VideoDB Python Skill

Use this skill for VideoDB Python SDK workflows: upload, transcript, subtitle, search, timeline editing, generative media, and real-time capture.

Do not use ffmpeg, moviepy, or local encoding tools when VideoDB supports the operation. The following are all handled server-side by VideoDB — trimming, combining clips, overlaying audio or music, adding subtitles, text/image overlays, transcoding, resolution changes, aspect-ratio conversion, resizing for platform requirements, transcription, and media generation. Only fall back to local tools for operations listed under Limitations in reference/editor.md (transitions, speed changes, crop/zoom, colour grading, volume mixing).

When to use what

Problem	VideoDB solution
Platform rejects video aspect ratio or resolution	`video.reframe()` or `conn.transcode()` with `VideoConfig`
Need to resize video for Twitter/Instagram/TikTok	`video.reframe(target="vertical")` or `target="square"`
Need to change resolution (e.g. 1080p → 720p)	`conn.transcode()` with `VideoConfig(resolution=720)`
Need to overlay audio/music on video	`AudioAsset` on a `Timeline`
Need to add subtitles	`video.add_subtitle()` or `CaptionAsset`
Need to combine/trim clips	`VideoAsset` on a `Timeline`
Need to generate voiceover, music, or SFX	`coll.generate_voice()`, `generate_music()`, `generate_sound_effect()`

Setup

Run setup from the plugin root using absolute paths so it works regardless of current directory:

python "${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/python/scripts/setup_venv.py"
python "${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/python/scripts/check_connection.py"

API Key

An API key from https://console.videodb.io is required.

import videodb
from dotenv import load_dotenv

load_dotenv()
conn = videodb.connect()
coll = conn.get_collection()

If VIDEO_DB_API_KEY is not set and no key is passed to videodb.connect(), ask the user for it.

Quick Reference

Upload media

# URL
video = coll.upload(url="https://example.com/video.mp4")

# YouTube
video = coll.upload(url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO_ID")

# Local file
video = coll.upload(file_path="/path/to/video.mp4")

Transcript + subtitle

# force=True skips the error if the video is already indexed
video.index_spoken_words(force=True)
text = video.get_transcript_text()
stream_url = video.add_subtitle()

Search inside videos

from videodb.exceptions import InvalidRequestError

video.index_spoken_words(force=True)

# search() raises InvalidRequestError when no results are found.
# Always wrap in try/except and treat "No results found" as empty.
try:
    results = video.search("product demo")
    shots = results.get_shots()
    stream_url = results.compile()
except InvalidRequestError as e:
    if "No results found" in str(e):
        shots = []
    else:
        raise

Scene search

import re
from videodb import SearchType, IndexType, SceneExtractionType
from videodb.exceptions import InvalidRequestError

# index_scenes() has no force parameter — it raises an error if a scene
# index already exists. Extract the existing index ID from the error.
try:
    scene_index_id = video.index_scenes(
        extraction_type=SceneExtractionType.shot_based,
        prompt="Describe the visual content in this scene.",
    )
except Exception as e:
    match = re.search(r"id\s+([a-f0-9]+)", str(e))
    if match:
        scene_index_id = match.group(1)
    else:
        raise

# Use score_threshold to filter low-relevance noise (recommended: 0.3+)
try:
    results = video.search(
        query="person writing on a whiteboard",
        search_type=SearchType.semantic,
        index_type=IndexType.scene,
        scene_index_id=scene_index_id,
        score_threshold=0.3,
    )
    shots = results.get_shots()
    stream_url = results.compile()
except InvalidRequestError as e:
    if "No results found" in str(e):
        shots = []
    else:
        raise

Timeline editing

Important: Always validate timestamps before building a timeline:

start must be >= 0 (negative values are silently accepted but produce broken output)
start must be < end
end must be <= video.length

from videodb.timeline import Timeline
from videodb.asset import VideoAsset, TextAsset, TextStyle

timeline = Timeline(conn)
timeline.add_inline(VideoAsset(asset_id=video.id, start=10, end=30))
timeline.add_overlay(0, TextAsset(text="The End", duration=3, style=TextStyle(fontsize=36)))
stream_url = timeline.generate_stream()

Transcode video (resolution / quality change)

from videodb import TranscodeMode, VideoConfig, AudioConfig

# Change resolution, quality, or aspect ratio server-side
job_id = conn.transcode(
    source="https://example.com/video.mp4",
    callback_url="https://example.com/webhook",
    mode=TranscodeMode.economy,
    video_config=VideoConfig(resolution=720, quality=23, aspect_ratio="16:9"),
    audio_config=AudioConfig(mute=False),
)

Reframe aspect ratio (for social platforms)

Warning: reframe() is a slow server-side operation. For long videos it can take several minutes and may time out. Best practices:

Always limit to a short segment using start/end when possible
For full-length videos, use callback_url for async processing
Trim the video on a Timeline first, then reframe the shorter result

from videodb import ReframeMode

# Always prefer reframing a short segment:
reframed = video.reframe(start=0, end=60, target="vertical", mode=ReframeMode.smart)

# Async reframe for full-length videos (returns None, result via webhook):
video.reframe(target="vertical", callback_url="https://example.com/webhook")

# Presets: "vertical" (9:16), "square" (1:1), "landscape" (16:9)
reframed = video.reframe(start=0, end=60, target="square")

# Custom dimensions
reframed = video.reframe(start=0, end=60, target={"width": 1280, "height": 720})

Generative media

image = coll.generate_image(
    prompt="a sunset over mountains",
    aspect_ratio="16:9",
)

Error handling

from videodb.exceptions import AuthenticationError, InvalidRequestError

try:
    conn = videodb.connect()
except AuthenticationError:
    print("Check your VIDEO_DB_API_KEY")

try:
    video = coll.upload(url="https://example.com/video.mp4")
except InvalidRequestError as e:
    print(f"Upload failed: {e}")

Common pitfalls

Scenario	Error message	Solution
Indexing an already-indexed video	`Spoken word index for video already exists`	Use `video.index_spoken_words(force=True)` to skip if already indexed
Scene index already exists	`Scene index with id XXXX already exists`	Extract the existing `scene_index_id` from the error with `re.search(r"id\s+([a-f0-9]+)", str(e))`
Search finds no matches	`InvalidRequestError: No results found`	Catch the exception and treat as empty results (`shots = []`)
Reframe times out	Blocks indefinitely on long videos	Use `start`/`end` to limit segment, or pass `callback_url` for async
Negative timestamps on Timeline	Silently produces broken stream	Always validate `start >= 0` before creating `VideoAsset`
`generate_video()` / `create_collection()` fails	`Operation not allowed` or `maximum limit`	Plan-gated features — inform the user about plan limits

Additional docs in this plugin

${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/python/reference/api-reference.md
${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/python/reference/search.md
${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/python/reference/editor.md
${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/python/reference/generative.md
${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/python/reference/meetings.md
${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/python/reference/rtstream.md
${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/python/reference/capture.md
${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/python/reference/use-cases.md