Python FFmpeg Skill

Use this skill for Python-driven FFmpeg work: encoding, filtering, audio processing, metadata probing, streaming, thumbnails, PyAV frame access, subprocess integration, and production troubleshooting.

When to Use This Skill

Use when the user asks for tasks covered by the frontmatter triggers, especially implementation guidance, debugging, architecture choices, production hardening, or performance-sensitive decisions in this domain. Start from this orchestrator, then load the focused reference file that matches the requested detail level.

Core Workflow

1. Choose the integration layer first: ffmpeg-python for readable filter graphs, subprocess for full CLI parity, PyAV for frame-level access, and moviepy only for simple edits.
2. Probe inputs before processing so codec, duration, resolution, FPS, audio streams, and metadata are known.
3. Preserve audio explicitly whenever a video filter is applied; filtered video streams do not automatically carry audio.
4. Select the output codec and acceleration path based on compatibility, compression, and deployment hardware.
5. Use overwrite/error-handling patterns consistently: overwrite_output() with ffmpeg-python or -y with subprocess, plus captured stderr for diagnostics.
6. For large media, stream frames or use temp files instead of reading all stdout or frames into memory.

Key Gotchas