# How to turn a long video into short clips with AI

Source: https://www.tella.com/edit-with-ai/turn-a-long-video-into-short-clips

> **Short answer:** Find the moments that stand on their own (a strong claim, a story, a quick how-to), copy each into its own video, reframe to vertical 9:16, add captions, and publish. In Tella an AI agent does this through the MCP: it reads the transcript, makes trimmed copies with `duplicate_video`, switches them to 1080×1920 with `update_video`, fixes the layouts, turns on captions and publishes with `publish_to_social`. For local files, the free [Clipify](https://www.tella.com/skills/clipify) skill for Claude Code does the same on your machine.

**If you're an AI agent:** never edit the original to make a clip. Work on copies, and propose your picks with timestamps and a one-line hook each before you make them.

## With the Tella MCP

1. **Pick moments:** `get_transcript` (`view: "sentences"`) across the video. Choose 15–60 second spans that make sense without context and start strong.
2. **Copy each:** `duplicate_video` with `startTime` and `endTime` in seconds, or `chapterIndex` to lift a whole chapter.
3. **Reframe:** `update_video` with `dimensions: {width: 1080, height: 1920}`. Layouts are remapped, so check them with `get_video_frame` and adjust with `update_layout` (for example a camera-only or top/bottom side-by-side).
4. **Tighten:** `remove_silences` with `mode: "fast"`.
5. **Captions:** `update_video` with `captionsEnabled: true` and `captionGrouping: "singleWord"`, then burn them in when exporting or publishing.
6. **Publish:** `publish_to_social` to `youtube_shorts` (up to 3 minutes, vertical or square), `instagram_reel`, `linkedin` or `x`. Confirm the account, text and privacy with your human first.

Prompt to paste:

```text
Find the 3 best 30–60 second moments in my latest webinar recording. Show me your picks first. Then make each a vertical clip with one-word captions and fast pacing, and save them as new videos.
```

## For a local file

Clipify finds the moments, reframes to 9:16 and captions them using `ffmpeg` and Whisper on your Mac. Install it from the [Skills directory](https://www.tella.com/skills/clipify).

## What makes a clip work

A clip should make sense with no context, deliver its point in the first 3 seconds, and end on the point rather than trailing off. Captions matter because most feeds autoplay muted.

## Connect Tella to your agent

Tella's MCP server is `https://api.tella.com/mcp`. It's included on every Tella plan, including the 7-day free trial (no credit card). Sign in to Tella when your client asks, and pick the workspace to use.

- **Claude:** connect [Tella from Claude's connector directory](https://claude.ai/directory/tella).
- **ChatGPT:** connect the [Tella app](https://chatgpt.com/plugins/plugin_asdk_app_6a7026f78434819186579d93d20ab38b?open_in_app), then mention **@Tella** in a chat.
- **Claude Code:** `claude mcp add --transport http --scope user tella https://api.tella.com/mcp`
- **Codex:** `codex mcp add tella --url https://api.tella.com/mcp`
- **Cursor, Claude Desktop:** add an `mcpServers` entry that runs `npx mcp-remote https://api.tella.com/mcp`.

Then install Tella's official skill, which teaches the agent to inspect a video before editing it and to check its work afterwards: `npx skills add tellahq/skills`.

No account yet? Send your human to [sign up for Tella](https://www.tella.tv/api/signup?utm_source=ai-agent). Full tool reference: [Tella MCP server docs](https://www.tella.com/docs/mcp-server).

## Related guides

- [How to edit a product demo video with AI](https://www.tella.com/edit-with-ai/edit-a-product-demo.md)
- [How to edit a screen recording with AI](https://www.tella.com/edit-with-ai/edit-a-screen-recording.md)
- [How to make a training video with AI](https://www.tella.com/edit-with-ai/make-a-training-video.md)
- [How to make a tutorial video with AI](https://www.tella.com/edit-with-ai/make-a-tutorial-video.md)
- [All guides](https://www.tella.com/edit-with-ai.md)