# Claude Code for editors What Claude Code, skills, CLAUDE.md, MCP and Claude Motion do for a video editor, how to start, and which tools to use per app. Updated October 2026. ## The 5 pieces * Claude Code: Anthropic's AI agent that works inside a folder on your computer. It reads files, runs commands like FFmpeg and writes code, and it asks before it does anything risky. For you: Your assistant editor in the terminal or the desktop app. You describe the job, it does the tedious steps and shows you what it changed. * CLAUDE.md: A plain text file in your project folder that Claude reads at the start of every session. For you: Your house rules written once. Frame rate, folder names, never touch the raw footage, always show me the plan first. * Skills: A SKILL.md file with a recipe Claude can follow, called with a slash like /captions or loaded automatically when it fits. For you: Your favorite workflows turned into one command. Cut silences, make captions, export shorts, check a render. * MCP servers: Small connectors that let Claude control another app through the Model Context Protocol. For you: How Claude reaches into Resolve, Premiere, After Effects or CapCut and edits the real timeline or comp you have open. * Claude Motion: A beta feature in the Claude app that turns your script, numbers or slides into a short animation built from code, exported as MP4. No AI footage or AI people. For you: Fast explainers and animated charts you finish in your editor, on Team and Enterprise plans only for now. Sources: https://code.claude.com/docs/en/quickstart, https://code.claude.com/docs/en/memory, https://code.claude.com/docs/en/skills, https://code.claude.com/docs/en/mcp, https://support.claude.com/en/articles/17454997-get-started-with-claude-motion ## Get started 1. Get a plan that includes Claude Code: Pro is enough to start. Claude Motion is separate and only on Team and Enterprise 2. Install it: Mac, Linux or WSL: curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash. Windows and other options are in the quickstart. There's also a desktop app if you don't like terminals 3. Make one folder per project: Put a raw folder for footage, a work folder and an out folder in it, then open Claude Code in that folder 4. Drop in a CLAUDE.md: Grab the CLAUDE.md for an FFmpeg editing folder or the CLAUDE.md for a Remotion motion graphics project and fill in your details 5. Add one skill or one connector: For file based edits add a skill like Claude Code skill: /cut-silences. To edit inside an app, connect an MCP server, like in Connect Claude Code to DaVinci Resolve, step by step 6. Run your first job on a copy: Duplicate the project or the clip, ask Claude for its plan first, then let it go. Check the result like you would check an assistant's work ## By app ### Motion graphics with Remotion Claude writes React code and Remotion renders it to MP4. Great for titles, lower thirds, explainers and anything you want to change by editing a value. Remotion keeps official Agent Skills and a Claude Code plugin. Tools: [Remotion Agent Skills (official)](https://agentcut.dev/tools/remotion-agent-skills-official/), [Remotion MCP App](https://agentcut.dev/tools/remotion-mcp-app/), [Motion Graphics Skill Pack](https://agentcut.dev/tools/motion-graphics-skills-charlie947/), [HyperFrames (HeyGen)](https://agentcut.dev/tools/hyperframes-heygen/) Prompts: [Your first motion graphic with Claude Code and Remotion, step by step](https://agentcut.dev/prompts/starter-remotion-first-video/), [CLAUDE.md for a Remotion motion graphics project](https://agentcut.dev/prompts/claude-md-remotion/), [Claude Code skill: /lower-third for Remotion](https://agentcut.dev/prompts/skill-remotion-lower-third/), [Motion graphics brand system](https://agentcut.dev/prompts/ds-motion-brand/) ### Edits from files with FFmpeg No editing app at all. Claude runs FFmpeg and Whisper on your footage to cut silences, add captions, reframe to vertical and check exports. The easiest place to start because nothing can break your NLE project. Tools: [ffmpeg-skill](https://agentcut.dev/tools/ffmpeg-skill/), [Kinocut (formerly mcp-video)](https://agentcut.dev/tools/kinocut-formerly-mcp-video/), [Claude Video Vision](https://agentcut.dev/tools/claude-video-vision/), [podcli](https://agentcut.dev/tools/podcli/) Prompts: [CLAUDE.md for an FFmpeg editing folder](https://agentcut.dev/prompts/claude-md-ffmpeg/), [Claude Code skill: /cut-silences](https://agentcut.dev/prompts/skill-cut-silences/), [Claude Code