diff --git a/modules/conditioning/shot_camera/__init__.py b/modules/conditioning/shot_camera/__init__.py
index a5393c83..2a3fd493 100644
--- a/modules/conditioning/shot_camera/__init__.py
+++ b/modules/conditioning/shot_camera/__init__.py
@@ -49,6 +49,8 @@ SETTINGS = {
     "reframe_chance": {"type": "float", "default": 0.5, "min": 0.0, "max": 1.0, "step": 0.05, "label": "Chance of a reframe",
                        "hint": "1 = always reframe between those shortcuts, 0 = never. Ratings nudge the values in between.",
                        "when": {"reframe_same_shot": True}},
+    "uneven_shots_chance": {"type": "float", "default": 0.0, "min": 0.0, "max": 1.0, "step": 0.05, "label": "Chance of an uneven shot length",
+                            "hint": "0 = equal shots. 1 = every shot's length is changed, busier text tending to run longer. Needs a cut option on. Ratings nudge the values in between."},
     "focus_infusion_chance": {"type": "float", "default": 0.0, "min": 0.0, "max": 1.0, "step": 0.05, "label": "Chance of focus infusion",
                               "hint": "0 = never. 1 = a camera focus always aims at a word your prompts keep returning to, not at the shot's own. Ratings nudge the values in between."},
     "shot_views": {"type": "bool", "default": False, "label": "Shot views",
diff --git a/modules/conditioning/shot_camera/engine.py b/modules/conditioning/shot_camera/engine.py
index 4020caef..adfe9a22 100644
--- a/modules/conditioning/shot_camera/engine.py
+++ b/modules/conditioning/shot_camera/engine.py
@@ -706,7 +706,30 @@ def _opener(rng, difference, last):
     return phrase, kind
 
 
-def add_shot_cuts(text, seconds, seed=0, chance=0.5, pieces=(), transition=0.0):
+def _screen_time(blocks, seed, uneven, arms):
+    """-> one weight per shot, or None when every shot gets an equal share (`uneven` 0, or one shot).
+    With odds `uneven` a shot's share is changed, longer or shorter; the busier its text compared with the
+    others, the likelier longer and the more of it (damped, so no shot is a blink beside another).
+    1 changes every shot. `arms` collects "length:yes" / "length:no" for the rating that follows."""
+    if uneven <= 0 or len(blocks) < 2:
+        return None
+    words = [max(1, len(blocks[k][0].split())) for k in range(len(blocks))]
+    mean = sum(words) / len(words)
+    weights = []
+    for k, count in enumerate(words):
+        rng = random.Random(f"{seed}:length:{k}")
+        if rng.random() >= uneven:
+            weights.append(1.0)
+            arms.append("length:no")
+            continue
+        busy = count / mean
+        longer = rng.random() < min(0.9, max(0.1, 0.5 + 0.4 * (busy - 1)))
+        weights.append((1.4 + 0.6 * rng.random() if longer else 0.5 + 0.3 * rng.random()) * busy ** 0.5)
+        arms.append("length:yes")
+    return weights
+
+
+def add_shot_cuts(text, seconds, seed=0, chance=0.5, pieces=(), transition=0.0, uneven=0.0):
     """-> (new prompt, info). A shot is cut between the shortcuts inside it, including the same
     shortcut used again; every shot after the first then opens with its cut time, spread evenly
     over `seconds` and rounded to whole seconds. A prompt that already carries cut times is left
@@ -751,9 +774,13 @@ def add_shot_cuts(text, seconds, seed=0, chance=0.5, pieces=(), transition=0.0):
     # it gave one-second shots next to five-second ones).
     n = len(blocks)
     gap = MIN_SHOT_SECONDS if n * MIN_SHOT_SECONDS <= seconds else 1
+    weights = _screen_time(blocks, seed, uneven, info["arms"])
+    cum = [0.0]
+    for w in weights or ():
+        cum.append(cum[-1] + w)
     times = []
     for k in range(1, n):
-        t = round(k * seconds / n)
+        t = round(k * seconds / n) if weights is None else round(seconds * cum[k] / cum[-1])
         t = max(t, (times[-1] if times else 0) + gap)          # not too close behind
         t = min(t, int(seconds) - (n - k) * gap)               # leave room for the shots after
         times.append(t)
diff --git a/modules/conditioning/shot_camera/memory.py b/modules/conditioning/shot_camera/memory.py
index da79dfbb..91610954 100644
--- a/modules/conditioning/shot_camera/memory.py
+++ b/modules/conditioning/shot_camera/memory.py
@@ -361,6 +361,12 @@ def split_chance(chance):
     return _odds(chance, _lean("split:yes", "split:no"))
 
 
+def length_chance(chance):
+    """The chance a shot's length is changed from an equal share, tilted by whether such runs were liked
+    (0 and 1 kept as set)."""
+    return _odds(chance, _lean("length:yes", "length:no"))
+
+
 def infuse_chance(chance):
     """The chance a camera focus is replaced by a word the user's prompts keep returning to, tilted by whether
     runs that did it were liked (0 and 1 kept as set)."""
