video-clip-maker

name	video-clip-maker
description	Create vertical short-form videos from YouTube with auto-highlights, subtitles, and thumbnails
version	1.0.0
requires	{"env":[],"bins":["yt-dlp","ffmpeg","python3"]}
tags	["video","youtube","automation","social-media"]
author	OpenIntentOS Contributors

Video Clip Maker

Automatically creates vertical short-form videos (9:16) from YouTube videos with AI-powered highlight detection, auto-generated subtitles, and thumbnail generation.

Features

🎬 YouTube Download

• Download videos from YouTube using yt-dlp
• Support for playlists and channels
• Quality selection (up to 4K)

✂️ Auto Highlight Detection

• Scene change detection
• Audio energy analysis for exciting moments
• Face detection for talking head videos
• Motion-based segment scoring

📱 Vertical Crop (9:16)

• Smart center crop with subject tracking
• Optional blur background fill
• Maintains quality with upscaling

📝 Auto Subtitles

• Whisper AI speech-to-text
• Multiple language support
• SRT/VTT format output
• Burned-in subtitle styling

🖼️ Thumbnail Generation

• Key frame extraction
• Text overlay with title
• Optimized for social platforms

Usage

Basic Usage

# Download and process a YouTube video
python video-clip-maker.py --url "https://youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO_ID"

# With custom settings
python video-clip-maker.py \
  --url "https://youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO_ID" \
  --duration 60 \
  --output-format mp4 \
  --quality 1080p

Advanced Options

# Specify highlight preferences
python video-clip-maker.py \
  --url "URL" \
  --highlight-method "audio" \
  --min-score 0.7

# Custom subtitle settings
python video-clip-maker.py \
  --url "URL" \
  --subtitle-lang "en" \
  --subtitle-style "bold" \
  --subtitle-size 24

# Batch processing
python video-clip-maker.py \
  --playlist "PLAYLIST_URL" \
  --max-videos 10

Output Format

The skill produces:

• Vertical video (1080x1920, 9:16 aspect ratio)
• Burned-in subtitles (customizable style)
• Thumbnail image (1080x1920 PNG)
• Metadata JSON with processing info

Configuration

Environment Variables

• WHISPER_MODEL: Whisper model size (default: "small")
• FFMPEG_PRESET: Encoding preset (default: "medium")
• OUTPUT_DIR: Output directory (default: "./output")

Quality Presets

Preset	Resolution	File Size	Use Case
720p	720x1280	Small	Quick sharing
1080p	1080x1920	Medium	Standard quality
4k	2160x3840	Large	Professional

Examples

Example 1: Quick Clip

python video-clip-maker.py --url "https://youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ" --duration 30

Example 2: Podcast Clip

python video-clip-maker.py \
  --url "https://youtube.com/watch?v=PODCAST_ID" \
  --highlight-method "face" \
  --subtitle-style "netflix" \
  --duration 60

Example 3: Gaming Clip

python video-clip-maker.py \
  --url "https://youtube.com/watch?v=GAME_ID" \
  --highlight-method "motion" \
  --min-score 0.8 \
  --quality 1080p

Technical Details

Dependencies

• yt-dlp: Video downloading
• ffmpeg: Video processing
• whisper: Speech-to-text
• opencv-python: Video analysis
• numpy: Numerical operations

Processing Pipeline

1. Download: Fetch video from YouTube
2. Analyze: Detect scenes, faces, motion, audio peaks
3. Select: Choose best highlight segment
4. Crop: Convert to 9:16 vertical format
5. Subtitle: Generate and burn in subtitles
6. Export: Output final video and thumbnail

Limitations

• YouTube videos must be publicly accessible or authenticated
• Processing time: ~1-2x video length
• Whisper models require 2-4GB RAM
• 4K processing requires significant disk space

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

• Download fails: Check video URL and region restrictions
• No audio detected: Verify video has audio track
• Subtitle errors: Ensure whisper model is downloaded
• Crop looks wrong: Adjust crop method for content type

Best Practices

1. Source Quality: Start with highest quality source
2. Duration: Keep clips under 60 seconds for best engagement
3. Subtitles: Always include for silent autoplay
4. Thumbnails: Use clear, high-contrast frames

Integration

This skill integrates with:

• Telegram: Send clips directly to channels
• YouTube Shorts: Auto-upload processed clips
• TikTok: Format-optimized exports
• Instagram Reels: Aspect ratio presets