Refs

ONLINE Refs answered an MCP connection on 20 Oct 2026 and introduced itself as refs 0.8.3 (MCP protocol 2025-06-18).

12 tools offered to AI assistants

• search_videos · Search 4,000+ dissected top-performing videos (launch films, product demos, explainers, motion design, interactive/3D, film + music, teasers). Returns compact cards: REF id, link, a small still (thumb), length, aspect, views, measured metri
• get_blueprint · The full reverse-engineered blueprint of one video: hook frame by frame, beat sheet with timestamps, shot list, style guide, voice and sound, script template, production plan, edit recipe, QA checklist, plus a runnable recipe prompt. Markdo
• get_frames · One video's labelled frame sheets as images, so you can see the reference instead of guessing from text: the hook (first 3 s at 0.25 s steps), one frame per shot, and the whole film at fixed steps where measured. sheet "transitions" adds ev
• list_formulas · Formulas distilled across many videos of one format (e.g. 'the silent UI workflow', 'the delayed hardware reveal'). Returns ids, titles, summaries and their source films; fetch one with get_formula.
• get_formula · The full cross-video formula for one format, as markdown: structure, timing ranges, what top performers share, mistakes to avoid, and a template prompt.
• list_collections · Your collections on refs.video (named sets of films you saved) and your favourites, with ids and film counts. Pass an id to get_collection to read the films and use them as references.
• get_collection · Every film in a Refs collection as search cards (REF id, link, length, aspect, measured metrics, why it works). Takes a collection id or refs.video/c/… link: anyone's shared collection, or your own private one; "favourites" gives the films
• list_brands · Your brand imports on refs.video (refs.video/saved → Brandprint): each X account you imported, with its progress and film count. Private to you. Pass an id or handle to get_brand for the brand kit and every film.
• get_brand · One of your brand imports: the brand kit (the brand's house style across all its films: palette, type, logo and end card, motion and easing, pacing and cut rhythm, camera, transitions, sound and voice, recurring formats, written as rules to
• plan_video · Give a brief (product, audience, length, platform) and 1-5 references (REF ids, links or ids, or your brand films' brand:<import>:<film> ids), and optionally one of your imported brands (brand) to plan in its house style. Returns, per refer
• storyboard · Before anything is built, storyboard the film the way an editor does. Send the storyboard you drafted from plan_video: 1 direction for a fixed brief, 2–4 when it's open. Each direction: logline, references (REF id + the one job each does),
• check_render · After rendering a video from a reference, check it against that film's measured timeline and get concrete fixes: cut timing to the frame, pace, brightness curve, motion per shot, loudness for the platform, and format. First measure your ren

What "online" means: the server answered an MCP connection at the time of the check. It is not a guarantee of security, quality or continuous uptime. How we test: we open an MCP session and ask for the tool list, as an AI assistant would. We never run a tool and never send a key. Checked every few days. Method