Video editingClaude Code

Copy any creator's editing style with Claude

Hey, it's Alex. This is how I get Claude to watch my favourite creators' reels frame by frame, find what their editing has in common, and turn it into a style template every new video follows. The exact prompts I use are below.

btw, I'm making a free Claude Code course for complete beginners. If you're keen, join the waitlist (only if you want to). The waitlist gets it first.

Step 1: Install the Watch skill

Watch by bradautomates (free on GitHub) lets Claude download any video and go through it frame by frame, with the transcript. It works in Claude Code (desktop app Code sessions, VS Code or the terminal), not in normal Claude chat.

Easiest way: paste the link into Claude Code and ask it to install it:

Install the watch skill from https://github.com/bradautomates/claude-video

Or type these inside Claude Code yourself, one at a time:

/plugin marketplace add bradautomates/claude-video

/plugin install watch@claude-video

Start a new Claude Code session, then type /watch to check it's there.

Step 2: Give it the reels

Pick 10 to 20 reels from creators whose editing you like. Mixing a few creators works best, so Claude finds the patterns they share, not one person's quirks. Paste the links into Claude Code:

Use the watch skill on each of these reels, one at a time:

[reel link 1]
[reel link 2]
[reel link 3]
...

Step 3: Break down each reel

Once it has watched them, send this:

For each reel you just watched, write a breakdown with timestamps:

1. Hook (first 3 seconds): what's on screen, what's said, any text on screen
2. Pace: how long each shot lasts on average, and where it speeds up or slows down
3. Shot types: talking head, full-screen graphic, screen recording, zoom on the face, b-roll. Rough % of each
4. Screenshots and screen captures: when they appear, where they sit on screen, how they move (zoom, scroll, highlight)
5. Animations: style (cards, pop-ups, kinetic text), colours, fonts, how they enter and leave
6. Captions: font, size, position, words per line, highlighted words
7. The ending: how the call to action is shown

Only describe what you actually saw in the frames. If something isn't visible, say so.

Step 4: Find the patterns

Now compare all the breakdowns. What do at least half of these reels have in common?
Group it into: hook, pace, shot types, screenshots, animations, captions, ending.
For each one, give the specific rule (with numbers where you can, e.g. "new shot every 2-3s")
and name 2 reels that show it. Then list anything only 1-2 creators do that's worth stealing.

Step 5: Turn it into a template

Turn these patterns into a style template file called editing-style.md that you'll follow
every time you edit or plan a video for me. Write it as clear rules, not descriptions:
pace, layout, where screenshots go, animation style, colours, fonts, captions.
Include a short "never do" list. Keep it under one page.
Then add a line to CLAUDE.md telling yourself to read editing-style.md before planning any video.