diff --git a/alembic/versions/025_add_generated_shorts.py b/alembic/versions/025_add_generated_shorts.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..156af79
--- /dev/null
+++ b/alembic/versions/025_add_generated_shorts.py
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+"""Add generated_shorts table with format_preset and short_status enums.
+
+Revision ID: 025_add_generated_shorts
+Revises: 024_add_posts_and_attachments
+"""
+
+import sqlalchemy as sa
+from sqlalchemy.dialects.postgresql import UUID
+
+from alembic import op
+
+revision = "025_add_generated_shorts"
+down_revision = "024_add_posts_and_attachments"
+branch_labels = None
+depends_on = None
+
+format_preset_enum = sa.Enum("vertical", "square", "horizontal", name="format_preset")
+short_status_enum = sa.Enum("pending", "processing", "complete", "failed", name="short_status")
+
+
+def upgrade() -> None:
+    format_preset_enum.create(op.get_bind(), checkfirst=True)
+    short_status_enum.create(op.get_bind(), checkfirst=True)
+
+    op.create_table(
+        "generated_shorts",
+        sa.Column("id", UUID(as_uuid=True), primary_key=True, server_default=sa.func.gen_random_uuid()),
+        sa.Column("highlight_candidate_id", UUID(as_uuid=True), sa.ForeignKey("highlight_candidates.id", ondelete="CASCADE"), nullable=False, index=True),
+        sa.Column("format_preset", format_preset_enum, nullable=False),
+        sa.Column("minio_object_key", sa.String(1000), nullable=True),
+        sa.Column("duration_secs", sa.Float, nullable=True),
+        sa.Column("width", sa.Integer, nullable=False),
+        sa.Column("height", sa.Integer, nullable=False),
+        sa.Column("file_size_bytes", sa.BigInteger, nullable=True),
+        sa.Column("status", short_status_enum, nullable=False, server_default="pending"),
+        sa.Column("error_message", sa.Text, nullable=True),
+        sa.Column("created_at", sa.DateTime, nullable=False, server_default=sa.func.now()),
+        sa.Column("updated_at", sa.DateTime, nullable=False, server_default=sa.func.now()),
+    )
+
+
+def downgrade() -> None:
+    op.drop_table("generated_shorts")
+    short_status_enum.drop(op.get_bind(), checkfirst=True)
+    format_preset_enum.drop(op.get_bind(), checkfirst=True)
diff --git a/backend/config.py b/backend/config.py
index 11e963e..5336275 100644
--- a/backend/config.py
+++ b/backend/config.py
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ class Settings(BaseSettings):
     # File storage
     transcript_storage_path: str = "/data/transcripts"
     video_metadata_path: str = "/data/video_meta"
+    video_source_path: str = "/videos"
 
     # Git commit SHA (set at Docker build time or via env var)
     git_commit_sha: str = "unknown"
diff --git a/backend/models.py b/backend/models.py
index 94df94f..1d77731 100644
--- a/backend/models.py
+++ b/backend/models.py
@@ -814,3 +814,55 @@ class PostAttachment(Base):
 
     # relationships
     post: Mapped[Post] = sa_relationship(back_populates="attachments")
+
+
+# ── Shorts Generation ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+class FormatPreset(str, enum.Enum):
+    """Output format presets for generated shorts."""
+    vertical = "vertical"      # 9:16 (1080x1920)
+    square = "square"          # 1:1  (1080x1080)
+    horizontal = "horizontal"  # 16:9 (1920x1080)
+
+
+class ShortStatus(str, enum.Enum):
+    """Processing status for a generated short."""
+    pending = "pending"
+    processing = "processing"
+    complete = "complete"
+    failed = "failed"
+
+
+class GeneratedShort(Base):
+    """A video short generated from a highlight candidate in a specific format."""
+    __tablename__ = "generated_shorts"
+
+    id: Mapped[uuid.UUID] = _uuid_pk()
+    highlight_candidate_id: Mapped[uuid.UUID] = mapped_column(
+        ForeignKey("highlight_candidates.id", ondelete="CASCADE"),
+        nullable=False, index=True,
+    )
+    format_preset: Mapped[FormatPreset] = mapped_column(
+        Enum(FormatPreset, name="format_preset", create_constraint=True),
+        nullable=False,
+    )
+    minio_object_key: Mapped[str | None] = mapped_column(String(1000), nullable=True)
+    duration_secs: Mapped[float | None] = mapped_column(Float, nullable=True)
+    width: Mapped[int] = mapped_column(Integer, nullable=False)
+    height: Mapped[int] = mapped_column(Integer, nullable=False)
+    file_size_bytes: Mapped[int | None] = mapped_column(BigInteger, nullable=True)
+    status: Mapped[ShortStatus] = mapped_column(
+        Enum(ShortStatus, name="short_status", create_constraint=True),
+        default=ShortStatus.pending,
+        server_default="pending",
+    )
+    error_message: Mapped[str | None] = mapped_column(Text, nullable=True)
+    created_at: Mapped[datetime] = mapped_column(
+        default=_now, server_default=func.now()
+    )
+    updated_at: Mapped[datetime] = mapped_column(
+        default=_now, server_default=func.now(), onupdate=_now
+    )
+
+    # relationships
+    highlight_candidate: Mapped[HighlightCandidate] = sa_relationship()
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index a4e8327..5d16c98 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -125,6 +125,7 @@ services:
     volumes:
       - /vmPool/r/services/chrysopedia_data:/data
       - ./config:/config:ro
+      - /vmPool/r/services/chrysopedia_videos:/videos:ro
     depends_on:
       chrysopedia-db:
         condition: service_healthy
@@ -165,6 +166,7 @@ services:
       - /vmPool/r/services/chrysopedia_data:/data
       - ./prompts:/prompts:ro
       - ./config:/config:ro
+      - /vmPool/r/services/chrysopedia_videos:/videos:ro
     depends_on:
       chrysopedia-db:
         condition: service_healthy
diff --git a/docker/Dockerfile.api b/docker/Dockerfile.api
index ba9a122..7dd27ea 100644
--- a/docker/Dockerfile.api
+++ b/docker/Dockerfile.api
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ WORKDIR /app
 
 # System deps
 RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends \
-    gcc libpq-dev curl \
+    gcc libpq-dev curl ffmpeg \
     && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 
 # Python deps (cached layer)