Pet and animal comedy: prompt recipes

Animal comedy: a deadpan narrator, a reacting animal, an absurd moment, a looping last frame. Real animal series we made used a costlier path, so these recipes adapt the ideas to the standard 40-credit draft path.

5 recipes on this page: 0 verified, 5 untested. Our videos are AI-generated and say so when we post them. Connect AutoShort first with the steps on the MCP page, then paste a brief into Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor or Gemini CLI.

How to read a recipe

  • Verified means a real video was made through the product from this recipe or its direct predecessor, and the card links the public video and states the honest result, including low view counts.
  • Untested means we have not rendered a video from it yet. Drafting, editing and pricing are free; rendering costs credits.
  • The brief builds a draft you read before anything is charged. The assistant should call autoshort_render_draft only after you say yes. Prices come from the live price list: see pricing and costs. You can try the script step free on the free script preview.

Honest limits for this channel type

  • One animal per scene unless two are named: unrequested extra animals failed an episode.
  • Name the pose; models default to the pose they saw most.

Recipes (5)

A gentle storybook episode with two original animal characters that must look the same in every scene.

Untested. We have not rendered a video from this brief yet. Rendering costs credits, so it has not been run; the draft steps (scenes, edits, price quote) are free.

Hook (nine words or fewer)

“A paper fox crosses a very wet garden.”

Frame 1, already in motion

An orange paper fox mid-step on a wet leaf, raindrops already hitting it.

The brief to paste

Make a 60-second storybook mini-episode with AutoShort. Art style WATERCOLOR, 9:16, English narration (language en).

Hook, my first spoken line and first caption: "A paper fox crosses a very wet garden."
Frame 1 is already moving: an orange paper fox mid-step on a wet leaf, raindrops hitting it.

Scenes, one idea each:
1. Hook: Pip the fox steps out into the rain.
2. Pip sees a glowing window across the garden.
3. Pip tries the open path and gets soaked.
4. Moss the snail appears with a tiny lantern on its shell.
5. Moss shows a dry way under the leaves.
6. They walk it together, slowly.
7. They arrive at the window. A warm, cosy ending.

Look of every image: soft storybook watercolour. Character lock, repeated at the start of every scene visual: "Pip, a curious fox made of folded orange paper, sharp ears, white paper tail tip; Moss, a sleepy green snail with a tiny lantern on its shell". Exactly one or two characters per scene, never a third animal. No people, no writing in images.
Ending: A warm and cosy last line.
Keep both characters looking identical in every scene. If a scene visual would show a third creature, remove it.

Write the scenes yourself and show me the narration and the visual of every scene before anything renders. Keep the narration to about 145 words. Price it with autoshort_estimate_cost. Render only after I say yes.
Art style
WATERCOLOR (Watercolor). Storybook look from the repo template. The character description must be repeated in each scene visual: the product only locks a character automatically for STICKMAN.
Length and format
60 seconds, 9:16.
Language
Narration: English (en).
Voice
Not selectable on the draft path: the product narrates with its default voice. Steer the delivery with short sentences and plain punctuation; premium ElevenLabs voices are a separate paid option (see the options table). A gentle narrator comes from short sentences.
Caption look
Picked automatically through MCP. In the dashboard's Motion graphics (beta) style, the "Paper" look is the first one listed for this genre.
Estimated cost
40 credits (about $0.63 on the Starter plan, $0.80 at the $0.02-per-credit list rate). Ask for the price first: autoshort_estimate_cost quotes it for free.
Tools it triggers
  • autoshort_list_options
  • autoshort_draft_video
  • autoshort_get_draft
  • autoshort_update_draft
  • autoshort_estimate_cost
  • autoshort_render_draft

Visual direction for the images

  • Paste the same character description (colour, material, one marking) at the start of every scene visual. The visual limit per scene is 600 characters; keep the description to about 150.
  • One subject per scene wherever the story allows it. Duos drift: name exactly who is in the frame.
  • Ask for the pose you want ("on all four paws"), because models default to the pose they see most.
  • Rain and lantern light give a continuous look; use them in every scene.

Two variations

Bedtime, 45 seconds: “Pip the fox cannot sleep tonight.”

