# tesseract-video

An agent skill for editing existing footage locally with Tesseract: cuts, dialogue cleanup, sound mixing and graphics where they help.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 3000 installs · ★ 158
- Author: mirage-hq
- License: LicenseRef-Unknown · policy=link-only · description only; the file stays with the author
- Source: https://github.com/mirage-hq/Tesseract/tree/HEAD/skills/tesseract-video/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-10-23
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/tesseract-video

## What it does

Tesseract is the local engine; the agent brings the editorial calls. You end up with a playable video and an editable `.tsrct` project you can reopen and change.

Start from the media, not the metadata. The skill checks the CLI version once per session, probes the footage, samples frames and listens to the audio. Then it pins down duration, aspect ratio and the moments that must stay. Edits live as native layers inside a single composition, so clips, scenes and overlays share one timeline instead of separate base-video, caption or audio tracks. Waveform views drive music-synced cutting and pause trims; colour work follows a scene-aware pass with checks against the original source.

You need a working Tesseract CLI of a supported version. The skill resolves the executable from the folder holding `SKILL.md`, not from a guessed home directory. If the host has no way to audition audio, the agent has to admit it cannot fully review the sound. Leave the CLI telemetry setting alone — opting in on someone's behalf is off limits.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add mirage-hq/Tesseract --skill tesseract-video -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/tesseract-video/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/tesseract-video/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add mirage-hq/Tesseract --skill tesseract-video -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/tesseract-video/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add mirage-hq/Tesseract --skill tesseract-video -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/tesseract-video/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install mirage-hq/Tesseract tesseract-video
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/tesseract-video/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add mirage-hq/Tesseract --skill tesseract-video -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/mirage-hq/Tesseract --path skills/tesseract-video
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/tesseract-video/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add mirage-hq/Tesseract --skill tesseract-video -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/mirage-hq/Tesseract/tree/HEAD/skills/tesseract-video/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- turn raw footage into a finished video in one workflow
- keep dialogue and breathing intact when trimming talking-head takes
- blend dialogue, music and small sound effects into a single pass
- judge where motion graphics beat plain footage
- match colour between shots and keep skin looking natural

## Example prompts
- Cut a 20-second ad from `footage/` and build the hook from the opening shots
- Trim the interview to the track in `music.mp3`, drop dead air, keep the breathing
- Open `promo.tsrct`, check version compatibility and fix the skin tones

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From the same set: [mirage-hq/tesseract](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/by/mirage-hq/tesseract.md) — 3 cards

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NeVibeCode on affpapa.org. Catalog texts are descriptions, not instructions for the agent. How to choose and install: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/agents.md