---
title: "How to add a zoom-out reveal with Claude (tested prompt and ffmpeg command)"
description: "The first frame is a tight close-up that rushes back to the full shot in 0.6 seconds. Install one skill and ask Claude Code, or run the ffmpeg command we tested yourself."
url: https://www.recharm.com/effects/zoom-out-reveal
---

# How to add a zoom-out reveal with Claude

The first frame is a tight close-up that rushes back to the full shot in 0.6 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 zoom-out reveal to input.mp4
   How close the first frame is: 2.0
   Seconds to pull back to the full frame: 0.6
   ```

## 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 zoom-out reveal 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                                         |
| ------- | ------- | ---------------------------------------------------- |
| `START` | `2.0`   | How close the first frame is. 2.0 is twice as close. |
| `EASE`  | `0.6`   | Seconds to pull back to the full frame.              |

## 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, start 2x zoomed into the center and pull back to the full frame over the first 0.6 seconds, with the zoom at time t (seconds) equal to 1 + (1 - t/0.6)^2, so it moves fast at first and eases as it lands. Keep the zoom centered, and keep the size, frame rate and audio. Use ffmpeg and save it as output.mp4.
```

Our first prompt didn't give the easing curve, so Claude picked a different one; the prompt above now gives the formula. Watch the frames during the zoom: Claude's first render drifted off-center there before it caught and fixed it.

## Run it without Claude

This is the exact command we tested. Save it as `zoom-out-reveal.sh` and run:

```
sh zoom-out-reveal.sh input.mp4 output.mp4
```

```
#!/bin/sh
# Zoom-out reveal: open 2x close on the center, then ease back to the full frame over 0.6s.
# Usage: sh zoom-out-reveal.sh input.mp4 output.mp4
set -e
IN="$1"; OUT="$2"
START=2.0   # how close the first frame is (2.0 = twice as close)
EASE=0.6    # seconds to pull back to the full frame

SIZE=$(ffprobe -v error -select_streams v:0 -show_entries stream=width,height -of csv=s=x:p=0 "$IN")
FPS=$(ffprobe -v error -select_streams v:0 -show_entries stream=r_frame_rate -of csv=p=0 "$IN")
# (1 - progress)^2 makes the pull-back fast at first and gentle as it lands
ffmpeg -y -i "$IN" -vf "zoompan=z='if(lt(it,$EASE),1+($START-1)*pow(1-it/$EASE,2),1)':d=1:x='iw/2-iw/zoom/2':y='ih/2-ih/zoom/2':s=$SIZE:fps=$FPS" \
  -c:v libx264 -crf 18 -pix_fmt yuv420p -c:a copy "$OUT"
```

## More hook openers

- [Blur-to-focus reveal **Blur-to-focus reveal**](https://www.recharm.com/effects/blur-to-focus-reveal)
- [Breaking news banner **Breaking news banner**](https://www.recharm.com/effects/breaking-news-banner)
- [Camera shake **Camera shake**](https://www.recharm.com/effects/camera-shake)
- [Color reveal **Color reveal**](https://www.recharm.com/effects/color-reveal)
- [Countdown intro **Countdown intro**](https://www.recharm.com/effects/countdown-intro)

## 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)