Same characters, a slower bedtime story that ends with Pip asleep.

Make a 45-second bedtime storybook episode with AutoShort. Art style WATERCOLOR, 9:16, English narration (language en).

Hook, my first spoken line and first caption: "Pip the fox cannot sleep tonight."
Frame 1 is already moving: an orange paper fox turning over in a leaf bed, eyes wide open, a lantern glowing nearby.

Scenes, one idea each:
1. Hook: Pip turns over again.
2. Moss the snail glides by with a lantern.
3. Moss shows Pip the slowest, calmest way to breathe.
4. They watch the rain on the window.
5. Pip falls asleep. Moss keeps the lantern low.

Look of every image: soft storybook watercolour, character lock "Pip, a curious fox made of folded orange paper; Moss, a sleepy green snail with a tiny lantern" at the start of every scene visual, no people, no writing in images.
Ending: A hushed last line.

Write the scenes yourself and show me the narration and the visual of every scene before anything renders. Keep the narration to about 108 words. Price it with autoshort_estimate_cost. Render only after I say yes.
Comedy beat, 30 seconds: “Pip tried to outrun the rain. The rain won.”

A single joke: the fox is wetter every scene.

Make a 30-second comedy storybook short with AutoShort. Art style WATERCOLOR, 9:16, English narration (language en).

Hook, my first spoken line and first caption: "Pip tried to outrun the rain. The rain won."
Frame 1 is already moving: an orange paper fox sprinting along a garden path, raindrops splashing behind.

Scenes, one idea each:
1. Hook: the sprint.
2. A puddle appears. Pip leaps. Pip lands in it.
3. Pip wrings out its tail.
4. Moss the snail passes, dry under a leaf.
5. Moss says nothing. Pip says nothing.

Look of every image: soft storybook watercolour, character lock "Pip, a fox made of folded orange paper; Moss, a green snail with a tiny lantern" at the start of every scene visual, no people, no writing in images.
Ending: A deadpan last line.

Write the scenes yourself and show me the narration and the visual of every scene before anything renders. Keep the narration to about 70 words. Price it with autoshort_estimate_cost. Render only after I say yes.

Do not

  • Do not describe two animals as one character sheet or one scene when you can avoid it: a second, unrequested animal appeared in a shot and failed an episode.

    What we saw: Shot 4 showed a second, small capybara-like animal next to the main one and a distorted body; the episode failed QA and was not posted. (our note: qa-dumpling-ep4.md, line 29.)

  • Do not leave the pose to the model: a character drawn upright in every view stood up whenever it was startled.

    What we saw: The animal was drawn upright in every reference view, so the model stood her up when startled; "on all four legs" is the fix. (our note: qa-dumpling-ep1.md, line 64.)

  • Do not open "In a soft watercolour world..." on a wide forest group shot.

    What we saw: A bedtime story opened on a wide establishing frame and a 16-plus-word "In a soft watercolour world..." first sentence. (our note: hook-first-2026-10-26.md, line 20.)

  • Do not let the look change between scenes: name the same style words and light in every visual.

    What we saw: The look drifted between realistic fur in some shots and cartoon in others. (our note: qa-dumpling-ep1.md, line 47.)

Related real videos (not made from this recipe)

Also see Kids-safe bedtime stories use case, all prompts and what each step costs.

A deadpan narrator, an invented cat named Biscuit, three escalating beats and a punchline.

Untested. We have not rendered a video from this brief yet. Rendering costs credits, so it has not been run; the draft steps (scenes, edits, price quote) are free.

Hook (nine words or fewer)

“Biscuit declares war on the robot vacuum.”

Frame 1, already in motion

An orange tabby cat crouched low, tail twitching, a round robot vacuum gliding straight toward it.

The brief to paste

Make a 30-second funny animal story with AutoShort. Art style COMIC_BOOK, 9:16, English narration (language en).

Hook, my first spoken line and first caption: "Biscuit declares war on the robot vacuum."
Frame 1 is already moving: an orange tabby cat crouched low, tail twitching, a round robot vacuum gliding toward it.

