Frequently asked questions

VideoDraft combines an agent workspace for Mac with creative tools in the browser. In VideoDraft ADE, use Vibe Film for production and native editing, or Vibe Code for software development. VideoDraft Studio is the browser product for generating assets and developing hosted video projects.

VideoDraft is for creators, developers, and teams working on video or software projects. ADE supports filmmaking and coding on Mac; Studio provides creative generation and hosted projects in the browser.

You can start with an idea, script, or footage. Agents help you plan and produce the work, while you review the generated media and refine the edit. Experienced filmmakers can bring their own references and workflow.

VideoDraft brings project context, agents, and editing tools into the production workflow. ADE provides a Mac workspace with native video editing and coding tools. Studio connects media generation with scripts, storyboards, and hosted projects in the browser.

You make the decisions about story, style, tone, and pacing. Agents help draft material and carry out production tasks, while you review and refine the result.

You give the agent a brief, references, and feedback. The agent helps develop or revise the work, and you decide what to keep and what to change next.

Yes. Commercial use is included on every paid plan, from Pro up. Starter is for personal, non-commercial use.

VideoDraft supports exporting videos in multiple formats and resolutions suitable for YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, LinkedIn, broadcast, and other platforms. You can choose the resolution, aspect ratio, and format that matches your delivery requirements.

ADE is the VideoDraft app for Mac. It is a workspace where AI agents work alongside you on real project files, with a native video editor built in. Vibe Film covers production: script, shots, generation, and the cut. Vibe Code covers software: features, bug fixes, terminals, and Git. Both run in the same app and share the same projects and credits.

An Apple silicon Mac on macOS 15 or later. The app is a free download on every plan, Starter included.

You can bring your own. Claude and Codex sign in using their existing local CLI logins, so that usage follows your own accounts. You can also choose managed VD Code through your VideoDraft account instead. Generating images, video, voice, or music always spends VideoDraft credits, whichever agent you use.

They are two modes of the same Mac app, not separate products. Vibe Film is for video: production planning, generating shots and audio, assembling a timeline, and exporting. Vibe Code is for software: reading a codebase, building features, running the app, reviewing diffs, and preparing pull requests. You choose the mode that fits the task.

Yes. VideoDraft Editor is a real timeline, not a preview. Cuts, trims, speed ramps, transitions, colour grading against scopes, captions timed to each word, and audio mixing. Export H.264, H.265, or ProRes, or hand off XML and FCPXML to Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, and Final Cut Pro.

Yes. Each task keeps its own files, chats, and results, so a feature, a bug fix, and a refactor can move forward in parallel, or three cuts of the same video can. Git-backed tasks can use separate branches and worktrees. You review each one before bringing it into the project.

Yes. Agents run in the background and leave their results in the task for review. You can also give an agent a standing brief on a schedule so it works unattended, and Remote Control lets you continue a running Claude chat from your phone or browser while the work stays on your Mac.

Yes. VideoDraft runs a remote MCP server, so Claude, Claude Code, ChatGPT, Codex, and Cursor can generate video, images, voice, music, and 3D without leaving the conversation. Add it as a custom connector using the server URL and authorize VideoDraft in your browser.

No. Every supported client signs in through the browser using OAuth, so there is nothing to paste. Access lasts 30 days and refreshes itself, and you can revoke it at any time from Settings then API Keys in the web app. If a host cannot do OAuth, you can mint a personal access token instead.

No. It is included on every plan, Starter included, and generations spend the same credit balance as Studio and the Mac app. Ask your agent to estimate a job before running it and it will report the cost first.

Partly. It can arrange the clips, order, and durations on a hosted project timeline, and run a hosted production through to an exported video. Frame-accurate cutting, grading against scopes, captions, and mixing happen in VideoDraft Editor inside the Mac app.

Yes. The official videodraft CLI is free, MIT licensed, and published on npm. It generates video, images, voice, music, and 3D from your terminal, with JSON output and stable exit codes for scripts and CI. It needs Node 20.18.1 or newer.

Same tools, same sign-in, same credits. The connector is for working conversationally inside an AI assistant. The CLI is for scripts, batches, and CI, where you want output you can parse and exit codes you can branch on.

AI Crew is the set of creative roles in VideoDraft Studio: Screenwriter, Creative Director, Animatics Director, Editor, and Prompt Engineer. These tools use the project context to help with different production stages.

The Screenwriter helps draft stories, dialogue, and screenplay structure. Start from an idea or existing text, then review and refine the script and its breakdown.

The Creative Director helps develop storyboard panels and visual references from the script. Guide the camera angles, compositions, and style, then review the results for continuity.

The AI Animatics Director brings static storyboards to life with motion. It adds camera movements (pans, zooms, dollies), syncs timing with audio and dialogue, and creates a moving preview of your video that lets you test pacing and flow before committing to full production.

The Editor role in Studio helps bring visuals and audio into a video production. Review the sequence, pacing, captions, and sound as you refine the result. VideoDraft Editor is the separate native editing app included with ADE.

