Make an animated video on Claude Pro: the 3-command setup and my first 3 video prompts

Claude Motion turns a file into an animated video, but it's only on Team and Enterprise plans. This is the free, open-source way to do the same thing in Claude Code: three commands, three prompts, and an MP4 on your computer.

What you need first

Claude Pro or Max, because Claude Code comes with the paid plans.
Node.js 22 or newer and FFmpeg on your computer. HyperFrames needs both.
About 15 minutes for the first video.

HyperFrames is made by HeyGen. It's open source (Apache-2.0, about 65K stars on GitHub). Claude writes the video as HTML and animation code, and HyperFrames renders it frame by frame into an MP4. Local rendering is free and does not use HeyGen credits.

The 3-command setup

Make a new empty folder, open Claude Code in it, and run these one by one.

Command 1: add the skills

npx skills add heygen-com/hyperframes

In the menu, pick "Core Skills". Then restart Claude Code, so it sees the new skills.

Command 2: check your computer

npx hyperframes doctor

It checks what HyperFrames needs (Node, FFmpeg, Chrome). If something is missing, paste the output into Claude Code and ask it to install the missing piece.

Command 3: render the video

npx hyperframes render --output video.mp4

Run it after Claude has made the video. The MP4 lands in your folder.

My first 3 video prompts

Put your file in the folder first. Swap the words in [brackets] for your own, then paste:

Prompt 1: a report into a 30-second explainer

Paste this

Using /hyperframes, make a 30-second vertical video from [report.pdf]. Five scenes, one idea per scene, big readable text, and the most important number animated. Show me the plan for each scene before you build it.

Prompt 2: a chart that moves

Paste this

Using /hyperframes, make a 15-second video from the numbers in [data.csv]. Draw the chart step by step, then zoom in on [the number that matters] and add one line that explains it.

Prompt 3: your steps as a short walkthrough

Paste this

Using /hyperframes, make a 20-second video that shows these steps: [step 1], [step 2], [step 3]. One step per scene, a big step number, and a short caption under each one.

After each prompt, ask for changes in plain words ("slow down scene two", "make the title bigger"), then run command 3 again.

If it doesn't work

/hyperframes doesn't show up: restart Claude Code. Still nothing? Use the plugin route: claude plugin marketplace add heygen-com/hyperframes, then claude plugin install hyperframes@hyperframes. The command is then /hyperframes:hyperframes.
The render fails: run npx hyperframes doctor again and give Claude Code the output. Most problems are a missing FFmpeg or an old Node version.
You're not sure where to start: paste the official shortcut into Claude Code: "Set this folder up for HyperFrames and make me a video."
Something else breaks: copy the error into Claude Code and ask "Read this error and fix it."

The honest part

You need a paid Claude plan for Claude Code (Pro or Max), plus Node 22 and FFmpeg. Motion needs none of that setup.
Claude Motion is easier: it works in the chat, renders in the cloud, has an editor and a share link. It's in beta on Team and Enterprise since October 8, and it counts toward your plan's usage.
With HyperFrames the files are yours: HTML in your own folder, rendered on your own computer, no credits. HeyGen's cloud render, voices, avatars and generated media are paid extras, and you don't need them.

This is how it looks as of October 2026. Plans and menus change.

Sources: github.com/heygen-com/hyperframes (README), hyperframes.heygen.com/quickstart, support.claude.com/en/articles/17454997, claude.com/resources/articles/dashboards-and-motion.