Generating videos within Idomoo can be accomplished in several ways. This article gives a general overview of the various video generation options open to you and includes links to individual workflows.

Generating videos and other types of media with Idomoo is dependent on several factors:

  • If you want to pre-generate all your video links, or if you need fresh on-the-fly data.
  • If you are generating a large amount of videos or just a few.
  • Whether you are using storyboards or scenes.


In order to generate a video you need the following elements:

  1. A storyboard (or another way to define your video, see scene API)
  2. Data
  3. Output settings
  4. Landing page (optional)
  5. Statistics identifier (optional)
  6. File name conventions (optional)


Read below to see which method is best suited for your usage.


Batch

Batch allows you to generate a large amount of videos by selecting a storyboard and uploading a CSV file with the required data. Each row of the CSV file is a video to be rendered.

This process is manual. You download the CSV file, insert the required data, save the file as a CSV and then upload it, this is then used in the video generation process to complete your video with the required parameters. Once the process is complete a response CSV file is created containing all the data you uploaded plus links to the media created. This is called a PURL (personalized URL) file. The PURL file is downloaded manually as well.

Full details of this feature can be found in the How to Generate Videos with Batch article.


SFTP

SFTP is used to automatically upload a CSV file using the Secure File Transfer Protocol. The process is similar to generating a video via Batch, but in this case the process is automatic. An SFTP folder and credentials are created for this account, you can then place CSV files in this folder and they are automatically picked up by Idomoo's platform. The resulting CSV file (called PURL) is saved there when the process is completed and is picked up by you automatically.

This feature's setup is completed manually and is only available through professional services.

Full details of this feature can be found in the How to Generate Videos using SFTP article.


Storyboard API

Storyboard API allows you to generate videos by using an API call on demand. The storyboard holds all the logic rules and stylistic choices. You just need to send the data and decide on what output to use.

This is a great option if you have a developer on hand and you want to achieve on demand video generation in real-time.

Full details of this feature can be found on our developer site here.


Scene API

Scene API is a departure from storyboards. With Scene API you have direct access to the scenes, which are the building blocks of the storyboard. You need a developer here, but by using this lower level method you can achieve almost anything by coding software that integrates with the Idomoo scene API.

Full details of this feature can be found on the developer site here.


Quick Form

Quick Form allows you to generate a single video by manually entering data, and choosing an output format. This only works with storyboards. The primary use of the Quick Form feature is to allow you to quickly generate and share a version of the video in order for the video to be tested or approved.

Full details of this feature can be found in the Generate One-Off Videos with Quick Form article.