diff --git a/modules/conditioning/shot_camera/nodes.py b/modules/conditioning/shot_camera/nodes.py
index 1e9cb80c..01995e70 100644
--- a/modules/conditioning/shot_camera/nodes.py
+++ b/modules/conditioning/shot_camera/nodes.py
@@ -52,7 +52,8 @@ def rewrite(text, values, seconds=None, pieces=None):
     if (values.get("shot_cuts") or splitting) and engine.SHOT.search(text or ""):
         chance = memory.split_chance(float(values.get("shot_cuts_chance", 0.5))) if splitting else 0.0
         text, info = engine.add_shot_cuts(text, seconds, seed=seed, chance=chance, pieces=_pieces() if pieces is None else pieces,
-                                          transition=float(values.get("cut_difference_chance", 0.0)))
+                                          transition=float(values.get("cut_difference_chance", 0.0)),
+                                          uneven=memory.length_chance(float(values.get("uneven_shots_chance", 0.0))))
         arms += info.get("arms", [])
         said.append(f"cuts at {', '.join(info['times'])}" + (f" ({info['before']}→{info['after']} shots)" if info["after"] != info["before"] else "") if info["times"] else f"cuts: {info['why'] or 'none'}")
         if info.get("transitions"):
diff --git a/modules/conditioning/shot_camera/tests/test_shot_length.py b/modules/conditioning/shot_camera/tests/test_shot_length.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..da7dbcc1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/conditioning/shot_camera/tests/test_shot_length.py
@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+"""Uneven shot lengths: a shot's share of the video is now and then changed, busier text tending to run longer."""
+
+import re
+
+import pytest
+
+from .. import engine, memory, nodes
+
+SHORT = "She waves."
+MID = "She turns and smiles at the camera."
+BUSY = ("She picks up the heavy red umbrella from the wet cobblestone street while the rain keeps falling "
+        "on her shoulders and a car passes slowly behind her.")
+TEXT = f"[Shot 1] {SHORT} {BUSY} {MID}"
+PIECES = [SHORT, BUSY, MID]
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
+def store(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    monkeypatch.setenv("SHOT_CAMERA_MEMORY", str(tmp_path / "m.json"))
+
+
+def _times(out):
+    return [int(m.group(1)) * 60 + int(m.group(2)) for m in re.finditer(r"At (\d\d):(\d\d)\.000", out)]
+
+
+def _cut(seconds=30, seed=0, uneven=0.0, text=TEXT, pieces=PIECES):
+    out, info = engine.add_shot_cuts(text, seconds, seed=seed, chance=1, pieces=pieces, uneven=uneven)
+    return _times(out), info
+
+
+def test_at_zero_the_shots_are_equal_and_nothing_is_recorded():
+    times, info = _cut(seconds=12)
+    assert times == [4, 8]
+    assert not [a for a in info["arms"] if a.startswith("length:")]
+
+
+def test_at_one_every_shot_is_changed_and_the_times_stay_valid():
+    seen = set()
+    for seed in range(60):
+        times, info = _cut(seconds=30, seed=seed, uneven=1.0)
+        seen.add(tuple(times))
+        assert len(times) == 2 and 0 < times[0] < times[1] < 30, times
+        durations = [times[0], times[1] - times[0], 30 - times[1]]
+        assert min(durations) >= engine.MIN_SHOT_SECONDS, (times, durations)
+        assert [a for a in info["arms"] if a.startswith("length:")] == ["length:yes"] * 3
+    assert len(seen) > 5, "the lengths differ from take to take"
+    assert (10, 20) not in seen or len(seen) > 5
+
+
+def test_busier_text_tends_to_run_longer():
+    short, busy = [], []
+    for seed in range(150):
+        times, _ = _cut(seconds=30, seed=seed, uneven=1.0)
+        short.append(times[0])
+        busy.append(times[1] - times[0])
+    assert sum(busy) / len(busy) > sum(short) / len(short) + 2, "the busy shot gets more screen time on average"
+
+
+def test_between_zero_and_one_the_share_of_changed_shots_follows_the_slider():
+    blocks = [[SHORT, ""], [BUSY, ""], [MID, ""]]
+    for uneven in (0.2, 0.5, 0.8):
+        yes = total = 0
+        for seed in range(300):
+            arms = []
+            engine._screen_time(blocks, seed, uneven, arms)
+            yes += arms.count("length:yes")
+            total += len(arms)
+        assert abs(yes / total - uneven) < 0.07, uneven
+
+
+def test_the_same_seed_gives_the_same_lengths_and_a_single_shot_is_left_alone():
+    assert _cut(seed=3, uneven=1.0)[0] == _cut(seed=3, uneven=1.0)[0]
+    assert engine._screen_time([[SHORT, ""]], 1, 1.0, []) is None
+
+
+def test_the_slider_set_in_the_node_changes_the_lengths_and_zero_does_not():
+    base = {"cut_same_shot": True, "shot_cuts_chance": 1}
+    equal = _times(nodes.rewrite(TEXT, base, seconds=30, pieces=PIECES)[0])
+    assert equal == [10, 20]
+    assert _times(nodes.rewrite(TEXT, {**base, "uneven_shots_chance": 0}, seconds=30, pieces=PIECES)[0]) == equal
+    changed = {tuple(_times(nodes.rewrite(TEXT, {**base, "uneven_shots_chance": 1, "variation": v}, seconds=30, pieces=PIECES)[0])) for v in range(20)}
+    assert changed != {tuple(equal)} and len(changed) > 3
+
+
+def test_the_chance_follows_the_slider_at_the_ends_and_ratings_tilt_it_between():
+    assert memory.length_chance(0.0) == 0.0 and memory.length_chance(1.0) == 1.0 and memory.length_chance(0.5) == 0.5
+    memory.record_run("a", {"views": [], "arms": ["length:yes"]})
+    memory.on_rating("a", "liked")
+    assert memory.length_chance(0.5) > 0.5 and memory.length_chance(1.0) == 1.0
+    memory.record_run("b", {"views": [], "arms": ["length:yes", "length:no"]})
+    for k in range(10):
+        memory.record_run(f"d{k}", {"views": [], "arms": ["length:yes"]})
+        memory.on_rating(f"d{k}", "disliked")
+    assert memory.length_chance(0.5) < 0.5 and memory.length_chance(0.0) == 0.0