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Developers
Get the most out of Shotstack with our developers guides, resources and tutorials
2026
October 30, 2026
Can Claude make videos? How it makes and edits video with Shotstack
Can Claude make videos? Yes. Learn how Claude writes video as code, compare Claude Motion with Claude and Shotstack, and build a narrated video per customer.
October 29, 2026
Remove green screen from video with Python and a chroma key API
Remove green screen from video with Python and the Shotstack chroma key. Sample the key color, set the threshold, and check the edge before you render.
October 29, 2026
How to convert MOV to MP4 with the Shotstack Ingest API in Python
Convert MOV to MP4 with the Shotstack Ingest API in Python. We tested iPhone HEVC, H.264, WebM and MKV files and show what each MP4 contains.
October 28, 2026
Video bitrate guide: what to render for 1080p, 4K and the web
What video bitrate is, how it sets file size, the 1080p and 4K targets YouTube and Vimeo publish, and the measured bitrate of every Shotstack quality preset.
October 28, 2026
Mute a video or replace its audio with Python and the Shotstack API
Mute a video, strip its audio track, replace the sound or mix music under it with one Python script, and see what each option leaves in the output file.
October 26, 2026
AI content pipeline automation with video creation for brands
Learn AI content pipeline automation for brands with the Shotstack API: on-brand product videos from your data, with AI checks and human approval.
October 26, 2026
FFmpeg codecs explained: H.264, H.265, VP9 and AV1 for MP4, WebM, MOV
A developer reference mapping H.264, H.265, VP9, AV1 and ProRes to their FFmpeg encoders, CLI flags and MP4, WebM and MOV container rules, with commands.
October 26, 2026
Video sizes and aspect ratios by platform (updated)
Video sizes and aspect ratios for YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X and Pinterest from their own docs, with the Shotstack output for each.
October 12, 2026
Video localization API: render one template in multiple languages
Learn video localization with the Shotstack API: render one template in each language with AI voice-overs, translated captions and merge fields.
October 5, 2026
AI video, image, voice and music generation in the Shotstack Edit API
Generate AI video, images, voice-over and music from a prompt inside a Shotstack render. The models, their options, how pricing works and what you can build.
September 30, 2026
Build a video clipping pipeline with the Shotstack API
Learn how to build a video clipping pipeline with the Shotstack API: transcribe long recordings, pick moments with an LLM and render captioned vertical clips.
September 21, 2026
How to automate video creation on a schedule with the Shotstack API
Learn how to automate video creation on a schedule: a Node.js worker on cron reads a data feed, renders a Shotstack template per new record and skips repeats.
August 26, 2026
Add video creation to your app without building an editor
Learn three ways to add in-app video creation with Shotstack: embed a white-label editor, render headlessly with the API, or ship form-to-video in hours.
August 18, 2026
A guide to automating video content production for multiple clients
Learn how to automate video content production for multiple clients with the Shotstack API. One template and per-client brand records render every variant.
August 12, 2026
Best practices for agentic video editing
Learn the best practices for agentic video editing: set up your AI agent with Shotstack, design templates, avoid failure modes, and verify renders cheaply.
August 6, 2026
Generate videos in bulk using the Shotstack API
Learn how to bulk create videos from a CSV with the Shotstack API. One template and merge fields render 100 personalized videos in a resumable batch.
August 5, 2026
Render your first video with the Shotstack API
Learn how to render your first video with the Shotstack API: build Edit JSON, submit and track a render, and get the hosted URL in cURL, Node.js, or Python.
July 29, 2026
How to automate Instagram posts with AI video
Learn how to automate Instagram posts with AI video. Generate scripts, voiceovers and visuals, render Reels with Shotstack, and publish via the Instagram API.
July 22, 2026
How to connect Shotstack to your AI tools with MCP
Learn how to connect Shotstack's MCP server to Claude Desktop, Cursor, ChatGPT, and other AI tools to create and render videos by chatting — no code needed.
April 29, 2026
FFmpeg vs Video API: A Developer's Decision Guide
Video API vs FFmpeg: a technical guide on when to use each, with real code examples, production architecture comparisons, and a clear decision framework.
April 15, 2026
How to Build an AI Video Agent
Learn how to build an AI video agent in Python using Claude and the Shotstack API. Full working code: tool schema, agent loop, render function, and example interactions.
April 14, 2026
How an Agentic Video Editing Pipeline Works
Learn how an agentic video editing pipeline works: the four layers, how they connect, why rendering is the hardest part, and where the architecture is heading.
April 13, 2026
How to Build an OpenClaw Skill for Video Generation (Step-by-Step)
Learn how to build an OpenClaw skill for video generation using the Shotstack API. Includes the full SKILL.md, render script, and Telegram setup.
