shellbot-video-generator skill

---
name: shellbot-video-generator
description: AI video production workflow using Remotion. Use when creating videos, short films, commercials, or motion graphics. Triggers on requests to make promotional videos, product demos, social media videos, animated explainers, or any programmatic video content. Produces polished motion graphics, not slideshows. Requires FIRECRAWL_API_KEY for website scraping and brand asset extraction.
metadata:
  openclaw:
    primaryEnv: "FIRECRAWL_API_KEY"
    requires:
      env:
        - "FIRECRAWL_API_KEY"
    homepage: "https://getshell.ai"
---

# Video Generator (Remotion)

Create professional motion graphics videos programmatically with React and Remotion.

## Non-Negotiable Story Structure (AIDA)

Every video MUST follow the AIDA arc in order:

1. **Attention** — Establish the problem being solved. High-impact hook in the first 3 seconds.
2. **Interest** — Introduce the solution. Show what it is and why it matters.
3. **Desire** — Show use cases, not feature lists. Demonstrate real scenarios the viewer relates to.
4. **Action** — End with a CTA that includes an incentive (discount, free trial, limited offer).

## Default Workflow (ALWAYS follow this)

1. **Scrape brand data** (if featuring a product) using Firecrawl
2. **Create the project** from the local template:
   ```bash
   cd output && bash ../scripts/remotion.sh init <project-name>
   ```
3. **Install dependencies** with `npm install`
4. **Build all scenes** with proper motion graphics
5. **Start Remotion Studio** as a background process:
   ```bash
   cd output/<project-name> && npm run dev
   ```
   Wait for "Server ready" on port 3000.
6. **Expose via Cloudflare tunnel** so user can access it:
   ```bash
   bash skills/cloudflare-tunnel/scripts/tunnel.sh start 3000
   ```
7. **Send the user the public URL** (e.g. `https://xxx.trycloudflare.com`)

The user will preview in their browser, request changes, and you edit the source files. Remotion hot-reloads automatically.

### Rendering (only when user explicitly asks to export):
```bash
cd output/<project-name>
npx remotion render CompositionName out/video.mp4
```

## Quick Start

```bash
# Scaffold project from local template (no network needed)
cd output && bash ../scripts/remotion.sh init my-video
cd my-video && npm install

# Add motion libraries
npm install lucide-react

# Start dev server
npm run dev

# Expose publicly
bash skills/cloudflare-tunnel/scripts/tunnel.sh start 3000
```

## Collecting Visual Assets

**MANDATORY:** Every video needs visual assets — logos, screenshots, product images, brand colors. Collect them BEFORE designing scenes. There are three sources:

### 1. Firecrawl Scrape (for any product/company URL)

Scrapes a website and extracts brand data + downloads reusable images in one step:

```bash
# Scrape and auto-download assets to the project's public/images/brand/
bash scripts/firecrawl.sh "https://example.com" output/my-video/public/images/brand
```

This returns JSON with: `brandName`, `tagline`, `headline`, `description`, `features`, `logoUrl`, `faviconUrl`, `primaryColors` (hex codes), `ctaText`, `socialLinks`, `imageUrls` (hero images, product shots, illustrations).

It also **auto-downloads** to the output directory: `screenshot.png`, `og-image.png`, `favicon.png`, `logo.png`, and all extracted page images (`image-1.png`, `image-2.png`, ...).

**API Key:** Set `FIRECRAWL_API_KEY` in the environment or `.env`.

### 2. User-Provided Assets

The user may provide logos, images, or screenshots directly (as file paths, URLs, or paste). Always ask if they have specific assets they want included. Save them to `public/images/`:

```bash
mkdir -p public/images
curl -sL "https://user-provided-url.com/logo.png" -o public/images/logo.png
```

### 3. Manual Download from Scrape Data

If you need specific images spotted in the scrape markdown (e.g. plan cards, channel icons), download them directly:

```bash
curl -sL "https://example.com/path/to/image.png" -o public/images/image.png
```

