fcp-mcp — Final Cut Pro MCP Server

The most capable MCP server for Final Cut Pro — 88 tools covering FCPXML editing, live FCP control, parametric puppets, and media analysis. One server, every layer.

You: "Open the library, find flash frames in the hero timeline, fix them, and bounce to ProRes."
Claude → fcp_open_library → fcpxml_detect_flash_frames → fcpxml_fix_flash_frames
       → fcp_import_xml → fcp_share → compressor_encode
Result: fixed FCPXML + ProRes master, verified in-app

Where the competition stops at one layer, fcp-mcp covers three:

• FCPXML engine — parse, edit, QC, generate, cross-NLE export — 49 tools
• Live FCP control — AppleScript-backed library/playback/menu/share — 20 tools
• Media analysis — ffprobe-backed scene/loudness/frame tools — 10 tools
• Parametric puppets — character animation presets in FCPXML — 7 tools
• Compressor — dispatch encodes to Apple Compressor — 2 tools

Available Tools (88 across 12 categories)

Project Structure

fcp-mcp/
├── src/fcp_mcp/
│   ├── __init__.py
│   ├── __main__.py              # python -m fcp_mcp.server
│   ├── server.py                # FastMCP entry + all 88 tool handlers
│   ├── fcpxml/
│   │   ├── parser.py            # FCPXML → Python object tree
│   │   ├── writer.py            # object tree → FCPXML (lossless)
│   │   ├── models.py            # TimeValue, Timecode, Clip, Timeline, etc.
│   │   ├── time_utils.py        # rational-arithmetic timecode
│   │   ├── analysis.py          # pacing, flash frames, gaps, duplicates
│   │   ├── validator.py         # DTD-style structural validation
│   │   ├── generator.py         # programmatic project/timeline creation
│   │   ├── puppet.py            # character puppet system
│   │   └── diff.py              # timeline A/B comparison
│   ├── fcp_control/             # AppleScript bridge for live FCP control
│   ├── media/
│   │   └── ffprobe.py           # ffprobe wrapper for media analysis
│   ├── pipeline/                # multi-step workflows
│   └── utils/
│       ├── safe_xml.py          # defusedxml hardening
│       └── paths.py             # path resolution, expansion
├── tests/                       # 107 tests
├── examples/
│   ├── quickstart.py            # install verification
│   └── GALLERY.md               # workflow gallery with prompts
├── pyproject.toml
├── server.json                  # MCP Registry manifest
├── smithery.yaml                # Smithery directory config
├── LLM_GUIDE.md                 # operational guide for agents
├── WORKFLOWS.md                 # production recipes
├── CHANGELOG.md
├── ROADMAP.md
├── CONTRIBUTING.md
└── LICENSE

Setup

Prerequisites

• Python 3.10+
• macOS with Final Cut Pro (for live-control tools — FCPXML tools work anywhere)
• FFmpeg on $PATH (for media_* tools): brew install ffmpeg
• Apple Compressor (optional, for compressor_* tools)

Install

pipx install fcp-mcp

Or from source (for contributors):

git clone https://github.com/dreliq9/fcp-mcp.git
cd fcp-mcp
python3 -m venv .venv
source .venv/bin/activate
pip install -e ".[dev]"

Verify

source .venv/bin/activate
python -c "import fcp_mcp; print(fcp_mcp.__version__)"
pytest tests/ -v

Connect to Claude Code

claude mcp add-json fcp '{"type":"stdio","command":"fcp-mcp"}' --scope user

Or if you installed from source, point at your venv's Python:

claude mcp add-json fcp '{"type":"stdio","command":"/FULL/PATH/TO/.venv/bin/fcp-mcp"}' --scope user

Or edit ~/.claude.json directly:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "fcp": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "fcp-mcp"
    }
  }
}

Claude Desktop

Add the same config to your Claude Desktop config file:

• macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

Verify connection

claude mcp list       # from terminal
/mcp                  # inside Claude Code

Key Features

Three layers in one server

Most FCP MCPs pick a lane. DareDev256/fcpxml-mcp-server is FCPXML-only. elliotttate/finalcutpro-mcp is AppleScript/JXA-heavy with thin FCPXML. fcp-mcp does both — and adds media analysis (ffprobe) and a parametric puppet system on top. An agent can open a library, inspect the active timeline, patch the XML, re-import, trigger Share, and dispatch a Compressor job — end to end.

Rational-arithmetic timecode

Time values are stored as fractions ("720/24s") and only collapsed to floats at display boundaries. Frame-accurate across 23.976 / 24 / 29.97 / 59.94 / drop-frame — no rounding drift when splitting, trimming, or concatenating.

