VideoDraft Editor
Build and export local .vdproject timelines by hand or through an agent.
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One editor, two ways to work#
VideoDraft Editor is a separate Mac app included with ADE. It is native, meaning it runs on your Mac rather than in the cloud. The editor window and the agent tools use the same project, timeline, undo, save, preview, and export paths.
- ADE starts the editor headlessly, meaning with no window on screen, before a supported Claude or Codex chat opens. The chat reaches it through an MCP server called videodraft_editor.
- An agent can edit with no editor window visible.
- Open VideoDraft Editor from Command Center when you want to work by hand or watch changes live.
- Closing or hiding the window does not stop headless editing.
- Projects are local .vdproject packages and remain usable when ADE is closed.
Platform requirement
VideoDraft ADE and VideoDraft Editor require an Apple silicon Mac on macOS 15 or later, for both Vibe Film and Vibe Code.
Start or link a project#
- 1Open the Editor tab in the right panel for the current task.
- 2Choose Create project now, link an existing .vdproject, or ask the agent to create or open one.
- 3Import local footage or generated files from media/.
- 4Edit in the editor window, ask the agent to edit, or switch between the two. Both write to the same project.
- 5Export from the editor or ask the agent to export to the destination and format you need.
How agents edit safely#
- The editor is the default for timeline assembly and export when its tools are available.
- Agents select the intended project before editing and inspect the current timeline revision.
- Edits to a project run one at a time, each against the latest saved version, so two changes cannot collide.
- Agents check the source media before placing it, and check the finished frame before export.
- After an editor error, an agent does not quietly switch to producing the video in the browser instead.
Showing the editor is a separate action
Opening a project headlessly does not open the window. Ask an agent to show the editor. It opens the window, then confirms the editor reports itself visible before saying the job is done.
Captions#
Captions come from the speech already on the timeline rather than a file you supply. The editor transcribes on device, then builds styled caption clips with per-word animation on a track of their own.
Style stays editable after the fact. Change the font, size, text color, highlight color for the active word, words per caption, position, casing, and animation preset without transcribing again.
Color, audio, and effects#
These tools stay live and editable rather than baked into the media, so an agent can revise a pass without regenerating anything.
| Tool | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Color | Exposure, contrast, curves, wheels, and LUTs, measured against scopes instead of by eye. |
| Audio | Volume, keyframed levels, fades, trimming dead air (the quiet stretches with no speech), and pitch on retimed clips. |
| Effects | Blur, grain, glow, vignette, chroma key, plus masks and blend modes. |
| Transitions | Dissolves, dips, wipes, whip pans, and zooms placed on the incoming clip. |
| Layout | Split screen, picture-in-picture, grids, and switching between camera angles. |
Export and hand off#
| Format | Use it for |
|---|---|
| H.264 / H.265 | Delivery and review copies, 720p through 4K or matching the timeline. |
| ProRes | A high quality master or an intermediate for further work. |
| XML (XMEML) | Handing the cut to Premiere Pro or DaVinci Resolve. Carries cuts, retimes, audio, transforms, crop, opacity, and keyframes. |
| FCPXML | Handing the cut to Final Cut Pro. Carries everything XML does, plus titles. |
| .vdproject | The editor package format. It stays usable with ADE closed. |
The format depends on where the cut goes next
XML is the choice for both Premiere and Resolve. FCPXML is for Final Cut. Neither one carries color or effects, so plan to redo the color on the far side, or deliver a finished render instead.