Meme Generation

Generate actual meme images from a topic. Picks a template, writes captions, and renders a real .png file with text overlay.

When to Use

• User asks you to make or generate a meme
• User wants a meme about a specific topic, situation, or frustration
• User says "meme this" or similar

Available Templates

The script supports any of the ~100 popular imgflip templates by name or ID, plus 10 curated templates with hand-tuned text positioning.

Curated Templates (custom text placement)

Dynamic Templates (from imgflip API)

Any template not in the curated list can be used by name or imgflip ID. These get smart default text positioning (top/bottom for 2-field, evenly spaced for 3+). Search with:

python "$SKILL_DIR/scripts/generate_meme.py" --search "disaster"

Procedure

Mode 1: Classic Template (default)

1. Read the user's topic and identify the core dynamic (chaos, dilemma, preference, irony, etc.)
2. Pick the template that best matches. Use the "Best for" column, or search with --search.
3. Write short captions for each field (8-12 words max per field, shorter is better).
4. Find the skill's script directory:

   SKILL_DIR=$(dirname "$(find ~/.hermes/skills -path '*/meme-generation/SKILL.md' 2>/dev/null | head -1)")

1. Run the generator:

   python "$SKILL_DIR/scripts/generate_meme.py" <template_id> /tmp/meme.png "caption 1" "caption 2" ...

1. Return the image with MEDIA:/tmp/meme.png

Mode 2: Custom AI Image (when image_generate is available)

Use this when no classic template fits, or when the user wants something original.

1. Write the captions first.
2. Use image_generate to create a scene that matches the meme concept. Do NOT include any text in the image prompt — text will be added by the script. Describe only the visual scene.
3. Find the generated image path from the image_generate result URL. Download it to a local path if needed.
4. Run the script with --image to overlay text, choosing a mode:

• Overlay (text directly on image, white with black outline):

     python "$SKILL_DIR/scripts/generate_meme.py" --image /path/to/scene.png /tmp/meme.png "top text" "bottom text"

• Bars (black bars above/below with white text — cleaner, always readable):

     python "$SKILL_DIR/scripts/generate_meme.py" --image /path/to/scene.png --bars /tmp/meme.png "top text" "bottom text"

Use --bars when the image is busy/detailed and text would be hard to read on top of it.

1. Verify with vision (if vision_analyze is available): Check the result looks good:

   vision_analyze(image_url="/tmp/meme.png", question="Is the text legible and well-positioned? Does the meme work visually?")

If the vision model flags issues (text hard to read, bad placement, etc.), try the other mode (switch between overlay and bars) or regenerate the scene.

1. Return the image with MEDIA:/tmp/meme.png

Examples

"debugging production at 2 AM":

python generate_meme.py this-is-fine /tmp/meme.png "SERVERS ARE ON FIRE" "This is fine"

"choosing between sleep and one more episode":

python generate_meme.py drake /tmp/meme.png "Getting 8 hours of sleep" "One more episode at 3 AM"

"the stages of a Monday morning":

python generate_meme.py expanding-brain /tmp/meme.png "Setting an alarm" "Setting 5 alarms" "Sleeping through all alarms" "Working from bed"

Listing Templates

To see all available templates:

python generate_meme.py --list

Pitfalls

• Keep captions SHORT. Memes with long text look terrible.
• Match the number of text arguments to the template's field count.
• Pick the template that fits the joke structure, not just the topic.
• Do not generate hateful, abusive, or personally targeted content.
• The script caches template images in scripts/.cache/ after first download.

Verification

The output is correct if:

• A .png file was created at the output path
• Text is legible (white with black outline) on the template
• The joke lands — caption matches the template's intended structure
• File can be delivered via MEDIA: path

Mandatory actions when this skill is active

Before applying this skill:

• [ ] Read the task requirements fully before acting
• [ ] Confirm you understand the goal and constraints
• [ ] Check for existing work or prior context in the codebase

While working:

• [ ] Follow the methodology described above step by step
• [ ] Document any decisions or findings as you go

After completing:

• [ ] Self-check: does the output satisfy the original requirement?
• [ ] Verify no regressions or unintended side effects