Scenes, one idea each:
1. Hook: the standoff.
2. Beat 1: Biscuit swats at the vacuum and it spins away.
3. Beat 2: Biscuit sits on the vacuum to stop it. It carries the cat across the room.
4. Beat 3: Biscuit tries to out-clean it with a tiny sweeping paw.
5. Punchline: Biscuit falls asleep on top of the vacuum and gets a free ride.

Look of every image: bold comic-book colours. Character lock repeated at the start of every scene visual: "Biscuit, a plump orange tabby cat with one white front paw and a green collar". Exactly one cat and one vacuum in every scene, on all four paws. No people, no text.
Ending: Deadpan punchline in the last sentence, then stop.
Deadpan narrator: short, flat sentences. One joke per scene.

Write the scenes yourself and show me the narration and the visual of every scene before anything renders. Keep the narration to about 70 words. Price it with autoshort_estimate_cost. Render only after I say yes.
Art style
COMIC_BOOK (Comic Book). Bold and cartoon, which hides small inconsistencies better than photographic fur.
Length and format
30 seconds, 9:16.
Language
Narration: English (en).
Voice
Not selectable on the draft path: the product narrates with its default voice. Steer the delivery with short sentences and plain punctuation; premium ElevenLabs voices are a separate paid option (see the options table). Deadpan comes from flat, short sentences.
Caption look
Picked automatically through MCP. In the dashboard's Motion graphics (beta) style, the "Bold" look is the first one listed for this genre.
Estimated cost
40 credits (about $0.63 on the Starter plan, $0.80 at the $0.02-per-credit list rate). Ask for the price first: autoshort_estimate_cost quotes it for free.
Tools it triggers
  • autoshort_list_options
  • autoshort_draft_video
  • autoshort_get_draft
  • autoshort_update_draft
  • autoshort_estimate_cost
  • autoshort_render_draft

Visual direction for the images

  • Repeat the character line at the start of every scene visual. The same words keep the same cat.
  • State "exactly one cat and one vacuum" in each visual. An unrequested second animal failed one of our episodes.
  • State the pose (on all four paws, crouched, sitting). Do not leave posture to the model.
  • Keep the vacuum round and grey in every scene so it reads as the same object.

Two variations

Loop ending: “Biscuit and the vacuum start again.”

End on the frame that opened the video so the clip replays smoothly.

Make a 30-second funny animal story with AutoShort. Art style COMIC_BOOK, 9:16, English narration (language en).

Hook, my first spoken line and first caption: "Biscuit and the vacuum start again."
Frame 1 is already moving: an orange tabby cat crouched low, a round robot vacuum gliding toward it.

Scenes, one idea each:
1. Hook: the standoff.
2. Biscuit swats; the vacuum spins.
3. Biscuit rides the vacuum across the room.
4. Biscuit sleeps on top of it.
5. The vacuum glides back to where it started. Biscuit crouches again, same pose as frame 1.

Look of every image: bold comic-book colours, character lock "Biscuit, a plump orange tabby cat with one white front paw and a green collar" in every scene visual, exactly one cat and one vacuum, no people, no text.
Ending: The last frame matches the first.

Write the scenes yourself and show me the narration and the visual of every scene before anything renders. Keep the narration to about 70 words. Price it with autoshort_estimate_cost. Render only after I say yes.
Different pair: “The goose has decided the lawnmower is rude.”

Swap the cat and the vacuum for a goose and a lawnmower; same escalation.

Make a 30-second funny animal story with AutoShort. Art style COMIC_BOOK, 9:16, English narration (language en).

Hook, my first spoken line and first caption: "The goose has decided the lawnmower is rude."
Frame 1 is already moving: a white goose hissing with wings spread, a small red lawnmower rolling toward it.

Scenes, one idea each:
1. Hook: the standoff.
2. Beat 1: the goose herds the mower away from the flowers.
3. Beat 2: the mower ignores it and cuts a perfect stripe.
4. Beat 3: the goose stands on the stripe, victorious.
5. Punchline: the goose naps on the warm lawnmower.

Look of every image: bold comic-book colours, character lock "a white goose with an orange beak" in every scene visual, exactly one goose and one mower, no people, no text.
Ending: Deadpan last line.

