diff --git a/tests/test_mediatools.py b/tests/test_mediatools.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..eafb097
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_mediatools.py
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+from tools.mediatools import (
+    compute_dominant_color,
+    dominant_color_from_rgb,
+    extract_frame,
+)
+
+
+def test_dominant_color_from_rgb_pure_red():
+    assert dominant_color_from_rgb(b"\xff\x00\x00") == "#ff0000"
+
+
+def test_dominant_color_from_rgb_arbitrary():
+    assert dominant_color_from_rgb(b"\x12\xab\x0f") == "#12ab0f"
+
+
+def test_compute_dominant_color_uses_runner():
+    captured = {}
+
+    def fake_runner(args):
+        captured["args"] = args
+        return b"\x00\x80\xff"
+
+    color = compute_dominant_color("clip.mp4", midpoint_s=5.0, runner=fake_runner)
+    assert color == "#0080ff"
+    assert "ffmpeg" in captured["args"]
+    assert "5.0" in captured["args"]
+
+
+def test_extract_frame_invokes_runner_and_returns_dest(tmp_path):
+    dest = tmp_path / "frame.png"
+    calls = []
+
+    def fake_runner(args):
+        calls.append(args)
+
+    out = extract_frame("clip.mp4", dest, midpoint_s=2.0, runner=fake_runner)
+    assert out == dest
+    assert calls and "ffmpeg" in calls[0] and str(dest) in calls[0]
diff --git a/tools/mediatools.py b/tools/mediatools.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d397982
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/mediatools.py
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+"""ffmpeg helpers: representative frame; OPTIONAL dominant color. Runner injectable."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import subprocess
+
+
+def _run_bytes(args) -> bytes:
+    return subprocess.run(args, capture_output=True, check=True).stdout
+
+
+def dominant_color_from_rgb(rgb: bytes) -> str:
+    r, g, b = rgb[0], rgb[1], rgb[2]
+    return f"#{r:02x}{g:02x}{b:02x}"
+
+
+def compute_dominant_color(path, *, midpoint_s=0.0, runner=_run_bytes) -> str:
+    """ffmpeg-only single-color palette of a mid-segment frame -> #rrggbb."""
+    args = [
+        "ffmpeg",
+        "-v",
+        "quiet",
+        "-ss",
+        str(midpoint_s),
+        "-i",
+        str(path),
+        "-vf",
+        "thumbnail,palettegen=max_colors=1",
+        "-frames:v",
+        "1",
+        "-f",
+        "rawvideo",
+        "-pix_fmt",
+        "rgb24",
+        "-",
+    ]
+    return dominant_color_from_rgb(runner(args))
+
+
+def extract_frame(path, dest, *, midpoint_s=0.0, runner=None):
+    """Write one representative frame to dest (PNG) for the review preview."""
+    runner = runner or (lambda a: subprocess.run(a, check=True))
+    runner(
+        [
+            "ffmpeg",
+            "-v",
+            "quiet",
+            "-y",
+            "-ss",
+            str(midpoint_s),
+            "-i",
+            str(path),
+            "-frames:v",
+            "1",
+            str(dest),
+        ]
+    )
+    return dest