Previewing a video template when you have to render

seanivore · October 15, 2023, 9:58am

I’m curious if there is a way to preview videos that have transitions that can only been seen when rendered … to make sure it looks appropriate. As there was no apparent other way to preview, I presumed these were preview renders that didn’t use credits. That is not the case.

According to the dashboard my 12 renders of a single half-built 50 second video somehow used up my credits. I was using the free luma mattes https://luma-gallery.netlify.app/ which you can’t see with out a render.

So, A. I’m wondering if there is a way to preview things that can’t be seen without a render because B. now I’m out of credits and didn’t finish my template and so have no idea if I want to buy any. Not much overhead room right now.

Anyway, I’m hoping there is a way to preview them. Note that it says “transitions” might require a render (not that this at all made me think they would be used as credits) and since I didn’t use the transition tab to add the matte, I had no idea it would even need a render to see it. I fiddled with it a lot and then decided to forego it just so I could get to setting things up in Make and running the automation for a bit before committing.

But for real you can’t preview your work, of a template that will make hundreds of videos, without paying for every render? It feels like that decision was made by someone who has never edited video before because well maybe it is just me but I watch the video a lot before deciding it is complete.

Last note is that some of the uploaded videos would stop showing in the studio … leading to more [not free] renders to preview.

Maybe this is a me problem lol but I’m really bummed and can’t even contact support without upgrading which is just not an option right now, but at the same time y’all are like the only service that does this.

I’m pumping out 180 blogs a week and need video shorts like woah and all the parts are already in the database. I was surprised this was the only service with API I could find.

Last resort will be jumping into Canva for their 30-day free trial and using their bulk video creator to pump out a few hundred videos so I can buy a service buy the time I’m done with posting them. But honestly I wanted to go this route instead of Canva.

Oye my head hurts.

Who charges credits to see your work. Baffled. Disappointed. Hopeful I missed some kind of preview render but ehhhhh

Anyway. More clarity bc who would assume you’d have to use credits to preview something that can’t be previewed otherwise lol okay done rambling if anyone made it this far thank you

lucas.spielberg · October 16, 2023, 5:43pm

Hi Seanivore, maybe sure you set the environment in the dashboard header to Sandbox:

The sandbox is free to use and does not use up paid credits, the only limitation is that it includes a Shotstack logo. The sandbox is equivalent to the stage API environment and can be used for testing and development. Templates created in the sandbox/stage need to be copied to the v1 environment when ready, You can do this by copying the JSON available via the JSON view tab or by opening a template and changing the environment - it will ask if you want to copy it.

We are close to feature parity with the studio editor and the API. The luma transitions should actually work and display correctly so not sure why that is not working for you. If you copy the JSON from this page and paste it in to a template it should work in the preview window: Arrow luma matte transition video template — Shotstack

Some things like filters are not yet displayed and a few things like text and fonts might not yet display exactly the same.

One more tip, in the JSON view you can access a quick preview (low res, renders faster) and an output range (only render a portion of the video, faster again).

Please make sure to switch environments first, to not use credits. If you still can’t see luma mattes in the preview then let me know.

seanivore · October 16, 2023, 7:15pm

This is so thorough and helpful — thank you so much!! I can’t wait to get home and dig into it. I had even started posting on Fiverrr for someone to build me what I needed (and Fiverr kept rejecting my design brief for “spam/including personal info/or payment methods” in the vaguest way which I think was them hating on AI production lol people need to realize it is a calculator. You don’t end up doing less work and there are still learning curves to be climbed; the work just levels up and broadens). I also want to apologize for getting a little emotional towards the end. Always working on that respond dont react thing. I’m a little bit passionate about this project and a lot bit fixated… like all waking hours are work since February fixated.

Thank you for the reply, it is very much appreciated.

Umut · October 17, 2023, 12:12am

Good luck @seanivore! Glad Lucas’ message was helpful. Sounds exciting!

seanivore · December 9, 2023, 11:24pm

Celebrating the UI/UX Update and the Rise of AI in Creative Production

I’m absolutely thrilled with the recent UI/UX update and wanted to share my excitement, even though I can’t post in the Show and Tell section right now.

User-Friendly Interface: The update has made navigating and using the platform a total breeze. It’s user-friendly and intuitive, which is a huge plus for someone like me who isn’t a coder.
The AI Revolution: We’re on the cusp of a revolution where AI and APIs are becoming more accessible, even to those without coding skills. This is going to change the game in terms of creating applications and automating processes. The ROI on using AI for API setup is becoming undeniably advantageous.
Goodbye Overpriced Tools: With the rise of open-source alternatives, we’re seeing a shift away from costly services like Zapier. This democratization of technology is empowering more creators to build and innovate.
The New Era of Content Creation: We are all like Andy Warhol in this new Pop Art era. The difference now is the scale of potential impact and reach. I’ve used this approach in my own strategies to make brands go viral, focusing on staying ahead of the consumer tech adoption curve.
What’s Next for August.Style: Keep an eye on August.Style’s YouTube channel. We have enough content planned to release five video shorts a week, leveraging the power of AI and creative strategy.
Astrology Meets AI: And yes, astrology might seem an odd choice, but it’s a market ripe for innovation. If AI can convincingly write astrology content, it opens up new avenues for creativity and monetization.

I’ll be sure to share some updates in the forum when everything’s up and running. Already, our Instagram @aug_style showcases some of this AI-driven content creation. The journey of refining AI-generated copy has been intense but incredibly insightful.

Edited for clarity by GPT-4 — I swear there was a note in there somewhere about how to put the soundtrack in merge fields. Well I found the audio track button Haven’t done it yet but curious to see if it will trim the track, too.