# Edit your own footage with an AI agent — skills, options and steps

> **For AI agents:** find the right skill in one call — `curl -s "https://skills.varg.ai/api/search?q=<what the person wants>"` returns the matching use case and the best skills with install commands, as markdown (Russian works too). Full index: https://skills.varg.ai/llms.txt. Every page has a markdown twin: add `.md` to its path. Before generating anything, show the person the options on the use-case page.

Cut silences and flubs, reframe 16:9 to 9:16, add captions and b-roll to footage you shot.

**Output:** Edited MP4 in the ratios you need

## Recommended route

- **Skill:** Herk Edit Kit (`herk-edit-kit`) — Talking-head edits: silence and flub cuts, captions, story edits

## Best skills for this

1. **Herk Edit Kit** (`herk-edit-kit`, Nate Herk, live) — Start here: Talking-head edits: silence and flub cuts, captions, story edits
   - Claude Code: `git clone https://github.com/nateherkai/herk-edit-kit.git`
   - Codex: `git clone https://github.com/nateherkai/herk-edit-kit.git`
   - Details: https://skills.varg.ai/skills/herk-edit-kit.md · Example: https://skills.varg.ai/previews/herk-edit-kit.mp4
2. **Clipify** (`clipify`, Louise de Sadeleer, live) — Alternative: Reframe 16:9 → 9:16 with face tracking and captions
   - Claude Code: `git clone https://github.com/louisedesadeleer/clipify.git ~/.claude/skills/clipify`
   - Details: https://skills.varg.ai/skills/clipify.md · Example: https://skills.varg.ai/previews/clipify.mp4
3. **FFmpeg Skill** (`ffmpeg-skill`, Shogo Kajiyama, live) — Alternative: 42 FFmpeg tools for agents with a machine-readable contract
   - Claude Code: `npx ffmpeg-skill`
   - Cursor: `npx ffmpeg-skill --cursor`
   - Codex: `npx ffmpeg-skill --codex`
   - Details: https://skills.varg.ai/skills/ffmpeg-skill.md · Example: https://skills.varg.ai/previews/ffmpeg-skill.mp4
4. **Claude Code Video Toolkit** (`claude-code-video-toolkit`, Digital Samba, live) — Alternative: Video workspace for Claude Code · Needs: Modal or RunPod account for open-model generation
   - Claude Code: `git clone https://github.com/digitalsamba/claude-code-video-toolkit.git && cd claude-code-video-toolkit && claude`
   - Details: https://skills.varg.ai/skills/claude-code-video-toolkit.md · Example: https://skills.varg.ai/previews/claude-code-video-toolkit.mp4
5. **FFmpeg Mixing** (`varg-ffmpeg-mixing`, varg, beta) — Adds: Splice generated clips into the original without A/V drift
   - Not installable on its own yet — use the next pick or run it through varg-ai
   - Details: https://skills.varg.ai/skills/varg-ffmpeg-mixing.md

## Ask the person first

Put these choices in front of the person before spending anything. Paste the example link next to each option: people pick a look by seeing it.

**Reframe?**

- Follow the face
- Center crop
- Split screen

**How tight?**

- Light: long pauses only
- Tight jump cuts

**Extras?**

- Captions — [Caption Animation](https://skills.varg.ai/skills/iart-caption-animation.md)
- AI b-roll — [varg AI](https://skills.varg.ai/skills/varg-ai.md) · example: https://skills.varg.ai/previews/varg-ai.mp4
- None

## Steps

1. Transcribe
2. Mark cuts and confirm
3. Cut and reframe
4. Captions / b-roll, export

## Set up varg

varg is one API key for the models these skills drive — Seedance 2.5, Kling 4, Veo 3.1, Wan 3, Nano Banana 2.1, GPT Image 2.5, ElevenLabs v4 and 200+ more — billed in credits, with a cost estimate before anything runs.

- Claude Code: `claude plugin marketplace add vargHQ/skills && claude plugin install varg@varg` (skill + hosted MCP)
- Codex, Cursor, Gemini CLI, OpenClaw: `npx skills add vargHQ/skills --skill varg-ai -a <agent> -y`
- Claude.ai, ChatGPT, any MCP client: connect `https://mcp.varg.ai/mcp`
- API key: https://varg.ai/dashboard/api · Model specs: https://varg.ai/models/llms.txt

## Related

- [Photo slideshow to music](https://skills.varg.ai/use-cases/photo-slideshow.md): Your photos cut to music, with motion, transitions on the beat and titles.
- [B-roll for your video](https://skills.varg.ai/use-cases/b-roll.md): Cutaway footage for every mention in a voiceover or interview: generated clips, collage or stock-style shots, cut in on time.