Video by Reference skill
The Video by Reference skill learns style from a sample clip and builds an animated short from code with an original soundtrack
- 76 ★ on the repository
- Last commit
- MIT
Extended access
Why this level
- The agent writes and runs render code on Node.js and a browser engine on your computer
Install
- Works in
In your terminal, with SkillFoxx CLI
npx skillfoxx add skills/video-by-referenceDetects the agents on your machine, shows the access level and pins the version.
Other ways to install
Access and checks
How we reviewExtended accessThe tool runs code or makes network calls and only reads external data.
- The agent writes and runs render code on Node.js and a browser engine on your computer
This is third-party code. Review the repository files before installing.
What it does
The skill turns a "make something like this video" request into a finished MP4 with picture and sound. Look, sound, editing and pacing are learned from the sample clip while the story stays original. The skill is not tied to one style: the sample decides the render model, palette, frame rate, camera behavior, effects, editing rhythm, typography and sound, and the agent measures these traits and picks techniques to reproduce them. The process comes from a real production: studying a trailer, a pitch, a user redirect, research, an engine, a synthesized score, a render, a review and re-pacing after feedback. The quality bar is set high: every frame is crafted as a finished poster, motion is designed with anticipation and follow-through, type is set with hierarchy and rendering uses supersampling. The `skills/video-by-reference/assets/engine` folder holds `index.html`, `package.json`, `render/render.mjs` and an audio engine with a score. The repository is packaged both as a Claude Code plugin and as a skill set for other agents.
Who it is for. Authors of short animated clips and promos who want to match the style of a video they like and build their own film in code.
Good fit when
- A trailer in the right manner exists and you need your own clip with a different story in the same style
- An animation is needed with an original synthesized soundtrack and no licensed music
- The agent should measure the palette, editing rhythm and frame rate of the sample
- A finished MP4 has to be rebuilt after feedback with new pacing
Not a fit when
- You need to copy a clip frame for frame: the skill takes style and composes an original story
- You need a quick draft: the quality bar is high and the work runs in several stages
- You need live action video with actors: the clip is assembled in code
Example request
Make an animated short in the style of this trailer but about my product, with my own musicLimitations
- Rights to the sample stay with you: the skill borrows manner and makes the story and sound new. Responsibility for using another style rests with you.
- Rendering needs Node.js and the browser engine from `assets/engine`.
- In claude.ai uploading the skill needs a Pro, Max, Team or Enterprise plan with code execution on.
- The high quality bar means long renders and iterations after review.
How to disable. Run `/plugin uninstall skills@ishuagrawal` or delete the `skills/video-by-reference` folder from the skills directory.
FAQ
How do I install the skill?
In Claude Code: `/plugin marketplace add ishuagrawal/skills` and `/plugin install skills@ishuagrawal`. For Cursor, Codex, OpenCode and Gemini CLI: `npx skills add ishuagrawal/skills`.
Does the skill copy the sample?
No: style, sound, editing and pacing come from the sample while the story stays original.
Can I install a single skill from the set?
Yes, add `--skill video-by-reference` to the `npx skills add` command.
How do I attach the skill in claude.ai?
Download the skill zip from the release page and upload it in the Skills section of settings; a Pro, Max, Team or Enterprise plan with code execution is needed.
How do I update?
In Claude Code `/plugin marketplace update ishuagrawal` then `/reload-plugins`; for claude.ai download the new zip and upload it again.
Discussion
No questions or reviews yet.
Related
SkillsThe video-explainer skill turns a script into a vertical 9:16 explainer: narration, captions, Remotion and a pre-render review
A director skill: it interviews you about a video idea and turns it into a second-by-second shot script for HyperFrames
A skill that makes video in pure code: narrated explainers and website promos in 35 visual styles, in 16:9 and 9:16.
A skill that turns your narration and real assets into a 20–60 second video in the style you pick, rendered locally as MP4.
A skill that turns a topic into a narrated 4K video: research, script, local TTS, Remotion composition and an FFmpeg mix
A set of SKILL.md skills for short-video and content production: topic, script, voice, avatar, editing, covers and motion graphics
Comparison with similar tools
Cards that share the main search query, and how they differ.
| Tool | Official | Repository stars | Main difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Video by Reference (this card) | no | 76 | |
| video-production-skill | no | 106 | leads from a script to a clip with slides and voiceover, with no style sample |
| HyperFrames | no | 83,283 | builds video from HTML compositions to your idea, while this skill learns style from a finished clip |
README in short
The README briefly presents the repository only skill, gives install for Claude Code, other agents, claude.ai and the API, manual copying and the update routine. The process and rules are described in `SKILL.md`.