When you want to automate this

A daily short, without opening an editor.

1
See it
OutputMP4
Size1080 × 1920 (9:16)
Length23.2s
Frame rate25 fps
Tracks / clips5 / 14
Assets used5 audio, 1 html5, 4 rich-caption, 4 video
Soundtrackno
Merge fields19
2
Make it yours

Send a merge array with your values for these fields:

FieldDefault value
{{ TOPIC }}Why trees cool cities
{{ HOOK }}Why are leafy streets cooler?
{{ SCRIPT_1 }}Why does a leafy street feel so much cooler? Bare concrete and asphalt soak up sun all day.
{{ SCRIPT_2 }}Trees fight back. Their leaves breathe out water, cooling the air like sweat on skin.
{{ SCRIPT_3 }}Then there's shade. Shaded ground can be more than ten degrees cooler than ground in full sun.
{{ SCRIPT_4 }}More trees, cooler streets. Plant the shade you want to walk in.
{{ SCENE_1_VISUAL }}Low tracking shot gliding along a bare asphalt street at midday, heat shimmer rising off the road and bending the white lane markings while harsh sun bleaches the concrete footpath.
{{ SCENE_2_VISUAL }}Close shot of broad green leaves backlit by morning sun, a breeze stirs them and fine mist drifts up off the canopy behind, catching the light as it rises.
{{ SCENE_3_VISUAL }}Slow push along a tree-lined footpath at noon, the dense canopy throws cool dappled shade that sways across the pavement while the sunlit road beyond glares white.
{{ SCENE_4_VISUAL }}Slow aerial rise over a city street lined with leafy trees, the green canopy spreading between rooftops as small figures walk in the shade below, late-afternoon light.
{{ SCENE_1_TITLE }}Concrete [bakes]
{{ SCENE_2_TITLE }}Leaves [sweat]
{{ SCENE_3_TITLE }}Shade [shields]
{{ SCENE_4_TITLE }}Greener is [cooler]
{{ STAT }}10
{{ STAT_UNIT }}°C
{{ STAT_LABEL }}cooler in the shade
{{ CTA }}Follow for more city science
{{ ACCENT }}#C4F05C
Edit and save to your account
3
Run it once

Save the JSON above as template.json, then render in the free sandbox:

# Save the JSON above as template.json, then:
curl -X POST https://api.shotstack.io/edit/stage/render \
  -H "x-api-key: $SHOTSTACK_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d @template.json

# Poll until status is "done", then download response.url
curl https://api.shotstack.io/edit/stage/render/RENDER_ID -H "x-api-key: $SHOTSTACK_API_KEY"
import { readFileSync } from 'node:fs';

const headers = { 'x-api-key': process.env.SHOTSTACK_API_KEY, 'Content-Type': 'application/json' };
const edit = JSON.parse(readFileSync('template.json', 'utf8'));

const { response } = await fetch('https://api.shotstack.io/edit/stage/render', {
  method: 'POST', headers, body: JSON.stringify(edit)
}).then((r) => r.json());

let render;
do {
  await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 3000));
  render = (await fetch(`https://api.shotstack.io/edit/stage/render/${response.id}`, { headers }).then((r) => r.json())).response;
} while (!['done', 'failed'].includes(render.status));

console.log(render.status, render.url);
import json, os, time, requests

headers = {"x-api-key": os.environ["SHOTSTACK_API_KEY"]}
with open("template.json") as f:
    edit = json.load(f)

render_id = requests.post("https://api.shotstack.io/edit/stage/render", json=edit, headers=headers).json()["response"]["id"]

while True:
    render = requests.get(f"https://api.shotstack.io/edit/stage/render/{render_id}", headers=headers).json()["response"]
    if render["status"] in ("done", "failed"):
        break
    time.sleep(3)

print(render["status"], render.get("url"))
npm install -g @shotstack/cli
export SHOTSTACK_API_KEY=your_sandbox_key

shotstack validate template.json          # offline schema check, free
shotstack render template.json --env stage --watch

Sandbox renders are free and watermarked. Production: the v1 endpoint and key. SDKs

4
Automate it

Schedule it against a topic list or feed and post a fresh short every day.

Paste into Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor — your AI assistant builds the workflow around your data.

Node.js, one render per CSV row, wired to this template's 19 merge fields. Setup steps in the header.

Guides: Bulk-create from a CSV · Webhooks · Templates endpoint · Render your first video

AI assistants: Markdown () · · · CLI skill: SKILL.md () · MCP server

Common questions

How do I change the text and media without editing the JSON?

Use the 19 merge fields listed above. Send a merge array with your own values for each field and the API swaps them in at render time, so one template can produce thousands of unique videos.

Is this template made for TikTok, Reels and Shorts?

Yes. It renders vertical 1080×1920 (9:16), the format those platforms expect. Change output.size or output.aspectRatio in the JSON if you also need a square or landscape cut.

Can I swap the footage for my own video?

Yes. Replace the video asset's src with a public URL of your file (MP4 works best). Use trim and length on the clip to pick the part you want, and the template's effects apply to your footage.

What size and length is the output?

This template renders a 1080×1920 (9:16) MP4 that is 23.2 seconds long, built from 14 clips on 5 tracks.