The AI Prompt Engineer optimizes your AI generation prompts using full project context. When you are generating images or videos in the AI Studio, the Prompt Engineer helps you craft better prompts that produce higher-quality results, maintain style consistency, and achieve the specific visual outcomes you want.

Creative roles in Studio use the script, references, and assets in the same project. Review the handoff between stages so changes to the story or visual direction are reflected in the next result.

Script breakdown is the process of analyzing your screenplay to identify every production element, characters, props, locations, wardrobe, special effects, and more. VideoDraft's AI automatically parses your script and extracts these elements, a task that traditionally takes hours of manual work. The breakdown feeds directly into storyboarding and production planning.

VideoDraft reads your script's scene descriptions and generates visual storyboard panels that represent each shot. The AI understands cinematic concepts like shot sizes, camera angles, lighting, and composition. You can regenerate panels with different parameters, adjust descriptions, or specify different angles until each panel matches your vision.

Animatics are moving storyboards, your storyboard panels arranged on a timeline with timing, camera movements, and audio. VideoDraft's AI Animatics Director takes your finalized storyboards and adds motion (pans, zooms, dollies), syncs them with voiceover or music, and creates a timed preview of your video. This lets you test pacing before committing to full production.

The AI Studio is VideoDraft's multi-model generation workspace where you can access a broad set of image, video, and audio models from one interface.

VideoDraft supports a broad and evolving model catalog across image, video, and audio generation. Availability changes over time, so check AI Studio for the latest list.

Reuse character references and visual assets throughout the project, then review each generation for continuity. References help guide the model; refine or regenerate shots when details do not match.

Yes. VideoDraft includes voice cloning and text-to-speech options for narration and dialogue workflows, with model availability depending on your current plan and region.

Version control in VideoDraft lets you track changes and manage different versions of your project at every stage, script, storyboard, animatic, and final video. You can compare versions, revert to earlier iterations, and maintain a history of your creative decisions.

Yes. VideoDraft supports both AI image generation (for storyboards, concept art, and visual assets) and AI video generation (for animatics, motion content, and final video output). The AI Studio provides access to dedicated models for each type of generation.

VideoDraft supports five main workflows: Idea to Video (concept to finished video), Script to Video (screenplay to visual production), Script to Animatics (screenplay to animated storyboards), Voiceover to Video (narration to synchronized visuals), and AI Short Film (complete short film with AI-generated story and cinematography).

VideoDraft offers a free Starter plan plus paid tiers for creators, teams, and studios. Because plan details can change, check the live pricing page for current credits, limits, and annual-discount options.

Yes. VideoDraft offers a free plan so you can test core workflows and evaluate output quality before upgrading. Check the pricing page for current monthly limits and included features.

Credits pay for media generation. VD Code Agent has separate usage limits and only uses credits if you turn on extra usage. Media costs depend on the model, settings, and output length. Paid plan credits refresh monthly. Starter's 100 credits are one-time. Top-ups are 100 credits per $1 on every plan and stay separate from the monthly allowance.

If you are exploring, start on the free plan. If you publish regularly, move to a creator plan with higher limits and workflow access. Teams and studios should choose plans built for collaboration, higher throughput, and broader licensing.

Paid plan credits reset each month, including on annual plans. Starter's 100 credits are a one-time grant and do not reset. Purchased top-up credits do not expire or reset with the monthly allowance. You can buy additional credits or choose a plan with a larger monthly allowance.

VideoDraft may offer savings for annual billing on eligible plans. Refer to the live pricing page for current discount terms.

The free plan includes a limited monthly allowance to explore core features and evaluate fit. Included limits and export capabilities can change, so check the pricing page for current details.

No. You can sign up for the free Starter plan without a credit card. Simply create an account and start creating.

Yes. You can upgrade your plan at any time, and the change takes effect immediately with prorated billing. Downgrading takes effect at the start of your next billing cycle.

Pre-production is the planning phase of video creation, everything that happens before the camera rolls. It includes scriptwriting, script breakdown, storyboarding, creating shot lists, building animatics, casting, location scouting, budgeting, and scheduling. Thorough pre-production is the single biggest factor in whether a video project succeeds or fails.

Pre-production saves time and money by catching problems before they become expensive on-set mistakes. It aligns your team around a shared vision, creates a clear roadmap for production day, and improves creative quality by giving you time to think through every decision. Projects with thorough pre-production consistently finish faster and under budget.

A script breakdown is the process of reading through your screenplay and identifying every production element needed for each scene, characters, props, wardrobe, locations, vehicles, special effects, sound requirements, and more. The industry uses a standardized color-coding system to mark these elements. The breakdown informs budgeting, scheduling, and logistics.

A storyboard is a sequence of illustrations arranged in panels that represent the shots planned for a video. Each panel shows what the camera will see, along with notes about camera movement, dialogue, and transitions. Storyboards bridge the gap between the written script and the visual product, helping teams visualize and plan every shot before production begins.

