Media Processing

Process audio and video files using ffmpeg. Claude already knows ffmpeg well — this skill only defines the interaction flow.

Usage

When the user wants to process audio/video files: $ARGUMENTS

Instructions

Step 0: Choose interaction mode

On first interaction, use AskUserQuestion:

Question: "Are you familiar with video processing?"
Options:
- "Simple mode — just pick the best options for me (Recommended)"
- "Pro mode — I want full control over parameters"

If the user uses technical terms (CRF, codec, bitrate, etc.) in simple mode, automatically switch to pro mode.

Step 1: Analyze input files

Run ffprobe to inspect each input file:

ffprobe -v error -show_entries format=duration,size,bit_rate -show_entries stream=codec_name,codec_type,width,height,r_frame_rate,sample_rate,channels,bit_rate -of json "$INPUT_FILE"

Simple mode: show duration, resolution, file size. Pro mode: show full codec, bitrate, sample rate, and other technical details.

Step 2: Confirm key parameters before executing

You MUST use AskUserQuestion to confirm key parameters before running any ffmpeg command. Only ask questions relevant to the operation.

Simple mode — describe effects, not parameters

Trim example:

"Where should it start? Where should it end?"
"Output quality?" → "Same as original (fastest)" / "Slightly compressed (smaller file)" / "More compressed (much smaller)"
"Keep the audio?" → "Yes" / "No"

Merge example:

Show file list, confirm concatenation order
"These files have different resolutions — which size should the output use?"

Extract audio example:

"Output format?" → "MP3 (universal)" / "WAV (lossless)" / "AAC (high quality, small size)"

Pro mode — expose technical parameters

Show codec, CRF, preset, bitrate options
Allow custom parameter input
For merging: offer concat demuxer vs concat filter choice

Extra checks for merging

When merging multiple files, you must:

Check whether all files share the same resolution, codec, and audio codec
If they differ, inform the user and ask how to handle it
Confirm concatenation order

Step 3: Execute

Build the ffmpeg command
In pro mode, show the full command before running
Execute and report progress

Step 4: Verify output

Run ffprobe on the output file and report:

Simple mode:

Done!
- Duration: 2m 30s
- File size: 45 MB (60% smaller than original)
- Saved to: /path/to/output.mp4

Pro mode:

Done!
- Output: 1920x1080, H.264 CRF 23, AAC 128kbps
- Duration: 2:30 | Size: 45.2 MB (was 112 MB, -60%)
- Path: /path/to/output.mp4
- Command: ffmpeg -ss 00:01:30 -to 00:04:00 -i input.mp4 ...

Key Principles

Don't be an ffmpeg manual — Claude already knows ffmpeg; don't enumerate parameters
Only ask what's needed — tailor questions to the specific operation, don't ask a long checklist every time
Output path — default to current working directory, with an operation suffix (e.g. _trimmed, _merged)
Error handling — if ffmpeg fails, explain the cause in plain language and suggest a fix

media-processing