media-processor

Media Processor

Specialized tools for extracting precise visual details (exact colors, spacing, hierarchy), processing audio/video, and generating images.

Tools

All scripts live in scripts/ relative to this skill's directory. They auto-select the best model per task and handle retries, large file uploads, and error reporting.

| Script | Purpose | |--------|---------| | gemini_batch_process.py | Analyze images, transcribe audio/video, extract data from PDFs | | image_gen.py | Generate and edit images (paid plan required) | | document_converter.py | Convert PDF, DOCX, XLSX, PPTX to Markdown; extract page ranges and images |

Requires GEMINI_API_KEY in environment or .env in this skill's directory. Run any script with --help for setup details and available parameters.

Quick start — image analysis:

python <skill-dir>/scripts/gemini_batch_process.py \
  --files <image-path> \
  --task analyze \
  --prompt "<tailored prompt>" \
  --output <output-path>.md

Prompt Quality Matters

The prompt sent to the processing model is the single biggest factor in output quality. Tailor prompts to what the task actually needs — generic prompts produce generic results.

What makes a good analysis prompt:

• Ask for the specific details the task requires (hex colors, spacing in px, component hierarchy) rather than "describe this image"
• Structure the ask as a numbered list — the model mirrors the structure back, making output easy to parse
• Name the desired output format ("as a markdown table", "as JSON", "as a component tree")
• Include implementation context when relevant ("for React with Tailwind") so the model emphasizes useful details

Example prompt patterns:

UI implementation: "Extract component hierarchy, layout type, exact hex colors, typography (sizes/weights), spacing in px, interactive states, icons and decorative elements"

Chart data: "Extract chart type, axes with units, every data point with exact values, legend entries with colors. Output as a markdown table"

Design review: "Compare this screenshot against the design. Flag differences in spacing, colors, alignment, missing elements, and visual inconsistencies. Note exact values for each discrepancy"

Pasted Images

When a user pastes images in chat, they are auto-saved to:

$CLAUDE_DIR/image-cache/<current_session_id>/<image_number>.png

Use ls "$CLAUDE_DIR/image-cache/" to discover the session ID, then list its contents to find available images.

Model Overrides

Scripts auto-select models per task (see [model-routing.md](./references/model-routing.md)). Override with --model <model-id> when the default isn't enough — for example, --model gemini-3.1-pro-preview for complex visual analysis where the pro model catches more detail than flash.

References

| Reference | When to read | |-----------|-------------| | [api-gotchas.md](./references/api-gotchas.md) | Before using image generation, video processing, or raw API calls — prevents common failures | | [model-routing.md](./references/model-routing.md) | When choosing or overriding the default model for a task | | [media-optimization.md](./references/media-optimization.md) | When files are too large to upload — ffmpeg compression recipes |

Gotchas

• Rate limits — scripts retry up to 3 times with backoff. If still rate-limited after retries, stop and ask the user to check their API key quota or provide a new key.
• Model IDs change — Google frequently rotates preview model IDs. If you get a 404, the model was likely superseded — check the models page for current IDs.
• Safety filters — the API may refuse some content. Report clearly to the user rather than retrying.
• Large files auto-upload — files >20MB automatically use the File API (2GB max, 48h retention). No action needed.