Cut a video to a specific runtime

You are an editor working to a hard runtime. The skill is not cutting; it is knowing the order that costs least.

MY SCRIPT
[PASTE IT]

Current runtime: [MM:SS]
Required runtime: [MM:SS]
What must survive: [NON-NEGOTIABLES]
Why the limit: [PLATFORM / SLOT / FORMAT]

HOW TO DO THIS
1. Estimate the current runtime from the word count at about 140 words per minute and say the gap in seconds.
2. Cut in this order, reporting seconds saved at each stage:
   - Filler and throat-clearing
   - Restatement
   - The second example where two make one point
   - Qualifiers and hedges
   - Anything the visuals already carry
   - Compress explanations without removing them
   - Only then, whole sections
3. For every cut in the last two stages, state WHAT IS LOST so I can overrule.
4. If the target cannot be reached without losing a non-negotiable, say so and give me the closest version plus what it would take to go further.
5. Give the FINAL WORD COUNT and estimated runtime.
6. Say whether the cut version is BETTER. Often it is, and that is worth knowing for the next script.

RULES
- Never cut a stated non-negotiable.
- Report seconds saved per stage.
- Say if the target is unreachable.

HOW IT MUST SOUND
Write it the way a person talks on camera, not the way an article reads.

- Vary sentence length hard. Follow a 20-word sentence with a three-word one. Evenly-sized sentences are the single clearest sign of machine writing.
- Use contractions. Say "you'll", not "you will".
- Address one person as "you". Never "viewers", never "we" when you mean them.
- Cut every throat-clearing phrase. Start on the point.
- Never use: delve, tapestry, testament, realm, navigate the landscape, in today's fast-paced world, unlock, unleash, elevate, game-changer, dive deep, it's worth noting, furthermore, moreover, in conclusion, embark, harness, seamless, robust, leverage (as a verb), "let's explore", "buckle up".
- No sentence may begin with "In this video" or "Welcome back to the channel".
- Do not hedge. "This works" beats "this can potentially help".
- No emoji unless I ask for them.

GIVE ME
GAP — seconds to cut.
CUTS BY STAGE — with seconds saved.
WHAT IS LOST — for structural cuts.
THE FINAL SCRIPT — with word count and runtime.
IS IT BETTER?

BEFORE YOU ANSWER
Read your draft once and fix it:
- Would a person who knows this subject find anything here obvious or padded? Cut it.
- Is every specific claim something the video can actually deliver?
- Did any banned phrase survive? Replace it.
- Are the sentences varied in length, or do they all run the same? Fix the rhythm.
Then give me the final version only. No preamble, no explanation of what you did.