What this covers
Two things do all the work. Claude Code, built into the Claude desktop app, writes and runs code from your plain-English instructions. Remotion is the engine that turns that code into real video. You set both up one time. After that, making a graphic is a conversation: describe it, preview it, render it, post it.
Who this is for
- Founders and creators who want motion graphics without learning an editor.
- Anyone tired of paying for, or waiting on, a designer for simple animated clips.
- People who never want to touch a terminal. This whole workflow is point, click, and type.
What you will need
The procedure
Install the Claude desktop app
Claude Code lives inside the Claude desktop app, so there is nothing to install from a terminal.
- Open the Claude download page and grab the installer for your operating system.
- Run the installer, then launch Claude from your Applications folder on Mac or the Start menu on Windows.
- Sign in with your Anthropic account.
The Code tab needs a paid plan (Pro, Max, Team, or Enterprise). If Code asks you to upgrade, subscribe first, then reopen the app.
Install Node.js
The app already includes Claude Code, so you do not install that separately. Remotion, the video engine, still runs on Node.js, so install Node once.
- Open the Node.js download page.
- Download the LTS version for your operating system.
- Run the installer and keep every default option checked, including "Add to PATH".
Local Code sessions on Windows also need Git installed. Grab it from git-scm.com/downloads and install it with the default options. Most Macs already have Git.
LTS stands for Long Term Support. It is the stable version. Choose it rather than the "Current" release. After installing, fully quit and reopen the Claude app so it picks up Node.
Open the Code tab
The Claude desktop app has three tabs across the top. You want Code.
- Click Code at the top center of the app.
- When asked where to run, choose Local so Claude works with files directly on your computer.
Local means the video is built and saved on your own machine, which is what you want here. Cloud and SSH options exist for other workflows.
Point Claude at a videos folder
Give Claude one folder to work in. This is your home base for every video. Do this once.
- In your file explorer, create a new empty folder and name it motion-graphics.
- Back in the Code tab, click Select folder and choose that folder.
- Claude can now see and work only inside that folder. Nothing else on your computer is touched.
Confirm Node is ready
No terminal needed. Ask Claude to check, right in the Code session.
Check that Node and npm are installed and
tell me the versions.
Claude runs the check and reports back. Node should be version 18 or higher. If Claude says it cannot find Node, go back to Step 2, then fully quit and reopen the app.
Set up the Remotion project
One sentence does the whole setup. Type this to Claude and let it work.
Set up a Remotion project in this folder.
Claude installs Remotion and everything it needs, creates the starter files, and gets the project ready to preview. The first time, this can take a couple of minutes.
When Claude asks permission to run a command, approve it. That is how it installs Remotion and, later, renders your video. You never run these commands yourself.
Describe the motion graphic you want
Tell Claude the graphic in plain words. The more you specify text, colors, length, and motion, the closer the first version lands.
Create a 5 second title animation. The words
"AI Savvy Founders" fade in, hold for a beat,
then slide up and out. Cream background,
deep red text, smooth easing.
Claude writes the animation as code. You do not read or edit that code. You only judge the result.
Watch the live preview
Claude opens a live preview that plays the animation before anything is saved.
- Claude starts the preview and gives you a local address, usually http://localhost:3000.
- Open that address in your browser to watch the animation loop.
Nothing is exported yet. This is a live draft. Every change you request updates the preview in place.
Refine by talking to Claude
If something is off, say so in plain language. No timeline, no keyframes, no editor.
Make the fade in slower.
Use a warmer red for the text.
Add a subtle drop shadow behind the words.
Move the whole animation 200 pixels higher.
The preview updates after each request. Repeat until it looks right.
Render the final video
When you are happy with the preview, ask for the finished file.
Render it.
Claude runs the render and writes a finished video file into your folder. A short clip renders in under a minute. Longer ones take a bit more.
You can ask for a specific format, for example: "Render it as a 1080p MP4."
Grab your file and post it
The finished video is sitting in your folder, ready to use.
- Open your motion-graphics folder in your file explorer.
- Find the new video file. Remotion usually saves it inside an out subfolder.
- Upload it wherever you post. You are done.
No editor opened. No designer hired. No After Effects. For the next video you skip Steps 1 through 6 entirely: open the folder in the Code tab, describe a graphic, and render.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| The Code tab asks me to upgrade | Your account is not on a paid plan | Subscribe to Pro, Max, Team, or Enterprise, then reopen the app. |
| Local session will not start on Windows | Git is not installed | Install Git from git-scm.com, then fully quit and reopen Claude. |
Claude says node or npm is not found |
Node is not installed, or the app opened before Node was ready | Install the LTS from nodejs.org, then fully quit and reopen the app. |
| Remotion setup fails partway | The install was interrupted or a command was declined | Ask Claude to retry the setup and approve the commands it requests. Do not use sudo. |
| Preview will not open | Wrong address in the browser, or the port is in use | Open the exact address Claude printed. If the port is busy, ask Claude to use a different one. |
| Render produced no file | The render did not finish, or you are looking in the wrong place | Check the out folder. Ask Claude where it saved the file. |
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to use the terminal?
No. Everything happens in the Code tab of the Claude desktop app. You type in plain English and Claude runs the commands for you.
Do I need a paid plan?
Yes. Claude Code in the desktop app requires a paid plan: Pro, Max, Team, or Enterprise.
If the app includes Claude Code, why do I still need Node.js?
The desktop app bundles Claude Code, so you do not install the CLI separately. Remotion, the video engine, still runs on Node.js, so you install Node once.
Do I have to set up the project every time?
No. The app, Node.js, and the folder are one-time setup. After that you open the folder in the Code tab, describe a graphic, and render.
Where does the finished video go?
It saves straight into your videos folder, usually in an out subfolder, ready to upload.
Can I make changes after I see the preview?
Yes. Keep talking to Claude. Every request updates the live preview until you render.
Go deeper
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