February 23, 2026
How to Use FFmpeg in Node.js
Master video processing in Node.js with FFmpeg. Learn how to install, convert, trim, resize, and watermark videos using fluent-ffmpeg with real code examples.
2025
November 18, 2025
How to automate shortform videos?
Learn to automate shortform video creation at scale with templates, no-code tools, video APIs, and AI. This guide shows you how to boost your video content output 100x.
September 12, 2025
What is a video API?
A complete guide to understanding video APIs. Learn what they are, how they work, the main types, and how to choose the right one for your application.
April 20, 2025
YouTube automation with AI: a step-by-step guide (2026)
Build a YouTube automation with AI: turn a script into a finished Short with an AI voice-over, visuals and captions in one API call, then make the thumbnail.
April 4, 2025
How to convert WebM to MP4 with FFmpeg
Learn how to convert WebM to MP4 with FFmpeg. Copy-paste H.264/AAC commands, faststart for streaming, CRF/preset quality control, and batch conversion.
February 19, 2025
Use FFmpeg to skip frames
Learn how to skip frames in FFmpeg using -ss, select filter, and -skip_frame to reduce file size, speed up processing, and optimize workflows.
2024
September 16, 2024
Automate TikTok Video Creation with AI Using Shotstack
Learn how to create faceless TikTok videos on auto-pilot. Auto create videos and upload them automatically on TikTok with a video editing API.
July 2, 2024
Generate YouTube Shorts using an API
Learn how to generate YouTube Shorts using an API. Auto create Reels for YouTube with a video editing API.
June 26, 2024
Burn subtitles into a video using a captions API
Add captions to a video in one render with auto-transcription, or burn in an existing SRT file.
June 13, 2024
Create automated news API videos with AI avatars
How to create automated news videos using a news API, AI avatars from D-ID, OpenAI API and the Shotstack Edit API
May 19, 2024
Automate sports video highlights using an API
Automate the creation of sports highlights video from short clips extracted from a larger video. Use an API to extract and stitch clips from one long video.
May 15, 2024
Create split screen videos for TikTok and YouTube Shorts
Automate the creation of split screen style videos for TikTok and YouTube Shorts using the Shotstack online video editor and API
May 12, 2024
Vertical Video: Blur Sides Guide & How-to
Learn how to blur the sides of a vertical video with the Shotstack API. Fix pillarboxing and create professional widescreen clips from vertical footage.
May 6, 2024
Dynamic podcast ad insertion using the Edit API
How to use the Shotstack Edit API to dynamically insert audio ads into a podcast. Scale and automate ad insertion to thoudands of podcasts.
April 15, 2024
Create podcast video templates with waveforms
How to create a podcast video template with a waveform video animation using teh Shotstack video editing API
April 5, 2024
Scaling videos and images using the fit property
Learn about how to use the fit property to control how images and videos are scaled within the frame of a video
April 5, 2024
Convert audio to video with an AI generated image
Learn how to convert an audio file into a video with an AI generated background image using the Shotstack API
April 2, 2024
How to extract frames from a video?
Learn how to use the Shotstack Edit API to extract frames from a video and save them as an image. Use the extracted frame in yoru application or another edit.
April 2, 2024
How to convert a YouTube video to MP3
Learn how to convert YouTube videos to MP3 audio files using the Shotstack Ingest API
March 17, 2024
How to watermark videos using PHP
Watermark videos using PHP and the Shotstack video editing API. Use the PHP video editing SDK to prepare and add watermarks to videos.
February 27, 2024
Build an AI video summarizer app using ChatGPT
Use OpenAI ChatGPT API and Shotstack Ingest transcription API to build an AI video summarizer application
February 13, 2024
How to trim videos using PHP
Use the Shotstack video editing API and PHP SDK to trim videos using a PHP script. Automate video editing and trim videos one at a time or in bulk.
February 6, 2024
Generate SRT and VTT subtitles using an API
Use the Shotstack Ingest API to transcribe and generate subtitles in SRT and VTT formats.
February 1, 2024
Add an AI voice over to a video using an API
How to use AI to generate a voice over from a text script and add it to a video all using an API
January 17, 2024
Make a video with images using the Edit API
How to make a video with still images and music using an API. Automatically generate image slideshow videos using the Shotstack Edit API
2023
October 4, 2023
Convert MP4 video to GIF using PHP
Convert MP4 video to MP3 audio file using a PHP script, the Shotstack video editing API and video editing PHP SDK
August 29, 2023
Speed up and slow down videos using the Edit API
Use the Shotstack video editing API to speed up and slow down your videos. Use code to automate video speed and create sped-up and slow motion videos.
