fralapo/filmcraft-expert

FilmCraft expert

Operational knowledge for editing video in FilmCraft (the ArtCraft Premiere Pro-class editor) from Claude Code or any SKILL.md-compatible agent with the FilmCraft MCP server connected (SoundCraft and EffectCraft are optional hand-off targets). Per-lesson summaries live in references/. Every mapping below was checked against command_list (716 commands) and effects.list (304 effects) on 2026-11-03.

Sources. The workflow is informed by Adobe's Premiere Classroom in a Book 2026 Release (Adobe Press) and verified against FilmCraft's live command catalogue on 2026-11-03. This skill is written independently and reproduces no text from the book.

For what to cut and why (hooks, pacing, retention, structure), pair this with the video-editor skill; for command-line transcoding, probing or batch conversion outside FilmCraft, see ffmpeg.

Verification legend. "(verified)" / "Verified:" = the command was actually executed on a live FilmCraft session and the behaviour described was observed. Unmarked mappings = the command/effect id exists in the live catalogue on 2026-11-03 with matching parameters, but was not exercised end to end. "Not available" = searched in the catalogue on that date with no match (a snapshot, see §0).

0. The app changes every day — re-check before saying "missing"

ArtCraft apps get updates almost daily. Every "absent" or "missing" item in this skill and in references/ is a snapshot as of 2026-11-03, not a permanent limit.

• Before you tell the user that a feature is missing, or fall back to a workaround, search the live catalogue with a filter (command_list / list_effects / effects.list). If the command exists now, use it.
• The Adobe method described here is the target. Apply it in full as soon as the app supports it.
• If you find a command that this skill lists as absent, or a mapping that has changed, update this skill (or open an issue on the repository) so the snapshot stays accurate.

Ground rules for the agent

• Time: 254016000000 ticks = 1 s. Most commands also accept seconds, frame or timecode; transition durations are in frames.
• Keyframe time: effects.setParam {time, keyframe:true} takes timeline time. effects.setInterpolation, setKeyframe, moveKeyframe and deleteKeyframe take mediaTime = source time = sourceIn + (t_timeline − start) (verified).
• Ids: timeline clips and project items have different ids. timeline.place returns linked [video, audio] pairs. sequence_inspect is very verbose (~15k tokens with 3 clips); for targeted questions use state.inspect, graphics.list, essentialSound.inspect, mixer.inspect, captions.list.
• Batches: command_batch {stop_on_error:false} runs everything and reports ok/error per step; each step is its own undo (edit.undo).
• Export: always pass an explicit path (without one the file lands in the user's home folder as <sequence name>.mp4), wait:true to get the result; check first with export.resolve.
• User files: never open or save user projects unless asked. For experiments use file.newProject + file.importDemoFootage (OceanSunset, Aurora, CityNight, Dunes, Plasma, Forest).
• Visual check: render_frame {seconds, max_side:480} at several points; for color, scopes.read (numbers, not pictures).

Key concepts (short)

• Project: holds bins, clips, sequences and settings, but only references to media files. Deleting/renaming a clip never touches the original.
• Bins: project folders (file.newBin, project.moveToBin); search bins (file.newSearchBin) are dynamic metadata collections.
• Sequence: the timeline. Its settings (frame size, fps, audio) set the working format; match the main footage, or the delivery when sources are mixed.
• Tracks: higher V tracks cover lower ones; A tracks add up. Targeting (timeline.setTargeting) decides where insert/overwrite land; source patching decides which source channels come in. Sync lock and lock: timeline.setTrack.
• In/Out: on the source they choose what to use; on the timeline they mark a range to remove, render or export.
• Insert vs overwrite: insert pushes everything later (sequence gets longer); overwrite replaces what is underneath.
• 3/4-point edits: give three points and the fourth is computed; four points that disagree force a choice between trimming and changing speed.
• Lift vs extract: lift leaves a gap, extract closes it. Same for delete vs ripple delete.
• Trims: regular moves one edge and leaves a gap; ripple moves an edge and drags the rest along; roll moves the cut between two clips without changing total length; slip changes which part of the source is shown at a fixed position; slide moves the clip and shortens/lengthens its neighbours.
• Handles: extra media beyond In/Out; without them transitions repeat frames.
• Markers: sequence or clip markers with name, comment, color and duration; chapter and flash-cue markers too.
• Nesting: clip.nest turns several clips into a sub-sequence that behaves as one clip (group effects, reframing, partial exports).
• Fixed effects: Motion, Opacity, Time Remapping, Volume, Channel Volume and Panner are on every clip already.

