# Graphic 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="` 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. Cut between two shots that share a shape, colour or position on screen, so the eye slides from one to the other. - **Type:** [Effect](https://varg.ai/how-to/effects.md) · [Cuts & pacing](https://varg.ai/how-to/browse/skills/cuts.md) - **Slug:** `graphic-match-cut` - **Status:** live - **Publisher:** HeyGen (community) - **License:** Apache-2.0 - **Source:** https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/tree/main/registry/components/match-cut - **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 [Match Cut](https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes/tree/main/registry/components/match-cut) by HeyGen (HyperFrames), Apache-2.0. The write-up and recipes below are varg's. A round clock face becomes a round moon; a spinning wheel becomes a spinning record. The shape stays put, the world changes. **When:** Time jumps, before/after, product reveals, and linking two ideas without words. **Watch out:** If the shapes are not in the same place and size the match is lost; align them first. **Timing:** Hard cut, or 2–6 frames of crossfade for a softer match **Also called:** match cut, shape match, visual match, form cut ### In FFmpeg Align B to A (scale/position) and cut on the frame where the shapes coincide; a very short fade can soften it: ```bash ffmpeg -i a.mp4 -i b.mp4 -filter_complex \ "[1:v]scale=iw*1.08:-2,crop=1920:1080:x=40:y=10[b2];\ [0:v]trim=0:3,setpts=PTS-STARTPTS[a2];[b2]trim=0:3,setpts=PTS-STARTPTS[b3];\ [a2][b3]concat=n=2:v=1:a=0[v]" -map "[v]" out.mp4 ``` ### In HyperFrames Ready primitives: `npx hyperframes add match-cut` (a circle that hard-swaps scenes and matches the incoming circle), `text-match-cut`, `type-match-cut`, `morph-swap`. ### In Remotion Wrap B in a transform that lines its subject up with A's, then cut with ``; for a soft match use `fade()` with `linearTiming({durationInFrames: 4})`. ### In CapCut Align the shapes with Basic → Position/Scale (use the overlay track at reduced opacity as a guide), then cut. CapCut also publishes AI camera transitions for match cuts. ### Ready-made components - [Match Cut](https://skills.varg.ai/component/hf.match-cut/) (hyperframes): npx hyperframes add match-cut - [Text Match Cut](https://skills.varg.ai/component/hf.text-match-cut/) (hyperframes): npx hyperframes add text-match-cut - [Type Match Cut](https://skills.varg.ai/component/hf.type-match-cut/) (hyperframes): npx hyperframes add type-match-cut - [Morph Swap](https://skills.varg.ai/component/hf.morph-swap/) (hyperframes): npx hyperframes add morph-swap ### Where this comes from - [Wikipedia: match cut](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Match_cut) - [CapCut: whip pan and match cut transitions](https://www.capcut.com/resource/ai-camera-transitions-whip-pan-match-cut) - [HyperFrames: compositions](https://hyperframes.heygen.com/concepts/compositions) ## Use when - Time jumps, before/after, product reveals, and linking two ideas without words. ## Not for - If the shapes are not in the same place and size the match is lost; align them first. ## 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/0566c854af08/take-graphic-match-cut.mp4 — cut between two shots, with the timeline strip of the edit. Footage: Cosmos Laundromat (2015), (CC) Blender Foundation | gooseberry.blender.org, CC BY 4.0; Spring (2019), Andy Goralczyk / Blender Foundation (Blender Studio) | studio.blender.org, CC BY 4.0. (credit: Rendered by varg · Cosmos Laundromat (2015) + Spring (2019)) ## 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 -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