skill: /captions](https://agentcut.dev/prompts/skill-captions/), [Claude Code skill: /shorts from a long video](https://agentcut.dev/prompts/skill-shorts/), [Claude Code skill: /qa-render before you deliver](https://agentcut.dev/prompts/skill-qa-render/) ### DaVinci Resolve MCP servers drive Resolve's scripting API so Claude can read the timeline, add markers, build node trees and set up renders. Heads up: since Resolve 21.1, Python scripting and the built in MCP server are Studio only, per CineD. Free users need a tool that says it works on Free. Tools: [DaVinci Resolve MCP Server (samuelgursky)](https://agentcut.dev/tools/davinci-resolve-mcp-server-samuelgursky/), [Resolve MCP Server (guycochran)](https://agentcut.dev/tools/resolve-mcp-server-guycochran/), [Wasserman's Unofficial DaVinci MCP](https://agentcut.dev/tools/wasserman-s-unofficial-davinci-mcp/), [DaVinci Resolve MCP — Works in Resolve Free](https://agentcut.dev/tools/davinci-resolve-mcp-works-in-resolve-free/) Prompts: [Connect Claude Code to DaVinci Resolve, step by step](https://agentcut.dev/prompts/starter-resolve-mcp/), [CLAUDE.md for editing in Resolve, Premiere or After Effects through MCP](https://agentcut.dev/prompts/claude-md-nle-mcp/), [Film emulation grade in DaVinci Resolve](https://agentcut.dev/prompts/style-film-emulation/), [Batch export every deliverable from one timeline](https://agentcut.dev/prompts/agent-batch-export/) ### Premiere Pro Community MCP bridges talk to Premiere through a panel, so Claude can cut, add captions, organize bins and queue exports in your open project. Adobe also has an official Adobe for Claude connector that covers Premiere (plus Photoshop, Illustrator, Firefly and more) and works in Claude Code. It doesn't include every Premiere feature. Tools: [MCP Bridge for Adobe Premiere Pro](https://agentcut.dev/tools/mcp-bridge-for-adobe-premiere-pro/), [Premiere Pro MCP (PPMCP)](https://agentcut.dev/tools/premiere-pro-mcp-ppmcp/), [MCP for Adobe Premiere Pro (leancoderkavy)](https://agentcut.dev/tools/mcp-for-adobe-premiere-pro-leancoderkavy/), [Auto Cut for Premiere Pro](https://agentcut.dev/tools/auto-cut-premiere-rafcopy/) Prompts: [CLAUDE.md for editing in Resolve, Premiere or After Effects through MCP](https://agentcut.dev/prompts/claude-md-nle-mcp/), [Cut silences on a timeline, with markers first](https://agentcut.dev/prompts/agent-cut-silences-timeline/), [Auto captions onto the timeline in a house style](https://agentcut.dev/prompts/agent-auto-captions/), [Organize and rename footage into bins](https://agentcut.dev/prompts/agent-organize-media/) ### After Effects MCP servers let Claude build comps, layers, keyframes and expressions in the project you have open, and render a frame to check its own work. There's no official Adobe or Anthropic connector for After Effects. Every AE connector is third party, so read its safety notes. Tools: [AE MCP Bridge](https://agentcut.dev/tools/ae-mcp-bridge/), [After Effects MCP (Engine Room)](https://agentcut.dev/tools/after-effects-mcp-engine-room/), [mcp-aftereffects (Kumo Productions)](https://agentcut.dev/tools/mcp-aftereffects-kumo-productions/), [Plainly Videos MCP (official)](https://agentcut.dev/tools/plainly-videos-mcp-official/) Prompts: [CLAUDE.md for editing in Resolve, Premiere or After Effects through MCP](https://agentcut.dev/prompts/claude-md-nle-mcp/), [Build a lower third in After Effects](https://agentcut.dev/prompts/agent-ae-lower-third/), [Turn a comp into a reusable motion template](https://agentcut.dev/prompts/agent-motion-template/), [Titles and lower thirds system for interviews](https://agentcut.dev/prompts/ds-lower-thirds/) ### CapCut CapCut has no official API, so these tools edit draft files or go through VectCutAPI. Close CapCut before letting an agent touch a draft. Unofficial, so expect things to break after CapCut updates. Tools: [SmartCut MCP (CapCut talking-head)](https://agentcut.dev/tools/smartcut-mcp-capcut-talking-head/), [VectCutAPI (CapCut/Jianying API)](https://agentcut.dev/tools/vectcutapi-capcut-jianying-api/), [capcut-mcp (JmsLdrn)](https://agentcut.dev/tools/capcut-mcp-jmsldrn/) Prompts: [Cut silences on a timeline, with markers first](https://agentcut.dev/prompts/agent-cut-silences-timeline/), [Bold word by word captions (the Hormozi look)](https://agentcut.dev/prompts/style-bold-word-captions/), [Social shorts template system (9:16)](https://agentcut.dev/prompts/ds-shorts-template/) ## Claude Motion vs Remotion * What it is: Claude Motion: A feature