AI-Generated Scene Background Images

This guide shows you how to use AI-generated images as scene backgrounds in your videos. Instead of stock visuals, generate custom images from text prompts using a variety of AI image models — each with different quality levels and AI credit costs.

What You’ll Learn

AI Image Generation

Generate unique images with AI instead of stock visuals

Image Models

Choose from Flux, Seedream, Nano Banana, and Nano Banana Pro

Media Styles

Apply styles like photorealistic, artistic, cartoon, and more

AI Credit Costs

Understand per-image credit costs for each model

Before You Begin

Make sure you have:

A Pictory API key (get one here)
Node.js or Python installed on your machine
Sufficient AI credits in your account
Basic understanding of AI image generation concepts

npm install axios

How It Works

When you set background.type to "image" and provide an aiVisual configuration, Pictory generates a unique AI image for the scene background:

Prompt Processing — Your text prompt (or auto-generated prompt from story text) is analyzed
Style Application — The selected mediaStyle is applied to shape the visual output
AI Generation — The chosen image model creates a unique image
Scene Integration — The generated image is used as the scene background

AI image generation takes additional processing time compared to stock visuals. The time varies by model — faster models like Flux generate in seconds, while higher-quality models take longer.

Configuration Reference

Background Object

When using AI-generated images, set the background object on a scene as follows:

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
`type`	string	Yes	Must be `"image"` for AI-generated images
`aiVisual`	object	Yes	AI image generation configuration (see below)

Mutually Exclusive: The background object can only have one of visualUrl, color, or aiVisual. You cannot combine them in the same scene.

`aiVisual` Parameters

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
`prompt`	string	No	Text description of the image to generate (max 500 characters). If omitted, a prompt is auto-generated from the scene’s story text.
`model`	string	Yes	The AI image model to use. See Available Image Models.
`mediaStyle`	string	No	Visual style to apply. See Available Media Styles.

The videoDuration parameter is not allowed when type is "image". It is only used for AI-generated video clips.

Available Image Models

Each model has different strengths and AI credit costs. Choose based on your quality requirements and budget.

Model ID	Display Name	AI Credits (per image)	Best For	Supported Aspect Ratios
`flux-schnell`	Flux	0.6	Reliable for basic layouts	`1:1`, `16:9`, `9:16`
`seedream3.0`	Seedream	2	Reliable for text and numbers	`1:1`, `16:9`, `9:16`
`nanobanana`	Nano Banana	4	Excels at details	`1:1`, `16:9`, `9:16`
`nanobanana-pro`	Nano Banana Pro	14	Superior cinematic quality	`1:1`, `16:9`, `9:16`

Model Selection Strategy:

Use flux-schnell (0.6 credits) for quick iterations, testing, and drafts
Use seedream3.0 (2 credits) when your image includes text or numbers
Use nanobanana (4 credits) when you need fine detail and precision
Use nanobanana-pro (14 credits) for premium, cinematic-quality final output

Available Media Styles

The mediaStyle parameter shapes the look and feel of the generated image. It is optional — if omitted, the model uses its default rendering style.

Style	Visual Characteristics	Best Used For
`photorealistic`	Realistic photographs, natural lighting	Corporate videos, professional presentations, realistic scenarios
`artistic`	Artistic renderings, painterly effects	Creative content, brand storytelling, abstract concepts
`cartoon`	Cartoon-style imagery, bold colors	Children’s content, educational videos, fun marketing
`minimalist`	Simple, clean designs, reduced details	Modern branding, tech content, professional minimalism
`vintage`	Retro aesthetic, aged appearance	Nostalgia marketing, historical content, unique branding
`futuristic`	Modern, sci-fi look, high-tech feel	Technology content, innovation topics, forward-thinking brands

Examples

Example 1: Single Story Without Prompt

One scene with a story paragraph. The system splits the story into multiple scenes using createSceneOnEndOfSentence and auto-generates a visual prompt for each scene from its story text.

