/// from reference to plan
MCP connectorHosted connection available

Your video references,
ready when you ask.

Ask about your teardowns and saved ★ Library from the tools you already use. Find a shot, read the notes behind it, or have a Canvas board laid out for your next video. Connect with your own account, or use a personal API key for local setup; Canvas needs a paid plan.

Connect your Library · up to 83 tools · 81 never spend credits

I’d rather drive · the planReal connector result
The real driving-film board opened through the connector, with shots arranged in three acts and timing notes beside them.
“Open my I’d rather drive board.” This is the existing board returned by the local connector, shown with Canvas’s own cards. The shots, timing and notes come from the saved plan.
/// what it gives you

Keep the study close to the work.

Your references and decisions stay in videngineer. The connector lets you work with them from another app.

01 · find the reference

Find the shot you remember.

Search your teardowns by topic, hook or format, and your cuts by subject or camera move. Open a saved Library folder to find the references you kept.

Saved frames of the filmmaker's own truck footage beside notes about the shots he has and the shots he still needs.
The driving film’s saved footage, opened with its board.
02 · read the decision

Ask why that shot is there.

Read the script, cuts and sound from a teardown. Search the notes on a Canvas board and open the full note behind a decision.

The driving film's ending beside notes explaining the black gap and the cuts to music.
Notes on the real board explain the pause before the ending.
03 · lay out the plan

Turn the references into a board.

On a paid plan, ask for notes, labels, arrows and saved references to be arranged on Canvas. Open that same board in videngineer to review and change the plan.

Storyboard frames beside spoken lines and shot lengths for Inspector Frame.
Inspector Frame’s saved storyboard: picture, words and timing together.
/// real work

The work is already on the board.

These are our own film plans, opened through the local connector. The connector returns the saved work for you to study and plan from.

Footage → a plan in acts

I’d rather drive

Saved truck footage, timed shots and edit notes in one board, ready to refer to while writing the next brief.

Three acts from the real driving-film plan, with footage references and timed shot notes.
Character decisions → a storyboard

Inspector Frame

The character sheet and shot-by-shot plan stay together, so the next decision can start from the choices already made.

Inspector Frame on the board: his chosen look with the VE hat patch, beside notes on how he behaves.
/// how it fits

Save. Plan. Share.

The connector brings your saved study into the app where you are working. Canvas holds the plan you hand off.

  1. Save the studyTake apart a video and keep useful references in your ★ Library. Read those teardowns and folders through the connector.
  2. Plan from your referencesAsk for the shots and notes to be laid out on Canvas. Board access and edits need a paid plan.
  3. Share the planOpen the board in videngineer to review it and use Canvas’s sharing controls. Your editor gets the decisions beside the shots. Make the finished film in your editing tools.

Access follows your account.

Sign in to connect, or use your personal API key locally. Reading existing results does not spend analysis credits; starting a teardown uses your plan’s allowance, and requesting a cut blueprint can spend credits.

Manage your connection or revoke your local key in your account.

CONNECT· LIVE NOW
STEP 01

Copy the connector URL

One address for every Claude surface.

https://mcp.videngineer.com/mcp
STEP 02

Add it in Claude

  1. Open Settings → Connectors on claude.ai or in the desktop app.
  2. Choose Add custom connector.
  3. Name it videngineer and paste the URL.
STEP 03Live

Sign in and approve

Sign in to your own videngineer account and approve access. The tools appear in your chat.

Prefer to run it on your own machine? Use the local connector with an API key.

Guides for each assistant: Claude · Claude Code · Codex · Grok (custom connector) · ChatGPT and Muse (in review) · Perplexity (coming soon).

/// local setup

A key, one file, one config entry.

Local setup is documented for Claude Desktop and Claude Code. Other apps are not tested yet; use one of the guides below.

01 · your account

Generate an API key.

Open Account → API access → Generate key. Your account shows whether key access is available.

Open API access →
02 · your machine

Get the connector.

Install Python and the connector runtime, then save the connector file on your machine.

Download the connector →
03 · your app

Add the config entry.

Set the local file path and your key in the config below. Restart your app, then ask about a teardown or board.

Download example config →
Show the install commands and config

Install the runtime and download the file

pip install "mcp[cli]"
curl -O https://videngineer.com/mcp/videngineer_mcp.py

Add your path and key

Claude Desktop: use claude_desktop_config.json. Claude Code: use .mcp.json in your project. Replace the example path and key with your own.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "videngineer": {
      "command": "python",
      "args": ["/absolute/path/to/videngineer_mcp.py"],
      "env": { "VIDENGINEER_API_KEY": "your-key" }
    }
  }
}

Restart your app. Try: “Find the hooks in my recent teardowns.” On a paid plan, try: “Open my Canvas board and read the shot notes.”

Read the connector docs →

What the connector can do

Read and search

Read your teardown reports, scripts, cuts, scenes, saved assets, Sound Kit and cast details. Compare several saved analyses, open Library folders, browse public teardowns and their tags, and search Canvas notes and references, and inspect version history.

Start a study

Start a teardown from a supported video link, check its progress, or request a cut blueprint. On a paid plan, build a missing cut grid without using wallet credits.

Work on the plan

On a paid plan, create boards and folders, add saved references or a public media URL to your Library, and arrange cards, notes and arrows. Save a new board version, restore an earlier version, or move a board to Recently Deleted, where it stays restorable in the app.

THE TOOLSET· UP TO 83 TOOLS
read-only · 0 credits
35that read, never spend credits
spends credits · on request
2that can spend credits, only when asked
builds & board edits · 0 credits
46that build or edit boards, zero credits
See the full 83-tool roster

read-only · 0 credits — 35

find_teardownsSearch the public teardown wall for references to study
list_teardown_tagsThe tag vocabulary for the public wall, with live counts
get_teardownOne public teardown's study detail
find_cutsSearch every cut you've studied — by subject, move, or style
find_analysesSearch your library by topic, hook, or format
list_analysesEverything on your account, newest first
get_statusWhere an analysis stands — queued, running, complete
get_reportOne teardown: hook, scorecard, beats, blueprint, transcript
get_context_bundleUp to ten of your analyses merged into one payload
list_cutsThe numbered cut index for one analysis
get_cutOne cut: the clip itself, frames, timing, camera facts
list_scenesThe scene timeline, paged
list_assetsEvery clip, frame, and track — all reachable
get_soundThe sound & music facts for one analysis
get_castThe cast & world facts — who's on screen, where, in what
list_foldersYour saved Library folders
find_folderFind a saved folder by name, even half-remembered
get_folderA folder's saved assets — every item with a fetchable link
list_canvasesYour Canvas boards, at a glance
get_canvas_kbThe notes and references on one board, grouped and paged
get_canvas_bucketOne folder on a board, with the cards inside it
get_canvas_nodeOne card or note on a board, in full
search_canvas_kbKeyword search inside one of your boards
get_canvasOne board's cards and references, ready to read
list_canvas_versionsA board's recent saved versions
canvas_view_linkPrepare a precise board view, selection or comparison without changing the board
list_canvas_sectionsFind the named sections on a board
list_canvas_templatesBrowse reusable layouts and sections
library_upload_proxyPrepare an authenticated private file upload
get_canvas_linkRead the permitted view of a shared board link
list_deleted_canvasesBrowse your recently deleted boards
get_canvas_draftRead your explicitly published recovery copy
list_canvas_accessReview access to your board when sharing is authorized
list_canvas_label_presetsRead your saved label presets
get_canvas_preferencesRead your personal Canvas preferences

spends credits · only when you ask — 2

analyze_videoStarts a new teardown from a supported link — counts against your plan, like the app
get_cut_briefThe build spec for one cut — spends credits the first time, re-opens free

builds & board edits · 0 credits from your balance — 46

export_canvasExport a board or folder; check progress and get your download with the same tool
build_cutsBuilds the cut grid when an analysis has none — 0 wallet credits, included in paid plans
update_canvasSaves a new version of one of your boards — earlier versions are kept
restore_canvasBrings back an earlier version of a board, as a new version
create_canvasStarts a new Canvas board in your Library
create_folderAdds a folder to one of your boards
set_folderRenames a board folder, sets its cover, opens or closes it
add_analysis_to_folderPlaces an analysis's cuts, frames, look and sound into a board folder
add_cardsAdds notes, text, shapes, and saved references to your board
add_asset_from_urlSaves a public image, video or audio link into your Library
edit_cardsEdit permitted cards; collaborators create cards first, then connect them using the returned ids. Choosing new card ids is owner-only
delete_canvasRemoves one of your boards — it stays restorable in the app
save_canvas_templateSave a board or selection as a reusable template
update_canvas_templateUpdate a template’s name, description or category
delete_canvas_templateDelete one of your saved templates
apply_canvas_templateAppend a template to a board while keeping its existing cards
set_canvas_sectionOwners create sections and change link slugs; full-access collaborators edit existing titles and bounds
delete_canvas_sectionRemove a section frame and keep its cards
set_canvas_settingsRename your board or update its drawing defaults
restore_deleted_canvasRestore a board from Recently Deleted
delete_canvas_permanentlyPermanently remove one deleted board after confirmation
purge_deleted_canvasesPermanently remove explicitly selected deleted boards after confirmation
revert_canvas_changeRevert a recorded change when its revision still matches
publish_canvas_draftPublish an opted-in private recovery copy
resolve_canvas_draftResolve your published draft with a chosen policy
grant_canvas_accessGrant access to your board when available and explicitly authorized
revoke_canvas_accessRevoke a person’s access to your board
create_canvas_share_linkCreate a board viewing link when sharing is available
revoke_canvas_share_linkRevoke a board viewing link
add_canvas_commentAdd a comment with current board permission
edit_canvas_layersGroup, order, hide or favourite selected layers
duplicate_canvas_cardsDuplicate selected cards and preserve their internal references
group_canvas_cardsGroup selected cards into a folder in one change
move_canvas_cardsMove cards into or out of a board folder
order_canvas_folderSet the card order inside a board folder
update_canvas_kb_nodeUpdate a card’s reference note or folder membership
save_canvas_label_presetSave a named label preset
delete_canvas_label_presetRemove one of your label presets
apply_canvas_label_presetApply a preset to selected cards in one change
save_analysis_referenceSave an authorized analysis or extracted reference to your Library
save_canvas_cardReuse an existing saved reference in your Library
prepare_library_uploadReserve a private file upload when uploads are available
finish_library_uploadValidate and finish a reserved private upload
cancel_library_uploadCancel a reserved upload
set_canvas_preferencesUpdate your personal preferences against their current version
reset_canvas_preferencesReset selected personal Canvas preferences

Tool availability depends on your plan, permissions and enabled features. Changes require your request; permanent deletion requires confirmation.

Private uploads use your footage storage: 50 GB on Pro, 250 GB on Power, 500 GB on Studio, 5 GB during a trial. Videos up to 2 GB and 30 min each, images and audio up to 50 MB. Uploads are stored, not analysed.

/// your work, in your tools

Ask about your saved work. Get a plan back.

Open your Library and boards from the apps you already work in. Ask about a reference, then lay out the next plan on Canvas.