# MCP

> Connect Claude, Codex or any MCP client to Animanager. Your agent reads stages, revisions and feedback, works on the canvas and prepares files, with your permissions.

Web page: https://animanager.com/mcp

**Animanager MCP**

## Your AI agent, inside your productions. With your permissions.

Connect Claude, Codex or another MCP client. It reads stages, revisions and notes, works on the canvas and prepares files, with your access and nothing more.

[Start free](https://animanager.com/login)

## Who it helps

MCP is the open standard AI assistants use to call tools. The Animanager MCP runs through the Animanager Helper on your computer and signs in as you, so your agent sees the studios, projects and stages you can see, and nothing else.

### Artists

Get the files of your stage, a summary of the notes or a contact sheet of the last take without leaving your assistant.

### Leads and producers

See where a sequence stands, read every note on a revision and move a stage along with a comment.

### AI-heavy teams

Build and run generators on the canvas, estimate a batch in tokens before it runs and publish only what you choose.

## Works with your assistant

Every client starts the same MCP from the Animanager Helper, so install the Helper first from Downloads in the app menu. Then add the MCP to your client from the same menu.

### Extension: Claude Desktop

Choose Claude Desktop extension in Downloads and open the file. Claude installs it and finds the Helper on its own.

### One command: Claude Code

Choose Claude Code in Downloads to copy a command with the right paths for your computer. Run it once in a terminal and the MCP is available in every project.

### One click: OpenAI Codex, CLI and app

Choose OpenAI Codex in Downloads and the Helper adds the MCP to Codex for you. Restart Codex to see it. With an older Helper the same button copies the command instead.

### Manual setup: Other MCP clients

Clients that run local MCP servers can start the same MCP. Add a server by hand with the command and paths that Downloads shows for Claude Code.

### Desktop Helper: The MCP runs in Desktop Helper

Desktop Helper is the small app for Mac and Windows that connects your computer to Animanager.

[About Desktop Helper](https://animanager.com/desktop-helper)

## What you can ask

Talk to your agent the way you would talk to a colleague. A few real requests:

### "Summarize the feedback on the latest revision of this shot."

Reads every review note with the drawings on the frame and gives you the list of changes.

### "Generate three variations of this frame on the canvas."

Adds a generator wired to the frame, tells you the token cost and places three results next to it.

### "Prepare the files of the animation stage."

Creates the local folder of the stage and downloads its published files and inputs through the Helper.

### "Which shots of sequence 010 are still waiting for approval?"

Reads the sequence and lists the items and stages by status.

### "Make a contact sheet of the first ten seconds of this take."

Builds the sheet from the video on the canvas so you can check timing at a glance.

### "How much would twelve five-second videos cost?"

Estimates the batch in tokens, line by line, before anything runs.

### "Publish my blend and the playblast as a new revision for review."

Uploads the work files from your local folder and publishes the revision with the status you chose.

### "Move layout to ready for review and tell the lead."

Leaves a comment that changes the stage status and posts a message tagging the lead.

## You stay in control

### Your permissions, nothing more

The agent acts as you through the Helper. It sees and changes only what your account can, in the studios you belong to.

### Publishes only when you ask

Publishing, editing or deleting a revision and writing pipeline data need your explicit request in that conversation. Messages and comments it posts are signed by the studio bot Anibot, so the team can tell.

### Costs in tokens, estimated first

Generations spend the studio's tokens at the same prices as the app. The agent can estimate a batch before it runs, and nothing runs without enough balance.

### Your media is never deleted

The agent can take an empty generator or its own capture off the canvas, but the files stay in their revisions and conversations. It never deletes your images, videos or work files.

## Every tool

This list comes from the MCP itself. Ask your agent "what can you do" for the same list with parameters and examples.

