Remotion

Use this skill for any work that creates or changes videos made with React code: authoring compositions, animation, media, captions, effects, the Studio, the Player, rendering, cloud rendering, and upgrades.

Snapshot: remotion@4.0.532 with all @remotion/* packages at the same version (2026-10-01). Remotion 5.0 is unreleased; many docs pages already describe v5 defaults — this skill states v4 behavior and flags v5 changes. Refresh facts from source-map.md.

Workflow

1. Inspect first. Read package.json (installed Remotion version, @remotion/* packages, package manager, Tailwind), the entry file (registerRoot), the Root file (<Composition>s), and remotion.config.ts. Run bun <skill-dir>/scripts/check-versions.mjs (or bunx remotion versions) — mismatched versions cause confusing errors. Check "available from" versions before using recent APIs.
2. No project yet? Scaffold with bunx create-video@latest --yes --blank --no-tailwind <dir> (or a template flag, see player-apps.md). Inspect the target folder first (including hidden files); never delete meaningful files.
3. Open the preview early. Start bunx remotion studio (with an in-app browser: --no-open, then open the printed URL and /<composition-id>). Keep it running so the user can watch and steer.
4. Plan the video before coding: format, fps, duration, scenes, copy, palette, fonts, audio. Use motion-design.md for layout, typography, pacing, and easing defaults.
5. Author with the rules below and the matching reference. Put content in props (schema or inferred defaultProps), timing in frames derived from fps, one file per scene.
6. Verify visually (see Verification). Fix, re-check.
7. Render only when asked ("render", "export", "give me the MP4"). Otherwise the deliverable is the working Studio preview. Pick output settings from encoding-output.md.
8. Preserve user edits. The user may change files in the Studio or editor between turns. Treat surprising changes as intentional; ask before overwriting.
9. Prefer bun / bunx in commands. Install Remotion packages with bunx remotion add <pkg> so versions match.

Non-negotiable rules