Gemini Video Understanding logo

Gemini Video Understanding

Community
einverne
gemini-video-understanding

Analyze videos using Google's Gemini API - describe content, answer questions, transcribe audio with visual descriptions, reference timestamps, clip videos, and process YouTube URLs. Supports 9 video formats, multiple models (Gemini 2.5/2.0), and context windows up to 2M tokens (6 hours of video).

Overview

Publishereinverne
Repositorydotfiles
Skill namegemini-video-understanding
Stars
121
Forks
24
Bundled files
5
LicenseMIT
Links
Skill sourceRepository
  • Markdown instructions

    A SKILL.md file the model loads on demand, so it only costs tokens when a request actually matches.

  • Works with any LLM

    AI skills are plain Markdown, not provider-specific code, so this works with GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, or a local model.

  • 5 bundled files

    Scripts, templates, and references the model can read while it works. Files are read-only and never executed.

  • Open source

    Published by einverne on GitHub. Read the source before you install it.

Installation

Install the Gemini Video Understanding AI skill in TypingMind to use it with any LLM, or drop it into another agent that reads SKILL.md.

1

Install in TypingMind

TypingMind installs a skill straight from its GitHub folder — it reads SKILL.md, bundles the resource files, and stores the result locally.

  1. Open the app and go to Plugins → Skills.
  2. Choose "Install from GitHub".
  3. Paste the skill folder URL below and confirm.
  4. Enable the skill in any chat where you want it available.
Plugins → Skills → Add skill → From GitHub URL, then paste the folder URL and press Continue.
2

Install in another agent

Any agent that reads the Agent Skills format can use this skill — copy the folder into that agent's skills directory.

Claude Code — .claude/skills
git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/einverne/dotfiles.git /tmp/dotfiles
mkdir -p .claude/skills
cp -r /tmp/dotfiles/claude/skills/gemini-video-understanding .claude/skills/gemini-video-understanding
Restart Claude Code after copying so it picks up the new skill.

Use it in TypingMind

Enable Gemini Video Understanding in any TypingMind chat and the model takes it from there. Its name and description sit in the system prompt, and the moment a request matches, the model loads the full instructions itself — you never invoke it by hand, and it costs no tokens until it is actually used.

The model loads Gemini Video Understanding on its own as soon as a request matches it.

Works with any AI model

AI skills are plain Markdown instructions rather than provider-specific code, so Gemini Video Understanding is not tied to the model it was written for. Install it once in TypingMind and use it with GPT-5, Claude, Gemini, Grok, DeepSeek, Mistral, Llama, or a local model you run yourself — all on your own API keys.

  • Loaded only when it is needed

    The system prompt carries just the name and description. The instructions are fetched on the first matching request, so an idle skill costs nothing.

  • Switch models mid-chat

    Because the skill is instructions rather than code, changing model does not break it — the next model reads the same SKILL.md.

Skill instructions

This is the SKILL.md content the model loads. Read it before installing — a skill is instructions your model will follow.

Gemini Video Understanding Skill

This skill enables comprehensive video analysis using Google's Gemini API, including video summarization, question answering, transcription, timestamp references, and more.

Capabilities

  • Video Summarization: Create concise summaries of video content
  • Question Answering: Answer specific questions about video content
  • Transcription: Transcribe audio with visual descriptions and timestamps
  • Timestamp References: Query specific moments in videos (MM:SS format)
  • Video Clipping: Process specific segments using start/end offsets
  • Multiple Videos: Compare and analyze up to 10 videos (Gemini 2.5+)
  • YouTube Support: Analyze YouTube videos directly (preview feature)
  • Custom Frame Rate: Adjust FPS sampling for different video types

Supported Formats

  • MP4, MPEG, MOV, AVI, FLV, MPG, WebM, WMV, 3GPP

Models Available

Gemini 2.5 Series:

  • gemini-2.5-pro - Best quality, 1M context
  • gemini-2.5-flash - Balanced quality/speed, 1M context
  • gemini-2.5-flash-preview-09-2025 - Preview features, 1M context

Gemini 2.0 Series:

  • gemini-2.0-flash - Fast processing
  • gemini-2.0-flash-lite - Lightweight option

Context Windows:

  • 2M token models: ~2 hours (default) or ~6 hours (low-res)
  • 1M token models: ~1 hour (default) or ~3 hours (low-res)

API Key Configuration

The skill checks for GEMINI_API_KEY in this order:

  1. Process environment: process.env.GEMINI_API_KEY or $GEMINI_API_KEY
  2. Skill directory: .claude/skills/gemini-video-understanding/.env
  3. Project root: .env file in project root

To set up:

bash
# Option 1: Environment variable (recommended)
export GEMINI_API_KEY="your-api-key-here"

# Option 2: Skill directory .env file
echo "GEMINI_API_KEY=your-api-key-here" > .claude/skills/gemini-video-understanding/.env