in the Claude app. Remotion: A code framework for video that you run with Claude Code * Plans: Claude Motion: Team and Enterprise only, beta. Remotion: Any Claude Code plan. Remotion is free for individuals and small teams, bigger companies need a Remotion license * Output: Claude Motion: MP4 export. Remotion: MP4, transparent ProRes or WebM, stills * Editing: Claude Motion: Chat or the built in editor. Remotion: Edit the code or props in Remotion Studio * Best for: Claude Motion: Quick explainers from a report or slides. Remotion: Reusable templates, brand systems, lots of versions ## Real examples * An /editor skill that edits raw recordings end to end (u/cowanscorp, r/ClaudeCode, May 2026): https://www.reddit.com/r/ClaudeCode/comments/1t6tdhk/i_built_a_claude_code_skill_that_takes_raw_video/ * Open sourced the skill he uses to edit his own videos (u/ustype, r/ClaudeAI, Sep 2026): https://www.reddit.com/r/ClaudeAI/comments/1w935ob/i_opensourced_the_claude_code_skill_i_use_to_edit/ * i-hate-editing (ranahaani, GitHub, MIT license): https://github.com/ranahaani/i-hate-editing * video-editing-skill (6missedcalls, GitHub, MIT license): https://github.com/6missedcalls/video-editing-skill * Remotion Agent Skills (Remotion, GitHub, official): https://github.com/remotion-dev/skills * "Claude Code as a motion graphics engine for my YouTube videos" (r/ClaudeAI, Reddit thread): https://www.reddit.com/r/ClaudeAI/comments/1tn9tyy/ive_been_using_claude_code_as_a_motion_graphics/ * "Coffee, Claude, and Remotion is all you need to make launch videos" (r/ClaudeAI, Reddit thread): https://www.reddit.com/r/ClaudeAI/comments/1tik0qe/coffee_claude_and_remotion_is_all_you_need_to/ * Delivered a 30 second ad for a real project without opening an editor, using Remotion with the official Agent Skills and Claude Code. Porting an earlier 35 second ad with 7 scenes took Claude Code under an hour (jeong, https://zenn.dev/jeong/articles/4dfa08842991fd?locale=en) * Built a Claude chat for Resolve using samuelgursky's Resolve MCP server as his starting point. It was best at bulk jobs like flagging every clip shorter than 50 frames or splitting the media pool into timelines by file name, and slower than clicking for one off tasks (Poul Waligora, https://wildlion.media/claude-davinci-resolve/) * Uses Dakkshin's After Effects MCP mostly through its runScriptFile tool, so Claude writes ExtendScript and After Effects runs it. They make medical device training videos in many parts and languages, so asks like a shorter ending or 5 language versions become a quick rebuild instead of an afternoon of keyframing (u/leadtimelabs, https://www.reddit.com/r/ClaudeAI/comments/1w0pm56/anyone_here_that_made_good_motion_graphic_videos/) * Used Claude with a Premiere Pro MCP and HyperFrames to cut about 9 minutes of raw footage into a 4 minute rough cut in roughly 15 minutes, and to build an animated Mars and Earth graphic from one detailed prompt. He still did a quick grain and contrast pass by hand (Jason Cooperson, https://moderncreator.app/2026-07-24-jason-cooperson-i-taught-claude-to-edit-in-premiere-pro) ## Questions ### Do I need to know how to code? No, but you need to be OK opening a terminal or the desktop app and reading what Claude plans to do. The prompts here are written for editors, not developers ### Which Claude plan do I need? Claude Code works with Pro, Max, Team or Enterprise, or a Console account. Claude Motion is a different thing, in beta on Team and Enterprise plans only ### Is Claude Motion the same as Claude Code with Remotion? No. Claude Motion lives in the Claude app and exports MP4. Remotion is a code framework you run yourself with Claude Code, with more control and any plan ### Is there an official Claude connector for Premiere or After Effects? Adobe's official Adobe for Claude connector covers Premiere, Photoshop, Illustrator, Firefly, Express and more, but not After Effects. For AE you use a third party MCP server ### Does it work with DaVinci Resolve Free? Partly. Resolve 21.1 moved Python scripting and the built in MCP server to Studio, so many Free workarounds stopped working. Check the edition notes on each Resolve tool ### Is it safe to let Claude edit my project? Treat it like a new assistant. Work on a duplicate, read its plan, never let it delete media, and be careful with tools that can run any script --- AgentCut: https://agentcut.dev/ · All tools as JSON: https://agentcut.dev/tools.json · Overview for agents: https://agentcut.dev/llms.txt