Video-Processing-Scripts/video-processing-scripts/Create-ShortClip.md

# Create-ShortClip.ps1

Creates a short clip video file from a 16:9 video file with dynamic cropping, padding, and optional overlay.

## Synopsis

Transforms landscape videos into portrait (9:16) or square (1:1) format clips by:

1. Extracting frames with optional vertical padding
2. Applying horizontal cropping with smooth transitions between keyframes
3. Optionally overlaying a PNG image with transparency
4. Encoding the final video with preserved quality settings

The output filename is automatically generated by appending `-ShortClip` before the file extension.

## Parameters

- **`-Video`** (required): Path to input video file (absolute or relative)
- **`-Plan`** (required): Path to INI plan file defining clip specifications and cropping behavior
- **`-Images`** (optional): Path to output PNG images file pattern. If not provided, frames are saved in subdirectory 'Frames' with video filename and 4-digit frame numbers
- **`-Keep`**: Preserve temporary and frames directories after processing
- **`-Render`**: Skip frame extraction/cropping and only create video from existing frames
- **`-Color`** (optional): Override INI file Color value for padding color name or RGB value (default: `black`)
    - Named colors: `black`, `white`, `red`, `blue`, etc.
    - Hex format: `#RRGGBB` (e.g., `#1a1a1a`)
    - FFmpeg format: `0xRRGGBB`
- **`-Overlay`** (optional): Override INI file Overlay value for path to PNG file with transparency to overlay on each cropped frame
- **`-Smoothing`** (optional): Override INI file Smoothing value (`None`, `Up`, `Center`, `Down`)
- **`-Speed`** (optional): Override INI file Speed value (minimum: 1)
- **`-WhatIf`**: Simulate the operation without actually creating files. Shows what would be done.
- **`-Confirm`**: Prompt for confirmation before each state-changing operation (frame extraction, cropping, video creation).

## Plan File Format (INI)

### [Clip] Section

Defines output video specifications:

- **`Format`**: Output aspect ratio (default: `Portrait`)
    - `Portrait`: 9:16 aspect ratio
    - `Square`: 1:1 aspect ratio
- **`Height`**: Vertical height in pixels (default: `1920`). Width is computed based on format
- **`Padding`**: Vertical padding position when input height < output height (default: `Center`)
    - `Top`: All padding at top
    - `Bottom`: All padding at bottom
    - `Center`: Padding split evenly top and bottom
    - `None`: No padding; scale video to fill output height and crop horizontally to match format width
- **'Color'**: Padding color name or RGB value (default: `black`)
    - Named colors: `black`, `white`, `red`, `blue`, etc.
    - Hex format: `#RRGGBB` (e.g., `#1a1a1a`)
    - FFmpeg format: `0xRRGGBB`
- **`Overlay`**: Path to PNG file with transparency to overlay on each cropped frame
- **`Audio`**: Copy audio from input video (default: `Yes`)
    - `Yes`: Include audio
    - `No`: Video only
- **`Position`**: Reference point for numeric cropping offset values (default: `Center`)
    - `Left`: Numeric values represent absolute pixel offset from left edge
    - `Center`: Numeric values represent pixel offset from center (value - output_width/2)
    - `Right`: Numeric values represent pixel offset from right edge (value - output_width)
- **`Smoothing`**: Mode for adjusting cropping transition length to control speed (default: `None`)
    - `None`: No smoothing, use calculated interpolation as-is
    - `Up`: Extend transition by incrementing upper frame until speed limit is met
    - `Center`: Extend transition by adjusting frame closest to center until speed limit is met
    - `Down`: Extend transition by decrementing lower frame until speed limit is met
- **`Speed`**: Maximum cropping transition speed in pixels per frame (default: `10`, minimum: `1`)
    - Controls how fast the crop position can change between frames
    - If interpolated speed exceeds this value, smoothing extends the transition

### [Cropping] Section

Defines horizontal cropping keyframes with automatic interpolation:

**Format:** `frame_number=position`

**Position values:**

Each keyframe value is resolved to a **Left offset**: the X coordinate (in input-frame pixels) of the left edge of the crop window. The crop window has width `output_width` (or the intermediate width when downscaling).