Recommended workflow

1. Project + bins (Footage, Audio, Graphics, Sequences) → import → check formats (file.mediaProperties, media.colorInfo).
2. Sequence with correct settings (or matchSequence:true on the first timeline.place).
3. Selects with In/Out or subclips → rough cut.
4. Fine cut: trims, pacing, J/L-cuts, transitions only where they earn their place.
5. Audio: types, loudness, cleanup, music, ducking, mix.
6. Effects, motion, stabilization, compositing.
7. Color: correction first (balance, shot matching), then grading (the look).
8. Titles, graphics, captions.
9. QC → export → archive (Project Manager).

Premiere → FilmCraft mapping

Premiere feature	FilmCraft
New project / sequence / bin	file.newProject, file.newSequence {width,height,fps}, file.newBin
Sequence settings	sequence.settings, sequence.colorSettings
Import / Media Browser	media_import (tool), file.import, mediaBrowser.list/import
Layered PSD/AI	no layer dialog: export layers from PhotoCraft/VectorCraft as PNG
Voice-over recording	audio.voiceover.start/stop (needs the app with an audio input)
Synthetic narration	tts.create (not in Premiere)
Metadata and columns	metadata.set, project.columns.set, edit.find
Subclips	clip.makeSubclip
Audio channels / interpret footage	clip.audioChannels, clip.interpretFootage
Merge clips (dual-system audio) / synchronize	clip.mergeClips, clip.synchronize {method:"audio"}
Source Monitor, In/Out	source.open, markers.markIn/markOut {target:"source"}, project.setMarks
Insert / overwrite	source.insert, source.overwrite, timeline.place {insert}
Storyboard → sequence	clip.automateToSequence
Razor / Add Edit	timeline.razor, sequence.addEdit(AllTracks)
Lift / extract / ripple delete	sequence.lift, sequence.extract, edit.rippleDelete, timeline.delete {ripple}
Close gaps	sequence.closeGap, timeline.selectGap
Trim, ripple, roll, slip, slide	timeline.trim {mode}, timeline.roll, timeline.slip, timeline.slide
Keyboard trims Q/W, E	trim.ripplePrevious/rippleNext, trim.extendToPlayhead
Dynamic trimming	trim.shuttle, trim.playAround
Rate stretch / speed / reverse	timeline.rateStretch, clip.speedDuration {speed,reverse,ripple}
Frame hold / optical flow	clip.frameHold, clip.setTimeInterpolation
Replace clip / footage	clip.replaceFromBin, media.replaceFootage
Markers	markers.add/addRange/addChapter/edit/exportCsv
Link, group, enable	clip.link, clip.group, clip.enable
Nest	clip.nest, sequence.makeSubsequence
Video/audio transitions	sequence.applyVideoTransition, sequence.applyAudioTransition, trim.applyDefaultTransition
Morph Cut	transition effect morph_cut
Text-Based Editing	transcript.generate → transcript.extract/lift, removePauses, removeFillers
Effects / params / keyframes	effects.apply, effects.setParam, effects.addKeyframe, effects.setInterpolation
Effect presets / adjustment layer	presets.save/apply, file.newAdjustmentLayer
Paste/remove attributes	edit.pasteAttributes, edit.removeAttributes
Masks and tracking	masks.add, masks.set, masks.track
Warp Stabilizer / Auto Reframe	effects warp_stabilizer, auto_reframe; clip.fillFrame/fitToFrame
Scene Edit Detection	clip.sceneEditDetection
Lumetri (panel, presets, LUTs, match)	effect lumetri + effects.setParam, lumetri.applyPreset, lumetri.setInputLut/setLook, lumetri.applyMatch, lut.import
Lumetri Scopes	scopes.read (waveform, parade, histogram, vectorscope as numbers)
Video Limiter	effect video_limiter or the limiter in export settings
Opacity, blend modes	effects.setParam {effect:"opacity", param:"blend", value:"Screen"}
Ultra Key / Track Matte / Luma Key	effects ultra_key, track_matte, luma_key, color_key
Essential Graphics text/shapes	graphics.newText, graphics.newShape/newRectangle, graphics.set, graphics.setCharStyle, graphics.align
Title roll/crawl	graphics.setRoll
Motion Graphics templates	graphics.template.list/apply/export (.fcgt; .mogrt is refused)
Captions	captions.newTrack/add/setStyle/import/export, transcript.createCaptions, graphics.upgradeCaption
Audio gain / normalize	`clip.audioGain {mode:"set
Clip volume and keyframes	clipMixer.set, effects.setParam {effect:"volume", param:"level"}
Track mixer, submix, sends, automation	mixer.setStrip/addSubmix/addSend/addInsert/writeAutomation
Essential Sound (types, repair, clarity, ducking, auto-match)	essentialSound.setType/set/applyPreset/autoMatch/generateDucking
Remix (refit music length)	clip.remix {seconds}
Audio effects (EQ, notch, DeNoise, DeHum, Enhance Speech…)	effects.apply (see references/11-improving-audio.md)
Multicam	clip.createMulticam, multicam.cut, clip.multicamFlatten
Proxies / ingest	media.createProxies, media.toggleProxies, project.ingestSettings
Quick Export / export media / Media Encoder	export.quick, file.exportMedia, export.queue.add/start
Export a frame	file.exportFrame
EDL/XML/AAF/OMF/OTIO	file.exportInterchange, file.exportAaf, file.exportOmf
Project Manager / Remove Unused / Link Media	file.projectManager {mode, handles, dryRun}, edit.removeUnused, media.findMissing/relink/autoRelink
Cache cleanup	mediaCache.clean, sequence.deleteRenderFiles

