# Video Shotcraft — prompt skill for camera & shots

> **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.

124 shot recipe cards and a tested Remotion template for cinematic product promos built from real UI screenshots.

- **Type:** [Prompt](https://varg.ai/how-to/prompts.md) · [Camera & shots](https://varg.ai/how-to/browse/skills/camera.md)
- **Slug:** `video-shotcraft`
- **Status:** live
- **Publisher:** Vincent Wei (community)
- **License:** Apache-2.0
- **Source:** https://github.com/Vincentwei1021/video-shotcraft
- **Works in:** Claude Code, Codex
- **Requires:** Node.js + Remotion, ffmpeg, Python 3 (helper scripts), Optional: Upload-Post API key for publishing
- **Cost:** Free — local Remotion render
- **Adoption:** 5,310 installs, 13,824 GitHub stars (GitHub + skills.sh, 2026-10-26)

## What it does

A self-contained production kit for web and desktop product promos: 124 shot recipe cards in 10 categories (each with intent, a motion core, a parameter table, known pitfalls and a reference implementation), a validated Remotion template called Ink Press, reusable components and audio assets, and a six-stage workflow. The skill first runs a read-only product check, then offers three modes: reuse the template, autonomous free creation, or co-creation with sign-off on the brief, visual direction, shot mapping and storyboard. The cards double as a general motion vocabulary, so you can pull one for a single shot in any video. Extras export Jianying (CapCut China) drafts and publish through Upload-Post.

## Use when

- Turn a web app or frontend project into a cinematic product video
- Reuse the Ink Press template for your own product
- Apply one named shot card to a single clip

## Not for

- Live-action or AI-generated footage (it animates real page screenshots in code)

## Install

- Claude Code: `npx skills add Vincentwei1021/video-shotcraft`
- Codex: `npx skills add Vincentwei1021/video-shotcraft`

## Example output

https://s3.varg.ai/how-to/previews/2debe3ea5ec0/video-shotcraft.mp4 — The exploded-view shot card from the skill's Gallery: a product dashboard tilts in 3D, its panels fly apart with callouts, then reassemble under 'Built in layers.' Full 5.7 s clip. (credit: Vincent Wei (video-shotcraft), https://vincentwei1021.github.io/video-shotcraft/)

## How-to tutorials that use it

- [How to make a SaaS launch video with AI](https://varg.ai/how-to/make-a-saas-launch-video.md): A polished launch film for an app or website: UI cards, device mockups, kinetic type, music.
- [How to make an app demo video with AI](https://varg.ai/how-to/make-an-app-demo-video.md): A polished demo of your app: device mockups, real screens, captions, music — for the App Store, ads or a landing page.

## More camera & shots skills

- [fal Cinematography](https://varg.ai/how-to/skills/fal-cinematography.md): Direct cinematic stills and video: shot language, camera moves, lenses, lighting, grade and film texture.
- [Storyboard Creation](https://varg.ai/how-to/skills/inference-sh-storyboard-creation.md): Storyboard a video before generating: shot types, angles, moves, the 180-degree rule, annotated panels.
- [Camera Moves](https://varg.ai/how-to/skills/craft-camera-moves.md): 47 camera moves with direction, speed and an end frame — dolly in to car mount — in six models' syntax.
- [Shot Sizes & Angles](https://varg.ai/how-to/skills/craft-shot-sizes-angles.md): 29 framing cards — extreme wide to insert, cowboy to master shot, eye level to worm's-eye — with model-ready clauses.
- [Lens & Optics](https://varg.ai/how-to/skills/craft-lens-optics.md): 20 lens and focus cards — anamorphic, rack focus, lens flare, chromatic aberration — written as visible effects.
- [Composition & Framing](https://varg.ai/how-to/skills/craft-composition-framing.md): 34 composition cards — thirds, symmetry, leading lines, forced perspective, 2.39:1 to IMAX — for stills and video.

## 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
