# ffmpeg-python: Python bindings for FFmpeg
[](https://travis-ci.org/kkroening/ffmpeg-python)
## Overview
There are tons of Python FFmpeg wrappers out there but they seem to lack complex filter support. `ffmpeg-python` works well for simple as well as complex signal graphs.
## Quickstart
Flip a video horizontally:
```python
import ffmpeg
stream = ffmpeg.input('input.mp4')
stream = ffmpeg.hflip(stream)
stream = ffmpeg.output(stream, 'output.mp4')
ffmpeg.run(stream)
```
Or if you prefer a fluent interface:
```python
import ffmpeg
(
ffmpeg
.input('input.mp4')
.hflip()
.output('output.mp4')
.run()
)
```
## Complex filter graphs
FFmpeg is extremely powerful, but its command-line interface gets really complicated really quickly - especially when working with signal graphs and doing anything more than trivial.
Take for example a signal graph that looks like this:
The corresponding command-line arguments are pretty gnarly:
```bash
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -i overlay.png -filter_complex "[0]trim=start_frame=10:end_frame=20[v0];\
[0]trim=start_frame=30:end_frame=40[v1];[v0][v1]concat=n=2[v2];[1]hflip[v3];\
[v2][v3]overlay=eof_action=repeat[v4];[v4]drawbox=50:50:120:120:red:t=5[v5]"\
-map [v5] output.mp4
```
Maybe this looks great to you, but if you're not an FFmpeg command-line expert, it probably looks alien.
If you're like me and find Python to be powerful and readable, it's easy with `ffmpeg-python`:
```python
import ffmpeg
in_file = ffmpeg.input('input.mp4')
overlay_file = ffmpeg.input('overlay.png')
(
ffmpeg
.concat(
in_file.trim(start_frame=10, end_frame=20),
in_file.trim(start_frame=30, end_frame=40),
)
.overlay(overlay_file.hflip())
.drawbox(50, 50, 120, 120, color='red', thickness=5)
.output('out.mp4')
.run()
)
```
`ffmpeg-python` takes care of running `ffmpeg` with the command-line arguments that correspond to the above filter diagram, and it's easy to see what's going on and make changes as needed.
Real-world signal graphs can get a heck of a lot more complex, but `ffmpeg-python` handles them with ease.
## Installation
The latest version of `ffmpeg-python` can be acquired via pip:
```
pip install ffmpeg-python
```
It's also possible to clone the source and put it on your python path (`$PYTHONPATH`, `sys.path`, etc.):
```bash
$ git clone git@github.com:kkroening/ffmpeg-python.git
$ export PYTHONPATH=${PYTHONPATH}:ffmpeg-python
$ python
>>> import ffmpeg
```
## [Examples](https://github.com/kkroening/ffmpeg-python/tree/master/examples)
When in doubt, take a look at the [examples](https://github.com/kkroening/ffmpeg-python/tree/master/examples) to see if there's something that's close to whatever you're trying to do.
Here are a few:
- [Convert video to numpy array](https://github.com/kkroening/ffmpeg-python/blob/master/examples/README.md#convert-video-to-numpy-array)
- [Generate thumbnail for video](https://github.com/kkroening/ffmpeg-python/blob/master/examples/README.md#generate-thumbnail-for-video)
- [Read raw PCM audio via pipe](https://github.com/kkroening/ffmpeg-python/blob/master/examples/README.md#convert-sound-to-raw-pcm-audio)
- [Tensorflow/DeepDream streaming](https://github.com/kkroening/ffmpeg-python/blob/master/examples/README.md#tensorflow-streaming)
- [JupyterLab/Notebook stream editor](https://github.com/kkroening/ffmpeg-python/blob/master/examples/README.md#jupyter-stream-editor)
See the [Examples README](https://github.com/kkroening/ffmpeg-python/tree/master/examples) for additional examples.
## [API Reference](https://kkroening.github.io/ffmpeg-python/)
API documentation is automatically generated from python docstrings and hosted on github pages: https://kkroening.github.io/ffmpeg-python/
Alternatively, standard python help is available, such as at the python REPL prompt as follows:
```python
>>> import ffmpeg
>>> help(ffmpeg)
```
## Custom Filters
Don't see the filter you're looking for? `ffmpeg-python` includes shorthand notation for some of the most commonly used filters (such as `concat`), but it's easy to use any arbitrary ffmpeg filter:
```python
stream = ffmpeg.input('dummy.mp4')
stream = ffmpeg.filter(stream, 'fps', fps=25, round='up')
stream = ffmpeg.output(stream, 'dummy2.mp4')
ffmpeg.run(stream)
```
Or fluently:
```python
(
ffmpeg
.input('dummy.mp4')
.filter('fps', fps=25, round='up')
.output('dummy2.mp4')
.run()
)
```
Arguments with special names such as `-qscale:v` can be specified as a keyword-args dictionary as follows:
```python
(
ffmpeg
.input('dummy.mp4')
.output('dummy2.mp4', **{'qscale:v': 3})
.run()
)
```
When in doubt, refer to the [existing filters](https://github.com/kkroening/ffmpeg-python/blob/master/ffmpeg/_filters.py), [examples](https://github.com/kkroening/ffmpeg-python/tree/master/examples), and/or the [official ffmpeg documentation](https://ffmpeg.org/ffmpeg-filters.html).
## Contributing
Feel free to report any bugs or submit feature requests.
It's generally straightforward to use filters that aren't explicitly built into `ffmpeg-python` but if there's a feature you'd like to see included in the library, head over to the [issue tracker](https://github.com/kkroening/ffmpeg-python/issues).
Pull requests are welcome as well.
### Special thanks
- [Arne de Laat](https://github.com/153957)
- [Davide Depau](https://github.com/depau)
- [Dim](https://github.com/lloti)
- [Noah Stier](https://github.com/noahstier)
## Additional Resources
- [API Reference](https://kkroening.github.io/ffmpeg-python/)
- [Filters](https://github.com/kkroening/ffmpeg-python/blob/master/ffmpeg/_filters.py)
- [Tests](https://github.com/kkroening/ffmpeg-python/blob/master/ffmpeg/tests/test_ffmpeg.py)
- [FFmpeg Homepage](https://ffmpeg.org/)
- [FFmpeg Documentation](https://ffmpeg.org/ffmpeg.html)
- [FFmpeg Filters Documentation](https://ffmpeg.org/ffmpeg-filters.html)
- Matrix Chat: [#ffmpeg-python:matrix.org](https://riot.im/app/#/room/#ffmpeg-python:matrix.org)