youtube-thumbnail

name

youtube-thumbnail

description

Generate YouTube thumbnail options from high-performing YouTube style references, a target person's images, and optional relevant logos/assets. Uses the local youtube-researcher SerpApi workflow to find/pull YouTube thumbnails, internet-image-puller to gather logos/images when needed, and OpenAI image generation/editing to create final 16:9 thumbnails. Defaults to 5 options when the user does not specify a count.

YouTube Thumbnail

Use this skill when Riley asks to make YouTube thumbnails, clone the style of thumbnails that performed well, pull recent thumbnails from a creator/channel, or generate multiple thumbnail options from a face/person reference.

Default Behavior

• Generate 5 options unless the user gives a different count.
• Use gpt-image-2 unless the user asks for another image model.
• Use 16:9 output.
• Use one style/reference thumbnail plus up to three target-person images per generation by default.
• Use youtube-researcher for YouTube search/channel thumbnail pulls.
• Use internet-image-puller when relevant logos, product images, UI screenshots, or supporting graphics are needed.
• Save outputs in a local folder and report exact paths.

Credentials

Do not write API keys into this skill file.

The helper reads SerpApi in this order:

1. SERP_API_KEY
2. SERPAPI_API_KEY
3. macOS Keychain item codex-serpapi-key for account rileybrown

OpenAI image generation reads OPENAI_API_KEY.

Quick Start

Generate five thumbnail options from a channel's latest thumbnails:

python3 /Users/rileybrown/.codex/skills/youtube-thumbnail/scripts/youtube_thumbnail.py \
  --topic "Riley's latest video: My AI Setup, the AI tools I would install on a brand new computer" \
  --style-channel "https://www.youtube.com/@GregIsenberg" \
  --person-image /Users/rileybrown/Remotion/Riley/riley-04.png \
  --person-image /Users/rileybrown/Remotion/Riley/riley-03.png \
  --person-image /Users/rileybrown/Remotion/Riley/riley-02.png \
  --logo-query "Wispr Flow logo" \
  --logo-query "Raycast app logo" \
  --logo-query "OpenAI Codex logo" \
  --logo-query "Claude Code logo" \
  --output-dir /Users/rileybrown/Remotion/Riley/youtube-thumbnail-run

Generate a specific number:

python3 /Users/rileybrown/.codex/skills/youtube-thumbnail/scripts/youtube_thumbnail.py \
  --topic "AI tools setup video" \
  --style-channel "@GregIsenberg" \
  --person-image /path/to/person-1.png \
  --person-image /path/to/person-2.png \
  --person-image /path/to/person-3.png \
  --options 3 \
  --output-dir /tmp/thumbs

Workflow

1. Identify the video topic, target person images, and style source.
2. Pull style thumbnails:
   • Prefer --style-channel for "latest videos from this creator".
   • Use --style-query for topic/search-based examples.
   • The helper saves references under style-references/.
3. Pull supporting assets only when helpful:
   • Use --logo-query for named tools, products, or brands.
   • The helper saves assets under pulled-assets/.
4. Generate thumbnails:
   • Each option uses one style thumbnail and up to three person images.
   • If logos/assets exist, the prompt tells the image model to include the relevant tools/graphics; the helper keeps the core image inputs focused on style + face references.
5. Verify:
   • Confirm final images exist.
   • Confirm dimensions are 16:9.
   • Show or report the final output paths.

Notes

• If a user says "use the latest videos", use channel mode and report concrete dates/titles.
• If the user gives placeholders like "change text to ____", infer the thumbnail text from the target video topic when obvious; ask only if it is genuinely ambiguous.
• If gpt-image-2 rejects a parameter, remove that parameter and retry with the same model before switching models.
• Keep the prompt simple and close to Riley's wording: style reference, target face refs, requested text, requested graphic.