diff --git a/gnommo/cli.py b/gnommo/cli.py
index 0940c92..e848d97 100644
--- a/gnommo/cli.py
+++ b/gnommo/cli.py
@@ -263,9 +263,25 @@ Examples:
         dest="search_max",
         help="For pexels --search: maximum number of videos to download (default: 200)",
     )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--ffmpeg-log",
+        type=str,
+        default=None,
+        dest="ffmpeg_log",
+        choices=["quiet", "error", "warning", "info", "verbose", "debug", "trace"],
+        help="Stream FFmpeg output at this -loglevel (e.g. 'verbose', 'debug') instead of the quiet progress bar",
+    )
 
     args = parser.parse_args()
 
+    # FFmpeg log verbosity for every ffmpeg run: an explicit --ffmpeg-log level
+    # wins; otherwise -v turns on verbose streaming.
+    from .preprocessor import set_ffmpeg_verbose, set_ffmpeg_loglevel
+    if args.ffmpeg_log:
+        set_ffmpeg_loglevel(args.ffmpeg_log)
+    elif args.verbose:
+        set_ffmpeg_verbose(True)
+
     # Resolve project path (optional for 'pexels --search')
     action = args.action
     if args.project is None:
diff --git a/gnommo/preprocessor.py b/gnommo/preprocessor.py
index afdbba5..0e2e818 100644
--- a/gnommo/preprocessor.py
+++ b/gnommo/preprocessor.py
@@ -305,28 +305,35 @@ def ensure_proxy_files_exist(
 import selectors, time, sys, subprocess
 
 
-# Module-level FFmpeg verbosity switch. When enabled (e.g. via `gnommo -v`),
-# run_ffmpeg_with_progress streams FFmpeg's full output at -loglevel verbose
-# instead of the quiet progress bar — useful when debugging filter graphs.
-_FFMPEG_VERBOSE = False
+# Module-level FFmpeg log level. None → the quiet progress-bar path (-loglevel
+# warning). A level string (e.g. "verbose", "debug") → stream FFmpeg's full
+# output live instead of the bar — useful when debugging filter graphs.
+_FFMPEG_LOGLEVEL: Optional[str] = None
 
 
 def set_ffmpeg_verbose(enabled: bool) -> None:
-    """Enable/disable verbose FFmpeg logging for every ffmpeg run in this process."""
-    global _FFMPEG_VERBOSE
-    _FFMPEG_VERBOSE = bool(enabled)
+    """Turn on (verbose) / off streamed FFmpeg logging for every run in this process."""
+    global _FFMPEG_LOGLEVEL
+    _FFMPEG_LOGLEVEL = "verbose" if enabled else None
 
 
-def run_ffmpeg_with_progress(cmd, duration, description="Processing", verbose=None, loglevel=None):
+def set_ffmpeg_loglevel(level: Optional[str]) -> None:
+    """Set an explicit FFmpeg -loglevel (info/verbose/debug/trace…) and stream its
+    output; pass None to restore the quiet progress bar."""
+    global _FFMPEG_LOGLEVEL
+    _FFMPEG_LOGLEVEL = level
+
+
+def run_ffmpeg_with_progress(cmd, duration, description="Processing", loglevel=None):
     cmd = cmd.copy()
 
-    if verbose is None:
-        verbose = _FFMPEG_VERBOSE
-    level = loglevel or ("verbose" if verbose else "warning")
+    # Explicit call arg wins, else the module-level setting, else the quiet bar.
+    level = loglevel if loglevel is not None else _FFMPEG_LOGLEVEL
+    stream = level is not None
 
-    # Verbose mode: stream FFmpeg's full output live (no progress bar), still
+    # Streamed mode: show FFmpeg's full output live (no progress bar), still
     # capturing it so the error path keeps the full log.
-    if verbose:
+    if stream:
         insert_pos = cmd.index("-y") + 1 if "-y" in cmd else 1
         cmd[insert_pos:insert_pos] = ["-loglevel", level, "-stats"]
         print(f"          {description} — FFmpeg (-loglevel {level}):")
@@ -349,7 +356,7 @@ def run_ffmpeg_with_progress(cmd, duration, description="Processing", verbose=No
         "pipe:1",
         "-nostats",
         "-loglevel",
-        level,
+        "warning",
     ]
 
     p = subprocess.Popen(