---
title: How to create the Hail Mary effect in invideo Editor
description: Create directional light trails on your footage with help from Agent Two.
---
The Hail Mary effect stretches bright areas of a video into soft trails. You can work with Agent Two, the agent in invideo Editor, to create this look on your footage and refine the result.

The effect library has no preset for this look. Your agent can write it as a custom effect with `add_custom_effect`, after it reads the `custom_shader` guide in `timeline_catalog`. You then change its settings like any effect.

<Image src="https://downloads.intercomcdn.com/i/o/fxxlrhi6/2699069988/a35e5a52388b6e6f42b64ac497a0/ScreenRecording2026-09-28at7_23_35PM-ezgif_com-video-to-gif-converter.gif" alt="The Monitor playing the effect, moving from a hand out of a car window to a car on a road under bright light streaks" />

## 1. Open your footage

Open your project and choose the clip you want to work on.

## 2. Provide a visual reference

Attach a video showing the effect you want. Explain which part of the reference you want applied to your clip.

## 3. Describe the look you want

Tell the agent how pronounced the trails should be and which direction they should follow. Mention anything you want to preserve, such as your existing color treatment.

<Banner variant="info">

**Suggested prompt:**

'*Use this reference video to add a Hail Mary effect to my clip. Create soft light trails from the brightest areas, extending in one direction. Keep my existing color treatment and make the effect subtle.*'

</Banner>

## 4. Review and refine

Play the edited clip and check how the effect looks across the shot. Ask for adjustments to the trails, or use the available effect controls to refine the result.

## Does this generate a new video?

This workflow applies a visual effect to your existing footage. It does not require generating replacement footage. Agent Two's work and the media it makes use credits. An outside agent edits for free and pays only for generation, transcripts and paid stock. An outside agent's own chat, such as Claude or ChatGPT, runs on that app's plan. See [Credits](/account/credits).