openshorts — Claude Code MCP server: cut long video into shorts
Turns long videos into vertical shorts for TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, then publishes them. Useful when you run a podcast or stream and need a steady flow of clips.
claude mcp add --transport http openshorts https://mcp.openshorts.app/mcpWhat openshorts does
OpenShorts is an open source video platform, and this MCP server hands its tools to your agent. Three parts sit inside: a clip generator that cuts long video into 9:16 shorts, an AI Shorts module that builds marketing videos with AI actors, and a YouTube Studio for thumbnails, titles and descriptions. The agent calls all of it from chat.
Cutting runs through Gemini: the model reads the transcript and scene boundaries, picks the moments, then handles reframing, subtitles and effects. Layout modes are TRACK, GENERAL, SPLIT and SCREENCAST — Gemini picks one per video or you force it from the dashboard. Subtitles come from faster-whisper, dubbing from ElevenLabs, publishing from Upload-Post. The public endpoint stays up; your own /mcp runs only while your machine is on.
The server at https://mcp.openshorts.app/mcp is the hosted option, with Gemini keys already included. Self-hosting means bringing your own Gemini, ElevenLabs and fal.ai keys, plus Docker and 8GB of RAM. Without a Gemini key the moment picker will not run unless you point LLM_BASE_URL at a local model.
What it helps with
- cut a podcast into vertical shorts for TikTok
- produce a marketing video with an AI actor, no camera
- generate a thumbnail and titles for a YouTube upload
- publish one clip to three social networks at once
- schedule an upload for a set date and time
Example prompts for the agent
- Cut this video into shorts and show me the strongest moments
- Make a marketing video for my product with an AI actor
- Suggest 10 titles for this video and generate a thumbnail
How to install openshorts
Platform CLI: remote server
claude mcp add --transport http openshorts https://mcp.openshorts.app/mcpPlatform CLI: remote server
codex mcp add openshorts --url https://mcp.openshorts.app/mcpConfig file
{
"mcpServers": {
"openshorts": {
"url": "https://mcp.openshorts.app/mcp"
}
}
}Config file
{
"servers": {
"openshorts": {
"type": "http",
"url": "https://mcp.openshorts.app/mcp"
}
}
}Platform CLI: remote server
gemini mcp add -t http openshorts https://mcp.openshorts.app/mcpStep by step, with commands for each platform: How to add an MCP server to Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, VS Code, Gemini CLI and more
Questions about openshorts
How do I install openshorts in Claude Code?
One command: claude mcp add --transport http openshorts https://mcp.openshorts.app/mcp.
What does openshorts do?
It cuts long videos into vertical shorts, generates marketing videos with AI actors and prepares YouTube assets. Finished clips go to TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.
Do I need my own API keys?
The hosted endpoint includes Gemini keys. Self-hosting needs your own Gemini, ElevenLabs and fal.ai keys.
