# video-translate

Translates and dubs existing videos into other languages through HeyGen, with lip-sync or audio only. Useful when you need a multi-language cut of one clip.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 1000 installs · ★ 71992
- Author: calesthio
- License: AGPL-3.0 · policy=link-only · description only; the file stays with the author
- Source: https://github.com/calesthio/OpenMontage/tree/HEAD/.claude/skills/video-translate/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-10-24
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/video-translate

## What it does

The skill takes a video URL or a HeyGen video ID and creates a translation job. You do not have to upload the video to HeyGen first. It runs on the `mcp__heygen__*` tools and the `/v2/video_translate` endpoint.

The flow: send a request with `video_url` or `video_id` plus the target language code, then poll `GET /v2/video_translate/{translate_id}` until the status reads `completed`, and pull the finished file from the returned link. Setting `translate_audio_only` drops lip-sync and speeds things up, while `speaker_num` covers clips with more than one speaker. The v4 API adds several output languages in a single call, custom SRT subtitles and a vocabulary list for terms that should stay as they are.

You need `HEYGEN_API_KEY` in your environment, because every request carries the `X-Api-Key` header. No key, no calls — set it before the first run.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add calesthio/OpenMontage --skill video-translate -a claude-code
```

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

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add calesthio/OpenMontage --skill video-translate -a codex
```

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

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add calesthio/OpenMontage --skill video-translate -a cursor
```

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

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install calesthio/OpenMontage video-translate
```

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

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add calesthio/OpenMontage --skill video-translate -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/calesthio/OpenMontage --path .claude/skills/video-translate
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

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

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add calesthio/OpenMontage --skill video-translate -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/calesthio/OpenMontage/tree/HEAD/.claude/skills/video-translate/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- translate a finished clip into Spanish with lip-sync intact
- produce a foreign-language audio track without re-animating lips
- ship one video in several languages at once
- dub an interview that has two speakers
- keep product names untouched during translation with a term list

## Example prompts
- Translate `https://example.com/original.mp4` into `es-ES` with lip-sync
- Make an audio-only translation of this clip into `fr-FR`
- Check the status of job `{translate_id}` and give me the video link

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From the same set: [calesthio/openmontage](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/by/calesthio/openmontage.md) — 32 cards

---
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