AI-Generated Scene Background Video Clips

This guide shows you how to use AI-generated video clips as scene backgrounds. Instead of stock footage, generate unique motion video clips from text prompts using AI video models — each offering different quality levels, durations, and AI credit costs.

What You Will Learn

AI Video Generation

Generate unique video clips as scene backgrounds

Video Models

Choose from Pixverse 5.5, Veo 3.1 Fast, and Veo 3.1

Duration Control

Configure clip duration from 4 to 10 seconds per model

AI Credit Costs

Understand per-second 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 (video generation costs more than image generation)
Basic understanding of AI video generation concepts

npm install axios

How It Works

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

Prompt Processing — Your text prompt (or auto-generated prompt from story text) describes the desired motion video
Video Generation — The chosen video model creates a unique clip of the specified duration
Scene Integration — The generated video clip is used as the scene background

AI video generation takes significantly longer than image generation and costs more AI credits. The credit cost is calculated per second of video generated. Plan for additional processing time and budget accordingly.

Configuration Reference

Background Object

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

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
`type`	string	Yes	Must be `"video"` for AI-generated video clips
`aiVisual`	object	Yes	AI video 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 video to generate (max 500 characters). If omitted, a prompt is auto-generated from the scene’s story text.
`model`	string	Yes	The AI video model to use. See Available Video Models.
`videoDuration`	string	No	Duration of the generated clip. Valid values depend on the model. See Duration Options. If omitted, the model’s default (shortest) duration is used.

Available Video Models

Each model has different quality, supported durations, aspect ratios, and per-second AI credit costs.

Model ID	Display Name	AI Credits (per second)	Best For
`pixverse5.5`	Pixverse 5.5	1.6	Reliable for basic motion
`veo3.1_fast`	Veo 3.1 Fast	10	Efficient cinematic quality
`veo3.1`	Veo 3.1	20	Superior cinematic quality

Duration Options

Each model supports specific clip durations. If videoDuration is omitted or invalid for the selected model, the first (shortest) duration is used as the default.

Model	Available Durations	Default
`pixverse5.5`	`"5s"`, `"8s"`, `"10s"`	`"5s"`
`veo3.1_fast`	`"4s"`, `"6s"`, `"8s"`	`"4s"`
`veo3.1`	`"4s"`, `"6s"`, `"8s"`	`"4s"`

Supported Aspect Ratios

The video aspect ratio is determined by the aspectRatio property at the top level of the request. Different models support different aspect ratios:

Model	Supported Aspect Ratios
`pixverse5.5`	`16:9`, `9:16`, `1:1`
`veo3.1_fast`	`16:9`, `9:16`
`veo3.1`	`16:9`, `9:16`

If the request’s aspectRatio is not supported by the selected video model, the system automatically falls back to the model’s first supported aspect ratio.

AI Credit Cost Calculator

AI credits for video generation are calculated as: credits per second x duration in seconds.

Model	4s	5s	6s	8s	10s
`pixverse5.5`	—	8	—	12.8	16
`veo3.1_fast`	40	—	60	80	—
`veo3.1`	80	—	120	160	—

Cost-Saving Strategy:

Use pixverse5.5 at "5s" (8 credits) for testing and drafts
Use shorter durations when possible — a 4s clip costs half of an 8s clip
Reserve veo3.1 for final production where cinematic quality matters

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 createVideoWithAutoPrompt() {
  const response = await axios.post(
    `${API_BASE_URL}/v2/video/storyboard/render`,
    {
      videoName: "ai-video-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: "video",
            aiVisual: {
              model: "pixverse5.5"
            }
          }
        }
      ]
    },
    { 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, 15000));
  }
}

createVideoWithAutoPrompt();

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 createVideoWithCreativeDirection() {
  const response = await axios.post(
    `${API_BASE_URL}/v2/video/storyboard/render`,
    {
      videoName: "ai-video-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: "video",
            aiVisual: {
              model: "pixverse5.5",
              prompt: "Smooth cinematic tracking shots in modern creative workspaces with warm golden-hour lighting and shallow depth of field"
            }
          }
        }
      ]
    },
    { 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, 15000));
  }
}

createVideoWithCreativeDirection();

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 createVideoWithScenePrompts() {
  const response = await axios.post(
    `${API_BASE_URL}/v2/video/storyboard/render`,
    {
      videoName: "ai-video-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: "video",
            aiVisual: {
              model: "pixverse5.5",
              videoDuration: "5s",
              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: "video",
            aiVisual: {
              model: "pixverse5.5",
              videoDuration: "5s",
              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: "video",
            aiVisual: {
              model: "pixverse5.5",
              videoDuration: "5s",
              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, 15000));
  }
}

createVideoWithScenePrompts();