import axios from "axios";

const API_BASE_URL = "https://api.pictory.ai/pictoryapis";
const API_KEY = "YOUR_API_KEY";

async function createImagesWithAutoPrompt() {
  const response = await axios.post(
    `${API_BASE_URL}/v2/video/storyboard/render`,
    {
      videoName: "ai-images-auto-prompt",
      language: "en",
      backgroundMusic: { enabled: true, autoMusic: true, volume: 0.5 },
      voiceOver: {
        enabled: true,
        aiVoices: [{ speaker: "Jackson", speed: 100, amplificationLevel: 0 }]
      },
      scenes: [
        {
          story: "Every day, millions of content creators, educators, and marketers face the same challenge. They need professional-quality videos but do not have a production team. Hours are spent searching stock libraries for footage that almost fits. Days are lost waiting for design assets. AI-powered video creation changes everything. With a simple text prompt, you can generate custom visuals tailored to your exact narrative. No more settling for generic stock footage. Whether you are building an online course, launching a campaign, or growing your social media presence, AI visuals give you the power to create stunning content in minutes.",
          createSceneOnNewLine: true,
          createSceneOnEndOfSentence: true,
          background: {
            type: "image",
            aiVisual: {
              model: "nanobanana",
              mediaStyle: "photorealistic"
            }
          }
        }
      ]
    },
    { headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json", Authorization: API_KEY } }
  );

  const jobId = response.data.data.jobId;
  console.log("Job ID:", jobId);

  let jobCompleted = false;
  while (!jobCompleted) {
    const statusResponse = await axios.get(
      `${API_BASE_URL}/v1/jobs/${jobId}`,
      { headers: { Authorization: API_KEY } }
    );
    const status = statusResponse.data.data.status;
    console.log("Status:", status);
    if (status === "completed") {
      jobCompleted = true;
      console.log("Video URL:", statusResponse.data.data.videoURL);
    } else if (status === "failed") {
      throw new Error("Failed: " + JSON.stringify(statusResponse.data));
    }
    await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 10000));
  }
}

createImagesWithAutoPrompt();

Example 2: Single Story with Creative Direction

Same as Example 1, but with a prompt that acts as creative direction for the entire video. Since the story is split into multiple scenes, the prompt guides the overall visual tone rather than describing a specific scene. A good creative direction prompt follows this structure: [Action/Movement] + [Scene/Environment] + [Camera Technique] + [Visual Style].

import axios from "axios";

const API_BASE_URL = "https://api.pictory.ai/pictoryapis";
const API_KEY = "YOUR_API_KEY";

async function createImagesWithCreativeDirection() {
  const response = await axios.post(
    `${API_BASE_URL}/v2/video/storyboard/render`,
    {
      videoName: "ai-images-creative-direction",
      language: "en",
      backgroundMusic: { enabled: true, autoMusic: true, volume: 0.5 },
      voiceOver: {
        enabled: true,
        aiVoices: [{ speaker: "Jackson", speed: 100, amplificationLevel: 0 }]
      },
      scenes: [
        {
          story: "Every day, millions of content creators, educators, and marketers face the same challenge. They need professional-quality videos but do not have a production team. Hours are spent searching stock libraries for footage that almost fits. Days are lost waiting for design assets. AI-powered video creation changes everything. With a simple text prompt, you can generate custom visuals tailored to your exact narrative. No more settling for generic stock footage. Whether you are building an online course, launching a campaign, or growing your social media presence, AI visuals give you the power to create stunning content in minutes.",
          createSceneOnNewLine: true,
          createSceneOnEndOfSentence: true,
          background: {
            type: "image",
            aiVisual: {
              model: "nanobanana",
              mediaStyle: "photorealistic",
              prompt: "Wide-angle establishing shots of diverse professionals in bright, airy coworking spaces with large windows and natural daylight"
            }
          }
        }
      ]
    },
    { headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json", Authorization: API_KEY } }
  );

  const jobId = response.data.data.jobId;
  console.log("Job ID:", jobId);

  let jobCompleted = false;
  while (!jobCompleted) {
    const statusResponse = await axios.get(
      `${API_BASE_URL}/v1/jobs/${jobId}`,
      { headers: { Authorization: API_KEY } }
    );
    const status = statusResponse.data.data.status;
    console.log("Status:", status);
    if (status === "completed") {
      jobCompleted = true;
      console.log("Video URL:", statusResponse.data.data.videoURL);
    } else if (status === "failed") {
      throw new Error("Failed: " + JSON.stringify(statusResponse.data));
    }
    await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 10000));
  }
}

createImagesWithCreativeDirection();

Example 3: Multiple Scenes with Prompts

Three separate scenes, each with a one-sentence story and a scene-specific prompt. The prompt directly describes the visual for that scene.

