Suggestion: Split “Intermission/Intro Animation” into Two Distinct Categories (Technical [Mandatory] vs Creative [Recurring])

[sermelipharo]

Hi! 👋 First of all, thank you for the incredible work on SponsorBlock — it's truly one of the most useful community-driven tools on the internet. I’d like to propose a refinement to the current category system: specifically, the "Intermission/Intro Animation" category.

🧩 The Suggestion

Consider splitting the current "Intermission/Intro Animation" into two separate categories:

1. Technical Intermission / Pre-content Filler

This would include non-creative, often required or platform-enforced segments, such as:

• Legal disclaimers (e.g. “Do not attempt,” age ratings, etc.)
• Government-mandated warnings (e.g. the “foreign agent” label in Russian YouTube)
• Countdown timers before livestreams or premieres
• Broadcast break sections or placeholders with stock music
• Segments that are clearly not part of the author’s creative intent such as technical issues, blank segments, etc.

These are generally undesired by all viewers and safe to auto-skip.

2. Creative Intro / Thematic Animation

This would include repeatable creative segments that, while not specific to the video's core topic, are clearly authored and stylized:

• Signature intros with music and animations
• Recurring skits or humor segments
• Stylized title sequences or identity markers

These might still be skippable on demand, but some users enjoy them and may prefer to watch.

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🎬 Use Case: Hypothetical Video Example

Let me illustrate the need for this distinction with a typical YouTube video scenario:

I love the intro of a particular show I watch on YouTube — it includes some fun gags that aren’t directly tied to the content of the episode, but they’re clearly part of the creator’s vision.

However, right before that intro, there’s a 15-second countdown and several disclaimers. That’s technical stuff, probably required by the platform or stream setup.

Later, there’s a break in the middle of the video — a segment the author didn’t (or couldn’t) cut out — that only contains a placeholder with stock music. Again, there’s no content there.

After the break, the same intro animation appears again, acting as a divider between content sections. While it’s not unique to the video, it helps emphasize structure and tone.

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🔍 Breakdown of This Example

Segment Type	Content Description	Suggested Category
Countdown + Disclaimers	Platform/streaming boilerplate before content begins	Technical
Stylized Animated Intro	Creative gag-filled segment — recurring, part of author’s style	Creative
Mid-stream “We’ll be back” filler	Stock music, placeholder, no new info or content	Technical
Second Intro after break	Thematic re-intro, useful for structure but not specific to episode	Creative

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🔧 Benefits

• Enables more accurate and respectful auto-skipping
• Differentiates mandatory filler from creator identity
• Could allow for separate toggles in user settings (auto vs on-demand)
• Encourages better labeling by contributors
• Makes SponsorBlock even more customizable