MCP · setup guide

Connect Blazing Video to Claude

Blazing Video has an MCP server built in, called takes. Connect it once and Claude can record, edit and share your videos. It runs on your Mac, inside the app: nothing to host, no API key.

1 Before you start

Download Blazing Video and open it (macOS 15 or later).
Finish the setup window: permissions and the one-time model download.
Leave it running. It lives in the menu bar; Claude can only reach it while it’s open.

2 Connect

Pick the one you use.

Claude Code

recommended

Install the plugin. It adds the takes server and a skill that teaches Claude the record → edit → share workflow. Run these two lines inside Claude Code:

/plugin marketplace add acstener/takes-plugin

/plugin install takes@takes

Then restart Claude Code. Prefer no plugin? Add just the server from your terminal:

claude mcp add --transport http --scope user takes http://127.0.0.1:43120/mcp --header "X-Takes: 1"

Claude app (desktop)

Download the Blazing Video extension (or pick Connect to Claude App… from the Blazing Video menu-bar icon).
Open the file. Claude shows the extension: click Install.
Start a new chat. The takes tools appear under the tools (search and tools) menu.

Any other MCP client

Cursor, VS Code, Windsurf…

Add an HTTP (streamable) MCP server with this URL and header:

URL: http://127.0.0.1:43120/mcp
Header: X-Takes: 1 (required)

Most clients take it as JSON:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "takes": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "http://127.0.0.1:43120/mcp",
      "headers": { "X-Takes": "1" }
    }
  }
}

3 Check it works

With Blazing Video open, ask Claude:

“Is Blazing Video recording?”

Claude calls recording_status and answers idle. If it can’t connect, see troubleshooting.

4 Use it

Talk to Claude normally. You can still stop a recording yourself with ⌥⇧R or the Stop button on the island.

“Record this”

Starts recording, waits for you to stop, then has the transcript and the link.

“Cut the ums and tighten the pauses”

Removes filler words and caps long pauses, in one go.

“Cut the false starts and keep the best take of each line”

Reads the transcript and cuts by word.

“Trim the start and the “ok, stop” at the end”

Moves where the video starts and ends.

“Put my camera bottom-left as a circle, and use the dusk background”

Restyles the webcam and adds the studio look.

“Share it”

Copies a link to your clipboard. Ask again after more edits and the same link updates.

“Watch ~/Downloads/feedback.mp4 and turn it into a to-do list”

Reads the transcript and key frames of any video file.

“Export it as an MP4”

Writes the video to ~/Movies/Blazing Video.

Every edit is undoable (“undo that”) and shows up live in the Blazing Video editor. Your original recording is never changed.

A typical session

You: “Record this.” Talk through your demo, then press ⌥⇧R.
You: “Tidy it up.” Claude cuts fillers, pauses and false starts, then tells you the new length.
You: “Share it.” The link is on your clipboard and plays straight away.

Tools

What Claude can call. You don’t need to name them; just say what you want.

Tool	What it does
`start_recording`	Start recording screen, camera and mic. Options: camera, microphone, systemAudio.
`wait_for_take`	Wait for the take to stop (however you stop it), then return the transcript and link.
`stop_recording`	Stop the recording and open the take in the editor.
`recording_status`	Idle or recording, how long, and the last take.
`understand_video`	Read any video file: transcript plus up to 12 key frames. Opens it as a take.
`open_take`	Open a take, or import any .mp4/.mov, into the editor.
`get_transcript`	Every word of the open take with its index and time. Cuts are by word index.
`cut_ranges`	Cut words (by index) or time ranges. restore: true brings them back.
`cut_fillers`	Cut every um, uh and like.
`tighten_pauses`	Shorten every pause over 0.4 s to 0.15 s.
`trim`	Set where the video starts and ends.
`set_camera`	Webcam position, size, shape, zoom, hide, or remove the background.
`set_background`	Studio look: gradient wallpaper, padding, rounded corners, shadow.
`get_frame`	A still of the edited video at any moment, so Claude can check the picture.
`undo`	Undo the last edit.
`share`	Create or update the share link (copied to your clipboard).
`export`	Export an MP4 to ~/Movies (HEVC, or codec: "h264").

Troubleshooting

“Can’t connect” / “Blazing Video isn’t running”: Open Blazing Video (look for its icon in the menu bar), then try again. The server only runs while the app is open.
The tools don’t show up: Restart Claude Code or the Claude app after installing. In Claude Code, /mcp lists connected servers; takes should say connected.
“forbidden” (403) from a custom client: Send the X-Takes: 1 header. Requests from web pages (with an Origin header) are always refused, on purpose.
It says the camera couldn’t start: Nothing is recording yet. Fix the camera (or close the app using it), or say “record without the camera”.
Is anything sent to the internet?: Recording, transcription and editing stay on your Mac. Only share uploads, and Claude only shares when you ask for a link. What you say to Claude goes to your own Claude account, as usual.
Can I use it from another computer?: No. The server listens on 127.0.0.1, so only apps on the same Mac can reach it.

Download for macOS See it in action