Plan a film from references by Refs — guide skill for launch videos

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Your brief plus 1–5 measured reference films become a beat sheet, shot list, storyboard and build prompt.

Type: Guide · Launch videos
Slug: refs-plan-video
Status: live
Publisher: Refs (vendor)
License: Refs: proprietary hosted service (free search, Pro for the rest)
Source: https://refs.video/connect
Works in: Claude.ai, Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, Any MCP client
Requires: Refs MCP signed in with Pro (plan_video 10 credits; storyboard 0), A builder for the result: HyperFrames, Remotion, the Refs starter kit or varg
Cost: search_videos is free with no key or account (about 30 searches an hour without one). Everything else needs Refs Pro, $16 a month or $120 a year, with 3,000 credits a month: get_blueprint 5, get_frames 5, get_formula 5, plan_video 10, check_render 2, the rest 0. Library ($6 a month) opens every film on the site. varg credits are only spent on what you generate on varg.

What it does

Two Refs MCP tools that sit between the references and the build. plan_video (10 credits) takes what you want to make and 1–5 references (REF ids, refs.video links, YouTube or X links, a shared collection's films, or a brand's own films) and writes a beat sheet, a shot list on the references' measured timing and a build prompt; several references are mixed around one spine, and a Brandprint brand kit keeps it in your house style. storyboard (0 credits) works before anything is built: 1–4 directions with style frames and numbered panels (timing, camera, voiceover, transitions), checked and laid out as a Claude Design canvas, so you pick one direction and only then spend on shots. Typical loop in Claude Code: "Make my launch film like REF-0005" → get_blueprint → plan_video → write the scenes → render. Make the shots, voice and music on varg; render in HyperFrames, Remotion or Refs' starter kit.

Use when

"Make my launch film like this one" with a link or a REF id
Mix the hook of one film with the pacing of another around your product
Show 2–4 storyboard directions before spending on generation
Plan in your brand's house style (with a Brandprint kit)

Not for

Rendering the video: plan_video writes the plan and the prompt; build it in code or with a video model
Copying a film's footage, logo or script: Refs' recipes transfer structure, not content

Install

Claude Code: claude mcp add --transport http refs https://refs.video/mcp
Claude.ai: Customize → Connectors → Add custom connector → https://refs.video/mcp
Codex: codex mcp add refs --url https://refs.video/mcp
Any MCP client: https://refs.video/mcp
Any agent, with the vargai CLI: vargai install refs-plan-video

Example output

https://s3.varg.ai/files/4325c578-378d-4c43-ae53-3cc3218df1ea/file_1380d87c3934.mp4 — 6 s cut from Refs' film: in Claude Code, "Make my launch film like REF-0005" calls get_blueprint, then plan_video, writes the scenes and renders. (credit: Refs, the Refs film (refs.video/film.mp4), https://refs.video)