import axios from "axios";

const API_BASE_URL = "https://api.pictory.ai/pictoryapis";
const API_KEY = "YOUR_API_KEY";

async function createImagesWithScenePrompts() {
  const response = await axios.post(
    `${API_BASE_URL}/v2/video/storyboard/render`,
    {
      videoName: "ai-images-scene-prompts",
      language: "en",
      backgroundMusic: { enabled: true, autoMusic: true, volume: 0.5 },
      voiceOver: {
        enabled: true,
        aiVoices: [{ speaker: "Jackson", speed: 100, amplificationLevel: 0 }]
      },
      scenes: [
        {
          story: "Content creators struggle to find the perfect visuals for their videos.",
          background: {
            type: "image",
            aiVisual: {
              model: "nanobanana",
              mediaStyle: "photorealistic",
              prompt: "A frustrated creator scrolling through endless stock footage on a laptop in a dimly lit room"
            }
          }
        },
        {
          story: "AI-powered tools generate custom visuals from simple text prompts in minutes.",
          background: {
            type: "image",
            aiVisual: {
              model: "nanobanana",
              mediaStyle: "photorealistic",
              prompt: "A bright modern workspace with AI-generated visuals appearing on a large monitor"
            }
          }
        },
        {
          story: "Professional-quality videos are now accessible to educators and marketers everywhere.",
          background: {
            type: "image",
            aiVisual: {
              model: "nanobanana",
              mediaStyle: "photorealistic",
              prompt: "Diverse professionals confidently presenting polished video content on various devices"
            }
          }
        }
      ]
    },
    { headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json", Authorization: API_KEY } }
  );

  const jobId = response.data.data.jobId;
  console.log("Job ID:", jobId);

  let jobCompleted = false;
  while (!jobCompleted) {
    const statusResponse = await axios.get(
      `${API_BASE_URL}/v1/jobs/${jobId}`,
      { headers: { Authorization: API_KEY } }
    );
    const status = statusResponse.data.data.status;
    console.log("Status:", status);
    if (status === "completed") {
      jobCompleted = true;
      console.log("Video URL:", statusResponse.data.data.videoURL);
    } else if (status === "failed") {
      throw new Error("Failed: " + JSON.stringify(statusResponse.data));
    }
    await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 10000));
  }
}

createImagesWithScenePrompts();

Example 4: Multiple Scenes Without Prompts

Three separate scenes, each with a one-sentence story. No prompts are provided, so the system auto-generates a visual prompt from each scene’s story text.

import axios from "axios";

const API_BASE_URL = "https://api.pictory.ai/pictoryapis";
const API_KEY = "YOUR_API_KEY";

async function createImagesAutoScenes() {
  const response = await axios.post(
    `${API_BASE_URL}/v2/video/storyboard/render`,
    {
      videoName: "ai-images-auto-scenes",
      language: "en",
      backgroundMusic: { enabled: true, autoMusic: true, volume: 0.5 },
      voiceOver: {
        enabled: true,
        aiVoices: [{ speaker: "Jackson", speed: 100, amplificationLevel: 0 }]
      },
      scenes: [
        {
          story: "Content creators struggle to find the perfect visuals for their videos.",
          background: {
            type: "image",
            aiVisual: {
              model: "nanobanana",
              mediaStyle: "photorealistic"
            }
          }
        },
        {
          story: "AI-powered tools generate custom visuals from simple text prompts in minutes.",
          background: {
            type: "image",
            aiVisual: {
              model: "nanobanana",
              mediaStyle: "photorealistic"
            }
          }
        },
        {
          story: "Professional-quality videos are now accessible to educators and marketers everywhere.",
          background: {
            type: "image",
            aiVisual: {
              model: "nanobanana",
              mediaStyle: "photorealistic"
            }
          }
        }
      ]
    },
    { headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json", Authorization: API_KEY } }
  );

  const jobId = response.data.data.jobId;
  console.log("Job ID:", jobId);

  let jobCompleted = false;
  while (!jobCompleted) {
    const statusResponse = await axios.get(
      `${API_BASE_URL}/v1/jobs/${jobId}`,
      { headers: { Authorization: API_KEY } }
    );
    const status = statusResponse.data.data.status;
    console.log("Status:", status);
    if (status === "completed") {
      jobCompleted = true;
      console.log("Video URL:", statusResponse.data.data.videoURL);
    } else if (status === "failed") {
      throw new Error("Failed: " + JSON.stringify(statusResponse.data));
    }
    await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 10000));
  }
}

createImagesAutoScenes();

Tracking AI Credits Used

When your video includes AI-generated visuals, the job response includes an aiCreditsUsed field that reports the total AI credits consumed across all scenes. This field is present only when at least one scene used aiVisual configuration.

{
    "job_id": "a1d36612-326d-4b81-aece-411f8aed4c70",
    "success": true,
    "data": {
        "status": "completed",
        "aiCreditsUsed": 24
    }
}

Use this value to track credit consumption and manage your AI credit budget. For detailed job response documentation, refer to the Get Storyboard Preview Job or Get Video Render Job API reference.

