MCP Adobe Premiere Pro

Adobe Premiere Pro MCP Server

Control Adobe Premiere Pro through MCP using Codex, Claude Code, Claude Desktop, or any other MCP client.

Current CEP panel UI inside Premiere Pro, using the refreshed bridge controls and status layout.

Current Status

This repository is currently validated for:

• macOS
• Adobe Premiere Pro 2020+
• Node.js 18+
• the included macOS installer path for Claude Desktop
• manual MCP registration for Codex, Claude Code, and similar MCP clients

Current local validation as of March 4, 2026:

• 97 tools are exposed
• 43 tools were live-executed against a real Premiere session
• 50 tools were schema-validated in the same sweep
• 3 destructive no-arg tools were intentionally skipped (save_project, undo, consolidate_duplicates)
• 1 live runtime limitation remains: get_render_queue_status requires Adobe Media Encoder integration

The full live sweep output is written to /tmp/premiere-mcp-bridge/live-tool-sweep.json when you run the verifier.

What You Get

The server covers project operations, ingest, sequence creation, timeline editing, transitions, effects, keyframes, metadata, exports, and higher-level assembly workflows.

Example prompts:

• "List all sequences and show me which one is active."
• "Import these three shots and build a rough product spot."
• "Add cross dissolves to every cut on video track 1."
• "Apply Gaussian Blur to the middle clip."
• "Export the active sequence as FCP XML."

High-level workflow tools included:

• build_motion_graphics_demo
• assemble_product_spot
• build_brand_spot_from_mogrt_and_assets

Fastest Install (macOS)

git clone https://github.com/hetpatel-11/Adobe_Premiere_Pro_MCP.git
cd Adobe_Premiere_Pro_MCP
npm run setup:mac

That installer will:

• install dependencies
• build dist/index.js
• enable Adobe CEP debug mode
• install the MCP Bridge (CEP) extension
• create /tmp/premiere-mcp-bridge
• add the premiere-pro MCP entry to Claude Desktop

Important:

• the supported UI bridge in this repo is the MCP Bridge (CEP) extension
• the installer enables Adobe CEP debug mode automatically
• Adobe UXP developer mode is not required for the supported CEP install path

After the installer finishes:

1. Quit and reopen your MCP client if it reads config on startup. If you used the installer, that means Claude Desktop.
2. Quit and reopen Premiere Pro.
3. Open Window > Extensions > MCP Bridge (CEP).
4. Set Temp Directory to /tmp/premiere-mcp-bridge.
5. Click Save Configuration.
6. Click Start Bridge.
7. Click Test Connection.

If the panel reports that Premiere is ready, the bridge is live.

Codex / Other MCP Clients

The macOS installer only updates Claude Desktop automatically. For Codex, Claude Code, or another MCP client, build locally and add the server yourself.

npm install
npm run build

Add the MCP server on a single line:

codex mcp add premiere_pro --env PREMIERE_TEMP_DIR=/tmp/premiere-mcp-bridge -- node /absolute/path/to/Adobe_Premiere_Pro_MCP/dist/index.js

Important:

• keep the command on one line
• use the real absolute path to dist/index.js
• restart the client after adding or updating the MCP entry

If you use a different MCP client config file instead of codex mcp add, point that MCP entry at the same dist/index.js and set PREMIERE_TEMP_DIR=/tmp/premiere-mcp-bridge.

Verify the Install

Run the built-in checks:

npm run setup:doctor

That validates:

• Node.js version
• built server output
• CEP extension install
• /tmp/premiere-mcp-bridge
• Adobe CEP debug mode
• the Claude Desktop config entry when you use the installer path

For a deeper end-to-end check, use a disposable Premiere project and run:

node scripts/live-tool-sweep.mjs

This creates temporary Sweep ... sequences in the currently open project so the toolchain is exercised against real data.

How the Bridge Works

+-----------+        +-----------+        +-----------+
|  Client   |  MCP   | Node.js   | Files  | CEP Panel |
| (Codex+)  |<------>| MCP Server|<------>| (Premiere)|
+-----------+        +-----------+        +-----------+
                                                 |
                                                 v
                                          +-----------+
                                          | Premiere  |
                                          | DOM / QE  |
                                          +-----------+

1. The client calls an MCP tool.
2. The Node server generates ExtendScript plus shared helpers.
3. The script is written into /tmp/premiere-mcp-bridge.
4. The CEP panel polls that directory and runs the script through CSInterface.evalScript().
5. The panel writes the result back to the response file.
6. The server returns structured JSON to the MCP client.

Tool Coverage

The 97 exposed tools are grouped roughly like this:

• Discovery and project inspection
• Project and sequence management
• Media import and bin management
• Timeline placement and clip operations
• Effects, transitions, color, and keyframes
• Markers, metadata, labels, and work-area control
• Export and interchange helpers
• MOGRT, captions, proxies, and relink helpers
• High-level ad / promo assembly workflows

Use MCP introspection in your client to see the full tool catalog and exact schemas.

Real Limits

This project is much more usable than the original prototype, but it is not magic.

• Premiere scripting still does not expose every UI operation cleanly.
• Professional title design still depends on real MOGRT assets or external graphics workflows.
• get_render_queue_status is only useful when Adobe Media Encoder integration is available.
• The best results come from real source footage, real audio, and real brand assets. The automation layer assembles and manipulates them; it does not replace editorial judgment.

Troubleshooting

If the tools are visible but calls fail:

1. Confirm Premiere Pro is open with a project loaded.
2. Open Window > Extensions > MCP Bridge (CEP).
3. Confirm the temp directory is exactly /tmp/premiere-mcp-bridge.
4. Click Start Bridge.
5. If you updated the bridge code, right-click the panel and choose Reload.
6. Retry the command.

If the MCP client cannot find the server:

1. Verify the absolute path to dist/index.js.
2. Verify PREMIERE_TEMP_DIR=/tmp/premiere-mcp-bridge.
3. Restart the MCP client after changing config.
4. Run npm run setup:doctor.

Developer Notes

Useful commands:

npm run build
npm test -- --runInBand
npm run setup:doctor
node scripts/live-tool-sweep.mjs

See:

• QUICKSTART.md for the shortest install path
• KNOWN_ISSUES.md for current limits
• CONTRIBUTING.md for development workflow