---
title: "How to add a tiled repeat with Claude (tested prompt and ffmpeg command)"
description: "The shot multiplies into a 2x2 grid of identical copies at 1 second, then into nine copies in a 3x3 grid at 2 seconds. Install one skill and ask Claude Code, or run the ffmpeg command we tested yourself."
url: https://www.recharm.com/effects/tiled-repeat
---

# How to add a tiled repeat with Claude

The shot multiplies into a 2x2 grid of identical copies at 1 second, then into nine copies in a 3x3 grid at 2 seconds.

Made by the command on this page, from our own test clip.

## Get this effect

1. ### Switch to Code in your [Claude Desktop App](https://claude.com/download)

2. ### Install the skill (once)

   ```
   Install the Recharm video effects skill: download https://recharm-growth-staging.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/website/downloads/recharm-video-effects.zip and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills
   ```

3. ### Ask for the effect

   ```
   Add a tiled repeat to input.mp4
   Second the 2x2 grid appears: 1.0
   Second the 3x3 grid replaces it and holds to the end: 2.0
   ```

## Several videos, several effects, one ask

Put your clips in the folder, mention them with @, and ask for everything at once. Claude runs one tested script after another on each clip, then joins them.

Add a tiled repeat to **@clip1.mp4**, put a sale badge on **@clip2.mp4**, give **@clip3.mp4** a VHS look, then join all three with crossfades.

## Settings you can change

Ask Claude to change any of these, or edit them at the top of the command.

| Setting    | Default | What it does                                          |
| ---------- | ------- | ----------------------------------------------------- |
| `TWO_AT`   | `1.0`   | Second the 2x2 grid appears.                          |
| `THREE_AT` | `2.0`   | Second the 3x3 grid replaces it and holds to the end. |

## Without the skill

Don’t want to install the skill? Paste this prompt into Claude Code and Claude writes the command itself.

```
In input.mp4, repeat the video across the screen in a grid. From 0 to 1 second show it full frame. From 1 second, show a 2x2 grid: four copies of the same video, each scaled to half the width and half the height (the whole frame shrunk, not cropped), with no gaps. From 2 seconds to the end, show a 3x3 grid: nine copies, each the whole frame scaled to a third of the width and height, with no gaps. All copies play in sync. Keep the size, frame rate (30fps), length and audio the same. Use ffmpeg and save it as output.mp4.
```

## Run it without Claude

This is the exact command we tested. Save it as `tiled-repeat.sh` and run:

```
sh tiled-repeat.sh input.mp4 output.mp4
```

```
#!/bin/sh
# Tiled repeat: the full shot splits into a 2x2 grid of itself at 1s, then a 3x3 grid at 2s.
# Usage: sh tiled-repeat.sh input.mp4 output.mp4
set -e
IN="$1"; OUT="$2"
TWO_AT=1.0     # second the 2x2 grid appears
THREE_AT=2.0   # second the 3x3 grid replaces it (it holds to the end)

SIZE=$(ffprobe -v error -select_streams v:0 -show_entries stream=width,height -of csv=s=x:p=0 "$IN")
W=${SIZE%x*}; H=${SIZE#*x}
W2=$((W / 2)); H2=$((H / 2)); W3=$((W / 3)); H3=$((H / 3))
ffmpeg -y -i "$IN" -filter_complex "\
[0:v]fps=30,setsar=1,split=3[full][a][b];\
[a]scale=$W2:$H2,split=4[a0][a1][a2][a3];\
[a0][a1][a2][a3]xstack=inputs=4:layout=0_0|w0_0|0_h0|w0_h0,scale=$W:$H[grid2];\
[b]scale=$W3:$H3,split=9[b0][b1][b2][b3][b4][b5][b6][b7][b8];\
[b0][b1][b2][b3][b4][b5][b6][b7][b8]xstack=inputs=9:layout=0_0|w0_0|w0+w1_0|0_h0|w0_h0|w0+w1_h0|0_h0+h3|w0_h0+h3|w0+w1_h0+h3,scale=$W:$H[grid3];\
[full][grid2]overlay=enable='gte(t,$TWO_AT)'[v2];\
[v2][grid3]overlay=enable='gte(t,$THREE_AT)',format=yuv420p[v]" \
  -map "[v]" -map 0:a -c:v libx264 -crf 18 -c:a copy "$OUT"
```

## More layouts and reframing

- [Background replacement **Background replacement**](https://www.recharm.com/effects/background-replacement)
- [Binocular view **Binocular view**](https://www.recharm.com/effects/binocular-view)
- [Blur region **Blur region**](https://www.recharm.com/effects/blur-region)
- [Cinematic bars **Cinematic bars**](https://www.recharm.com/effects/cinematic-bars)
- [Comic panel layout **Comic panel layout**](https://www.recharm.com/effects/comic-panel-layout)

## Find 3x _winning ads_

Recharm cuts your ad footage into tagged, searchable clips: hooks, testimonials, product shots. Find the shots that win, add the effect with Claude, and ship 3x more ad edits.

[Start 14-day free trial](https://www.recharm.com/get-started)