# 🎬 Pictory Coupon Code & MCP Server: Automate AI Videos (20% Off: activatecode) [![MCP Protocol](https://img.shields.io/badge/MCP-Standard%202.0-blue.svg)](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/) [![FastMCP](https://img.shields.io/badge/FastMCP-2.x-green.svg)](https://github.com/jlowin/fastmcp) [![Python](https://img.shields.io/badge/python-3.10%2B-blue.svg)](https://www.python.org/) [![License: MIT](https://img.shields.io/badge/License-MIT-yellow.svg)](https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT) [![Docker Ready](https://img.shields.io/badge/Docker-Ready-2496ED.svg)](https://www.docker.com/) [![Pictory Coupon Code](https://img.shields.io/badge/Coupon%20Code-ACTIVATECODE%20(20%25%20OFF)-orange.svg?style=for-the-badge&logo=tag)](https://softreviewed.com/pictory-ai-coupon-code/)

A universal, production-grade **Model Context Protocol (MCP)** server for [Pictory.ai](https://pictory.ai?ref=activatecode). Connects modern AI assistants and coding agents (**Claude Desktop, Cursor IDE, Cline, Roo Code, Windsurf, ChatGPT, Antigravity**) directly to the complete Pictory cloud video generation studio. Transform scripts or articles into rendered videos, repurpose long-form podcasts into viral short clips (Reels/Shorts/TikToks), overlay realistic AI presenter avatars, search millions of stock B-roll assets, synchronize templates with your Pictory web dashboard, and publish directly to Vimeo and Amazon S3. --- ## ⚡ What This MCP Does (At a Glance) ``` ┌─────────────────────────┐ │ Any AI Assistant / Agent│ │(Claude, Cursor, Antigrav)│ └────────────┬────────────┘ │ (JSON-RPC stdio) ┌────────────▼────────────┐ │ pictory-mcp │ │ FastMCP Universal Server│ └────────────┬────────────┘ │ ┌───────────────┬────────────────┼───────────────┬────────────────┐ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ pictory_video pictory_transcribe pictory_assets pictory_projects pictory_integrations - Script/Render - Long Video Trans - Stock Search - Web Sync CRUD - Vimeo Publish - Storyboard - Viral AI Shorts - Music & Mood - Master Brand - AWS S3 Storage - Avatar Overlay- Timed Subtitles - 300+ Voices Templates - Quotas & Usage - Scene Patching- Highlight Clips - AI Studio Gen - Scene Patches - Job Cleanup ``` --- ## 🚀 Quickstart (1-Minute Setup) ### 1. Get Your Pictory API Key & Exclusive Community Discount To use this MCP server, you need a Pictory account and API key. > [!TIP] > ### 🎁 Exclusive Community Perk: Save ~60% with Verified Coupon Code > If you are setting up or upgrading your Pictory account, you can combine Pictory's **40% annual subscription discount** with our verified partner coupon code **`activatecode`** for an extra **20% recurring discount** (saving up to $94/year): > > * **Verified Coupon Code:** `activatecode` > * **Direct Activation Link:** [Activate 20% Off Pictory AI](https://pictory.ai?ref=activatecode) > * **Step-by-Step Checkout Guide:** For exact walkthrough steps on how to stack the 40% annual discount with the promo code, read our in-depth [Pictory AI coupon code guide](https://softreviewed.com/pictory-ai-coupon-code/). > * **Video Tutorial:** Watch our step-by-step [Pictory coupon code video walkthrough](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCU2YoUb9xQ). > > *Once subscribed, navigate to **Settings** → **API Access** (or visit [https://app.pictory.ai/api-access](https://app.pictory.ai/api-access?ref=activatecode)) and copy your API key.* --- ### 2. Connect to Your AI Client #### 🟣 Option A: Claude Desktop Add to your `claude_desktop_config.json`: * **macOS:** `~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json` * **Windows:** `%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json` ```json { "mcpServers": { "pictory": { "command": "uvx", "args": ["pictory-mcp"], "env": { "PICTORY_API_KEY": "pictai_your_api_key_here" } } } } ``` #### 🔵 Option B: Cursor IDE 1. Open **Settings** → **Features** → **MCP Servers**. 2. Click **+ Add New MCP Server**. 3. Name: `pictory` 4. Type: `command` 5. Command: `uvx pictory-mcp` 6. Environment variable: `PICTORY_API_KEY=pictai_your_api_key_here` #### 🟠 Option C: Cline (VS Code Extension) In VS Code with the [Cline](https://github.com/cline/cline) extension: 1. Open the Cline panel → Click the **MCP Servers** icon (plug icon). 2. Click **Configure MCP Servers** (or open `%APPDATA%\Code\User\globalStorage\saoudrizwan.claude-dev\settings\cline_mcp_settings.json`). 