Write the scenes yourself and show me the narration and the visual of every scene before anything renders. Keep the narration to about 70 words. Price it with autoshort_estimate_cost. Render only after I say yes.

Do not

  • Do not write "a cat and a dog" or any duo into one visual without saying who is in frame. A second, unrequested animal turned up in a shot.

    What we saw: Shot 4 showed a second, small capybara-like animal next to the main one and a distorted body; the episode failed QA and was not posted. (our note: qa-dumpling-ep4.md, line 29.)

  • Do not leave the pose open ("startled cat"): a model stands an animal up when it was drawn upright in the reference.

    What we saw: The animal was drawn upright in every reference view, so the model stood her up when startled; "on all four legs" is the fix. (our note: qa-dumpling-ep1.md, line 64.)

  • Do not change the style words between scenes.

    What we saw: The look drifted between realistic fur in some shots and cartoon in others. (our note: qa-dumpling-ep1.md, line 47.)

Also see Pet and animal comedy use case, all prompts and what each step costs.

One absurd moment already happening in frame 1, a fixed wide-eyed reactor in the corner, and a last frame that matches the first.

Untested. We have not rendered a video from this brief yet. Rendering costs credits, so it has not been run; the draft steps (scenes, edits, price quote) are free.

Hook (nine words or fewer)

“Why is the goat on the piano?!”

Frame 1, already in motion

A goat standing on a grand piano mid-note, a small grey rabbit in the corner staring wide-eyed.

The brief to paste

Make a 15-second absurd comedy loop with AutoShort. Art style COMIC_BOOK, 9:16, English narration (language en).

Hook, my first spoken line and first caption: "Why is the goat on the piano?!"
Frame 1 is already moving: a goat standing on a grand piano, hooves mid-note, a small grey rabbit in the corner staring wide-eyed.

Scenes, one idea each:
1. The goat already on the piano, hooves on the keys. No build-up.
2. Reaction: the rabbit, wide-eyed, same corner, same pose.
3. The goat plays louder; the piano lid slams shut on its own.
4. Peak: the goat balances on one hoof for one beat.
5. Cut back to the opening frame so the clip loops.

Look of every image: bold comic-book colours, character lock "a brown goat with one white ear" and "a small grey rabbit with huge round eyes" in every scene visual. Exactly one goat and one rabbit, one piano, no people, no text.
Ending: The last image matches the first.
One big caption line of 3 to 5 words in the first second, no karaoke feel.

Write the scenes yourself and show me the narration and the visual of every scene before anything renders. Keep the narration to about 33 words. Price it with autoshort_estimate_cost. Render only after I say yes.
Art style
COMIC_BOOK (Comic Book). Cartoon colours hide the drift that fur and faces show in photographic styles.
Length and format
15 seconds, 9:16.
Language
Narration: English (en).
Voice
Not selectable on the draft path: the product narrates with its default voice. Steer the delivery with short sentences and plain punctuation; premium ElevenLabs voices are a separate paid option (see the options table). Keep narration to one or two short lines per scene.
Caption look
Picked automatically through MCP.
Estimated cost
40 credits (about $0.63 on the Starter plan, $0.80 at the $0.02-per-credit list rate). Ask for the price first: autoshort_estimate_cost quotes it for free.
Tools it triggers
  • autoshort_list_options
  • autoshort_draft_video
  • autoshort_get_draft
  • autoshort_update_draft
  • autoshort_estimate_cost
  • autoshort_render_draft

Visual direction for the images

  • Describe the prop by shape, colour and size ("a round red push-button the size of a coin on a grey box"). A vague "red button" came back as a glossy red ball.
  • The reactor sits in the same corner with the same pose in scenes 2 and 5.
  • Write scene 5 as a copy of scene 1 with the same words.
  • One subject per scene wherever possible; name exactly who is in frame.

Two variations

Different absurd action: “Why is a penguin doing the taxes?!”

Swap the action and the actors; keep the five-beat shape.

Make a 15-second absurd comedy loop with AutoShort. Art style COMIC_BOOK, 9:16, English narration (language en).

