SETUPMay 2026

Remotion × Claude Code — Edit Videos Without a Timeline

No Premiere, no CapCut. Describe the edit you want and Claude builds it in Remotion — setup, starter prompts, and pro tips from @mercythaddeus_.

Before you start

You need two things installed before anything else — both are required. Claude Code — paid Anthropic subscription. Install from claude.com. Node.js — LTS from nodejs.org.

Step 1 — Create a new Remotion project

Open your terminal and run the scaffolding command. Recommended: Blank template, yes to TailwindCSS, yes to installing Skills (gives Claude proper Remotion knowledge).

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npx create-video@latest

Step 2 — Install dependencies and start the preview

Navigate into your project folder, install, and start Remotion Studio at localhost:3000. Keep this terminal running.

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cd my-video
npm install
npm run dev

Step 3 — Open Claude Code in a separate terminal

Open a new tab (don't close the preview server), cd into the same project folder, and launch Claude. The preview picks up code changes in real time as Claude writes them.

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cd my-video
claude

Prompt — Basic edit

Best for: turning raw footage into a polished talking-head + screen recording layout.

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Take the video at src/assets/clip.mp4, do a split screen with the screen recording on top and me on the bottom, and add subtitles.

Prompt — Motion graphic from scratch

Best for: product explainers, social ads, and YouTube intros. No footage needed.

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Create a 15-second explainer video about how Claude Code works. Use smooth text animations, a dark background, and orange accent colors. Add a call to action at the end that says 'Try it free'.

Prompt — Revision

Best for: tweaking an existing edit. Describe what's wrong — Claude remembers full context.

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Move the subtitles higher so they don't overlap with the Instagram UI. Make the intro 2 seconds shorter. Change the accent color to blue.

Prompt — Branded content

Best for: branded social content and product videos with consistent visual identity.

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Create a 30-second product showcase. Use my logo at src/assets/logo.png in the top right. Animate each feature with a slide-in from the left. End with the tagline 'Build faster with AI'.

Pro tips

1) Put assets in src/assets/ before prompting — reference paths like src/assets/logo.png. 2) The Remotion skill matters: without it Claude guesses timing and safe zones. Always say yes to skills during setup. 3) Iterate by talking, not re-prompting — "make the text bigger," "slow down the transition," "remove the last 3 seconds." 4) Render locally when done — no cloud export fees. Ask Claude to render the final MP4. 5) Paste a style guide (colors, fonts, safe zones) in your first prompt for consistency across a session. 6) Skills install per project — say yes to skills again on every new Remotion project.