the setup that made

Claude

my video editor

Seven steps and four prompts, on the $20 plan. It drafts, you approve every cut.

What you need

A laptop and these. This won't run on a phone.

Claude Pro plan$20/mo

FFmpeg, cuts and exports$0

yt-dlp, saves reference reels$0

Whisper, word by word transcript$0

HyperFrames, captions and motion$0

Watch skill, studies your references$0

Effects pack, 45 starter effects$0

TOTAL$20/mo

STEP 1 OF 7

Set it to Local

DO THIS

Download the Claude desktop app.
Click the Code tab.
Set it to Local.

YOU'LL SEE

Local selected, so Claude can work with the files on your laptop.

IF IT BREAKS

No Code tab? Claude Code needs a paid plan. Pro is enough, that's what I'm on.

Cloud can't see your laptop. Local can.

STEP 2 OF 7

One folder, three inside

DO THIS

Make a folder on your Desktop called AI Video Editor. Put 3 folders inside: raw for your filmed takes, references for 5 reels you love, exports for finished reels. Then pick it in the Code tab.

YOU'LL SEE

Your folder name in the chat box. Claude now works inside it.

IF IT BREAKS

Claude can't find your files? Start a new chat and pick the folder again.

One session per reel keeps your credits low.

STEP 3 OF 7

Paste one prompt

DO THIS

Paste this into Claude and let it run.

THE INSTALL PROMPT

Set up this folder as my AI video editor for vertical reels. Install anything missing: FFmpeg, yt-dlp, Whisper (mlx-whisper on Apple Silicon, faster-whisper on anything else) and HyperFrames. Then install these two skills: github.com/bradautomates/claude-video and github.com/Vibha-Ramprakash/claude-video-effects. Ask me before anything needs my approval. Finish with a short checklist of what works. Don't edit anything yet.

YOU'LL SEE

A short checklist of what works. Everything on it is free.

IF IT BREAKS

Approval pop-up? Read it, then allow it. HyperFrames needs Node 22+ and Chrome, so ask Claude to add them.

No ElevenLabs key needed. Whisper runs on your laptop.

STEP 4 OF 7

Turn off connectors

DO THIS

Open your connectors and switch off everything you don't need for editing. Mine were loading 34,000 tokens before I typed a word.

YOU'LL SEE

Fewer tools loaded, so every chat starts lighter.

IF IT BREAKS

Need one back? Switch it on again when you finish editing.

STEP 5 OF 7

Teach it your taste

DO THIS

Save 5 reels you love into references, then paste this.

THE STYLE PROMPT

Use the Watch skill on the videos in references. Keep frames small. Write down the pacing, jump cuts, zooms, caption style, colours, sounds and what happens in the first 3 seconds. Show me the breakdown and ask what you're unsure about. Once I approve it, save it as a skill called my-editing-style.

YOU'LL SEE

A style breakdown, then a saved skill called my-editing-style.

IF IT BREAKS

Instagram link won't open? Save the video into the folder instead.

This is your priciest step. Do it once.

STEP 6 OF 7

Film, drop, paste

DO THIS

Film in one take, drop it in raw, then paste this.

THE EDIT PROMPT

Transcribe the video in raw with Whisper, word by word. Work from the transcript, not the video. Use my-editing-style and the effects skill. Build me a storyboard page first, one row per beat. Check only a few small frames. Don't render until I say so.

YOU'LL SEE

A storyboard page, one row per beat, and nothing rendered yet.

IF IT BREAKS

Claude keeps opening frames? Say "work from the transcript".

One full-size frame is 2,700 tokens. Your whole reel as text is about 3,000.

STEP 7 OF 7

Fix it by talking

DO THIS

Read the storyboard first. Swap in your own notes, then send all of them in one message, not ten.

THE NOTES PROMPT

Here are all my notes at once. 1: When I say "Claude", punch in. 2: Make the captions smaller and move them off my face. 3: Cut the first 2 seconds. Apply these, update the storyboard, then wait.

YOU'LL SEE

An updated storyboard. It waits for your OK before any render.

IF IT BREAKS

Chat getting slow? Keep one session per reel. Opus plans, Sonnet fixes.

Love the edit? Say "save this as a skill", so next time Claude already knows it.

Where credits really go

WHAT	COST	THE FIX
Connectors left on	34,000 tokens	Switch them off
One full-size frame	2,700 tokens	Keep frames small
Whole reel as text	about 3,000	Read text, not video
Coding an effect from scratch	wall of code	Effects pack, 5 line plan
Ten separate notes	ten rounds	One message
Studying your style	priciest step	Do it once, save a skill

Stuck? Fix it here

Approval pop-upsRead each one, then allow it. Claude is asking before it installs.

Instagram link failsSave the reel as a video into references instead.

HyperFrames won't installIt needs Node 22+ and Chrome. Ask Claude to add them.

On Windows or an older MacSetup is slower. Let it finish, faster-whisper runs instead.

A connector is missingYou turned it off in step 4. Switch it back on after editing.

Your first reel is slowThat's normal. Stick with it, the next one goes faster.

What's next

Full video tutorial: it lands on this page first, so check back tomorrow.
Free masterclass: 7 November, 5 p.m. CET.
Early access to my Studio: my video editor, opening soon.

Grab your spot

Confirm your email after you sign up. That's how the masterclass details reach you.

This is the starter setup, so it won't match my reels on day one. Your own style comes with practice.