| name | podguy-clip-cutter |
| description | Use when the user wants to cut/export likely clippable podcast moments for TikTok, Reels, YouTube Shorts, trailers, or social review. Turn pi-selected clip candidates into media files with scripts/cut_clips.py. |
| compatibility | Requires ffmpeg for actual cutting. Works from repo root after transcript prep and clip candidate selection. |
podguy Clip Cutter
Use this skill when the user asks to cut, export, render, or prepare short-form/social clips from a podcast or video podcast.
This skill complements podguy-post-production:
- pi does editorial judgment and chooses candidate moments
scripts/cut_clips.py does deterministic ffmpeg cutting- generated media stays under gitignored
dist/analysis/
Sample media
When a real video-podcast fixture is useful, run:
scripts/download_sample_media.sh
This downloads a local excerpt from Cordkillers 572 under dist/test-fixtures/open-license/cordkillers-572/ with attribution. The default 00:08:00-00:11:50 excerpt includes a three-person podcast layout, lower thirds, chat/sidebar graphics, a Patreon bumper, and an outro/interstitial card.
Inputs to gather
Identify:
- Source media path: original recording, draft export, or preview export.
- Episode slug: e.g.
ep006.
- Clip candidate file:
- default:
dist/analysis/<slug>/clips.md
- also supported:
.txt, .csv, or .json with start/end ranges
- Output intent:
- review cuts in original aspect
- vertical Shorts/TikTok/Reels exports
- square or horizontal variants
If the user has not selected clip candidates yet, run the normal clip workflow first and write dist/analysis/<slug>/clips.md.
Clip candidate format
The cutter accepts ranges in Markdown/plain text, CSV, or JSON.
Markdown example:
## Why this market flipped
- 00:12:14 - 00:13:08 — Strong contrarian claim with a clean payoff.
CSV example:
title,start,end
Why this market flipped,00:12:14,00:13:08
JSON example:
{
"clips": [{ "title": "Why this market flipped", "start": "00:12:14", "end": "00:13:08" }]
}
Commands
Original-aspect review cuts:
uv run python scripts/cut_clips.py \
<input-media> \
dist/analysis/<slug>/clips.md \
dist/analysis/<slug>/clips/cuts
Vertical review exports for TikTok/Reels/YouTube Shorts:
uv run python scripts/cut_clips.py \
<input-media> \
dist/analysis/<slug>/clips.md \
dist/analysis/<slug>/clips/shorts \
--aspect vertical \
--pad-start 1 \
--pad-end 1
Useful options:
--limit N cuts only the first N parsed clips--pad-start SECONDS and --pad-end SECONDS add review handles--aspect source|vertical|square|horizontal controls simple framing--copy is faster for original-aspect cuts but may be less frame-accurate--dry-run writes/prints commands without producing media
Output locations
Recommended paths:
dist/analysis/<slug>/clips.md — selected candidatesdist/analysis/<slug>/clips/cuts/ — original-aspect review exportsdist/analysis/<slug>/clips/shorts/ — vertical review exportsdist/analysis/<slug>/clips/*/manifest.json — machine-readable export manifest
Quality guidance
For social/short-form exports, prefer candidates that:
- start with a hook or clear tension
- make sense with minimal prior context
- contain a payoff, reversal, punchline, or memorable phrase
- land in roughly 20-90 seconds for Shorts/TikTok, unless the user asks otherwise
- have a clean ending or can be padded slightly for handles
Avoid exporting moments that:
- depend heavily on an earlier setup
- are mainly housekeeping or sponsor reads
- require lots of visual context that a center crop will lose
- contain unresolved cross-talk or dead air
Caveats
- The script can center-crop vertical/square versions, but it does not track speakers or intelligently reframe shots.
- Treat outputs as review exports, not final mastered social edits.
- If vertical crop might cut off slides or side-by-side speakers, explicitly warn the user and suggest manual reframing in the editor.
References
