# Pixelate — effect skill for transitions

> **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 breaks into ever larger pixels, swaps at the coarsest point, and B sharpens back.

- **Type:** [Effect](https://varg.ai/how-to/effects.md) · [Transitions](https://varg.ai/how-to/browse/skills/transitions.md)
- **Slug:** `pixelate-mosaic`
- **Status:** live
- **Publisher:** gre · GL Transitions (community)
- **License:** MIT
- **Source:** https://github.com/gl-transitions/gl-transitions/blob/master/transitions/Pixelize.glsl
- **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 [Pixelize](https://github.com/gl-transitions/gl-transitions/blob/master/transitions/Pixelize.glsl) by gre (gl-transitions), MIT. The write-up and recipes below are varg's.

Blocky mosaic grows then shrinks; reads as digital or retro gaming.

**When:** Gaming, retro, tech, censorship gags.

**Watch out:** Serious brand films; very large blocks on vertical video lose the subject.

**Timing:** 0.4–0.8 s (CapCut Mosaic 0.47 s)

**Also called:** Mosaic, pixelize, 8-bit transition, pixel dissolve

### In FFmpeg

Same size/fps/pixel format on both inputs (see the Normalize card). offset = duration(A) - T = 5.0 - 0.6 = 4.4.
```bash
ffmpeg -i a.mp4 -i b.mp4 -filter_complex \
"[0:v]fps=30,settb=AVTB,format=yuv420p[a];[1:v]fps=30,settb=AVTB,format=yuv420p[b];\
[a][b]xfade=transition=pixelize:duration=0.6:offset=4.4[v];\
[0:a][1:a]acrossfade=d=0.6[au]" \
  -map "[v]" -map "[au]" -c:v libx264 -crf 18 -c:a aac out.mp4
```

### In HyperFrames

`npx hyperframes add grid-pixelate-wipe`; dithered: `ordered-dither-pass`.

### In Remotion

`glTransition({name: 'pixelize'})` (1.x name; `Pixelize` in 2.0) or `@remotion/effects/pixelate` driven by `interpolate()` on a canvas-based `<Video>`.

### In CapCut

Transitions tab → Glitch / Basic → Mosaic, Blocks. Desktop: drag the tile onto the cut between two clips and set Duration in the right panel ("Apply to all" reuses it on every cut). Mobile: tap the small white square between clips, pick the transition, drag the duration slider, tap ✓. Tab labels and placement change between versions and regions.

### Ready-made components

- [Pixelize](https://skills.varg.ai/component/glt.pixelize/) (gl-transitions): npm install gl-transitions
- [Mosaic](https://skills.varg.ai/component/glt.mosaic/) (gl-transitions): npm install gl-transitions
- [Grid Pixelate Wipe](https://skills.varg.ai/component/hf.grid-pixelate-wipe/) (hyperframes): npx hyperframes add grid-pixelate-wipe
- [Ordered Dither Pass](https://skills.varg.ai/component/hf.ordered-dither-pass/) (hyperframes): npx hyperframes add ordered-dither-pass
- [Dither Dissolve](https://skills.varg.ai/component/remocn.dither-dissolve/) (remocn): npx shadcn@latest add @remocn/dither-dissolve

### Where this comes from

- [FFmpeg filters: xfade](https://ffmpeg.org/ffmpeg-filters.html#xfade)
- [@gl-transitions/remotion (README)](https://github.com/gl-transitions/gl-transitions/tree/master/packages/remotion)
- [CapCut Help: transitions](https://www.capcut.com/help/transitions-in-capcut)
- [CapCut: transition categories](https://capcut.com/resource/add-video-transition-online)
- [CapCut transition names + default durations (VectCut metadata)](https://github.com/sun-guannan/VectCutAPI/blob/main/pyJianYingDraft/metadata/capcut_transition_meta.py)

## Use when

- Gaming, retro, tech, censorship gags.

## Not for

- Serious brand films; very large blocks on vertical video lose the subject.

## 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/ad57a1e97506/take-pixelate-mosaic.mp4 — pixelize between two shots, with the timeline strip of the edit. Footage: WING IT! (2023), Blender Studio | studio.blender.org, CC BY 4.0; Big Buck Bunny (2008), (c) copyright 2008, Blender Foundation | www.bigbuckbunny.org, CC BY 3.0. (credit: Rendered by varg · WING IT! (2023) + Big Buck Bunny (2008))

## More transitions skills

- [editly](https://varg.ai/how-to/skills/editly.md): Declarative JSON5 video editing CLI/API: clips, titles, transitions, audio mixing, rendered with ffmpeg.
- [Mix (Cross Dissolve)](https://varg.ai/how-to/skills/mix-dissolve.md): The two shots blend through each other. The quietest transition: "time passes" or "this continues".
- [Dip to Black](https://varg.ai/how-to/skills/black-fade.md): A fades to black, then B fades up. Marks the end of a section or a bigger jump in time.
- [White Flash](https://varg.ai/how-to/skills/white-flash.md): The frame blows out to white for a moment and opens on the next shot. Energy, memory or a camera snap.
- [Pull In (Zoom In)](https://varg.ai/how-to/skills/pull-in-zoom.md): The camera rushes into shot A and lands, still moving forward, in shot B. The signature short-form transition.
- [Pull Out (Zoom Out)](https://varg.ai/how-to/skills/pull-out-zoom.md): The camera jerks backwards out of shot A and keeps pulling back as shot B settles in.

## 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