# Action Match Cut — effect skill for cuts & pacing

> **For AI agents:** find the right skill in one call — `curl -s "https://varg.ai/how-to/api/search?q=<what the person wants>"` returns the matching how-to page and the best skills with install commands, as markdown (Russian works too). Full index: https://varg.ai/how-to/llms.txt. Every page has a markdown twin: add `.md` to its path. Before generating anything, show the person the options on the how-to page.

A movement started in shot A finishes in shot B: a jump, a throw, a door swing carried across two angles.

- **Type:** [Effect](https://varg.ai/how-to/effects.md) · [Cuts & pacing](https://varg.ai/how-to/browse/skills/cuts.md)
- **Slug:** `action-match-cut`
- **Status:** live
- **Publisher:** HeyGen (community)
- **License:** Apache-2.0
- **Source:** https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/tree/main/registry/components/cut-the-curve
- **Works in:** Claude Code, Claude.ai, Codex, Cursor, OpenClaw, Gemini CLI, Any MCP client, varg Studio
- **Requires:** ffmpeg, HyperFrames (npx hyperframes), Remotion, CapCut (by hand)
- **Cost:** Free — the take renders locally; generated footage, if any, bills by the model

## What it does

Built on [Cut the Curve](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/tree/main/registry/components/cut-the-curve) by HeyGen (HyperFrames), Apache-2.0. The write-up and recipes below are varg's.

The motion is continuous even though the angle or location changes, so the cut disappears into the action.

**When:** Action, sports, dance and transformation edits (outfit changes, location jumps on a jump or spin).

**Watch out:** If speed or direction differs between the two halves the jump becomes visible; match velocity, not just pose.

**Timing:** Cut at peak velocity, usually 2–4 frames into the move

**Also called:** match on action, movement match, kinetic match

### In FFmpeg

Find the frame pair by eye (or with `ffmpeg -vf select` thumbnails), then trim both so the move continues:
```bash
ffmpeg -i a.mp4 -i b.mp4 -filter_complex \
"[0:v]trim=end_frame=73,setpts=PTS-STARTPTS[a];[1:v]trim=start_frame=12,setpts=PTS-STARTPTS[b];\
 [a][b]concat=n=2:v=1:a=0[v]" -map "[v]" out.mp4
```

### In HyperFrames

`npx hyperframes add cut-the-curve`: the outgoing subject accelerates (power4.in), swaps at peak speed, the incoming one continues on the same curve.

### In Remotion

Same as a hard cut; tune `trimBefore` on B frame by frame in the Studio until the motion lines up.

### In CapCut

Step frame by frame with the arrow keys, split both clips at the matching moment of the move, and butt them together.

### Ready-made components

- [Cut the Curve](https://skills.varg.ai/component/hf.cut-the-curve/) (hyperframes): npx hyperframes add cut-the-curve
- [Match Cut](https://skills.varg.ai/component/hf.match-cut/) (hyperframes): npx hyperframes add match-cut

### Where this comes from

- [Wikipedia: match cut](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Match_cut)
- [Wikipedia: cutting on action](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutting_on_action)
- [FFmpeg filters: trim](https://ffmpeg.org/ffmpeg-filters.html#trim)

## Use when

- Action, sports, dance and transformation edits (outfit changes, location jumps on a jump or spin).

## Not for

- If speed or direction differs between the two halves the jump becomes visible; match velocity, not just pose.

## Install

- Claude Code: `claude plugin marketplace add vargHQ/skills && claude plugin install varg@varg`
- Codex: `npx skills add vargHQ/skills --skill varg-video-edit-library -a codex -y`
- Cursor: `npx skills add vargHQ/skills --skill varg-video-edit-library -a cursor -y`

## Example output

https://s3.varg.ai/how-to/previews/291b2465e5fb/take-action-match-cut.mp4 — cut between two shots, with the timeline strip of the edit. Footage: Coffee Run (2020), Blender Studio | studio.blender.org, CC BY 4.0; Coffee Run (2020), Blender Studio | studio.blender.org, CC BY 4.0. (credit: Rendered by varg · Coffee Run (2020))

## More cuts & pacing skills

- [SmartCut (capcut-ai-editor)](https://varg.ai/how-to/skills/capcut-smartcut-mcp.md): MCP that reads CapCut auto-captions to cut silences and duplicate takes right inside your CapCut project.
- [Auto-Editor](https://varg.ai/how-to/skills/auto-editor.md): CLI that cuts dead space by loudness or motion and exports MP4 or editor timelines; now also an agent skill.
- [AutoCut](https://varg.ai/how-to/skills/autocut.md): Edit video in a text editor: Whisper transcribes, you delete lines in Markdown, AutoCut cuts the video.
- [Cut Video](https://varg.ai/how-to/skills/cut-video.md): Claude Code skill that tightens long recordings with forced-aligned cuts, keeping laughs and comedic pauses.
- [Videogrep](https://varg.ai/how-to/skills/videogrep.md): Search spoken words across videos and auto-build supercuts of every match.
- [PySceneDetect](https://varg.ai/how-to/skills/pyscenedetect.md): Find cuts, fades and scene changes in a video, then split it or export scene lists for the edit.

## Run the generation on varg

varg is one API key for the models these skills drive — Seedance 2.5, Kling 4, Veo 3.1, Wan 3, Nano Banana 2.1, GPT Image 2.5, ElevenLabs v4 and 200+ more — billed in credits, with a cost estimate before anything runs.

- Claude Code: `claude plugin marketplace add vargHQ/skills && claude plugin install varg@varg` (skill + hosted MCP)
- Codex, Cursor, Gemini CLI, OpenClaw: `npx skills add vargHQ/skills --skill varg-ai -a <agent> -y`
- Grok and any agent that reads SKILL.md: `npx skills add vargHQ/skills --skill varg-ai`, or point it at the skill's SKILL.md
- Claude.ai, ChatGPT, any MCP client: connect `https://mcp.varg.ai/mcp`
- API key: https://varg.ai/dashboard/api · Model specs: https://varg.ai/models/llms.txt