manim-video

Files (14)

• README.md
• SKILL.md
• openai.yaml · agents/
• camera-and-3d.md · references/
• equations.md · references/
• graphs-and-data.md · references/
• production-quality.md · references/
• python-patterns.md · references/
• rendering.md · references/
• scene-planning.md · references/
• troubleshooting.md · references/
• updaters-and-trackers.md · references/
• visual-design.md · references/
• check_setup.py · scripts/

SKILL.md (first lines)

# Manim Video

Use this skill for Python-based Manim projects that need a clean planning phase, strong visual direction, reusable scene structure, and a deterministic render pipeline.

The output contract is usually a workspace project directory containing `plan.md`, `script.py`, `concat.txt`, draft renders, and optionally a stitched `final.mp4`.

## Creative Standard

This is educational cinema, not animated slides.

- Make it beautiful and professional. The draft should feel intentional, polished, and presentation-ready, not like a rough internal diagram dump.
- Before writing code, define the narrative arc: confusion -> visual hook -> mechanism -> payoff -> recap.
- Geometry before algebra. Show the shape, motion, system flow, or data change before the formal equation.
- Every scene teaches one dominant idea. If a scene has two unrelated claims, split it.
- Direct attention with opacity layering: primary elements at 1.0, contextual elements around 0.35-0.45, and structural elements like axes or grids around 0.12-0.2.
- Give reveals breathing room. Add `self.wait()` after every important animation and make the main aha moment the longest pause.
- Keep one cohesive visual language across the whole project: shared palette, shared timing constants, shared font rules, and stable concept-color meaning.
- Avoid repetitive scenes. Vary dominant color, layout, and entry animation across scenes while keeping the overall palette consistent.
- First-render quality matters. If the layout is cluttered, the typography is inconsistent, or the pacing feels rushed, the scene is not done.

## Modes

| Mode | Input | Output | Primary references |
|------|-------|--------|--------------------|
| Concept explainer | topic or feature | intuitive multi-scene explainer | `scene-planning.md`, `visual-design.md` |
| Equation derivation | symbolic expression or proof goal | stepwise animated derivation | `equations.md`, `python-patterns.md` |
| Algorithm visualization | algorithm or invariant | stepwise state evolution | `graphs-and-data.md`, `python-patterns.md` |
| Data story | metrics, counters, or comparisons | animated charts and deltas | `graphs-and-data.md`, `visual-design.md` |
| Architecture diagram | system or service flow | progressive build with data flow | `scene-planning.md`, `python-patterns.md` |
| Paper explainer | paper, abstract, or finding | hook -> method -> evidence explainer | `scene-planning.md`, `visual-design.md` |
| Camera or 3D explainer | spatial or geometric topic | moving-camera or 3D scene set | `camera-and-3d.md`, `visual-design.md` |

## Stack

Single Python script per project. No browser, no Node.js, no GPU requirement.

| Layer | Tool | Purpose |
|-------|------|---------|
| Core | Manim Community Edition | scene rendering and animation engine |
| Math | LaTeX via `MathTex` / `Tex` | equation rendering |
| Video I/O | ffmpeg | stitching, muxing, and format conversion |
| Narration | subtitles by default, voiceover optional | accessibility and pacing |
| Setup check | `check_setup.py` | host capability validation and install hints |

## Pipeline

`PLAN --> CODE --> RENDER --> STITCH --> AUDIO --> REVIEW`

- `PLAN`: write `plan.md` with the narrative arc, misconception, aha moment, palette, typography, and scene beats.
- `CODE`: write `script.py` with one independently renderable `Scene` subclass per clip.
- `RENDER`: draft render all scenes at `-ql` unless a real render blocker prevents it.
- `STITCH`: update `concat.txt` and stitch a draft video when `ffmpeg` is available.
- `AUDIO`: add narration or music only when the user asks for it or the project explicitly includes it.
- `REVIEW`: verify timing, readability, clean exits, and overall visual coherence before claiming the output is done.

## Creative Direction

### Color Palettes

| Palette | Background | Primary | Secondary | Accent | Use case |
|---------|------------|---------|-----------|--------|----------|
| HybridClaw Dark | `#0B1220` | `#7DA2FF` | `#9AB6FF` | `#7EE3A5` | default for systems, tools, and architecture |
| HybridClaw Light | `#F8FAFC` | `#4A6CF7` | `#3657E9` | `#15803D` | brighter docs-style explainer look |
| HybridClaw Neutral | `#111827` | `#E5EDF7` | `#93A4B8` | `#7DA2FF` | minimal or formal topics |

Start with a HybridClaw palette unless the user explicitly asks for a different visual language.

### Animation Speed

| Context | Typical `run_time` | Typical `self.wait()` after |
|---------|--------------------|-----------------------------|
| Title or intro hook | `1.2-1.8s` | `0.8-1.2s` |
| Key equation or mechanism reveal | `1.8-2.2s` | `1.5-2.5s` |
| Transform or morph | `1.2-1.8s` | `1.0-1.5s` |
| Supporting annotation | `0.6-1.0s` | `0.3-0.6s` |
| Fade-out cleanup | `0.4-0.7s` | `0.2-0.4s` |
| Aha moment | `2.0-2.8s` | `2.0-3.0s` |

### Typography Scale

| Role | Font size | Usage |
|------|-----------|-------|
| Title | `34-38` | scene titles and opening claims |
| Heading | `28-32` | section headers within a scene |
| Body | `20-24` | explanatory text |
| Label | `18-20` | annotations, axis labels, component names |
| Caption | `18` | subtitles and supporting notes |

### Font Rules

| Text type | Default choice | Notes |
|-----------|----------------|-------|
| Titles and sentence copy | `Text(..., font=SANS)` | prefer a clean sans like `SANS = "Avenir Next"` or another installed equivalent |
| Styled inline emphasis | `MarkupText(..., font=SANS)` | best for colored spans or bold fragments |
| Code-like labels | `Text(..., font=MONO)` | use `MONO = "Menlo"` only for identifiers, commands, chips, or short technical tags |
| Math | `MathTex(...)` / `Tex(...)` | requires LaTeX |

Minimum readable text size is `font_size=18`.

Text density rules:

- If more than 4 text elements are strongly visible, reduce body text toward `20-24` instead of `26-30`.
- Keep title/subtitle stacks to 2 text blocks. If a third block is needed, move it to a side label, caption, or a new scene.
- Clamp all titles before `.to_edge(...)`, for example `fit_text(title, max_width=11.0)`.
- Clamp any potentially long text block to the usable frame width instead of trusting the raw `font_size`.
- If a width-clamped title still feels oversized, lower it toward `34-36` or split it into 2 lines. Do not keep a full-sentence title at `48`.
- Do not write new text on top of old text in the same area. Use `ReplacementTransform`, `FadeOut`, or a layout shift first.
- Use `buff >= 0.5` for edge-positioned text so draft renders do not clip.

### Performance Targets

| Quality | Resolution | FPS | Use case |
|---------|------------|-----|----------|
| `-ql` | 854x480 | 15 | draft iteration and timing checks |
| `-qm` | 1280x720 | 30 | text-heavy preview and layout review |
| `-qh` | 1920x1080 | 60 | production export only |

## Default Workflow

From HybridAIOne/hybridclaw, MIT.

More from HybridAIOne/hybridclaw