# Option 3: Project root .env file
echo "GEMINI_API_KEY=your-api-key-here" > .env

Get your API key at: https://aistudio.google.com/apikey

Usage Instructions

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when the user asks to:

  • Analyze, summarize, or describe video content
  • Answer questions about videos
  • Transcribe video audio with visual context
  • Extract information from specific timestamps
  • Compare multiple videos
  • Process YouTube video content
  • Create quizzes or educational content from videos

Basic Video Analysis

For video files:

python
python .claude/skills/gemini-video-understanding/scripts/analyze_video.py \
  --video-path "/path/to/video.mp4" \
  --prompt "Summarize this video in 3 key points"

For YouTube URLs:

python
python .claude/skills/gemini-video-understanding/scripts/analyze_video.py \
  --youtube-url "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO_ID" \
  --prompt "What are the main topics discussed?"

Advanced Features

Video Clipping (specific time range):

python
python .claude/skills/gemini-video-understanding/scripts/analyze_video.py \
  --video-path "/path/to/video.mp4" \
  --prompt "Summarize this segment" \
  --start-offset "40s" \
  --end-offset "80s"

Custom Frame Rate:

python
python .claude/skills/gemini-video-understanding/scripts/analyze_video.py \
  --video-path "/path/to/video.mp4" \
  --prompt "Analyze the rapid movements" \
  --fps 5

Transcription with Timestamps:

python
python .claude/skills/gemini-video-understanding/scripts/analyze_video.py \
  --video-path "/path/to/video.mp4" \
  --prompt "Transcribe the audio with timestamps and visual descriptions"

Multiple Videos (Gemini 2.5+ only):

python
python .claude/skills/gemini-video-understanding/scripts/analyze_video.py \
  --video-paths "/path/video1.mp4" "/path/video2.mp4" \
  --prompt "Compare these two videos and highlight the differences"

Model Selection:

python
python .claude/skills/gemini-video-understanding/scripts/analyze_video.py \
  --video-path "/path/to/video.mp4" \
  --prompt "Detailed analysis" \
  --model "gemini-2.5-pro"

Script Parameters

Required (one of):
  --video-path PATH           Path to local video file
  --youtube-url URL           YouTube video URL
  --video-paths PATH [PATH..] Multiple video paths (Gemini 2.5+)

Required:
  --prompt TEXT              Analysis prompt/question

Optional:
  --model NAME               Model to use (default: gemini-2.5-flash)
  --start-offset TIME        Video clip start (e.g., "40s", "1m30s")
  --end-offset TIME          Video clip end (e.g., "80s", "2m")
  --fps NUMBER               Frame sampling rate (default: 1)
  --output-file PATH         Save response to file
  --verbose                  Show detailed processing info

Common Use Cases

1. Video Summarization

Prompt: "Summarize this video in 3 key points with timestamps"

2. Educational Content

Prompt: "Create a quiz with 5 questions and answer key based on this video"

3. Timestamp-Specific Questions

Prompt: "What happens at 01:15 and how does it relate to the topic at 02:30?"

4. Transcription

Prompt: "Transcribe the audio from this video with timestamps for salient events and visual descriptions"

5. Content Comparison

Prompt: "Compare these two product demo videos. Which one explains the features more clearly?"

6. Action Detection

Prompt: "List all the actions performed in this tutorial video with timestamps"

Rate Limits & Quotas

Free Tier (per model):

  • 10-15 RPM (requests per minute)
  • 1M-4M TPM (tokens per minute)
  • 1,500 RPD (requests per day)

YouTube Limitations:

  • Free tier: 8 hours of YouTube video per day
  • Paid tier: No length-based limits
  • Public videos only (no private/unlisted)

Storage (Files API):

  • 20GB per project
  • 2GB per file
  • 48-hour retention period

Token Calculation

Video tokens depend on resolution:

  • Default resolution: ~300 tokens per second of video
  • Low resolution: ~100 tokens per second of video

Example: A 10-minute video = 600 seconds × 300 tokens = ~180,000 tokens

Error Handling

Common errors and solutions:

ErrorCauseSolution
400 Bad RequestInvalid video format or corrupt fileCheck file format and integrity
403 ForbiddenInvalid/missing API keyVerify GEMINI_API_KEY configuration
404 Not FoundFile URI not foundEnsure file is uploaded and active
429 Too Many RequestsRate limit exceededImplement backoff, upgrade to paid tier
500 Internal ErrorServer-side issueRetry with exponential backoff

Best Practices

  1. Use Files API for videos >20MB - More reliable than inline data
  2. Wait for file processing - Poll until state is ACTIVE before analysis
  3. Optimize FPS - Use lower FPS for static content to save tokens
  4. Clip long videos - Process specific segments instead of entire video
  5. Cache context - Reuse uploaded files for multiple queries
  6. Batch processing - Process multiple short videos in one request (2.5+)
  7. Specific prompts - Be precise about what you want to extract