3. Add the `pictory` configuration: ```json { "mcpServers": { "pictory": { "command": "uvx", "args": ["pictory-mcp"], "env": { "PICTORY_API_KEY": "pictai_your_api_key_here" }, "disabled": false, "autoApprove": [] } } } ``` #### 🦘 Option D: Roo Code (VS Code Extension) In VS Code with [Roo Code](https://github.com/RooVetGit/Roo-Code): 1. Open Roo Code settings → **MCP Servers** tab. 2. Edit `cline_mcp_settings.json` (stored in `%APPDATA%\Code\User\globalStorage\rooveterinaryinc.roo-cline\settings\cline_mcp_settings.json`): ```json { "mcpServers": { "pictory": { "command": "uvx", "args": ["pictory-mcp"], "env": { "PICTORY_API_KEY": "pictai_your_api_key_here" } } } } ``` #### 🌊 Option E: Windsurf (Codeium) Add to your `~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json`: ```json { "mcpServers": { "pictory": { "command": "uvx", "args": ["pictory-mcp"], "env": { "PICTORY_API_KEY": "pictai_your_api_key_here" } } } } ``` #### ⚙️ Option F: OpenCode & Continue.dev In `~/.continue/config.json`: ```json { "experimental": { "modelContextProtocolServers": [ { "transport": { "type": "stdio", "command": "uvx", "args": ["pictory-mcp"], "env": { "PICTORY_API_KEY": "pictai_your_api_key_here" } } } ] } } ``` #### 🐳 Option G: Docker MCP Gateway Add to `custom.yaml` or run directly: ```bash docker mcp server enable pictory ``` --- ## 🛠️ Master Tool Reference (5 Consolidated Tools) | Tool | Category | Key Supported Actions | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | `pictory_video` | Video Rendering & Editing | `render_storyboard`, `create_preview`, `render_from_preview`, `render_with_modifications`, `update_elements`, `render_project`, `poll_job` | | `pictory_transcribe` | Transcription & Viral Clips | `transcribe_video`, `poll_transcription`, `automatic_highlights`, `custom_highlights`, `get_subtitles` | | `pictory_assets` | Stock & AI Asset Engine | `search_media`, `search_music`, `list_music_genres`, `list_music_moods`, `list_avatars`, `list_voiceovers`, `list_styles`, `list_fonts`, `generate_ai_image`, `generate_ai_video`, `get_signed_url` | | `pictory_projects` | Project & Template Sync | `list_projects`, `get_project`, `update_project`, `delete_project`, `list_templates`, `get_template`, `create_template`, `update_template`, `delete_template`, `update_scene` | | `pictory_integrations`| Cloud & Account Ops | `get_quota`, `get_aicredits_usage`, `list_vimeo_connections`, `create_vimeo_connection`, `list_aws_connections`, `create_aws_connection`, `clean_job` | --- ## 💡 Practical Automation Use Cases & Workflows Here are 5 real-world automation blueprints you can build immediately with this MCP server: ### 🌟 1. Automated Blog-to-Video Pipeline (Content Repurposing) ``` New Blog Post URL ──▶ Pictory MCP (Scrapes & Summarizes) ──▶ Matches Getty B-Roll + Voiceover ──▶ 1080p MP4 Ready ``` * **How it works:** When a new article is published on WordPress or Ghost, your agent calls `pictory_video` with `"blogUrl": "https://yoursite.com/article"`. Pictory automatically reads the article, extracts the core talking points, generates a multi-scene storyboard, matches Storyblocks B-roll for each sentence, and overlays a synchronized talking-head presenter avatar. * **Result:** Repurpose 1 written article into a professional YouTube video in under 3 minutes with zero video editing software. --- ### 🌟 2. Long Video to Viral Shorts & Reels Generator (9:16) ``` Long Podcast/Webinar ──▶ pictory_transcribe ──▶ AI Engagement Scoring ──▶ Vertical Clip + Karaoke Captions ``` * **How it works:** Pass an existing YouTube video or webinar recording URL to `pictory_transcribe` (`action="transcribe_video"` with `max_duration=60`). Pictory transcribes the full audio, runs sentiment and engagement analysis to detect the most captivating moments, and slices them into 60-second vertical (9:16) clips with dynamic, word-by-word highlighted captions. * **Result:** Generate 5-10 high-converting TikToks, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts from a single podcast. --- ### 🌟 3. Autonomous "Faceless" YouTube Channel Engine ``` AI Writes Script ──▶ pictory_assets (Curate Music & Footage) ──▶ pictory_video (Render) ──▶ Full Video ``` * **How it works:** Your AI assistant (Claude, Cursor, or Cline) writes a compelling 5-minute educational script. The agent queries `pictory_assets` to search for thematic background music (`search_music` by genre or mood like "Inspiring" or "Cinematic") and applies a modern subtitle animation preset (`list_styles`). The agent then compiles the complete project via `render_storyboard`. * **Result:** 100% hands-free faceless video generation for niche YouTube channels, documentation hubs, or educational tutorials. --- ### 🌟 4. Zero-Credit Scene Optimization & A/B Testing ``` create_preview (0 Credits) ──▶ Inspect Thumbnails ──▶ update_scene (Surgical Tweak) ──▶ Final Render ``` * **How it works:** Before rendering, call `pictory_video` (`action="create_preview"`). This gives you complete scene breakdown, thumbnail URLs, and duration timings **without consuming any of your monthly render minutes**. If Scene 2 needs a different hook or Scene 4 needs a different B-roll clip, use `pictory_projects` (`action="update_scene"`) to surgically swap it before triggering the final render. * **Result:** Eliminates wasted credits and lets you A/B test different hooks and titles risk-free. --- ### 🌟 5. Enterprise S3 & Vimeo Auto-Publishing Pipeline ``` Video Render Finished ──▶ pictory_integrations ──▶ Direct Upload to AWS S3 & Vimeo Showcase ``` * **How it works:** Connect your enterprise cloud infrastructure once using `create_aws_connection` or `create_vimeo_connection`. Whenever a video rendering job finishes, Pictory automatically publishes the high-bitrate MP4 directly into your private AWS S3 bucket or Vimeo channel. * **Result:** Complete end-to-end automation from raw text prompt to cloud-hosted streaming delivery. --- ## 💡 Example: URL-to-Video with Talking-Head Avatar Give Pictory a public URL and an avatar configuration — it will automatically scrape the content, generate scenes, match stock B-roll, and overlay a synchronized talking-head presenter: ```json { "videoName": "Article_Showcase", "aspectRatio": "16:9", "avatar": { "avatarId": "Brandon_expressive2_public", "position": "bottom-right", "width": "25%", "borderRadius": "100" }, "voiceOver": { "enabled": true, "aiVoices": [{"speaker": "Martin", "speed": 100, "volume": 100}] }, "backgroundMusic": { "enabled": true, "autoMusic": true, "volume": 0.12 }, "scenes": [ { "blogUrl": "https://softreviewed.com/openai-gpt6-astra-benchmarks/" } ] } ``` --- ## ❓ Frequently Asked Questions & Developer Guide (Complete FAQ) Every question below was answered and verified during live API integration and test runs on the Pictory API v2 production engine: ### 1. Can I turn a blog/website URL into a video with stock footage AND a talking head? **Yes, absolutely!** When you specify `"blogUrl": "https://your-site.com/article"` in a scene, Pictory automatically: 1. Scrapes the article text and summarizes key takeaways into individual scenes. 2. Searches Getty Images & Storyblocks to match dynamic B-roll video for every sentence. 3. Overlays the synchronized talking-head AI avatar (`avatarId`) with real-time lip sync and voice narration across all scenes. ### 2. How can I review scenes before spending my video render credits? Use `pictory_video` with `action="create_preview"`. This generates a **Storyboard Preview Job** that returns scene thumbnails, text breakdowns, and timings **without deducting render minutes**. Once you review and approve the preview, call `action="render_from_preview"` with the `job_id` to render the final 1080p MP4. ### 3. How do I make surgical changes to an individual scene without re-rendering everything? You can edit scenes at any time using: * `pictory_video` (`action="update_elements"`): Send a partial JSON array containing only the scene elements (text, background URL, duration, or font) you wish to modify. * `pictory_projects` (`action="update_scene"`): Target an exact `project_id` and `scene_number` to swap background media or edit the script line while leaving all other scenes untouched. ### 4. Does editing scenes or previewing videos cost credits? **No!** Editing scene text, swapping background assets, adjusting durations, and generating storyboard previews are **100% free** and deduct **zero** video render minutes. Credits are only consumed when a final video is rendered into an MP4 file on Pictory's cloud servers. ### 5. What is the difference between Video Search (`search_media`) and Video Render (`render_storyboard`)? * **`search_media` (Stock Search):** Instantly searches Storyblocks and Getty Images catalogs for stock video footage and returns preview URLs and metadata for inspection. * **`render_storyboard` (Video Render):** Submits a complete multi-scene composition (text, narration audio, avatar, background B-roll, subtitles, and music) to Pictory's cloud rendering engine to stitch everything into a polished 1080p/4K MP4. ### 6. Can projects created via MCP be viewed and edited in the official Pictory web dashboard? **Yes, 100%!