video-trimmer

name	video-trimmer
description	Trim and cut videos by timestamp with precision. Supports both stream copy (fast) and re-encoding (quality) modes. Use when you need to extract specific segments from videos, create clips from highlights, or cut unwanted portions.
allowed-tools	Bash(ffmpeg:*)
compatibility	Requires FFmpeg
metadata	{"version":"1.0"}

Video Trimmer

This skill enables AI agents to trim and cut videos with precision using FFmpeg.

When to Use

• User wants to extract a specific segment from a video
• Creating clips from highlight timestamps
• Removing unwanted portions from videos
• Cutting videos for short-form content
• Trimming based on detected highlights

Available Scripts

scripts/trim.py

Trim video to specified time range.

Usage:

python skills/video-trimmer/scripts/trim.py <video_path> [options]

Options:

• --start, -s: Start time (seconds or HH:MM:SS) - required
• --end, -e: End time (seconds or HH:MM:SS) - required
• --output, -o: Output video path (default: <video_path>_trimmed.mp4)
• --reencode: Re-encode video (higher quality, slower)
• --codec: Video codec for re-encoding (default: libx264)
• --quality: Quality preset (fast, medium, slow) - default: fast
• --copy: Use stream copy (faster, no quality loss)

Examples:

Trim 10-second segment:

python skills/video-trimmer/scripts/trim.py video.mp4 --start 30 --end 40

Trim with timestamp format:

python skills/video-trimmer/scripts/trim.py video.mp4 --start 00:01:30 --end 00:01:45

Re-encode for better quality:

python skills/video-trimmer/scripts/trim.py video.mp4 --start 30 --end 40 --reencode --quality medium

Fast stream copy:

python skills/video-trimmer/scripts/trim.py video.mp4 --start 30 --end 40 --copy

scripts/trim_multiple.py

Trim multiple segments from one video.

Usage:

python skills/video-trimmer/scripts/trim_multiple.py <video_path> --segments <json_file> [options]

Options:

• --segments: JSON file with segment list
• --output-dir: Output directory (default: ./clips/)
• --copy: Use stream copy
• --prefix: Filename prefix for clips

Segments JSON Format:

[
  {"start": 30, "end": 45},
  {"start": 120, "end": 135},
  {"start": 200, "end": 220}
]

Example:

python skills/video-trimmer/scripts/trim_multiple.py video.mp4 --segments segments.json --prefix highlight

Output

Single Trim

Returns trimmed video file:

video_trimmed.mp4

Multiple Trims

Returns multiple clip files:

clips/
  highlight_001.mp4
  highlight_002.mp4
  highlight_003.mp4

Modes Explained

Stream Copy (Default, Fast)

• Speed: Very fast (seconds)
• Quality: No quality loss (exact copy)
• Use when: Quick cuts, same codec segments
• Limitations: Cut points may not be frame-perfect

Re-encode (High Quality)

• Speed: Slower (depends on length)
• Quality: Frame-perfect, configurable quality
• Use when: Frame-accurate cuts, codec conversion
• Options: Adjust CRF for quality vs file size

Time Formats

Supported time formats:

• Seconds: 30, 45.5, 120
• MM:SS: 1:30, 2:45
• HH:MM:SS: 00:01:30, 01:15:30

Integration with Other Skills

After trimming, you can use these skills:

• portrait-resizer: Convert to 9:16 portrait format
• subtitle-overlay: Add captions to clips
• autocut-shorts: Full workflow with all steps

Common Workflow

1. User provides video file
2. Find highlights using highlight-scanner
3. Trim segments using this skill
4. Resize to portrait using portrait-resizer
5. Add subtitles using subtitle-overlay

Tips

• Use --copy for fast processing when quality isn't critical
• Use --reencode for frame-perfect cuts
• Trimming before resizing is more efficient
• Keep 2-3 second buffers around highlights for context
• Use JSON input for batch trimming

Error Handling

• Invalid timestamps: Returns error with valid range
• Out of bounds: Clamps to video duration
• File not found: Clear error message
• Codec issues: Falls back to re-encoding

Performance

• Stream copy: ~1 second per minute of video
• Re-encode: ~5-30 seconds per minute (depends on quality)
• Batch processing: Processes sequentially

References

• FFmpeg documentation: https://ffmpeg.org/documentation.html
• FFmpeg trim filter: https://ffmpeg.org/ffmpeg-filters.html#trim