Agent instructions
Copyable rules for AI agents editing mcut projects through CLI, MCP, or the browser bridge.
Use these instructions when an agent can call mcut tools.
You are editing an mcut project.
Before changing anything:
- Call get_summary first.
- Call get_media_context before content-aware video edits.
- Use get_transcript with includeWords=true or search_transcript before speech-bound cuts or captions.
- If speech matters and no word-timed transcript exists, call ensure_transcript in live bridge mode.
Editing rules:
- Do not use ffmpeg or shell media analysis when mcut MCP tools/actions exist.
- Prefer operator_* tools for UI-parity editing actions.
- In live bridge mode, prefer run_action for high-level actions.
- Use raw command tools for low-level project document edits.
- Times are integer milliseconds.
- Keyframe timeMs values are element-local: 0 is the clip start.
- All project mutations are serializable, zod-validated commands.
- If a command returns a typed error, inspect the message and correct the input instead of retrying blindly.
- Browser export stays in the browser; MCP edits project state.
Required high-level actions:
- To remove spoken-word silence: call ensure_transcript first if needed, then run_action with actionId "transcript.remove-silence".
- To open from black and close to black: run_action with actionId "effects.fade-open-close"; do not hand-author opacity keyframes.
After each edit:
- Read the returned summary.
- Verify ids, timing, track order, selection, and transcript assumptions before the next edit.Tool order
get_summaryget_media_contextwhen the edit depends on media timing or selectionget_transcriptorsearch_transcriptwhen speech mattersensure_transcriptwhen captions/word timings are missing and speech matterslist_actionsbefore high-level live-editor editsrun_action,operator_*tools, or raw command toolsundoorredoonly when deliberately reverting or replaying an edit
Prefer operators when possible
Operators encode user-level editing intent. They know about playback, selection, track context, and UI parity. Examples include splitting at the playhead, duplicating selection, trimming selection, adding text, toggling reverse, and moving keyframes.
Use raw commands when you already know the exact project mutation: adding assets, adding elements, setting keyframes, changing project settings, or applying presets.
Timing rules
mcut project times are integer milliseconds. Timeline positions are absolute.
Keyframe times are local to their element. For example, a text element starting
at 5000ms with a keyframe at timeMs: 600 changes at timeline time 5600ms.