# Build your own AI video editor with Claude Code

> A guide by Aashish Pahwa, behind a reel on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reel/De9oW8Iv0jK/.
> The page: https://aashishpahwa.com/bio/guides/claude-code-ai-video-editor

By the end, you’ll have a local Claude Code setup that can take your raw takes and edit them in the same style as a few reference reels. You’ll also have two prompts that teach Claude the video tools and your specific editing taste, so you do not have to explain it again. It is worth doing because the workflow runs on your computer and works directly with your folders.

## What you need

- Claude desktop app (Windows or Mac)
- A paid Claude plan (Claude Code comes with Pro and up, not the free plan)
- Two folders on your computer
- 2 or 3 reels whose editing you love (links), including your own past videos if you want

## The steps

### Step 1: Download the Claude desktop app

Get it from [claude.ai/download](https://claude.ai/download) and sign in. Don't use Claude Code in your browser: it can't reach the files on your computer, and your videos live there.

- https://claude.ai/download

### Step 2: Make two folders

Create a folder on your computer called videos. Inside it, create another called projects. Your raw videos go in projects.

- videos
- videos/projects

### Step 3: Start a local Claude Code session

Open the Claude app, go to the **Code** tab, start a **new session**, choose **Local**, and select your videos folder.

- Code tab
- new session
- Local

### Step 4: Paste prompt 1 to install video tools

This lets Claude download and watch any Instagram, YouTube or other reel from just a link. Paste prompt 1 below, then let it finish installing. It may ask to install Python or ffmpeg along the way: say yes.

```
I'm giving you a few links that make reading and understanding Instagram videos from a link easier. Install them and use them from now on.
 
To download videos: https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp
To transcribe them: https://github.com/openai/whisper
```

### Step 5: Paste prompt 2 with your reference reels

Find videos whose editing you love (your own previous videos work too) and paste their links where it says so. Claude studies that style and turns it into a personal video-editor skill, so you never have to explain it again.

```
Time to build our video editing skill. I'm sharing a few links and video references. Go through the video references first, as your job will be to edit my raw videos in the projects folder in that style. Then go through all of these links. Install the most relevant ones that will help you produce the final video in my style, and turn all of this into a skill, so I don't have to give you these instructions again.
 
Video references: [paste 2-3 reel links here]
 
https://github.com/fogleman/ln
https://github.com/blixvip/MotionClone
https://github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes
https://github.com/cloudai-x/threejs-skills
https://github.com/zhuyansen/awesome-claude-video-skills
```

### Step 6: Edit your first video

Drop a raw video into projects and ask Claude to edit it with your new skill. It cuts the retakes and pauses, adds motion graphics, burns in captions and records any screen demos it needs. For example: Edit the raw video in my projects folder with my video editing skill. Show me the edit plan before you render.

```
Edit the raw video in my projects folder with my video editing skill. Show me the edit plan before you render.
```

## Tips

- Record horizontal. 16:9, camera at eye level, you in the middle, a hand's width of space above your head. It leaves room to reframe for 9:16 without cutting off your hands.
- Say a line again if you fumble it. Keep recording and repeat the sentence. Claude keeps the last good take and cuts the rest.
- Check the edit plan before it renders. Ask for the plan first. A wrong cut caught there costs nothing; caught after the render it costs a whole re-render.
- Teach it as you go. When you don't like something, say so and ask Claude to update the skill. Every video makes the next one closer to your style.

---

All guides: https://aashishpahwa.com/bio/guides. All links: https://aashishpahwa.com/bio