Implementation Notes

For Claude Code:

When a user requests video analysis:

  1. Check API key availability first using the helper script
  2. Determine video source: local file, YouTube URL, or multiple videos
  3. Select appropriate model based on requirements (default: gemini-2.5-flash)
  4. Run the analysis script with proper parameters
  5. Parse and present results to the user clearly
  6. Handle errors gracefully with helpful suggestions

Files API Workflow:

For videos >20MB or reusable content:

  1. Upload video using Files API (script handles this automatically)
  2. Wait for ACTIVE state (polling included in script)
  3. Use file URI for analysis
  4. Files auto-delete after 48 hours

Inline Data Workflow:

For videos <20MB:

  1. Read video file as bytes
  2. Base64 encode for API
  3. Send in generateContent request
  4. Single-use, no upload needed

Example Workflows

Workflow 1: YouTube Video Summary

bash
# User: "Analyze this YouTube tutorial video"
python .claude/skills/gemini-video-understanding/scripts/analyze_video.py \
  --youtube-url "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abc123" \
  --prompt "Create a structured summary with: 1) Main topics, 2) Key takeaways, 3) Recommended audience"

Workflow 2: Interview Transcription

bash
# User: "Transcribe this interview with timestamps"
python .claude/skills/gemini-video-understanding/scripts/analyze_video.py \
  --video-path "interview.mp4" \
  --prompt "Transcribe this interview with speaker labels, timestamps, and visual descriptions of gestures or slides shown"

Workflow 3: Product Comparison

bash
# User: "Compare these two product demo videos"
python .claude/skills/gemini-video-understanding/scripts/analyze_video.py \
  --video-paths "demo1.mp4" "demo2.mp4" \
  --model "gemini-2.5-pro" \
  --prompt "Compare these product demos on: features shown, presentation quality, clarity of explanation, and overall effectiveness"

Troubleshooting

API Key Not Found:

bash
# Check API key detection
python .claude/skills/gemini-video-understanding/scripts/check_api_key.py

Video Too Large:

Error: Request size exceeds 20MB
Solution: Script automatically uses Files API for large videos

Processing Timeout:

Error: File not reaching ACTIVE state
Solution: Check video integrity, try smaller file, or different format

Rate Limit Errors:

Error: 429 Too Many Requests
Solution: Wait before retry, or upgrade to paid tier

Additional Resources

Version History

  • 1.0.0 (2025-10-26): Initial release with full video understanding capabilities

Bundled files

The model reads these on demand while the skill is loaded. They are exposed as readable files and are never executed.

Frequently asked questions

What does the Gemini Video Understanding AI skill do?

Analyze videos using Google's Gemini API - describe content, answer questions, transcribe audio with visual descriptions, reference timestamps, clip videos, and process YouTube URLs. Supports 9 video formats, multiple models (Gemini 2.5/2.0), and context windows up to 2M tokens (6 hours of video).

Why use Gemini Video Understanding on TypingMind?

Because you install it once and use it with any model. Gemini Video Understanding is plain Markdown rather than provider-specific code, so the same skill runs on GPT-5, Claude, Gemini, Grok, or a local model — and you can switch model mid-chat without it breaking. TypingMind runs on your own API keys, so you pay providers directly instead of a per-seat subscription, and your skills and chats stay in your own storage.

How do I install Gemini Video Understanding in TypingMind?

Open Plugins → Skills → Install from GitHub in TypingMind and paste https://github.com/einverne/dotfiles/tree/master/claude/skills/gemini-video-understanding. TypingMind reads its SKILL.md and bundles its files and installs it as a skill you can enable per chat.

Which AI models can use Gemini Video Understanding?

Any model you connect in TypingMind. AI skills are plain Markdown instructions rather than provider-specific code, so GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, and local models can all load this skill when a request matches it.

How many AI models can I use with Gemini Video Understanding?

As many as you like. As long as a model supports skills, you can use Gemini Video Understanding with it — GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, DeepSeek, Mistral, Llama and more — all on TypingMind with your own API keys.

Is the Gemini Video Understanding AI skill free?

Yes. It is published on GitHub by einverne under the MIT license. You only pay your own AI provider for the tokens you use.

What are AI skills?

An AI skill is a reusable instruction bundle that teaches an AI model how to do one specific task. It follows the open Agent Skills format: a SKILL.md file with a name and description, plus any scripts, templates or reference files the model may need. The model reads the instructions only when your request matches the skill, so an installed skill costs nothing until it is used.

How are AI skills different from plugins or MCP servers?

A plugin or MCP server gives a model new tools to call — code that runs somewhere and returns a result. An AI skill gives the model knowledge and process instead: how to approach a task, which steps to follow, what good output looks like. Skills are plain Markdown, so they need no server, no API key and no runtime, and they work with any model.

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