PyAV is a Python library that allows for direct and precise manipulation of media through containers, streams, packets, codecs, and frames. It provides access to the powerful FFmpeg libraries while managing the complex details as much as possible. PyAV also facilitates data transformation and integration with other packages such as Numpy and Pillow. However, working with media is a challenging task and PyAV cannot abstract it away or make all the best decisions for you. If you can accomplish your tasks with the ffmpeg command, PyAV may not be necessary. Nonetheless, PyAV is an essential tool when working with media that requires its specific capabilities.