August 12, 2023
Convert articles to videos with ChatGPT
The article to video guide will show you how you can use Node.js, Open Chat GPT API and Shotstack to convert an article to a video
June 15, 2023
Resize and crop videos using the Edit and Ingest API
Learn to crop or resize videos using the Shotstack's Edit and Ingest API's
May 22, 2023
Turn images into a slideshow videos using PHP
Turn images into a slideshow videos using PHP and the Shotstack cloud video editing API.
March 16, 2023
Convert MP4 video to MP3 audio using PHP
How to convert MP4 videos to MP3 audio files using PHP and the Shotstack video editing API.
February 5, 2023
Create podcast videos using the Airtable API
Use the Airtable API, Shotstack API, and Node.js to generate podcast videos using data from an Airtable table.
2022
December 6, 2022
Generate real estate videos using the Notion API
Automatically generate real estate videos using the Notion API and Shotstack video editing API
October 27, 2022
How to trim videos using Python
Learn to trim videos using Python, the Shotstack Python SDK, and the Shotstack video editing API. Programmatically edit videos faster.
October 24, 2022
How to watermark videos using Python
How to watermark videos using Python, Shotstack Python SDK, and the Shotstack video editing API.
October 10, 2022
Convert MP4 video to MP3 audio using Python
How to convert MP4 videos to MP3 audio files using Python and the Shotstack video editing API.
September 19, 2022
Convert MP4 video to GIF using Python
Convert MP4 videos to GIF using Python, Shotstack Python SDK, and the Shotstack video editing API.
September 8, 2022
Turn images into slideshow videos using Python
Turn images into a slideshow videos using Python and the Shotstack cloud video editing API.
July 30, 2022
How to generate videos using the templates endpoint
Generate and personalize videos at scale using the Edit API templates endpoint.
July 11, 2022
Create a picture-in-picture video with Node.js and dynamic templates
Use Node.js and dynamic video templates to create a picture-in-picture video.
March 8, 2022
Programmatically view video, image and audio metadata
How to use the Shotstack Media Inspector to view metadata from video, image and audio files.
March 3, 2022
Add text to video using the Edit API
Use the editing API to add text and titles to videos and images.
January 20, 2022
Trim a video using the Edit API
Learn how to trim the start, end or middle of a video using the Shotstack API.
2021
October 28, 2021
Postman Collection with 90 JSON video templates
How to use the Shotstack API public Postman Collection of video editing templates.
September 28, 2021
Position HTML assets and content with the Edit API
How to position and align HTML assets, content and text using the Shotstack Edit API.
September 26, 2021
Position elements using the Edit API
How to place elements accurately using the position and offset parameters.
September 24, 2021
Merge videos using the Edit API
How to use the Shotstack video editing API to merge video clips together to edit a simple video.
August 30, 2021
Animated lower thirds using luma mattes and HTML
Learn how to create animated lower thirds using luma mattes, the html asset and After Effects.
July 26, 2021
Hello World - Edit your first image using JSON
Use the Shotstack image editing API to generate your first image in 10 minutes.
May 27, 2021
How to generate videos using Integromat
Use Integromat in your video editing workflow to automatically generate videos.
May 21, 2021
How to auto generate watermarked videos using Integromat
Automatically watermark videos from Google Drive using Integromat.
May 15, 2021
How to add international language text to video
How to add international, non European, foreign character sets, text and fonts to video using the Shotstack video editing API.
April 15, 2021
Add fades and dissolves using the Edit API
Learn how to create subtle fade and dissolve transitions between video clips using the fade transition and Shotstack JSON
March 17, 2021
Automatically turn images into a slideshow video using Node.js
How to generate a slideshow video using images, Node.js and the Shotstack API.
January 29, 2021
How to add captions to video using PHP
Automatically add captions or subtitles to a video using PHP. This guide show you how to render an SRT subtitles file and add it to a video.
January 8, 2021
Which video editing frame rate (fps) to choose
Choose the best frame rate or fps (frames per second) supported by the Shotstack API to use for your video edit.
2020
November 27, 2020
How to edit a picture-in-picture video using Node.js
Use Node.js and JSON to edit a video with picture-in-picture on top of a background video.
November 16, 2020
How to watermark video using Node.js
Learn how to build a simple application that adds a watermark to a video using a Node.js script.
September 23, 2020
Create videos using HTML and custom fonts
Edit videos using HTML and CSS and style text using custom fonts from Google.
June 23, 2020
How to make transition videos (using luma mattes)
Use luma mattes to create alpha transparency transitions and effects.