### Using Assets in Remotion

Reference downloaded assets with `staticFile()`:

```tsx
import { Img, staticFile } from "remotion";

<Img src={staticFile("images/brand/logo.png")} />
<Img src={staticFile("images/brand/screenshot.png")} />
```

## Core Architecture

### Scene Management

Use scene-based architecture with proper transitions:

```tsx
const SCENE_DURATIONS: Record<string, number> = {
  intro: 3000,     // 3s hook
  problem: 4000,   // 4s dramatic
  solution: 3500,  // 3.5s reveal
  features: 5000,  // 5s showcase
  cta: 3000,       // 3s close
};
```

### Video Structure Pattern

```tsx
import {
  AbsoluteFill, Sequence, useCurrentFrame,
  useVideoConfig, interpolate, spring,
  Img, staticFile, Audio,
} from "remotion";

export const MyVideo = () => {
  const frame = useCurrentFrame();
  const { fps, durationInFrames } = useVideoConfig();

  return (
    <AbsoluteFill>
      {/* Background music */}
      <Audio src={staticFile("audio/bg-music.mp3")} volume={0.35} />

      {/* Persistent background layer - OUTSIDE sequences */}
      <AnimatedBackground frame={frame} />

      {/* Scene sequences */}
      <Sequence from={0} durationInFrames={90}>
        <IntroScene />
      </Sequence>
      <Sequence from={90} durationInFrames={120}>
        <FeatureScene />
      </Sequence>
    </AbsoluteFill>
  );
};
```

## Motion Graphics Principles

### AVOID (Slideshow patterns)

- Fading to black between scenes
- Centered text on solid backgrounds
- Same transition for everything
- Linear/robotic animations
- Static screens
- `slideLeft`, `slideRight`, `crossDissolve`, `fadeBlur` presets
- Emoji icons — NEVER use emoji, always use Lucide React icons

### PURSUE (Motion graphics)

- Overlapping transitions (next starts BEFORE current ends)
- Layered compositions (background/midground/foreground)
- Spring physics for organic motion
- Varied timing (2-5s scenes, mixed rhythms)
- Continuous visual elements across scenes
- Custom transitions with clipPath, 3D transforms, morphs
- Lucide React for ALL icons (`npm install lucide-react`) — never emoji

## Transition Techniques

1. **Morph/Scale** - Element scales up to fill screen, becomes next scene's background
2. **Wipe** - Colored shape sweeps across, revealing next scene
3. **Zoom-through** - Camera pushes into element, emerges into new scene
4. **Clip-path reveal** - Circle/polygon grows from point to reveal
5. **Persistent anchor** - One element stays while surroundings change
6. **Directional flow** - Scene 1 exits right, Scene 2 enters from right
7. **Split/unfold** - Screen divides, panels slide apart
8. **Perspective flip** - Scene rotates on Y-axis in 3D

## Animation Timing Reference

```tsx
// Timing values (in seconds)
const timing = {
  micro: 0.1-0.2,      // Small shifts, subtle feedback
  snappy: 0.2-0.4,     // Element entrances, position changes
  standard: 0.5-0.8,   // Scene transitions, major reveals
  dramatic: 1.0-1.5,   // Hero moments, cinematic reveals
};

// Spring configs
const springs = {
  snappy: { stiffness: 400, damping: 30 },
  bouncy: { stiffness: 300, damping: 15 },
  smooth: { stiffness: 120, damping: 25 },
};
```

## Visual Style Guidelines

### Typography
- One display font + one body font max
- Massive headlines, tight tracking
- Mix weights for hierarchy
- Keep text SHORT (viewers can't pause)

### Colors
- **Use brand colors from Firecrawl scrape** as the primary palette — match the product's actual look
- **Avoid purple/indigo gradients** unless the brand uses them or the user explicitly requests them
- Simple, clean backgrounds are generally best — a single dark tone or subtle gradient beats layered textures
- Intentional accent colors pulled from the brand

