Reels are the highest leverage video format on Instagram, and we take care to produce them well. To keep video quality on par with your image posts, reels go through a human in the loop production step before landing in your review queue.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

  • Why reels are produced differently
  • What happens behind the scenes
  • What "Manual reel pending" means
  • If you visit a reel in production
  • How long it takes
  • Approving and publishing
  • Frequently Asked Questions

Why reels are produced differently

Static posts (feed, stories, carousels, quick posts) run end to end on our automated image pipeline. Reels still need a human to drive the video tool and pick the best take. That hands on step is what keeps your reel quality on the same level as your image posts.

What happens behind the scenes

  1. The weekly batch plans your reels alongside feed posts and stories.
  2. For each reel, our planner AI writes a detailed brief tuned to your brand: the hook, the visual beats, the on screen text, the music feel.
  3. The brief lands in the admin queue.
  4. Ashantie picks it up, runs it through our video production workflow, and uploads the finished reel into your account.
  5. From there the reel follows the normal review flow, exactly the same as a feed post.

What "Manual reel pending" means

If you open a post and see "Manual reel pending", it means the brief has been generated and Ashantie is producing the video. There is nothing you need to do. The pending state changes to "In review" once the finished reel is uploaded into your queue.

If you visit a reel in production

If you visit a reel in production directly, you will see an "In production" status and a placeholder card instead of a preview. That is normal. The placeholder is there because there is no video to preview yet. As soon as Ashantie uploads the finished reel, the placeholder is replaced with the actual video and the post moves into your review queue.

How long it takes

Reels take longer than feed posts or stories. Plan on roughly 24 to 48 hours from the brief being generated to the reel arriving in your review queue. Most reels are ready inside 24 hours; the 48 hour buffer covers weekends and busy production days.

Approving and publishing

When the reel is ready, you will see it in your review queue with the same Approve, Regenerate, and reschedule actions as any other post. The caption, hashtags, and posting time are already written. Hit Approve and it joins the publishing queue.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Can I see the brief before the reel is produced?
    The brief is an internal production artifact. What you see is the finished reel and its caption.
  2. Can I request changes to a reel?
    Yes. Use Regenerate on the post and add feedback. Ashantie will produce a new version.
  3. What if I need a reel faster?
    Let support know. We can often expedite for time sensitive moments.