reelmimic: Create Animated Videos in a Reference's Style

Overview

ReelMimic is a local web app for making original 2D videos in the style of a reference. It runs its planning and production through Anthropic's Claude Code or OpenAI's Codex CLI: agents analyze the reference, propose a plan, create shots, and review one another's work. It aims to reproduce techniques such as pacing, framing, and transitions, not the original footage or assets.

The workflow is for people who want to guide an animation rather than submit a prompt to a one-shot generator. You can review and revise the plan before production, then monitor progress and leave time-specific notes on the result. Its drawing engines include vector and motion graphics built on HyperFrames, plus watercolor built on painted-animation and other 2D styles.

Key Features

• Analyze a reference for shot lengths, rhythm, transitions, color, framing, and camera movement.
• Review a storyboard, characters, assets, and style frames before approving production.
• Split production across multiple agents, with a different agent reviewing each completed shot.
• Require before-and-after screenshots as evidence for fixes.
• Track agent activity, commands, inspected frames, and full logs in the web app.
• Leave comments at specific points in the finished video and send them together.
• Add styles as Markdown files, without writing code.

Use Cases

• Independent animators can use a favorite video as a pacing and visual reference for an original short.
• A small creative team can plan a narrated comic or music video, review the storyboard, and monitor production in one interface.
• People experimenting with 2D styles can compare approaches such as watercolor, pixel art, paper cut-out, or vector motion graphics.
• Creators who want to revise a generated video can leave timestamped feedback rather than restart from a single prompt.

Getting Started

Requirements include Node.js 22.18+, Python 3.10+, FFmpeg, Chrome, and a logged-in Claude Code or Codex CLI installation.

git clone https://github.com/edenfunf/reelmimic.git && cd reelmimic
./install.sh
./start.sh

On Windows, use install.bat and start.bat instead. Open http://localhost:4318 after startup. See the README for setup details and configuration.

Alternatives

• ArcReel: ArcReel turns scripts, novels, or product materials into storyboards and short videos, while ReelMimic plans and produces 2D animation from a reference video and brief.

Considerations

• This is a new project that is changing quickly. Recent activity is high, but most measured contributions come from one person, which creates a maintenance concentration risk.
• The README says a typical 30–60 second video can take 1–3.5 hours after plan approval. Watercolor and crayon rendering are slower, and newer styles have had less real-world use than the first two engines.
• The workflow depends on a local installation of Node.js, Python, FFmpeg, Chrome, and Claude Code or Codex. AI work uses the associated account's usage allowance.
• macOS and Linux are expected to work but have had less testing than Windows. The project does not report a test suite in the supplied repository facts.
• The code is MIT-licensed. Third-party skills and assets have their own licenses, so check the notices before redistributing bundled materials.