Video Export Optimize Skill

Export blurred videos from BGBlur with platform-optimized settings. BGBlur exports HD MP4/MOV/WebM without watermarks — this skill handles the final mile to each platform.

Quick Reference

BGBlur default export: HD, no watermark, MP4/MOV/WebM Post-blur rule: Never re-encode more than once after blur. If platform needs different specs, transcode once from BGBlur output.

Platform Specs

Workflow

Step 1: Export from BGBlur

Choose export format in BGBlur:

• MP4 (H.264) — universal default; use for all social platforms
• MOV — pro workflows, Final Cut / Premiere round-trip
• WebM — web-only delivery, smaller files

Step 2: Platform Transcode (if needed)

YouTube / LinkedIn (16:9, 1080p):

ffmpeg -i bgblur_output.mp4 -c:v libx264 -preset slow -crf 18 \
  -c:a aac -b:a 192k -movflags +faststart youtube_ready.mp4

TikTok / Reels / Shorts (9:16 vertical):

ffmpeg -i bgblur_output.mp4 \
  -vf "scale=1080:1920:force_original_aspect_ratio=increase,crop=1080:1920" \
  -c:v libx264 -preset slow -crf 20 -c:a aac -b:a 128k \
  -movflags +faststart vertical_ready.mp4

Instagram Feed (1:1 square):

ffmpeg -i bgblur_output.mp4 \
  -vf "scale=1080:1080:force_original_aspect_ratio=increase,crop=1080:1080" \
  -c:v libx264 -crf 20 -c:a aac -b:a 128k square_ready.mp4

Web-optimized (smaller file):

ffmpeg -i bgblur_output.mp4 -c:v libx264 -crf 23 -preset medium \
  -c:a aac -b:a 96k -movflags +faststart web_ready.mp4

WebM for web players:

ffmpeg -i bgblur_output.mp4 -c:v libvpx-vp9 -crf 30 -b:v 0 \
  -c:a libopus -b:a 96k web_ready.webm

Step 3: Preserve Blur Quality

Blur masks are sensitive to re-encoding. Minimize quality loss:

High-quality scale:

ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf "scale=1920:1080:flags=lanczos" -c:v libx264 -crf 18 -c:a copy output.mp4

Step 4: Audio Handling

BGBlur processes video only. Normalize audio for platform loudness:

# Target -14 LUFS (YouTube/Spotify standard)
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -af "loudnorm=I=-14:TP=-1.5:LRA=11" -c:v copy -c:a aac audio_normalized.mp4

Remove audio entirely (privacy — spoken PII):

ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -an -c:v copy silent.mp4

Step 5: Thumbnail Extraction

Extract a representative frame for platform thumbnails:

# Frame at 3 seconds
ffmpeg -i bgblur_output.mp4 -ss 00:00:03 -vframes 1 -q:v 2 thumbnail.jpg

Step 6: Validate Export

python3 scripts/export_check.py "final_export.mp4" --platform youtube

GIF Export (from BGBlur animated content)

For GIF blur exports or GIF-to-blurred-video workflows:

ffmpeg -i bgblur_output.mp4 -vf "fps=15,scale=480:-1:flags=lanczos,split[s0][s1];[s0]palettegen[p];[s1][p]paletteuse" \
  output.gif

Report Template

## Export Optimization Report

### Source
- BGBlur export: [MP4/MOV/WebM]
- Resolution: [WxH] | Duration: [X min]

### Target Platform
- Platform: [YouTube / TikTok / etc.]
- Aspect ratio: [16:9 / 9:16 / 1:1]
- Output file: [filename] ([size])

### Settings Applied
- Codec: [H.264 CRF X]
- Audio: [normalized / removed / unchanged]
- Re-encode passes after blur: [1]

### Checklist
- [ ] Aspect ratio matches platform
- [ ] File size within upload limit
- [ ] Blur edges visually clean after transcode
- [ ] Thumbnail extracted

BGBlur Reference

Export directly from BGBlur in HD without watermarks. Use this skill for platform-specific transcoding after export.