** Every storyboard created through this MCP server produces a legitimate `project_id`. You can call `pictory_projects` (`action="get_project"`) or simply log into [app.pictory.ai](https://app.pictory.ai?ref=activatecode) to see your project synchronized in real time. Any change made in the web UI reflects in the API, and vice-versa. ### 7. How do I customize avatar positioning, circular bubbles, and styling? The top-level `avatar` object gives you complete layout control: * **Position:** `"bottom-right"`, `"bottom-left"`, `"center"`, `"top-right"`, `"top-left"`. * **Width:** `"25%"` (floating corner bubble), `"50%"` (split-screen presenter), or `"100%"` (full-screen talking head). * **Border & Shape:** Set `"borderRadius": "100"` for a circular bubble or `"0"` for square. Add `"borderThickness": 3` and `"borderColor": "rgba(255,255,255,1)"` for a crisp white outline. ### 8. Does Pictory support generative AI models (like PixVerse, Stable Diffusion), and how are credits handled? **Yes!** Through `pictory_assets`: * **AI Video:** Generate custom B-roll clips with PixVerse (`action="generate_ai_video"`). * **AI Images:** Generate custom photorealistic images with Recraft or Stable Diffusion (`action="generate_ai_image"`). * **Credit Pool:** AI Studio generations consume your account's monthly **AI Credits** pool, which is tracked separately from your **Video Render Minutes** pool. Check both anytime using `pictory_integrations` (`action="get_aicredits_usage"` and `action="get_quota"`). ### 9. How does background music work, and does it interfere with voiceover? Pictory features intelligent **audio auto-ducking**. When you enable `backgroundMusic` alongside an AI `voiceOver` track, Pictory dynamically lowers the music volume (to ~10-15%) whenever the narrator speaks, and gently swells the volume during natural pauses. You can also search thousands of tracks by mood and genre (`pictory_assets` -> `search_music`). ### 10. Can I turn long YouTube videos or podcasts into viral short clips (Shorts/Reels/TikToks)? **Yes!** Call `pictory_transcribe` with `action="transcribe_video"` and specify a target `max_duration` (e.g., 60 seconds). Pictory transcribes the audio, detects the most viral and engaging hooks using sentence scoring, and outputs vertical (9:16) clips with dynamic word-by-word highlighted captions. ### 11. What is the critical API quirk with highlight extraction (`jobId` in path)? In the official Pictory API v2, highlight extraction endpoints (`GET /v2/transcription/highlights/{jobId}`) require the `jobId` to be provided in the **URL path**, not within the JSON request body. This MCP server handles this URL parameter mapping automatically so you never encounter 404 or 400 parameter errors. ### 12. Can Pictory export rendered videos directly to private cloud storage or Vimeo? **Yes!** Through `pictory_integrations`: * **Vimeo Integration:** Connect your Vimeo account (`create_vimeo_connection`) to automatically push finished videos to Vimeo. * **AWS S3 Storage:** Connect your private AWS S3 bucket (`create_aws_connection`) to automatically archive high-resolution MP4s directly to your own enterprise cloud infrastructure. ### 13. How do I get the maximum discount with the Pictory coupon code? Stack Pictory's built-in 40% annual billing discount with our exclusive community coupon code **`activatecode`** to receive an effective **~60% total discount** (saving up to $94/year). For a complete checkout walkthrough and plan pricing comparison, read our in-depth [Pictory coupon code](https://softreviewed.com/pictory-ai-coupon-code/) guide. --- ## 🧪 Testing & Verification Run the test suite locally: ```bash pytest tests/ ``` All 17 unit tests validate payload serialization, error handling, route matching, and header authentication. --- ## 🤝 Support, Bug Reports & Custom Automations * 🐛 **Found a bug or API quirk?** Open an issue on our [GitHub Issues Tracker](https://github.com/softreviewed/pictory-coupon-code-mcp/issues). * 💼 **Need custom AI video automations, enterprise deployment, or priority bug fixes?** Reach out to us directly via [SoftReviewed Contact](https://softreviewed.com/contact/). ## 📄 License MIT License. Free for personal, commercial, and enterprise integration.