### Layout
- Use asymmetric layouts, off-center type
- Edge-aligned elements create visual tension
- Generous whitespace as design element
- Use depth sparingly — a subtle backdrop blur or single gradient, not stacked textures

## Remotion Essentials

### Interpolation

```tsx
const opacity = interpolate(frame, [0, 30], [0, 1], {
  extrapolateLeft: "clamp",
  extrapolateRight: "clamp"
});

const scale = spring({
  frame, fps,
  from: 0.8, to: 1,
  durationInFrames: 30,
  config: { damping: 12 }
});
```

### Sequences with Overlap

```tsx
<Sequence from={0} durationInFrames={100}>
  <Scene1 />
</Sequence>
<Sequence from={80} durationInFrames={100}>
  <Scene2 />
</Sequence>
```

### Cross-Scene Continuity

Place persistent elements OUTSIDE Sequence blocks:

```tsx
const PersistentShape = ({ currentScene }: { currentScene: number }) => {
  const positions = {
    0: { x: 100, y: 100, scale: 1, opacity: 0.3 },
    1: { x: 800, y: 200, scale: 2, opacity: 0.5 },
    2: { x: 400, y: 600, scale: 0.5, opacity: 1 },
  };

  return (
    <motion.div
      animate={positions[currentScene]}
      transition={{ duration: 0.8, ease: "easeInOut" }}
      className="absolute w-32 h-32 rounded-full bg-gradient-to-r from-coral to-orange"
    />
  );
};
```

## Quality Tests

Before delivering, verify:

- **Mute test:** Story follows visually without sound?
- **Squint test:** Hierarchy visible when squinting?
- **Timing test:** Motion feels natural, not robotic?
- **Consistency test:** Similar elements behave similarly?
- **Slideshow test:** Does NOT look like PowerPoint?
- **Loop test:** Video loops smoothly back to start?

## Implementation Steps

1. **Firecrawl brand scrape** — If featuring a product, scrape its site first
2. **Director's treatment** — Write vibe, camera style, emotional arc
3. **Visual direction** — Colors, fonts, brand feel, animation style
4. **Scene breakdown** — List every scene with description, duration, text, transitions
5. **Plan assets** — User assets + generated images/videos + brand scrape assets
9. **Define durations** — Vary pacing (2-3s punchy, 4-5s dramatic)
10. **Build persistent layer** — Animated background outside scenes
11. **Build scenes** — Each with enter/exit animations, 3-5 timed moments
12. **Open with hook** — High-impact first scene
13. **Develop narrative** — Content-driven middle scenes
14. **Strong ending** — Intentional, resolved close
15. **Start Remotion Studio** — `npm run dev` on port 3000
16. **Expose via tunnel** — `bash skills/cloudflare-tunnel/scripts/tunnel.sh start 3000`
17. **Send user the public URL** — They preview and request changes live
18. **Iterate** — Edit source, hot-reload, repeat
19. **Render** — Only when user says to export final video

## File Structure

```
my-video/
├── src/
│   ├── Root.tsx              # Composition definitions
│   ├── index.ts              # Entry point
│   ├── index.css             # Global styles
│   ├── MyVideo.tsx           # Main video component
│   └── scenes/               # Scene components (optional)
├── public/
│   ├── images/
│   │   └── brand/            # Firecrawl-scraped assets
│   └── audio/                # Background music
├── remotion.config.ts
└── package.json
```

## Common Components

See `references/components.md` for reusable:
- Animated backgrounds
- Terminal windows
- Feature cards
- Stats displays
- CTA buttons
- Text reveal animations

## Tunnel Management

```bash
# Start tunnel (exposes port 3000 publicly)
bash skills/cloudflare-tunnel/scripts/tunnel.sh start 3000

# Check status
bash skills/cloudflare-tunnel/scripts/tunnel.sh status 3000

# List all tunnels
bash skills/cloudflare-tunnel/scripts/tunnel.sh list

# Stop tunnel
bash skills/cloudflare-tunnel/scripts/tunnel.sh stop 3000
```