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{
"timeline": {
"background": "#000000",
"soundtrack": {
"src": "https://shotstack-assets.s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/music/unminus/palmtrees.mp3",
"effect": "fadeOut"
},
"fonts": [
{
"src": "https://shotstack-assets.s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/fonts/OpenSans-Regular.ttf"
}
],
"tracks": [
{
"clips": [
{
"asset": {
"type": "html",
"html": "<table border='0'><tr><td><p>BOX SHADOW</p></td></tr></table>",
"css": "table { background-color: #000000; } td { padding-top: 16px; padding-bottom: 16px; } p { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 34px; font-family: 'Open Sans'; font-weight: bold; margin: 20px; text-align: center; }",
"width": 450,
"height": 200
},
"start": 1,
"length": 6,
"transition": {
"in": "slideUpFast",
"out": "slideDownFast"
}
}
]
},
{
"clips": [
{
"asset": {
"type": "html",
"html": "<table border='0'><tr><td><p>BOX SHADOW</p></td></tr></table>",
"css": "table { background-color: #ffd312; } td { padding-top: 16px; padding-bottom: 16px; } p { color: #ffd312; font-size: 34px; font-family: 'Open Sans'; font-weight: bold; margin: 20px; text-align: center; }",
"width": 450,
"height": 200
},
"start": 1,
"length": 6,
"offset": {
"x": 0.0075,
"y": -0.0065
},
"transition": {
"in": "slideUpFast",
"out": "slideDownFast"
}
}
]
},
{
"clips": [
{
"asset": {
"type": "video",
"src": "https://shotstack-assets.s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/footage/table-mountain.mp4"
},
"start": 0,
"length": 8,
"transition": {
"in": "fade",
"out": "fade"
}
}
]
}
]
},
"output": {
"format": "mp4",
"resolution": "hd",
"aspectRatio": "9:16"
}
}Flat box shadow effect using two HTML layers, one on top of each other.
No account needed until you render.
Render with your AI assistant
Add the Shotstack MCP server to your editor, then paste the prompt
| Output | MP4 |
|---|---|
| Size | 720 × 1280 (9:16) |
| Length | 8s |
| Frame rate | default (25 fps) |
| Tracks / clips | 3 / 3 |
| Assets used | 2 html, 1 video |
| Soundtrack | yes |
| Merge fields | none (edit the JSON) |
Swap these in the JSON:
To drive it from data, turn any value into a {{ PLACEHOLDER }} merge field.
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 --watchSandbox renders are free and watermarked. Production: the v1 endpoint and key. SDKs
Loop over your content calendar and keep the feed full without an editor.
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. 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
Replace the asset URLs in the JSON with your own files and adjust text, timing or effects on each clip. To generate many variations from data, turn the values you change into merge fields ({{ PLACEHOLDER }}) and pass a merge array with each request.
Yes. It renders vertical 720×1280 (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.
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.
Edit the text on each text asset in the JSON. Fonts come from the timeline fonts list or the asset's font family; add your own font file URL to timeline.fonts to use a brand typeface.
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