Not available as of 2026-11-03 — snapshot, re-check (§0) (searched in command_list/effects.list, no match): Generative Extend (AI), Object Mask tool (AI), Media Intelligence search / "search similar frames", Adobe Stock (video and audio), the Lumetri Basic Correction Auto button (only applyMatch exists), Render and Replace, Dynamic Link to After Effects/Audition, Team Projects/Productions/Frame.io, direct upload to social platforms, layered PSD/AI import. Workspaces and Comparison view are UI-only (use the ui_* tools in bridge mode). Workarounds: extend by hand with frame hold/slip, manual masks + masks.track, EffectCraft for motion, SoundCraft for audio.

Recipes

Rough → fine cut

1. Import, organize in bins, name clips; with lots of footage use subclips.
2. Create the sequence, then timeline.place {items:[...]} in order (or clip.automateToSequence); use sourceIn/duration to pick ranges.
3. Remove the fat: timeline.razor + edit.rippleDelete, or In/Out + sequence.extract.
4. Pacing: timeline.roll on cuts, timeline.slip to pick the right moment.
5. Long talking-head: transcript.generate (needs the Whisper model, not installed: transcript.downloadModel, ~290 MB, ask first) → removeFillers, removePauses.

9:16 reel from 16:9 footage

1. file.newSequence {width:1080, height:1920, fps:<footage fps>}.
2. timeline.place the clips → clip.fillFrame (fills the frame; 177.8% from 1080p) and, if needed, the auto_reframe effect or manual motion.position keyframes. Alternative: nest the 16:9 sequence and reframe the nest.
3. Keep text inside the safe zone: leave roughly the top 15% and bottom 25% free for platform UI.
4. Big captions and bold graphics are the norm; keep the hook short (first 1–2 s).
5. Export with preset "Social Vertical 1080×1920" + loudnessLufs:-14.

Transitions: a straight cut is the default; dissolves (cross_dissolve, dip_to_black) signal a change of time or place. effects.setDefaultTransition → trim.applyDefaultTransition on selected clips. Audio: constant_power of 6–12 frames on cuts that pop. Check handles first.

Motion and keyframes: effects.setParam {effect:"motion", param:"scale|position|rotation", value, time, keyframe:true} at two times → effects.setInterpolation {mediaTime, interpolation:"easeIn|easeOut|bezier"}. For a shadow that rotates with the object use transform or basic_3d with drop_shadow below it, not Motion (Motion is applied last).