- `Left`: Crop from left edge (Left offset = 0)
- `Center`: Crop from center (Left offset = (input_width - output_width) / 2)
- `Right`: Crop from right edge (Left offset = input_width - output_width)
- `number`: Absolute pixel offset, interpreted according to the `Position` setting in the `[Clip]` section (see `Position`). Result is clamped to `[0, input_width - output_width]`.

From the Left offset, the script also derives:

- **Center offset** = Left offset + output_width / 2 (X coordinate of the crop window's center)
- **Right offset** = Left offset + output_width (X coordinate of the crop window's right edge)

All three values are printed in the cropping offsets table at runtime to help diagnose framing.

**Behavior:**

- Frame numbers must be in ascending order
- Intermediate frames are automatically interpolated with smooth transitions
- Frames after the last keyframe use the last defined offset
- If section is empty or missing, defaults to `0=Center`

**Example:**

```ini
[Cropping]
0=Left
84=Left
85=Right
140=Right
159=Left
```

This creates:

- Frames 0-84: Crop from left
- Frame 84→85: Quick transition from left to right
- Frames 85-140: Crop from right
- Frames 140-159: Smooth pan from right to left
- Frames 159+: Crop from left

## Examples

**Basic portrait clip:**

```powershell
.\Create-ShortClip.ps1 -Video input.mp4 -Plan plan.ini
# Creates: input-ShortClip.mp4 (9:16 format)
```

**Square format with white padding:**

```ini
# plan.ini
[Clip]
Format=Square
Height=1920
Padding=Center
Audio=Yes
[Cropping]
0=Center
```

```powershell
.\Create-ShortClip.ps1 -Video video.mp4 -Plan plan.ini -Color white
```

**With overlay graphic:**

```powershell
.\Create-ShortClip.ps1 -Video video.mp4 -Plan plan.ini -Overlay border.png
# Applies border.png (with transparency) over each cropped frame
```

**No padding (scale to fill height):**

```ini
# plan.ini
[Clip]
Format=Portrait
Height=1920
Padding=None
```

```powershell
.\Create-ShortClip.ps1 -Video video.mp4 -Plan plan.ini
# Scales video to fill 1920px height, crops horizontally to 1080px width
# No vertical padding bars added
```

**Keep frames for inspection:**

```powershell
.\Create-ShortClip.ps1 -Video video.mp4 -Plan plan.ini -Keep
# Preserves Frames/ directory for review
```

**Re-render with different encoding:**

```powershell
# First run: extract and crop frames
.\Create-ShortClip.ps1 -Video video.mp4 -Plan plan.ini -Keep

# Modify encoding settings in script, then re-render
.\Create-ShortClip.ps1 -Video video.mp4 -Plan plan.ini -Render
# Skips extraction/cropping, only creates video from existing frames
```

**Custom output location:**

```powershell
.\Create-ShortClip.ps1 -Video video.mp4 -Plan plan.ini -Images "C:\Output\frames\frame-%04d.png"
```

**Custom padding color:**

```powershell
# Dark gray padding
.\Create-ShortClip.ps1 -Video video.mp4 -Plan plan.ini -Color #1a1a1a

# Navy blue padding
.\Create-ShortClip.ps1 -Video video.mp4 -Plan plan.ini -Color navy
```

**Position parameter with numeric values:**

```ini
# plan.ini - Input: 1920x1088, Output: 1080x1920
[Clip]
Format=Portrait
Position=Center
[Cropping]
0=960
```

With `Position=Center` and output width 1080:

- Numeric value 960 is adjusted: 960 - (1080/2) = 960 - 540 = 420
- Final offset: 420 pixels from left edge (centered in 1920px input)

With `Position=Left`:

- Numeric value 960 is used directly: 960 pixels from left edge

With `Position=Right` and output width 1080:

- Numeric value 960 is adjusted: 960 - 1080 = -120 → clamped to 0

**Simulate without making changes:**

```powershell
.\Create-ShortClip.ps1 -Video video.mp4 -Plan plan.ini -WhatIf
# Displays what would be done (cropping offsets, frame extraction, video creation) without actually processing
```

**Prompt before each operation:**

```powershell
.\Create-ShortClip.ps1 -Video video.mp4 -Plan plan.ini -Confirm
# Will prompt for confirmation before frame extraction, each cropping operation, and video creation
```

**Smoothing fast transitions:**

```ini
# plan.ini - Control transition speed
[Clip]
Format=Portrait
Smoothing=Center
Speed=5
[Cropping]
0=Left
10=Right
```

Without smoothing, frames 0-10 would transition at 84 pixels/frame (too fast).
With `Smoothing=Center` and `Speed=5`, the transition extends to more frames, keeping speed ≤ 5 pixels/frame.

