Motion graphics with Claude: sort the repos before you install them
TL;DR
If you want Claude Code to make videos or animations, sort repos into three groups: skills (guide the agent), video engines (render MP4s) and web animation libraries. Pick the group that matches the job instead of installing everything.
Look for ways to make video or animation with Claude Code and you'll find a flood of GitHub repos (skills, engines, libraries), and it's easy to install a jumble and lose track of what each one is for. The simplest approach is to sort them into 3 groups by role, then choose based on the job instead of installing in bulk.
Three groups
| Group | Role | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Skills | Teach the agent workflows and best practices | remotion-dev/skills, HyperFrames' skills, LottieFiles/motion-design-skill |
| Video engines | Turn code into a video file | remotion-dev/remotion, heygen-com/hyperframes |
| Web animation libraries | Motion on web pages, no video export | greensock/GSAP, motiondivision/motion, airbnb/lottie-web |
Telling the roles apart
- Skills don't build videos themselves; they're the "handbook" that helps the agent use an engine correctly.
- Engines are what actually render the MP4; you need at least one if you want a video file.
- Web animation libraries run in the browser; the result is motion on a page, not a video file.
Choose by need
| Need | Choose |
|---|---|
| An MP4 file (demo video, ad, release note) | One engine + its matching skill |
| Animation on a website | GSAP or Motion |
| Animation exported by designers from design tools | Lottie |
| Just starting out | One engine, its official skill, a 15-second video before trying more |
Suggested trial process
- Decide the output: a video file or motion on the web?
- Choose one engine (or web library) matching the technology your team already uses.
- Install that engine's official skill.
- Make one small 15-second piece end to end (write → preview → render).
- Only then consider adding other skills or tools.
Safety when installing skills from little-known repos
- Skills can run commands on your machine. Read SKILL.md and the scripts before installing.
- For personal repos with few stars, check the commit history, issues and author.
- Prefer official skills from the engine's owner.
- Pin a version (commit) and avoid installing many at once.
How to apply it
- Dev: pick one path (React → Remotion; plain HTML → HyperFrames) instead of trying both at once.
- Tech Lead: keep a list of approved tools, with licences, so the team doesn't install things ad hoc.
- PM/Marketing: ask "do we need a video file or motion on the web?" before choosing a tool; that's the deciding question.