Audio: essentialSound.setType (dialogue/music/sfx/ambience) → autoMatch (defaults: dialogue −23, music −25, sfx −21, ambience −30 LUFS) → voice set {key:"repair.noise.on"} etc. → music type:"music" + generateDucking → master via export loudnessLufs (social −14, broadcast −23). Peaks around −6/−3 dBFS. Hand off to SoundCraft for waveform/spectral editing, serious restoration, many dialogue tracks, multitrack mixing with buses and complex automation, or music mastering: FilmCraft file.exportMedia {format:"wav"} (or file.exportOmf/exportAaf for separate tracks) → SoundCraft file.import_audio/import_video → file.bounce_mix {format:"wav", bit_depth:24} → back to FilmCraft with media_import onto a dedicated A track, originals muted.

Effects: apply to many clips via an adjustment layer or presets.save/apply. Masks: masks.add on the effect → masks.set {feather, inverted} → masks.track. Stabilize (warp_stabilizer) before scaling.

Color: 1) for HDR/phone footage check color management (sequence.colorSettings, media.colorInfo). 2) Basic correction with lumetri (temperature, tint, exposure, contrast, highlights, shadows, whites, blacks, saturation), checked with scopes.read (luma within ~0–100%, skin on the vectorscope skin line). 3) Match shots with lumetri.applyMatch. 4) Look with lumetri.applyPreset or setLook (LUT) on an adjustment layer. 5) Secondaries (hsl_* params, curves), vignette. 6) Broadcast: video_limiter.

Compositing / chroma key: green screen on V2, background on V1 → ultra_key {key_color}, tune choke/soften/spill, cut dirty areas with a garbage mask. Shape-based transparency: track_matte (matte on the track above). Blend modes via opacity.blend.

Titles and graphics: graphics.newText {text, position, size}. position is the baseline point of left-aligned text; to center use graphics.set {props:{align:"center"}} + graphics.alignFrame.hcenter. Styling: fill, stroke, shadow, background. Credit rolls: graphics.setRoll. Recurring graphics: templates + graphics.template.apply {values}.

Captions: captions.newTrack {format:"Subtitle", language:"en"} → captions.add or transcript.createCaptions {maxChars:32, lines:2} → captions.setStyle → deliver as captions.export (srt/vtt) or burn in with exportMedia {burnCaptions:true} for social.

Export: social/web "Match Source – Adaptive High Bitrate", "YouTube 1080p", "Social Vertical 1080×1920"; master ProRes 422 HQ or DNxHR HQ (.mov); with transparency ProRes 4444 with Alpha; separate audio WAV 24-bit. Partial test render: range:"custom", startSeconds, endSeconds. Several deliverables: export.queue.add ×N + export.queue.start {wait:true}.

Project management / archive: file.projectManager {mode:"collect"} gathers everything; mode:"consolidate" + handles:30 + preset:"prores_lt" keeps only the used parts with margin. Run with dryRun:true first. Then edit.removeUnused, media.findMissing, mediaCache.clean.

Common mistakes

• Wrong sequence fps/size: everything gets resampled. Check sequence.settings right away.
• Wrong targeting/source patching: clip lands on the wrong track or audio is missing.
• Delete instead of ripple delete: black gaps remain (find them with sequence.goToNextGap).
• Sync lock off during inserts: music or graphics drift out of sync.
• Transitions without handles: repeated frames.
• Treating point text as centered when it is left-aligned: it sits off-center (verified).
• Title overlapping the captions at the bottom: move one of them.
• Volume pushed past 0 dBFS: clipping. Use gain/normalization, not just the fader.
• Look applied before correction, or on every clip instead of an adjustment layer.
• Export without path: the file ends up in the home folder.

Pre-delivery checks

1. render_frame at the start, at every scene change, on titles and captions, and 1 s before the end (max_side:480 to save tokens).
2. sequence.goToNextGap (no gaps), sequence.duplicateFrames if relevant, offline clips (media.findMissing).
3. Color: scopes.read at 2–3 points (luma 0–100, no casts).
4. Audio: essentialSound.autoMatch, clip.audioPeak, export loudness matching the platform.
5. export.resolve with the chosen preset: frame size, fps, bitrate, warnings, path.
6. After export: check result.bytes and frames; if possible re-import with media_import in a scratch project.

References

• Lessons: references/01-touring-and-workflow.md … references/17-managing-projects.md; glossary in references/glossary.md.
• Related skills: video-editor (editing decisions), ffmpeg (command-line media work).
• Keep deliverables in a predictable place: export to an explicit, agreed folder and name files with project, version and target (e.g. promo_v3_9x16_-14LUFS.mp4).