# Kinocut

A local MCP server that lets an agent trim, caption and quality-check video through typed FFmpeg tools instead of guessed flags.

- MCP server · `type=mcp` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Windsurf (Devin Desktop), Cline, Zed · ★ 220
- Author: KyaniteLabs
- License: Apache-2.0 · policy=link-only · description only; the file stays with the author
- Source: https://github.com/KyaniteLabs/kinocut
- Updated: 2026-10-24
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/mcp/kinocut

## What it does

Kinocut wraps FFmpeg in typed tools, so the agent calls named operations — trim, transcribe, subtitles, resize — rather than inventing command-line flags. Every edit leaves a Video Receipt, a record of what the agent actually did. There is a Python client and a `kino` CLI alongside the server.

The usual job is turning one recording into captioned vertical clips. Cut the strongest segment out of an interview or podcast, burn in subtitles, switch to 9:16, then run a release checkpoint before publishing. Manifests and review artifacts stay on disk, so an edit can be re-run or handed to a human for approval.

You need Python 3.11+ and FFmpeg on `PATH`. No FFmpeg means the server will not start, so check that first. Whisper and Hyperframes are optional extras for transcription and effects. It runs locally on macOS, Linux and Windows; this is not a hosted editor or a credit-metered service.

## Requirements
- Needs: Python and uv (commands run via uvx)

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

**Platform CLI**
```bash
claude mcp add kinocut -- uvx kinocut
```
uvx runs the command named after the package; if the README names another one, use uvx --from kinocut <command>

### Codex

**Platform CLI**
```bash
codex mcp add kinocut -- uvx kinocut
```
uvx runs the command named after the package; if the README names another one, use uvx --from kinocut <command>

### Cursor

**Config file**
File `.cursor/mcp.json`:
```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "kinocut": {
            "command": "uvx",
            "args": [
                "kinocut"
            ]
        }
    }
}
```
uvx runs the command named after the package; if the README names another one, use uvx --from kinocut <command>

### GitHub Copilot

**Config file**
File `.vscode/mcp.json`:
```json
{
    "servers": {
        "kinocut": {
            "type": "stdio",
            "command": "uvx",
            "args": [
                "kinocut"
            ]
        }
    }
}
```
uvx runs the command named after the package; if the README names another one, use uvx --from kinocut <command>

### Gemini CLI

**Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini mcp add kinocut uvx kinocut
```
uvx runs the command named after the package; if the README names another one, use uvx --from kinocut <command>

## When to use it
- cut the strongest segment out of a long interview
- burn captions into a clip and export an `.srt` file
- turn a horizontal clip into a vertical Short or Reel
- quality-check an export before it goes out
- re-run the same edit from a script or CI job

## Example prompts
- Trim `interview.mp4` to 45 seconds starting at `00:02:15`, add burned captions and make it vertical.
- Transcribe this clip into `captions.srt` and burn the subtitles into the video.
- Run a release checkpoint on the finished file and show me the thumbnail.

## Similar
- [reel-editor](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/reel-editor.md) — skill · 554 installs
- [caption-animation](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/caption-animation.md) — skill · 2000 installs
- [explainer-video](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/explainer-video.md) — skill · 1500 installs
- [language-swap](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/language-swap.md) — skill · 1200 installs
- [remotion-video-toolkit](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/remotion-video-toolkit.md) — skill · 779 installs
- [captions-and-clipping](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/captions-and-clipping.md) — skill · 720 installs

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