**Override INI settings via command-line:**

```powershell
# Override smoothing settings from command line
.\Create-ShortClip.ps1 -Video video.mp4 -Plan plan.ini -Smoothing Up -Speed 3
# Uses Up smoothing and speed limit of 3, ignoring INI file values
```

## Cropping Interpolation Example

Input: 1920x1088 video → Output: 1080x1920 (Portrait)

```ini
[Cropping]
0=Left
10=200
50=Center
91=Right
```

**Calculated Left offsets:**

- **Frame 0**: 0 (Left)
- **Frames 1-9**: Linear interpolation from 0 to 200
    - Frame 1: 20, Frame 2: 40, ..., Frame 9: 180
- **Frame 10**: 200
- **Frames 11-49**: Linear interpolation from 200 to 420 (Center = (1920-1080)/2)
    - Frame 11: 194.5, Frame 12: 189, ..., Frame 49: 425.5
- **Frame 50**: 420 (Center)
- **Frames 51-90**: Linear interpolation from 420 to 840 (Right = 1920-1080)
    - Frame 51: 430.5, Frame 52: 441, ..., Frame 90: 829.5
- **Frame 91**: 840 (Right)
- **Frames 92+**: 840 (last known value)

All fractional values are rounded to nearest pixel.

**Runtime output** prints Left, Center (= Left + 540), and Right (= Left + 1080) offsets only at frames where the Left offset changes:

```text
Frame     Left      Center    Right
----------------------------------------
0         0         540       1080
1         20        560       1100
2         40        580       1120
...
10        200       740       1280
...
50        420       960       1500
...
91        840       1380      1920
```

## Quality Preservation

The script automatically preserves video quality from the input:

- Detects and uses same codec (H.264 → libx264, H.265 → libx265)
- Preserves pixel format
- Uses input bitrate when available
- Falls back to CRF 8 (near-lossless) for VBR/CRF-encoded inputs
- Audio encoded as AAC at 192k bitrate

## Processing Workflow

1. **Validation**: Check video and plan file existence
2. **Analysis**: Extract video metadata (dimensions, frame count, FPS, codec)
3. **Offset Calculation**: Compute per-frame cropping offsets with interpolation and optional smoothing
4. **Frame Extraction**: Extract all frames with vertical padding applied
5. **Cropping**: Apply horizontal crop to each frame based on computed offsets
6. **Overlay** (optional): Apply PNG overlay during cropping step
7. **Encoding**: Create output video from processed frames
8. **Cleanup**: Remove temporary directories (unless `-Keep` specified)

> With `-WhatIf`, the workflow shows all planned operations without executing them.

## Existing Files and Folders

- **Default `-Images`** (the `Frames` folder next to the video): files directly in `Frames` are deleted before extraction. Subfolders are not touched. With `-Render`, nothing is deleted, because the existing frames are the input.
- **Explicit `-Images`**: existing frames that match the `-Images` pattern are deleted before extraction. The `Frames` folder is not used or deleted.
- **Output video**: an existing file at the output path is overwritten.
- **Temporary extraction directory** (in the system temporary folder): always removed when the run ends.
- **`Frames` folder** (default `-Images` only): removed after the video is created, unless `-Keep` is given.

## Notes

- Requires `ffmpeg` and `ffprobe` in system PATH
- Frame numbers in INI file are 0-based
- Overlay PNG should match output dimensions (width × height)
- Transparent areas in overlay allow video content to show through
- Use `-Render` to quickly re-encode with different settings without reprocessing frames
- Use `-WhatIf` to preview the full workflow (cropping offsets, frame operations, video creation) before committing to a full run
- Use `-Confirm` to be prompted before each state-changing operation
- `Smoothing` only takes effect when the interpolated speed between two keyframes exceeds the `Speed` limit; otherwise offsets are used unchanged