamp, mid, video_id, "narration", timing.overrides)
+            )
 
     # Sorted start times of all video markers — used by end_on="next_video" to cap
     # a clip when the next video begins, so videos never overlap.
-    video_start_times = sorted(t for t, _, _, _ in video_markers)
+    video_start_times = sorted(t for t, *_ in video_markers)
 
     events: list[VideoEvent] = []
-    for start_time, video_id, marker_type, pause_narration in video_markers:
+    for start_time, marker_id, video_id, trigger_type, overrides in video_markers:
         video_source = videos[video_id]
 
-        # Read cutout and layer directly from videos.json (projected by ETL)
-        cutout_name = video_source.cutout
+        # Resolve presentation per-occurrence: shorthand prefix (and any events.json
+        # override) wins over the videos.json default, so one handle can render above
+        # in one place and below in another. [narration:] runs to the end by default.
+        pres = resolve_video_presentation(
+            marker_id,
+            video_source,
+            overrides,
+            default_end_on=(None if trigger_type == "narration" else "next_video"),
+        )
+        cutout_name = pres["cutout"]
         cutout = cutouts[cutout_name]
-        layer = video_source.layer
+        layer = pres["layer"]
+        end_on = pres["end_on"]
+        take = pres["take"]
+        pause_narration = pres["pause_narration"]
 
-        end_on = video_source.end_on
-        if end_on == "take" and video_source.take is not None:
-            end_time = start_time + video_source.take
+        if end_on == "take" and take is not None:
+            end_time = start_time + take
         elif end_on == "end":
             # Play the clip once through its natural length, then stop — no looping.
             # Natural length = explicit take, else the file's own duration past skip.
-            if video_source.take is not None:
-                natural = video_source.take
+            if take is not None:
+                natural = take
             elif video_source.duration is not None:
                 natural = max(0.0, video_source.duration - (video_source.skip or 0.0))
             else:
@@ -1304,9 +1393,9 @@ def _extract_video_events(
                     end_time = vt
                     break
             # A pause-narration video must stay for at least the pause it holds.
-            if video_source.pause_narration:
-                end_time = max(end_time, start_time + video_source.pause_narration)
-        elif end_on in ("next_slide", "slide") or (end_on is None and marker_type == "video"):
+            if pause_narration:
+                end_time = max(end_time, start_time + pause_narration)
+        elif end_on in ("next_slide", "slide"):
             # End at next slide marker ("slide" is a recognised alias for "next_slide")
             end_time = total_duration
             for slide_time in slide_times:
@@ -1315,10 +1404,10 @@ def _extract_video_events(
                     break
             # pause_narration videos must stay visible for the full pause duration —
             # the narration is held for that long, so the overlay should match.
-            if video_source.pause_narration:
-                end_time = max(end_time, start_time + video_source.pause_narration)
+            if pause_narration:
+                end_time = max(end_time, start_time + pause_narration)
         else:
-            # end_on is None and marker_type == "narration": runs to end
+            # end_on None ([narration:] with no explicit end) — runs to end.
             end_time = total_duration
 
         # Filter by time range — CHUNKING v2 (docs/chunking_v2.md).
diff --git a/gnommo/validator.py b/gnommo/validator.py
index 392732e..36fbcd3 100644
--- a/gnommo/validator.py
+++ b/gnommo/validator.py
@@ -58,6 +58,10 @@ def validate_project(
         elif marker.startswith("narration:"):
             referenced_video_ids.add(marker[10:].lower())
 
+    # (Key-reuse across cutout/layer is legal: presentation is resolved per-occurrence
+    # from the shorthand prefix now — see transformer.resolve_video_presentation — so
+    # one handle can appear as vst: (above) and vsb: (below) without colliding.)
+
     # Check for malformed markers first (these are likely typos)
     if malformed_markers:
         for line_num, marker_text in malformed_markers: