Premiere Pro MCP for Claude Code

Make Claude a real operator for Adobe Premiere Pro 2025 — not a chatbot that talks about Premiere, but an MCP server that actually opens projects, imports media, builds sequences, keyframes motion, color-grades, cuts footage to the beat, and renders fully automatic cinematic intros in four broadcast-grade styles.

A Model Context Protocol server (Node/TypeScript, stdio) with 59 tools, packaged as a one-click .mcpb desktop extension. Built and verified live against Premiere Pro 2025 (v25.5.0) on Windows.

⚠️ Independent open-source project. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or supported by Adobe. "Adobe" and "Premiere Pro" are trademarks of Adobe Inc.

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Why this exists

Premiere has no official REST API, no usable CLI, and no local database to drive it. The strongest automation surface is its ExtendScript DOM, reachable only from inside the app. So this project ships a tiny CEP bridge panel that runs a local HTTP server inside Premiere and forwards calls to ExtendScript — the same proven pattern used by tools like pymiere. On top of that sits a Node MCP server with file/registry access, process control, a UI-automation fallback, and a creative engine (Remotion-rendered visuals + synthesized sound design) for one-call cinematic intros.

Claude (Code / Desktop)
        │  MCP (stdio)
        ▼
  premiere-mcp  (Node/TypeScript server — this repo)
        │ HTTP 127.0.0.1:3030   │ file/registry        │ process + UI       │ Remotion + ffmpeg + numpy
        ▼                       ▼                       ▼                    ▼
  CEP Bridge Panel        recent/logs/prefs/        launch/quit/         cinematic intro visuals,
  (inside Premiere)       .prproj inspect           screenshot           SFX beds, beat detection
        │ CSInterface.evalScript
        ▼
  ExtendScript host ($._PPRO_MCP)  ──►  Premiere DOM + QE DOM

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Highlights

• 🎬 One-call cinematic intros — premiere_create_brand_intro renders a parameterized Remotion visual, synthesizes a timed sound-design bed, composites it in Premiere and exports 16:9 and 9:16 with audio.
• 🎨 4 polished style presets — neural, stadium (broadcast god-rays + lens-flare logo), datagrid (HUD control-room), glass (glassmorphism) — each with its own palette, color grade, logo treatment and sound design.
• ✂️ Beat-cut short-video mode — premiere_beat_cut_video: footage folder + music → detect beats → cut shots exactly on the beat → export.
• 🎛️ Real timeline control — silent sequence creation, trimmed clip placement, titles via Motion Graphics Templates (.mogrt) with dynamic text, audio, transitions, effects, keyframes with Bézier easing, overlays with blend modes.
• 🗂️ Works even when Premiere is closed — read recent projects, logs, preferences, inspect .prproj (gzipped XML), back up projects, list auto-saves.
• 🛡️ Safe by design — read-only by default, confirmation gates on destructive ops, dry-run, auto-backup before overwrite, write-allowlist, hard timeouts, audit log, secret redaction.
• 📦 One-click install — ships as a .mcpb bundle (server + bridge panel + assets).

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Requirements

• Windows + Adobe Premiere Pro 2025 (host id PPRO, CEP 12).
• Node.js 18+.
• For the intro/cut features (optional): ffmpeg, Python 3 + numpy, and Remotion (installed in the bundled remotion-intro/ project — npm install there). Chromium is fetched by Remotion on first render.
• Adobe Media Encoder is not required — exports use Premiere's built-in direct exporter.

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Install

Option A — One-click .mcpb (recommended)

npm install
npm run build
npm run build:mcpb        # -> build/premiere-mcp.mcpb

1. In Claude Desktop: Settings → Extensions → "Install Extension" → pick build/premiere-mcp.mcpb.
2. Ask Claude to run premiere_install_bridge_panel (sets the registry flag + copies the panel — no admin).
3. Restart Premiere, open Window → Extensions → Premiere MCP Bridge.
4. Verify: ask Claude to run premiere_status.

Option B — Manual (dev)

npm install
npm run build
npm run install-extension   # installs the CEP bridge panel + sets PlayerDebugMode

Add to your Claude config (claude-config-example.json has a template):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "premiere": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["C:\\path\\to\\Premiere-MCP\\dist\\index.js"],
      "env": { "PREMIERE_MCP_BRIDGE_PORT": "3030" }
    }
  }
}

• Claude Desktop: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json
• Claude Code (CLI): claude mcp add premiere -- node "C:\path\to\Premiere-MCP\dist\index.js"

Full step-by-step in INSTALL.md.

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Tool catalog (59)

<details> <summary><b>Setup & lifecycle</b></summary>

premiere_bridge_panel_status · premiere_install_bridge_panel · premiere_status · premiere_launch · premiere_quit · premiere_restart </details>

<details> <summary><b>Projects</b></summary>

premiere_get_app_info · premiere_get_project_info · premiere_get_preferences · premiere_open_project · premiere_new_project · premiere_save_project · premiere_save_project_as · premiere_close_project </details>

<details> <summary><b>Media & bins</b></summary>

premiere_import_files · premiere_create_bin · premiere_list_project_items · premiere_find_project_item · premiere_remove_project_item </details>

<details> <summary><b>Sequences & timeline</b></summary>

premiere_list_sequence_presets · premiere_list_sequences · premiere_get_active_sequence · premiere_create_sequence · premiere_new_sequence (silent) · premiere_set_active_sequence · premiere_get_sequence_tracks · premiere_add_marker · premiere_list_markers </details>

<details> <summary><b>Auto-edit primitives</b></summary>

premiere_place_clip · premiere_add_title (MOGRT + dynamic text) · premiere_add_audio · premiere_add_transition · premiere_add_effect · premiere_keyframe (Bézier) · premiere_add_overlay (blend modes) · premiere_apply_lumetri </details>

<details> <summary><b>High-level creative</b></summary>

premiere_build_video (assemble from a JSON edit-spec) · premiere_create_intro · premiere_create_brand_intro (the flagship) · premiere_detect_beats · premiere_add_beat_markers · premiere_beat_cut_video </details>

<details> <summary><b>Export</b></summary>

premiere_list_export_presets · premiere_export_sequence (direct, no AME) </details>

<details> <summary><b>Files / registry (offline)</b></summary>

premiere_list_recent_projects · premiere_get_logs · premiere_get_preference_files · premiere_inspect_project_file · premiere_backup_project · premiere_list_autosaves </details>

<details> <summary><b>UI fallback & advanced</b></summary>

premiere_screenshot · premiere_focus_window · premiere_ui_describe · premiere_send_shortcut · premiere_get_capabilities · premiere_run_extendscript (guarded) · premiere_run_menu_command · premiere_generate_report · premiere_bridge_selftest </details>

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The creative engine

Premiere is the compositor/exporter; the heavy animation lives in the render layer (Remotion). This is the reliable path to broadcast-grade quality — speed curves, glow, grading and kinetic type are deterministic in Remotion, while Premiere does compositing, sound and export.

Cinematic intro — one call

premiere_create_brand_intro {
  "title": "M.P",
  "subtitle": "AI · AUTOMATION · VIDEO",
  "style": "stadium",        // neural | stadium | datagrid | glass
  "aspect": "both",          // 16:9 and 9:16
  "logoPath": "C:\\…\\logo.png",   // optional; defaults to the bundled brand logo
  "musicPath": "C:\\…\\track.wav", // optional; a synthesized SFX bed is added either way
  "outputDir": "C:\\…\\out"
}

Each style brings its own palette, color grade (grade: neon / teal-orange / mono, with gradeStrength), title treatment (titleStyle: stack / spread / minimal), logo treatment (stadium lens-flare, datagrid HUD frame, glass card) and sound-design bed (stadium crowd-whoosh + big impact, datagrid UI-bleeps + riser, glass chime + shimmer). Every parameter is overridable.

Build any video from an edit-spec

premiere_build_video {
  "sequence": { "name": "My Short", "presetPath": "…/HD 1080p 25 fps.sqpreset" },
  "video":  [ { "path": "a.mp4", "track": 1, "at": 0, "in": 2, "out": 5 } ],
  "titles": [ { "text": "Hello", "track": 2, "at": 0.5, "duration": 3 } ],
  "audio":  [ { "path": "music.wav", "track": 2, "at": 0 } ],
  "transitions": [ { "name": "Cross Dissolve", "videoTrack": 1, "clipIndex": 0 } ],
  "export": { "outputPath": "C:\\…\\short.mp4", "confirm": true }
}

Beat-cut a reel

premiere_beat_cut_video {
  "footageDir": "C:\\…\\footage",
  "musicPath": "C:\\…\\track.mp3",
  "beatsPerCut": 2,          // 1 = cut on every beat
  "order": "shuffle",
  "aspect": "16:9",
  "outputPath": "C:\\…\\reel.mp4"
}

Times are seconds, tracks are 1-based (V1/A1 lowest), all paths absolute.

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Configuration (environment variables)

Variable	Default	Purpose
PREMIERE_MCP_BRIDGE_PORT	3030	Port of the in-Premiere bridge panel
PREMIERE_MCP_BRIDGE_HOST	127.0.0.1	Bridge host (keep localhost)
PREMIERE_MCP_ALLOWED_ROOTS	Documents;Videos;Desktop;Downloads	Write/delete allowlist (;-separated)
PREMIERE_MCP_EXE	the 2025 path	Premiere executable
PREMIERE_MCP_VERSION_FAMILY	25.0	Prefs/registry version folder
PREMIERE_MCP_REMOTION_DIR	./remotion-intro	Remotion intro renderer project (must be in a path without ! — webpack limitation)
PREMIERE_MCP_OUTPUT_DIR	~/Videos/premiere-mcp	Default output folder for rendered files
PREMIERE_MCP_LOG_DIR	%APPDATA%\premiere-mcp\logs	Server audit log location

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Safety model

• Read-only by default — all get/list/inspect/find/report tools are non-destructive.
• Confirmation gates — destructive actions require confirm: true (quit/restart, close-without-save, overwrite a project/export output, delete a bin, raw ExtendScript, QE menu command).
• Dry-run — premiere_run_extendscript defaults to dryRun: true.
• Auto-backup — overwriting a .prproj writes a timestamped .bak-… first.
• Write allowlist — writes/deletes are confined to configured roots.
• Hard timeouts — a modal Premiere dialog can freeze ExtendScript; every bridge call times out with an actionable message instead of hanging.
• Audit log + secret redaction — every tool call is logged (stderr + file); tokens/passwords are redacted. stdout is reserved for the MCP protocol.

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Capability matrix (what's reliable vs render-layer)

Area	Status	Notes
Status / launch / quit / restart	✅ Full	process + bridge
Open / new / save / save-as / close project	✅ Full	overwrite gated + auto-backup
Import media, bins, list/find items	✅ Full
Create sequence (silent)	✅ Full	app.project.newSequence + .sqpreset
Create sequence (custom settings)	⚠️ Dialog	Premiere 2025 opens its New Sequence dialog on scripted createNewSequence
Place clip / trim / multi-track	✅ Full
Title (MOGRT) + dynamic text	✅ Full	sets the source-text param
Audio / music	✅ Full
Keyframes (scale/opacity/rotation/position, Bézier)	✅ Full	verified live
Transitions / effects by name	⚠️ QE	works on 25.5; QE DOM is unsupported by Adobe
Lumetri / LUT	⚠️ Best-effort	param/LUT scripting is fragile → bake the grade into Remotion
Speed ramps / adjustment layers	❌ Render-layer	not reliably scriptable in Premiere → do in Remotion
Direct export (no AME)	✅ Full	exportAsMediaDirect, blocking
Beat detection / beat-cut	✅ Full	ffmpeg + numpy onset detection
Cinematic intros (4 styles)	✅ Full	Remotion visual + sound + composite + dual export
Recent projects / logs / prefs / .prproj inspect / backups	✅ Full	works with Premiere closed
Screenshot / focus / keystrokes	✅ Fallback	UI automation

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Project structure

Premiere-MCP/
├── src/                      MCP server (TypeScript)
│   ├── index.ts              entry: registers all tools over stdio
│   ├── config.ts             paths/ports/allowlist (env-overridable)
│   ├── bridge.ts             HTTP client to the in-app panel
│   ├── safety.ts             allowlist, confirm/dry-run, backups
│   ├── exec.ts logger.ts     PowerShell exec + stderr/file logging
│   └── tools/                the 59 tools, grouped by domain
├── bridge-extension/com.mp.premiere.mcp/   the CEP panel (installed into Premiere)
│   ├── CSXS/manifest.xml     CEP 12 manifest (PPRO 25, Node enabled)
│   ├── client/               panel UI + Node HTTP server + CSInterface
│   └── host/index.jsx        ES3 ExtendScript host ($._PPRO_MCP) + JSON serializer
├── remotion-intro/           parameterized cinematic intro renderer (Remotion)
│   └── src/                  BrandIntro, styles (4 presets), overlay loops
├── assets/
│   ├── sfx/generate_sfx.py   synthesized sound-design kit + per-style beds
│   ├── audio/detect_beats.py beat/onset detector (ffmpeg + numpy)
│   └── overlays/             light-leak / grain loops
├── scripts/                  install / uninstall / build-mcpb (PowerShell)
├── mcpb/manifest.json        Desktop Extension manifest
└── test/                     mock bridge + stdio integration test

Run the offline tests any time (no Premiere needed): npm run build && npm run test:server.

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Building the .mcpb

npm run build:mcpb     # bundles server + deps + bridge panel + assets -> build/premiere-mcp.mcpb

The packer writes ZIP entries with forward slashes (Windows Compress-Archive uses backslashes, which breaks the loader).

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Troubleshooting

Symptom	Fix
premiere_status says bridge not connected	Open Window → Extensions → Premiere MCP Bridge (green dot)
Panel not in the Extensions menu	Re-run premiere_install_bridge_panel / npm run install-extension, fully restart Premiere
A tool times out	Premiere is likely showing a modal dialog — run premiere_screenshot to see it
Export "Unknown error"	The .epr preset path is wrong/empty, or the output extension doesn't match the preset format
Remotion render fails with a webpack "!" error	The Remotion project path contains ! — move it to a path without ! and set PREMIERE_MCP_REMOTION_DIR
EvalScript error	Host JSX failed — reopen the panel; check %TEMP% CEP logs

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Acknowledgements

• The CEP bridge pattern follows the lineage of pymiere and the Adobe-CEP samples.
• Built with the MCP TypeScript SDK and Remotion.

License

MIT © Maurice Putinas