Make your first HyperFrames video

1. Start with one message

Make an eight-second announcement before attempting a long product demo. Use a headline, a supporting line, and a clear ending. You will have fewer decisions to debug, and each revision will be easier to judge.

This walkthrough uses the standalone local CLI and skills. If you already installed a HyperFrames plugin, use the corresponding Claude Code or Codex guide and let the plugin run its bundled tools. Both approaches produce an editable project and a rendered video.

• Message: a short update that fits in two lines.
• Audience: one group of people who should understand that update.
• Format: landscape, 1920 × 1080, for this first example.
• Finish: hold the completed message long enough to read it.

2. Create a project folder

Run the commands below from the parent folder where you keep projects. The CLI scaffolds first-video, then you enter that folder. The non-interactive option selects the default starting composition without opening the setup wizard.

Current init behavior also refreshes the core HyperFrames skills. Start a fresh agent session in first-video afterward. If the agent still cannot find the skills, use the standalone skill guide linked below.

npx hyperframes init first-video --non-interactive
cd first-video
npx hyperframes doctor

3. Ask for an editable announcement

Use the sample copy below or replace it with a real announcement. Keep the final wording explicit. When working with a real product, provide approved facts rather than asking the agent to invent benefits, ratings, or customer numbers.

Ask the agent to work in the project you just created. Review the proposed sequence before it builds; this is the easiest point to correct a misunderstanding about what the video should say.

Using /hyperframes, turn this existing project into an 8-second announcement.

Headline: "A fresh start."
Supporting line: "One clear idea at a time."
Canvas: 1920 × 1080, 30 fps.
Style: off-white background, charcoal type, a single green accent.
Timing: introduce the headline, reveal the supporting line, then hold both for the final 2 seconds.

Keep it silent and use text and simple shapes. Show a brief sequence for approval, then build it in this project. Run the project checks and tell me how to open its preview.

4. Watch before adding more

Open the local preview from the project folder. Use the address printed by the command. If you leave the preview running, use another terminal in the same folder for subsequent checks and rendering.

Watch the clip once at normal speed. Then inspect the opening, the second line's entrance, and the final hold. Seeing a clean still frame does not tell you whether the movement or pacing works.

npx hyperframes preview

• Can you understand the message on the first viewing?
• Is the text comfortably readable at the size people will watch it?
• Does any element overlap or leave the frame during movement?
• Is the ending stable, or does it cut off while something is still moving?

5. Give one concrete revision

Describe the moment that needs attention and the outcome you want. Preserve the choices that are already working. If you change the copy, palette, layout, and timing together, it becomes harder to tell which edit improved the result.

For example, if the supporting line feels cramped, ask for more spacing and verify the whole clip again. A small typography change can affect both the entrance and the final composition.

In the final two seconds, increase the space between "A fresh start." and the supporting line. Keep both lines centered as a group. Preserve the wording, colors, and duration. Check that the revised layout also stays clear during the entrance animation.

6. Validate, render, and watch the MP4

Run these commands from first-video after the agent has saved its edits. Address reported problems, then render the MP4. Giving the output a name makes it easy to distinguish this export from later revisions.

Open first-video.mp4 in a video player. Review the actual file you plan to send, including its first and last frames. Keep the project folder intact for future changes.

npx hyperframes lint
npx hyperframes check
npx hyperframes render --output first-video.mp4

Fix the failing step

Keep the full error message and tell your agent which command produced it. A useful bug report also says what you expected to see. This helps it avoid changing a working design to solve an environment problem.

• No composition found: confirm you are inside first-video and that its index.html contains the composition.
• FFmpeg not found: install FFmpeg for your operating system, verify ffmpeg -version, and rerun doctor.
• A font or image disappears: check its local path, filename capitalization, and whether the file moved.
• Animation is static: ask the agent to inspect the timeline registration and composition ID, then rerun check.
• A command option is rejected: use npx hyperframes <command> --help to check the installed version's syntax.

Build on the version that works

Save this working project before trying a second idea. Add one owned image, adapt the message for a real announcement, or make a second layout for another placement. Review the result after each change.

A useful next milestone is repeatability: can you change the headline and produce another clear video without rebuilding the entire sequence? That tells you which parts of this first project are worth reusing.

Official sources

HyperFrames evolves quickly. Use these references for current commands and details.

• HyperFrames · Official quickstart
• HyperFrames · CLI reference and init options
• HyperFrames · Everyday CLI workflow
• HyperFrames · Standalone skills
• HyperFrames · Rendering guide
• HyperFrames · Troubleshooting