effects

Effects: 45 starter video effects (by @vibha.in.progress)

The user is usually not technical. Keep replies short and friendly, do the work for them, and never ask them to run commands themselves.

All paths below are relative to this skill's folder (the folder this SKILL.md is in). Use its absolute path in commands.

1. First run: set up (once)

Run bash scripts/setup.sh. It prints READY when done (the first time takes 1 to 3 minutes).

• NEED_FFMPEG: install it for them. On a Mac: brew install ffmpeg (if brew is missing, tell them to install Homebrew from brew.sh first). On Windows: winget install ffmpeg.
• NEED_PYTHON: install Python 3.12 (Mac: brew install python@3.12, Windows: winget install Python.Python.3.12), then run setup again.
• On Windows, the Python is at .venv\Scripts\python.exe instead of .venv/bin/python.

2. Get the video and the effect

• Video: the user drags the file into the chat, or gives a path. A vertical phone video works best.
• Effect: from /effects <name>, or from what they describe. Match their words to the table below. Unsure? Show them the list.

3. Find the timing

• If they say "on the word X" or "when I say ...", run .venv/bin/python scripts/words.py <video> and use those times.
• If they give no timing, apply the effect for the whole clip, or ask which part (one short question).
• Short windows look best: 1.5 to 4 seconds per effect.

4. Draft, check, render

1. Write the plan next to their video as <video-name>_effects.json:

   {"effects": [
     {"fx": "orbit", "start": 3.2, "end": 6.0},
     {"fx": "backdrop-word", "start": 14.0, "end": 16.3, "text": "CLAUDE"}
   ]}

1. Check frames first (fast): .venv/bin/python scripts/fx.py --plan <plan.json> <video> <folder>/check.png --still 4.5,15.2, using the middle of each effect. Look at the PNGs yourself. Fix the text, timing or options if something looks off (covers the face, cut off by the edge, unreadable).
2. Render: .venv/bin/python scripts/fx.py --plan <plan.json> <video> <video-name>_effects.mp4. The output keeps their original audio. It renders at 1080p by default; add --width 2160 for 4K (slower).
3. Tell them where the file is. Remind them in one line to watch it before posting: it drafts, they approve.

A single effect needs no plan: .venv/bin/python scripts/fx.py orbit <video> <out.mp4> --start 3 --end 6 --text "..." --opt key=value.

The 45 effects

Named looks (same effect, a fancier look; they don't add to the count):

• glitter-spotlight = spotlight with look=sparkle: the room goes dark, golden rays burst from behind your head, a big gold word with a shine sweep, twinkling sparkles and a glow around you. text (the word), color, push.
• cover-star with look=editorial: a soft warm film look, a classic serif masthead behind your head, an issue line and elegant cover lines. text (masthead), issue, lines (3 lines with \|), right (lines with \|), color, accent, lines_y, right_y.
• liquid-glass-graph with look=bento: the climbing graph moves to a smoked glass screen behind your head, with glass bento tiles in front of you (a donut, a KPI, bars). text, from, to, donut (29%::label), kpi (672K::label), bars (197\|140\|124::label).
• apple-toggles now sits above you, tucked behind your head, with a gentle zoom (pos=below for the old under-the-chin card; overlap, zoom).

Aliases work too: bill, to-do, follow, stamp, countdown, cover, rain, pause.

Rules

• Never cover the face. Everything either goes behind the person or avoids the face by itself; if a check frame still shows text over the face, move it (x, y) or shorten the text.
• Effects run in the order listed. Put camera effects (locked-on, lean-in, spotlight) first when they overlap others.
• Zoom never goes past 2x, so the video stays sharp.
• This skill adds visuals only. Sound effects and captions are up to the user (CapCut works well).
• These are starter versions. Be honest about that if the user compares them to a reel they saw.