## Read canvases

| Tool | What it does | Ask for it with | Needs |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| canvas_open | Lists the canvases you have open in the browser, the current one first. | “this canvas”, “the one I have open” | Helper, Canvas open in the browser |
| canvas_selected | Reads what you have selected on the open canvas, with its model, wiring and prompt. | “selected node”, “this generator” | Helper, Canvas open in the browser |
| canvas_list | Finds the canvases you can open by studio, project, space or name. | “find the canvas”, “which space” | Nothing extra |
| canvas_context | Reads a whole canvas as text: folders, generators, wiring, prompts and media. | “read the canvas”, “what is on the canvas” | Nothing extra |
| canvas_lookup | Tells you what a pasted media id is, where it sits and how it was generated. | “what is this id”, “where is this media” | Nothing extra |
| canvas_media | Gives a download link to the file behind a canvas node, and the picture to look at closely. | “link to the file”, “download this media” | Nothing extra |
| canvas_video_frames | Reads a stretch of a video as a few frames, with the cuts it detects. | “frames between”, “is that a cut” | Nothing extra |
| canvas_video_frame | Pulls exact frames of a video at full resolution. | “the frame at”, “pull a frame” | Helper |
| canvas_video_sheet | Builds a contact sheet of a video with the frames and timing you ask for. | “contact sheet”, “frames a second” | Helper |
| canvas_assets | Searches the studio's reusable assets, such as character sheets, props and locations. | “studio assets”, “character sheet” | Nothing extra |

## Edit canvases

| Tool | What it does | Ask for it with | Needs |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| canvas_add_media | Puts a file from your computer or from a URL on the canvas. | “put this file on the canvas”, “upload a render” | Canvas edit access |
| canvas_add_generator | Adds a new image or video generator for the model you choose. | “add a generator”, “new node for model” | Canvas edit access |
| canvas_set_model | Switches a generator to another model and keeps its wiring and prompt. | “change the model”, “switch to seedance” | Canvas edit access |
| canvas_write_prompt | Writes a generator's prompt and settings, checked against the model. | “write the prompt”, “set the aspect ratio” | Canvas edit access |
| canvas_name | Names nodes so prompts and people can refer to them. | “name this node”, “rename” | Canvas edit access |
| canvas_connect | Wires a reference into a generator. | “wire”, “connect the reference” | Canvas edit access |
| canvas_disconnect | Removes a wire between two nodes. | “unwire”, “remove the connection” | Canvas edit access |
| canvas_remove | Removes an empty generator, a note or a capture it placed in this session. Media files are never deleted. | “remove the generator I added”, “delete the empty node” | Canvas edit access |
| canvas_import | Copies a folder or a set of nodes from another canvas into this one. | “copy from another canvas”, “bring that folder here” | Canvas edit access |
| canvas_place_asset | Places a studio asset on the canvas with its media and wiring. | “place the asset”, “bring the character sheet” | Canvas edit access |
| canvas_place_media | Brings the media of a revision or another canvas onto the item canvas. | “put the playblast on the canvas”, “use the revision media as reference” | Canvas edit access |
| canvas_video_cut | Cuts a segment of a video into a new clip on the canvas. | “cut from”, “keep only the second shot” | Canvas edit access |

## Organize canvases

| Tool | What it does | Ask for it with | Needs |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| canvas_move | Moves nodes to a position or by an offset. | “move the nodes”, “put it next to” | Canvas edit access |
| canvas_arrange | Tidies nodes into a grid, a row or a column. | “tidy”, “arrange in a grid” | Canvas edit access |
| canvas_create_frame | Groups nodes in a new named frame. | “group these in a frame”, “frame the results” | Canvas edit access |
| canvas_frame_members | Adds nodes to a frame or takes them out. | “add to the frame”, “take out of the frame” | Canvas edit access |
| canvas_fit_frame | Resizes a frame to fit what it holds. | “fit the frame”, “shrink the frame” | Canvas edit access |
| canvas_folder_to_frame | Opens a folder as a frame so its content is visible. | “open the folder as a frame”, “make the folder visible” | Canvas edit access |
| canvas_frame_to_folder | Collapses a frame into a folder. | “collapse the frame into a folder” | Canvas edit access |
| canvas_add_folder | Creates a folder on the canvas. | “create a folder” | Canvas edit access |
| canvas_move_to_folder | Moves nodes into a folder or back to the root. | “move into the folder”, “back to the root” | Canvas edit access |

