FFmpeg
The command-line tool that cuts, reframes, joins, converts and burns in pretty much any audio or video file. You never see it, yet every agent-driven editing skill calls it underneath: Video-Use, Claude Video, and every chain where Claude trims silences or turns a video into 9:16.
Strengths
- Reads and writes nearly every audio and video format in existence
- Free and open source, runs locally: no video leaves your machine
- One command per move (cut, reframe, join, burn in), easy to have an agent write
Limitations
- Dense syntax: a misplaced option changes the output without any error
- No interface: to land a shot on an exact frame, you have to watch the render yourself
Best for
- Editing short spoken formats from Claude, without editing software
- Converting and compressing videos in bulk