Where Are Video-Use Output Files Stored? The Complete Guide to Edit Directories

Video-use stores all generated output files in <videos_dir>/edit/, a directory created alongside your source footage that isolates renders, transcripts, and final videos from the codebase itself.

The browser-use/video-use repository follows a strict convention for file output: every session writes assets to a predictable subdirectory within your video source folder. This design keeps the tool's source code clean while giving users full ownership of their generated content.

The Standard Output Location: <videos_dir>/edit/

All video-use edits use a single, configurable root path resolved at runtime. The placeholder <videos_dir>/edit/ expands to an edit/ subfolder inside whatever directory contains your original video files.

According to SKILL.md, this is enshrined as a core design rule: "All session outputs in <videos_dir>/edit/" 【SKILL.md†L33】. The install guide reinforces this with the explicit statement that "all outputs land in <videos_dir>/edit/"【install.md†L146】.

What Gets Stored Where

Asset Type	Relative Path	Purpose
Final render	edit/final.mp4	Fully stitched video after cuts, grades, and overlays
Slot renders	edit/animations/slot_<id>/render.mp4	Individual renders for reuse or independent re-rendering
Transcripts	edit/transcripts/<source-name>.json	Whisper-generated SRT/JSON files per source clip
Packed transcripts	edit/takes_packed.md	Aggregated markdown file for easy review

The README.md confirms the most common user-facing path: your finished video appears as edit/final.mp4 next to your sources【README.md†L48】.

How to Locate and Access Output Files

Command Line Workflow

# Set your source footage directory

VIDEOS_DIR=/path/to/my_videos

# Run the skill (creates edit/ subdirectory automatically)

video-use run --videos-dir $VIDEOS_DIR

# Inspect generated outputs

ls "$VIDEOS_DIR/edit"

# → final.mp4  animations/  transcripts/

Rendering Individual Slots

# Render a specific slot (example: slot 3)

video-use render-slot --slot 3 --videos-dir $VIDEOS_DIR

# Output appears at predictable path

ls "$VIDEOS_DIR/edit/animations/slot_3/render.mp4"

Python Access Pattern

from pathlib import Path
import json

# Define paths relative to your video directory

videos_dir = Path("/path/to/my_videos")
edit_dir = videos_dir / "edit"

# Load a generated transcript

with open(edit_dir / "transcripts" / "clip1.json") as f:
    transcript = json.load(f)

print(transcript["segments"][0]["text"])

Implementation in Source Files

Several key files enforce this output convention:

• helpers/transcribe_batch.py — Defaults its --output argument to <videos_dir>/edit, ensuring transcripts land in the correct location【transcribe_batch.py†L44】

• helpers/pack_transcripts.py — Writes the aggregated takes_packed.md file to the same directory structure

• SKILL.md — Documents the architectural decision to isolate all session outputs from the repository itself

This separation means you can safely delete or archive your <videos_dir>/edit/ folder without affecting the video-use installation, and conversely, updates to the tool never risk overwriting your work.

Summary

• Primary location: <videos_dir>/edit/ — resolved at runtime to your source video directory
• Key outputs: final.mp4, animations/slot_*/render.mp4, transcripts/*.json, takes_packed.md
• Design principle: Generated assets live with source footage, never in the repository
• Enforcement: Hardcoded defaults in transcribe_batch.py and documented rules in SKILL.md

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change the output directory for video-use edits?

No — the <videos_dir>/edit/ path is fixed by design. The tool intentionally couples outputs to source locations for provenance and organization. If you need outputs elsewhere, symlink or move the entire <videos_dir> after processing.

What happens if the edit directory already exists?

Video-use appends to or overwrites files within edit/ as needed. Slot renders in animations/ are recreated on demand, while final.mp4 is replaced with each complete render. Transcripts are only regenerated if source files change or flags force reprocessing.

Why does video-use store outputs separately from the codebase?

This isolation prevents repository pollution and enables clean version control. As documented in SKILL.md, the convention ensures "only the user's <videos_dir> contains the edit artifacts" — critical for a tool meant to operate across arbitrary user projects.

Where do I find transcripts for my source clips?

Individual transcript files appear at edit/transcripts/<source-name>.json. For a consolidated view, check edit/takes_packed.md, which aggregates all transcript segments into a single markdown file for review or editing workflows.

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  "mcpServers": {
    "instagit": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "instagit@latest"]
    }
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}