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 createVideoAutoScenes() {
  const response = await axios.post(
    `${API_BASE_URL}/v2/video/storyboard/render`,
    {
      videoName: "ai-video-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: "video",
            aiVisual: {
              model: "pixverse5.5",
              videoDuration: "5s"
            }
          }
        },
        {
          story: "AI-powered tools generate custom visuals from simple text prompts in minutes.",
          background: {
            type: "video",
            aiVisual: {
              model: "pixverse5.5",
              videoDuration: "5s"
            }
          }
        },
        {
          story: "Professional-quality videos are now accessible to educators and marketers everywhere.",
          background: {
            type: "video",
            aiVisual: {
              model: "pixverse5.5",
              videoDuration: "5s"
            }
          }
        }
      ]
    },
    { 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, 15000));
  }
}

createVideoAutoScenes();

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": 48
    }
}

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 Video Prompts

Video prompts should describe motion and action, not just a static scene:

Include movement: “camera slowly panning across”, “particles flowing”, “waves crashing”
Describe transitions: “sunrise gradually illuminating”, “zoom into details”
Be specific about motion: “cars driving through city streets” vs. just “city street”
Keep under 500 characters: Focused prompts produce better results

Good: “Aerial drone shot slowly flying over a tropical coastline with turquoise waves rolling onto white sand”Poor: “Beach scene”

Choose the Right Model and Duration

Scenario	Recommended Model	Duration	Total Cost
Testing & drafts	`pixverse5.5`	`"5s"`	8 credits
General content	`pixverse5.5`	`"8s"`	12.8 credits
Professional quality	`veo3.1_fast`	`"6s"`	60 credits
Premium cinematic	`veo3.1`	`"8s"`	160 credits

Start with pixverse5.5 for iteration, then switch to veo3.1_fast or veo3.1 for production.

Manage AI Credit Budget

Video generation can consume credits quickly. Plan your budget:

Use shorter durations when possible — 4s is often enough for a single scene
Use pixverse5.5 for scenes where basic motion is sufficient
Reserve veo3.1 for hero scenes that need premium quality
Mix AI video clips with AI images or stock visuals across scenes to manage costs

Plan for Processing Time

AI video generation takes significantly longer than image generation:

pixverse5.5: Fastest video generation
veo3.1_fast: Moderate processing time
veo3.1: Longest processing time but highest quality
Multiple scenes with AI video clips will multiply total processing time
Consider using AI video for key scenes only

Check Aspect Ratio Compatibility

Not all models support all aspect ratios:

pixverse5.5 supports 16:9, 9:16, 1:1
veo3.1_fast and veo3.1 only support 16:9 and 9:16
If your video uses 1:1 aspect ratio, use pixverse5.5
The system auto-corrects unsupported aspect ratios to the model’s default

Troubleshooting

Generated Video Does Not Show Expected Motion

Add motion-specific language to your prompt: “slowly panning”, “zooming in”, “flowing”
Avoid static descriptions — describe what is happening, not just what is there
Try a higher-quality model for more nuanced motion rendering

Error: Invalid videoDuration for model

Each model has specific valid durations:

pixverse5.5: "5s", "8s", "10s"
veo3.1_fast: "4s", "6s", "8s"
veo3.1: "4s", "6s", "8s"

Make sure you use a duration supported by your selected model.

Error: Invalid background configuration

// Correct
background: {
  type: "video",
  aiVisual: {
    model: "pixverse5.5",
    videoDuration: "5s"
  }
}

// Wrong — type must be "video" for video models
background: {
  type: "image",
  aiVisual: {
    model: "pixverse5.5",
    videoDuration: "5s"
  }
}

// Wrong — missing type
background: {
  aiVisual: {
    model: "veo3.1",
    videoDuration: "6s"
  }
}

// Wrong — mixing background types
background: {
  type: "video",
  visualUrl: "https://...",
  aiVisual: { model: "pixverse5.5" }
}

Error: Insufficient AI credits

Video generation costs AI credits per second. Check your balance:

A veo3.1 clip at "8s" costs 160 credits per scene
Switch to pixverse5.5 at "5s" (8 credits) for budget-friendly generation
Reduce videoDuration to lower the cost

Unsupported aspect ratio warning

If you specify an aspect ratio not supported by the video model, the system automatically falls back to the model’s default:

veo3.1 / veo3.1_fast only support 16:9 and 9:16
Use pixverse5.5 for 16:9, 9:16, and 1:1 aspect ratios

Next Steps

AI-Generated Background Images

Use AI-generated images 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 Will Learn

AI Video Generation

Video Models

Duration Control

AI Credit Costs

​Before You Begin

​How It Works

​Configuration Reference

​Background Object

​aiVisual Parameters

​Available Video Models

​Duration Options

​Supported Aspect Ratios

​AI Credit Cost Calculator

​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 Background Images

AI Voice-Over

Brand Settings

Background Music

​API Reference

Render Storyboard Video

Create Storyboard Preview

Get Storyboard Preview Job

Search Media

What You Will Learn

Before You Begin

How It Works

Configuration Reference

Background Object

`aiVisual` Parameters

Available Video Models

Duration Options

Supported Aspect Ratios

AI Credit Cost Calculator

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