video-gen

name	video-gen
description	AI video generation for social media using Kling v1.6 (image-to-video) and Stable Video Diffusion (fallback). Motion types, artistic direction, brand-specific prompting, parameter mastery. Used by Frontend Designer for social video posts.

Video Generation — Social Video Creative Director

Core Principle

Generate short-form (5-10s) brand-consistent social videos by animating existing Superdots-branded static images. The image-to-video pipeline ensures brand consistency: the first frame IS a Superdots image, so the video inherits the brand DNA automatically.

Pipeline

Brand image (existing or generated) → Image-to-video AI → MP4 → Postiz CDN

Script: node scripts/tools/generate-social-video.mjs

When to Use

• Social post format is video
• Growth Analyst recommends video format for high-engagement topics
• Creating Stories/Reels content
• Animating existing carousel or hero images for repurposing

Quick Start

cd /home/luca/superdots-blog

# Generate video from existing image
node scripts/tools/generate-social-video.mjs \
  --slug "<slug>" \
  --department "<dept>" \
  --title "<article title>" \
  --source-image "<cdn-url-of-existing-image>" \
  --motion ambient \
  --duration 5 \
  --platform linkedin

# Generate video with auto-generated first frame
node scripts/tools/generate-social-video.mjs \
  --slug "<slug>" \
  --department "<dept>" \
  --title "<article title>" \
  --motion zoom-in \
  --platform facebook

Output: Postiz CDN URL to stdout.

Models

Kling v1.6 Standard (Primary)

Model: kwaivgi/kling-v1-6-standard via Replicate

The primary model for all social video generation. Image-to-video with strong motion control.

Parameter	Values	Effect
prompt	text (required)	Describes the MOTION, not the scene (the image defines the scene)
image	URL (required)	Source image — the first frame. Brand consistency starts here.
duration	"5" or "10"	5s: social feeds, loops well. 10s: longer narratives.
aspect_ratio	16:9, 1:1, 9:16	16:9 LinkedIn. 1:1 Facebook. 9:16 Stories/Reels.

Cost: ~$0.30/video. Time: 1-3 minutes.

Prompt strategy for Kling:

• Focus on MOTION description, not scene description (the image already defines the scene)
• Be specific about direction: "slow zoom-in", "smooth pan left-to-right"
• Describe what MOVES vs what stays still
• Include brand texture references: "dot-grid pattern", "warm glow pulsing"
• Keep prompts under 50 words — Kling responds better to concise motion descriptions

Stable Video Diffusion (Fallback)

Model: stability-ai/stable-video-diffusion via Replicate

Used when Kling fails (timeout, API error). Lower quality but reliable.

Parameter	Values	Effect
input_image	URL (required)	Source image
motion_bucket_id	1-255	40-80: subtle ambient. 100-127: moderate. 180+: dramatic.
fps	6-30	Always 24 for cinematic feel.
num_frames	14-150	Calculate: duration × fps.

Cost: ~$0.10/video. Time: 30-90 seconds.

Motion Types

ambient — Default, General Purpose

Best for: atmosphere, mood pieces, most social posts.

Subtle ambient movement, gentle floating geometric particles drifting over dot-grid
texture, warm radial glow pulsing softly from bottom-left, atmospheric and sophisticated

SVD motion_bucket_id: 60-80

zoom-in — Data Reveals, Insight Moments

Best for: data articles, analysis pieces, reveal moments.

Slow cinematic zoom-in revealing layered geometric details, warm red glow intensifying
as camera moves in, subtle dot-grid pattern becoming visible in the background

SVD motion_bucket_id: 80-100

pan-left — Process, Workflow, Sequences

Best for: how-to articles, step-by-step guides, process descriptions.

Smooth horizontal pan from right to left, elegant reveal of bold geometric shapes,
warm ambient glow shifting across deep navy backdrop, dot-grid texture drifting with parallax

SVD motion_bucket_id: 100-120

particle — Launches, Announcements, Energy

Best for: new product announcements, high-energy topics, growth posts.

Dynamic dot particles emerging from the focal point in ascending pattern, red and
amber accent glows radiating outward, energetic motion against deep navy, brand mark energy

SVD motion_bucket_id: 120-150

Department-Specific Direction

Department	Accent	Recommended Motion	Mood
Marketing	#E8363B red	particle or zoom-in	Energetic, bold, upward momentum
Sales	#F59E0B amber	ambient or pan-left	Warm, trust-building, flowing
Engineering	#14B8A6 teal	zoom-in or ambient	Precise, structured, clean
HR	#14B8A6 teal	ambient	Connected, people-centered
Finance	#F59E0B amber	pan-left	Orderly, precise, flowing
Operations	#14B8A6 teal	pan-left	Systematic, interlocking, smooth
Legal	#E8363B red	ambient	Balanced, authoritative, calm
Design	#E8363B red	zoom-in	Creative, intentional, revealing
Customer Support	#F59E0B amber	ambient	Warm, responsive, radiating
Strategy	#E8363B red	zoom-in or particle	Visionary, decisive, high-level
Technology	#14B8A6 teal	zoom-in or ambient	Innovative, clean, capable

Brand DNA in Video Prompts

Every video prompt MUST reference these brand elements:

1. Deep navy — the background is always #0B1222 (inherited from source image)
2. Dot-grid texture — mention "dot-grid pattern" or "dot texture" in motion description
3. Warm glow — "warm red glow" or "warm radial glow" — never cold blue
4. Bold shapes — "geometric shapes", "layered planes", "confident composition"
5. No text — "no text, no letters, no logos" (prevent text artifacts in video)

Tips for Better Results

Source Image Quality = 80% of Video Quality

Invest in getting the right first frame. If the static image is wrong, the video will be wrong.

5s > 10s for Social

5-second videos loop seamlessly on LinkedIn and Facebook feeds. 10s only when the motion narrative needs the extra time.

Budget for 1-2 Generations

Cost is ~$0.30/video. Generate once, review. If the motion is wrong, adjust the motion type or prompt and regenerate once. Don't iterate more than twice — diminishing returns.

Avoid Over-Describing

Kling works best with concise motion prompts. Don't describe the scene (the image does that). Don't describe colors or composition. Focus purely on: what moves, how fast, in what direction.

Fallback Strategy

If Kling times out (5-minute limit) or returns an error, the script automatically tries Stable Video Diffusion. SVD produces shorter, lower-quality videos but is more reliable. The agent should report which model was used in their comment.

Timeout and Error Handling

• Kling timeout: 5 minutes max (configurable via VIDEO_TIMEOUT_MS)
• SVD timeout: 5 minutes max (same)
• Download timeout: 60 seconds for video download
• Upload timeout: 30 seconds for Postiz CDN upload
• If both models fail, report the error and suggest retrying later or using a static image instead