## Generate

| Tool | What it does | Ask for it with | Needs |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| canvas_generate | Runs an image or video generator and places the results on the canvas. | “generate”, “run the generator” | Canvas edit access, Tokens |
| canvas_generation_status | Follows running generations and shows the results when they are ready. | “is it done”, “show me the results” | Nothing extra |
| production_estimate | Estimates the token cost of a batch of generations before anything runs. | “how much would it cost”, “estimate the batch” | Nothing extra |

## Production

| Tool | What it does | Ask for it with | Needs |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| production_locate | Tells you what an Animanager link opens and where to go from there. | “this link”, “what does this URL open” | Nothing extra |
| production_stage | Reads a stage: status, assignees, revisions, conversation and metadata. | “the stage”, “status of the task” | Nothing extra |
| production_item | Reads an item such as a shot or a character, with every stage it has. | “the item”, “the shot” | Nothing extra |
| production_space | Reads a sequence or space with the status of each item and stage. | “the sequence”, “which items are done” | Nothing extra |
| production_revisions | Lists the revisions of a stage or item with their text and media. | “revisions”, “versions” | Nothing extra |
| production_thread | Reads a conversation page by page. | “read the conversation”, “earlier messages” | Nothing extra |
| production_feedback | Reads the review notes of a revision, with the drawings on the frame. | “the review”, “what did the client draw” | Nothing extra |
| production_publish_revision | Publishes a revision with media, a summary and a status, only when you ask. | “publish”, “post the revision” | Your explicit request, Publish access |
| production_post_message | Posts a message in a conversation and tags people by name. | “tell the team”, “post in the thread” | Chat access |
| production_post_comment | Leaves a comment on a stage and can change its status without a revision. | “set the status”, “move the stage to WFA” | Comment access |
| production_set_metadata | Writes pipeline fields such as the frame range, only when you ask. | “set the frame range”, “write the metadata” | Your explicit request |
| production_run_job | Runs one stage from another for a whole space as a server job, with an estimate first. | “do it for the whole space”, “produce layout from storyboard” | Canvas edit access, Tokens |
| production_job_status | Follows a server job item by item, or stops it. | “how is the job going”, “stop the job” | Nothing extra |

## Files

| Tool | What it does | Ask for it with | Needs |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| production_revision_files | Lists the work files a revision published, with download links. | “files of the revision”, “what did v3 publish” | Nothing extra |
| production_stage_files | Lists the files currently published on a stage. | “files on the stage”, “current files” | Nothing extra |
| production_stage_inputs | Lists the pipeline inputs a stage consumes and whether they can be fetched. | “dependencies”, “inputs of the stage” | Nothing extra |
| workspace_status | Shows the local folder of a stage, its layout and whether its inputs are up to date. | “local workspace”, “where is the folder” | Helper |
| workspace_locate | Tells you which stage a local folder or file belongs to. | “which stage is this folder”, “what stage does this path belong to” | Helper |
| workspace_item_status | Lists the local folders of every stage of an item. | “every stage folder of the item”, “where are the workspaces of this item” | Helper |
| workspace_prepare | Creates the local folder of a stage with its structure and starter file. | “prepare the workspace”, “local files” | Helper |
| workspace_get_files | Downloads the published files or inputs of a stage into its local folder. | “get files”, “get all files” | Helper |
| workspace_changes | Lists what changed locally since the last published revision. | “what changed locally”, “files to upload” | Helper |
| workspace_publish_revision | Publishes a revision with your local work files, only when you ask. | “publish with work files”, “upload work files” | Helper, Your explicit request, Publish access |
| workspace_job_status | Follows a download, upload or install running in the Helper. | “is the download done”, “is the upload finished” | Helper |
| workspace_blender | Finds the Blender version that opens a work file and installs it when missing. | “which blender”, “open the blend” | Helper |
| production_edit_revision | Corrects the text, status, time or media of a revision, only when you ask. | “edit the revision”, “fix the text of v2” | Your explicit request |
| production_delete_revision | Deletes a revision the way the app does, only when you ask. Media stays. | “delete the revision”, “remove v3” | Your explicit request |

## Help

| Tool | What it does | Ask for it with | Needs |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| animanager_help | Lists every tool by intent, with parameters and examples, and checks the Helper. | “what can you do”, “which tool” | Nothing extra |