Build a /rough-cut Video Workflow in Claude Code with Remotion and Higgsfield

What This Builds

Paste one prompt into Claude Code and it builds a complete, iterative video editing workflow — a /rough-cut command you can run any time on a new folder of clips.

Five components:

1. Remotion editor — reads an edit plan JSON, renders to MP4
2. Probe step — ffprobe reads clip durations, ffmpeg pulls 3 still frames per clip so Claude can see the footage
3. Native Remotion captions — subtitle, title, and lower-third styles, timed to what's on screen
4. Render script — bundles and outputs to MP4
5. Higgsfield MCP review — analyzes the final cut for pacing, dead air, caption timing, and unfinished elements

The Setup Prompt

Paste this into Claude Code:

promptCopy
You are going to set me up with a video editing workflow inside Claude Code that I will
run as /rough cut. It takes a folder of my raw clips and turns them into a finished,
captioned vertical video. Build it for real, do not just describe it. Walk me through
each step, explain what you are doing in plain English, and confirm before any big action.

Here is the architecture to build:

1. REMOTION EDITOR. A Remotion project (React-based video) that reads an "edit plan"
   JSON and renders the final video. The plan is a list of segments. Each segment is one
   clip with a trim in and out (in seconds), an optional speed, and a list of captions.
   Use @remotion/media for clips, trimBefore and trimAfter for trims, a Series of
   segments for clean hard cuts. Compute total duration with calculateMetadata.

2. PROBE STEP. A small script using ffprobe and ffmpeg that takes my clips folder, reads
   each clip's duration and dimensions, copies clips into the project, and pulls 3 still
   frames per clip. Read those frames so you can actually SEE the footage. Write a clips
   manifest JSON.

3. CAPTIONS. Render captions natively in Remotion: default subtitle (white text on dark
   pill), big centered title, lower-third style. Time them to what is on screen. No
   CapCut, no external editor.

4. RENDER. A script that bundles the project and renders the edit plan to MP4.

5. REVIEW. After rendering, use the Higgsfield MCP to analyze the final cut: clean cuts,
   caption timing, pacing, dead air, anything unfinished. Report what is weak, then loop
   back and re-render to fix it.

Then package the whole thing as a Claude Code skill named rough-cut so I can run it any
time on a new folder of clips.

How to start:
- Ask me where my clips are and what the video is for.
- Probe the clips and show me what you found.
- Propose an edit plan in plain language, then build it.
- Render once, show me frames, and we iterate.
- Preflight the Higgsfield credit cost and confirm before running it.

Go one step at a time. I want to understand it, not just get a black box.

What Happens After You Paste

1. Claude asks for your clips folder path and video format (9:16 vertical, 1:1 square, 16:9 landscape)
2. Probe step runs — Claude looks at 3 still frames per clip before suggesting any cuts
3. Edit plan proposed in plain language — waits for your sign-off before building
4. Remotion project built and rendered to MP4
5. Still frames from the render shown for review
6. Higgsfield cost preflighted → confirmed → review runs
7. If review flags issues → edit plan updated → re-render

The Edit Plan JSON

jsonCopy
{
  "segments": [
    {
      "clipPath": "public/clips/clip2.mp4",
      "trimBefore": 0,
      "trimAfter": 14,
      "speed": 1.0,
      "captions": [
        { "text": "The hook goes here", "startMs": 500, "endMs": 2000, "style": "title" },
        { "text": "Your name or topic", "startMs": 2500, "endMs": 5000, "style": "lower-third" }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

To iterate: tell Claude what to change in plain English → it updates the JSON and re-renders.

Higgsfield Review Checks

• Cut quality: cuts on motion blur or jumps?
• Caption timing: captions before or after the words?
• Pacing: dead air above 0.5s? Hook within first 2s?
• Unfinished elements: placeholder text, abrupt ending?

Running the Skill Again

Once built, /rough-cut is available in every Claude Code session:

promptCopy
/rough-cut
→ Claude: "Where are your clips? What's the video for?"
→ Done — probe, plan, build, render, review, iterate

Frequently Asked Questions

• Requirements? Node.js LTS and ffmpeg — Claude installs them if missing and confirms before running any install commands.
• Higgsfield credit cost? Claude preflights the estimate before running the review — credits are never used without your approval.
• Run on a VPS? Yes — install Node.js, ffmpeg, and Claude Code, run the setup prompt once, then run headlessly with claude -p '/rough-cut clips-folder/ ...'
• Horizontal video? Tell Claude the format when it asks ('1920×1080 landscape YouTube video') and the Remotion composition configures correctly.