Best Practices

Write Effective Prompts

Be specific: Include details about composition, lighting, and mood
Use descriptive language: “bright morning sunlight streaming through glass walls” vs “sunny room”
Mention key elements: “modern office with glass walls and city skyline view”
Keep under 500 characters: Concise prompts produce more focused results
Avoid negatives: Describe what you want, not what you do not want

Good: “Professional business meeting in modern conference room with natural light and city view”Poor: “Not a dark room, people talking, no clutter”

Choose the Right Model for Your Budget

Scenario	Recommended Model	Cost
Testing & drafts	`flux-schnell`	0.6 credits
General content	`seedream3.0`	2 credits
Detail-rich scenes	`nanobanana`	4 credits
Premium final output	`nanobanana-pro`	14 credits

Start with flux-schnell for iteration, then switch to a higher-quality model for production.

Match Media Style to Your Brand

Corporate/Professional: photorealistic or minimalist
Creative/Artistic: artistic or vintage
Tech/Innovation: futuristic
Educational/Fun: cartoon
Consistent branding: Stick to one style across scenes

Use Text-Rendering Models for Text in Images

If your image needs to display readable text or numbers, use seedream3.0 — it is specifically optimized for rendering text and numbers clearly within generated images.

Troubleshooting

Generated Image Does Not Match Prompt

Make your prompt more specific and detailed
Add descriptive adjectives: “bright”, “modern”, “spacious”
Specify composition: “aerial view”, “close-up”, “wide angle”
Include lighting details: “sunset lighting”, “studio lighting”
Try a different model — each interprets prompts differently

Image quality is low

Switch to a higher-quality model (nanobanana or nanobanana-pro)
Avoid overly complex prompts — keep them focused
Try a different mediaStyle that suits the content

Error: Invalid background configuration

Ensure your configuration follows these rules:

// Correct
background: {
  type: "image",
  aiVisual: {
    model: "flux-schnell",
    mediaStyle: "photorealistic"
  }
}

// Wrong — missing type
background: {
  aiVisual: { model: "flux-schnell" }
}

// Wrong — mixing background types
background: {
  type: "image",
  visualUrl: "https://...",
  aiVisual: { model: "flux-schnell" }
}

// Wrong — videoDuration not allowed for images
background: {
  type: "image",
  aiVisual: {
    model: "flux-schnell",
    videoDuration: "5s"
  }
}

Error: Insufficient AI credits

Each image generation costs AI credits based on the model used. Check your credit balance and consider using a more economical model like flux-schnell (0.6 credits per image).

Next Steps

AI-Generated Video Clips

Use AI-generated video clips as scene backgrounds

AI Voice-Over

Add professional narration to your videos

Brand Settings

Apply consistent branding automatically

Background Music

Add music to complement your visuals

API Reference

Render Storyboard Video

Direct video rendering with AI visuals

Create Storyboard Preview

Create preview before rendering

Get Storyboard Preview Job

Monitor storyboard creation progress

Search Media

Search stock visuals as alternative to AI

Getting started

Text to Video

Video with Avatar

Article to Video

Presentation to Video

Audio to Video

Video to Shorts

AI-Generated Visuals

Video Story CoPilot

Smart Layouts

Captions

Branding & Customization

Template to Video

AI Studio

Background Music

Video Storyboard

Voice-Over

Advanced Features

​What You’ll Learn

AI Image Generation

Image Models

Media Styles

AI Credit Costs

​Before You Begin

​How It Works

​Configuration Reference

​Background Object

​aiVisual Parameters

​Available Image Models

​Available Media Styles

​Examples

​Example 1: Single Story Without Prompt

​Example 2: Single Story with Creative Direction

​Example 3: Multiple Scenes with Prompts

​Example 4: Multiple Scenes Without Prompts

​Tracking AI Credits Used

​Best Practices

​Troubleshooting

​Next Steps

AI-Generated Video Clips

AI Voice-Over

Brand Settings

Background Music

​API Reference

Render Storyboard Video

Create Storyboard Preview

Get Storyboard Preview Job

Search Media

What You’ll Learn

Before You Begin

How It Works

Configuration Reference

Background Object

`aiVisual` Parameters

Available Image Models

Available Media Styles

Examples

Example 1: Single Story Without Prompt

Example 2: Single Story with Creative Direction

Example 3: Multiple Scenes with Prompts

Example 4: Multiple Scenes Without Prompts

Tracking AI Credits Used

Best Practices

Troubleshooting

Next Steps

API Reference