A storyboard shows what each shot looks like visually through illustrated panels. A shot list is a text-based document that catalogs every shot with technical details like shot size, camera angle, lens, movement, and equipment. Storyboards communicate the creative vision; shot lists provide the technical execution plan. They work best when used together.

An animatic is a preliminary version of your video created by sequencing storyboard panels on a timeline and adding basic audio. It lets you experience the flow and pacing of your video before committing to production. You can test whether scenes feel too long or too short, experiment with music, and catch story problems that are invisible in a static storyboard.

Pre-production timelines vary by project scope. A social media video might need a few hours. A commercial typically requires one to two weeks. A short film might need a month or more. AI tools like VideoDraft are dramatically shortening these timelines by automating tasks like script breakdowns and storyboarding that traditionally took hours or days.

AI can generate storyboard panels from your descriptions and references. You still choose the compositions and visual direction, then review and refine the panels before production.

AI video generation uses deep learning models trained on millions of images and videos. These models understand visual concepts like objects, environments, lighting, motion, and physics. When given a text description or reference image, they generate new visual content that matches the input. Different models specialize in different aspects, some excel at photorealism, others at animation or specific styles.

VideoDraft integrates multiple third-party and first-party model options across image, video, and audio. The catalog evolves frequently, and different models are better suited for different tasks.

The quality of AI-generated video has improved dramatically. Top models produce footage that can be difficult to distinguish from real video in controlled conditions. However, quality varies by model, prompt quality, and content complexity. VideoDraft gives you access to the best available models and the tools to iterate until the output meets your quality standards.

Character consistency is one of the most actively researched challenges in AI generation. VideoDraft addresses this through its Character Studio, which lets you create and save visual assets that maintain consistency across scenes. Additionally, techniques like reference images, style guides, and visual asset reuse help maintain a cohesive look throughout your project.

Text-to-video generates video from a written description of the scene. Image-to-video takes a still image and animates it into a video clip, bringing the image to life with motion. Both approaches are supported in VideoDraft's AI Studio, and each is useful for different creative needs.

AI voice cloning analyzes a sample of a speaker's voice to learn their vocal characteristics, pitch, tone, cadence, and pronunciation patterns. It then creates a voice model that can speak any new text in that voice. VideoDraft supports voice cloning for creating consistent narration and dialogue across your projects.

Copyright rules for AI-generated content are evolving and vary by jurisdiction. Human creative contribution often matters, but there is no universal answer. Treat this as general information and get legal advice for your specific use case.

Generation speed depends on the model and content type. Image generation typically completes in seconds. Video generation can take anywhere from seconds to a few minutes depending on length, resolution, and model complexity. Higher-tier plans include priority processing for faster generation times.

For the Mac app, follow the ADE setup guide and choose Vibe Film or Vibe Code. For the browser product, open Web App and sign in to VideoDraft Studio to generate assets or start a hosted project.

In ADE, start with a project and a brief, work with agents, and review the result. Vibe Film uses the native editor for timeline work; Vibe Code uses files, terminals, and Git tools. In Studio, generate assets or develop a hosted project through script, storyboard, animatics, and production.

Yes. You can paste or upload your existing screenplay into VideoDraft. The AI will parse the script format, identify scenes, and prepare it for breakdown and storyboarding. You do not need to write your script within the platform.

VideoDraft is a web-based platform accessible through any modern browser. While it works on mobile devices, the full creative workflow is best experienced on a desktop or laptop where you have more screen space for storyboard panels, timelines, and the AI Studio.

Be specific in your descriptions. Instead of "two people talking," describe the scene in detail: setting, camera angle, lighting, mood, character appearance, and action. Use the AI Prompt Engineer to optimize your prompts. Iterate by regenerating with different parameters. And leverage the Character Studio to maintain visual consistency across your project.

Yes. Open Documentation and choose VideoDraft mode, Code mode, the web app, or MCP and CLI. Tutorials walk you through a first video, a first code change, an image and clip in AI Studio, and producing a video in the browser.

Runway is primarily focused on generation and editing of clips. VideoDraft emphasizes end-to-end workflow continuity from script and storyboard through animatics and final outputs, with shared context between stages.

Sora is a video generation model, while VideoDraft is a workflow platform for planning and producing complete projects. Model availability and access can change, so check AI Studio for current options.

Storyboarding tools differ in how they combine writing, generation, collaboration, and review. VideoDraft Studio connects story planning with media generation and hosted production. ADE adds a Mac agent workspace and native editing.

Yes. VideoDraft is designed to complement your existing workflow. You can write scripts in your preferred screenwriting software and import them. You can export storyboards and animatics for use in other tools. And you can export final video for further editing in Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, or any other editor.

Choose based on the work you need to do. VideoDraft can keep references, assets, and production decisions with a project, and help you develop them into a sequence or finished edit.