ascii-video

Convert video, audio, images, or timed text into colored ASCII character animations encoded as MP4, GIF, or image sequences.

Updated May 4, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/JamesFincher/gengar --skill ascii-video-jamesfincher
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: ascii-video
Source: https://github.com/JamesFincher/gengar/tree/main/skills/creative/ascii-video
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/JamesFincher/gengar --skill ascii-video-jamesfincher

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill includes references (resource) and assets (resource) components.

What problem does it solve?

It turns video, audio, images, and text into visually compelling animated ASCII video without requiring GPU acceleration or manual frame-by-frame work.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • What it outputs: colored ASCII character video as MP4/GIF or image sequences, not terminal escape effects.
  • What it supports: video-to-ASCII reconstruction, audio-reactive visuals, generative math animations, and hybrid video+audio overlays.
  • How it stays beautiful: adaptive tonemapping, multi-density grid interference, shader-based post-processing, and optional feedback trails for cinematic motion.
  • Use cases: music visualizers, retro-style lyric videos (with timed text), TTS narrated quote reels, and procedural animation reels.

Quick Start

Use the ascii-video skill to convert the attached file 'song_and_video.mp4' into a colored ASCII MP4 video with an audio-reactive mode.

Frequently Asked Questions about ascii-video

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I convert a video into a colored ASCII MP4?

The process converts video into colored ASCII MP4 by rendering frames as RGB character grids and encoding them via a 6-stage pipeline integrated with ffmpeg. It supports video, audio, images, and timed text inputs.

Can I make audio-reactive ASCII visuals for a music visualizer?

Yes, you can generate audio-reactive ASCII visuals for music visualizers. The skill analyzes audio inputs and applies shader-based post-processing with adaptive tonemapping to generate dynamic character animations.

What is the best way to create retro lyric videos using timed text?

Creating retro lyric videos from timed text is best handled by the composable shader chain with multi-grid value and hue fields. This renders timed text inputs directly into colored ASCII character animations.

Does ASCII video generation require GPU acceleration to work?

No, ASCII video generation does not require GPU acceleration. The pipeline uses percentile adaptive tonemapping and multi-grid fields to render colored character grids and encode them into MP4 or GIF formats without manual frame-by-frame work.

How do shaders and feedback buffers work in ASCII video generation?

In ASCII video generation, shaders apply composable post-processing effects while optional feedback buffer recursion creates cinematic motion trails. This combination produces multi-density grid interference for the final encoded MP4 output.

What formats can I export from an ASCII character animation pipeline?

You can export ASCII character animations as MP4, GIF, or image sequences. The encoding stage processes shaded RGB character grids into these formats for downstream sharing and further integration.