Hardened XML parsing

All .fcpxml reads go through defusedxml via utils/safe_xml.py — XXE, billion-laughs, and external-entity attacks blocked by default. Size and depth limits enforced. validator.py runs structural schema checks before any destructive operation.

Cross-NLE export

Same timeline out to three targets:

• fcpxml_export_resolve — DaVinci Resolve-flavored XML (v1.9)
• fcpxml_export_fcp7 — Premiere-compatible XMEML (FCP7 format)
• fcpxml_export_edl — flat EDL for color-grading and archive pipelines

Parametric character puppets

puppet_* tools build animated character rigs entirely in FCPXML — no third-party motion templates required. Parts, keyframes, and presets (walk, talk, wave, multi-character compositions) emit standards-compliant XML that opens in any FCP.

QC before you cut

fcpxml_qc_report("hero.fcpxml")
  → flash frames (2 × 1-frame orphans at 00:12:03, 00:14:22)
  → audio-level warnings (3 clips peaking above -3dBFS)
  → offline media (1 stock clip missing)
  → safe-zone violations (title at y=0.94, outside 90% action safe)
  → frame-rate conflicts (none)

One call, full catalog of issues with timecodes, before the edit leaves your machine.

Live FCP control

When FCP is running, fcp_* tools wire through AppleScript:

fcp_open_library(...)
fcp_get_timeline_info()    → current project, active range, playhead
fcp_playback("play" | "pause" | "goto" | "in_out")
fcp_menu_command("File > Export > Export Using Compressor Settings...")
fcp_keyboard_shortcut("cmd+shift+e")
fcp_share("YouTube — 4K")
fcp_discover_effects()     → every installed effect/transition/title

Output Files

By default, modified FCPXMLs are written next to their input with a _modified suffix. Override per-call via the output_path parameter, or globally with:

export FCP_MCP_OUTPUT_DIR=/your/path

Examples

See the full gallery for tool sequences and workflow breakdowns. Sample prompts:

• "Run a full QC report on hero.fcpxml and fix every flash frame."
• "Convert these .srt captions into FCPXML title clips on the V2 track."
• "Take my assembly-edit XML and re-export it as a DaVinci Resolve XML for color."
• "List every clip on the timeline, then batch-assign the 'dialogue' role to all interview clips."
• "Open the active library, seek to the first marker, and dispatch a ProRes 422 HQ bounce via Compressor."
• "Build a 3-character puppet scene: one walking, one talking, one waving. 5-second timeline."

Architecture

Claude Code / Claude Desktop / any MCP client
        │
        │  stdio (JSON-RPC)
        ▼
   fcp-mcp server (fcp_mcp/server.py, FastMCP)
        │
        ├── fcpxml/parser + writer + models ← rational-arithmetic, defusedxml-hardened
        ├── fcpxml/analysis + validator     ← QC, pacing, flash frames, gaps
        ├── fcpxml/generator + puppet       ← programmatic timeline construction
        ├── fcpxml/diff                     ← A/B timeline comparison
        ├── fcp_control/ (AppleScript)      ← live FCP when available
        ├── media/ffprobe                   ← clip info, loudness, scenes, frames
        └── Compressor (CLI dispatch)       ← automated encodes
              │
              ▼
        .fcpxml (v1.11+) / EDL / DaVinci XML / FCP7 XMEML / ProRes / H.264

Troubleshooting

fcp-mcp: command not found — make sure the venv you installed into is on your PATH, or use the absolute path to the venv's bin/fcp-mcp in your MCP config.

ffmpeg: command not found on media_ calls* — brew install ffmpeg. FFmpeg is not bundled.

fcp_* tools return "Final Cut Pro is not running" — launch FCP first. Live tools require an active FCP process on macOS.

fcp_* tools fail silently on newer FCP versions — FCP's scripting surface is limited compared to pre-FCPX versions. Menu items and keyboard shortcuts are the reliable path; some JXA queries are gated behind Accessibility permissions (System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility → Claude/Terminal).

fcpxml_* tools complain about schema — Make sure your input is FCPXML 1.10+. Run fcpxml_validate first. For older exports, open and re-save the library in FCP 10.6+ before processing.

Tests failing on import — activate the venv and reinstall: pip install -e ".[dev]".

Planned Work

See ROADMAP.md for the full plan. Highlights:

• MCP Prompts — shipped: qc-check, youtube-chapters, cleanup, rough-cut, beat-sync
• Windows/Linux parity for FCPXML tools — live-control tools remain macOS-only
• Proxy/Resolve round-trip — proxy-aware offline/online workflows

Acknowledgments

fcp-mcp was co-developed by Adam Steen and Claude (Anthropic).

License

MIT — see LICENSE.