Prove that adding one API key (OPENAI_API_KEY) to the zero-key foundation
produces dramatically better videos for ~$0.69 each. Two compositions built:
The Abyss (deep ocean visual essay) and VOID (neural interface product ad).
New tools:
- audio_probe: ffprobe wrapper with probe_duration() helper
- composition_validator: pre-render checks (asset existence, audio-video sync)
- pixabay_music: royalty-free music scraper (no API key needed)
- freesound_music: Freesound API search + download
Remotion upgrades:
- BackgroundImageLayer: AI images behind data scenes with ken-burns + dark overlay
- Gradient support: all 9 components changed from backgroundColor to background CSS
- CaptionOverlay: word spacing fix, WhisperX word-level subtitles
- HeroTitle: reduced overlay opacity so background images show through
Process codified in agent skills:
- compose-director: audio acquisition flow (present user with voice/music/subtitle
options), mandatory pre-render validation, post-render self-review (extract
frames + transcribe + inspect + present findings to user)
- scene-director: narration duration budgeting (word budget from video duration)
- remotion skill: pre-render validation section
- TTS tool: now returns audio_duration_seconds in result
README updated with VOID product ad video embed.
Fix ComparisonCard and CalloutBox dark-theme passthrough in SceneRenderer.
Add 8 demo-props JSON files (3 fixed originals + 5 new compositions).
Update scene-director and compose-director skills with all 10 Remotion
scene types and zero-key rendering guidance. Document the proven
all-dark-background formula in remotion.md. Add cinematic renderer,
onboarding skill, prompt gallery, and demo render script.
- Add cross-pipeline Music Plan requirement to AGENT_GUIDE User-Facing Planning Protocol
- Add Step 5: Music Plan to cinematic idea-director with library/API/BYO options
- Add music plan resolution to cinematic quality gate
- Ensures agent surfaces music situation before production starts, not at asset stage
- Fix Kling URL format: text_to_video → text-to-video (hyphens)
- Fix Kling, MiniMax, Veo: switch from sync fal.run to queue API with polling
- Add Rule Zero to AGENT_GUIDE: all production must go through pipelines
- Make Layer 3 skill reading mandatory before calling generation tools
- Add explicit do-nots: no ad-hoc scripts, no skipping director skills
Remotion is the key fallback when no video gen APIs are configured —
the agent generates images and Remotion animates them into video.
Updated README Composition section and added full Remotion section
to PROVIDERS.md with component list and activation rules.
Two new provider tools following the BaseTool pattern with auto-discovery:
- google_imagen: Imagen 4 image generation via Generative Language REST API
- google_tts: Google Cloud TTS with 700+ voices across 50+ languages
Both share GOOGLE_API_KEY env var. Selectors auto-discover them — no
selector code changes needed. Docs and contract tests updated.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>