Hook, my first spoken line and first caption: "Why is a penguin doing the taxes?!"
Frame 1 is already moving: a penguin at a desk covered in paper, a calculator in its flipper, a sleepy sloth watching from a corner.

Scenes, one idea each:
1. The penguin already mid-calculation.
2. Reaction: the sloth blinks once.
3. The paper pile gets taller.
4. Peak: the penguin stamps a form and the pile topples.
5. Back to the opening frame.

Look of every image: bold comic-book colours, character lock "a penguin in a blue tie" and "a sleepy brown sloth" in every scene visual, exactly one of each, no people, no readable text on any paper.
Ending: The last image matches the first.

Write the scenes yourself and show me the narration and the visual of every scene before anything renders. Keep the narration to about 33 words. Price it with autoshort_estimate_cost. Render only after I say yes.
Reactor only: “Why is the rabbit holding a kettle?!”

The reactor is the star; the absurd thing is one object.

Make a 15-second absurd comedy loop with AutoShort. Art style COMIC_BOOK, 9:16, English narration (language en).

Hook, my first spoken line and first caption: "Why is the rabbit holding a kettle?!"
Frame 1 is already moving: a small grey rabbit holding a whistling kettle in both paws, steam rising.

Scenes, one idea each:
1. The rabbit already holding the whistling kettle.
2. Close on the rabbit's wide eyes.
3. The kettle whistles louder; the rabbit does not move.
4. Peak: steam blows the rabbit's ears back.
5. Back to the opening frame.

Look of every image: bold comic-book colours, character lock "a small grey rabbit with huge round eyes" in every scene visual, exactly one rabbit and one kettle, no people, no text.
Ending: The last image matches the first.

Write the scenes yourself and show me the narration and the visual of every scene before anything renders. Keep the narration to about 33 words. Price it with autoshort_estimate_cost. Render only after I say yes.

Do not

  • Do not call the prop "a red button" and leave it there: describe its shape and size.

    What we saw: QA note: the red prop reads as a glossy red ball, not a button. (our note: manifest.json, line 43.)

  • Do not leave out "exactly one" for each subject: a second animal appeared in an episode and failed it.

    What we saw: Shot 4 showed a second, small capybara-like animal next to the main one and a distorted body; the episode failed QA and was not posted. (our note: qa-dumpling-ep4.md, line 29.)

  • Do not change the style words between scenes.

    What we saw: The look drifted between realistic fur in some shots and cartoon in others. (our note: qa-dumpling-ep1.md, line 47.)

Related real videos (not made from this recipe)

Also see Pet and animal comedy use case, all prompts and what each step costs.

A deadpan narrator over a calm animal, five shots, a gag as the last beat.

Untested. Our real Dumpling Does Nothing episodes were made with Character Studio (animated AI clips, 304 credits per episode in our test), not with this standard 40-credit draft path, so they do not verify this brief.

Hook (nine words or fewer)

“This is Dumpling. Dumpling has one job.”

Frame 1, already in motion

A round capybara seated on a sunny riverbank, eyes half-closed, grass moving in a breeze, camera pushing in.

The brief to paste

Make a 30-second documentary animal comedy with AutoShort. Art style COMIC_BOOK, 9:16, English narration (language en).

Hook, my first spoken line and first caption: "This is Dumpling. Dumpling has one job."
Frame 1 is already moving: a round capybara seated on a sunny riverbank, eyes half-closed, grass moving in a breeze, camera pushing in.

Scenes, one idea each:
1. Hook: the capybara in a calm, funny pose, looking at camera.
2. The tiny task appears: a coconut hangs above her.
3. She ignores it with total calm.
4. Chaos builds around her. She does not move.
5. Punchline: she makes one small move, on all four legs.

Look of every image: bold comic-book colours. Character lock repeated at the start of every scene visual: "Dumpling, a round coffee-brown capybara with a pale muzzle, small low ears and sleepy half-closed eyes". Exactly one animal per scene, on all four legs. No people, no text.
Ending: Punchline: one deadpan line over the last shot, then stop.
Narrator is a calm nature-documentary deadpan: short sentences, no exclamation marks.

Write the scenes yourself and show me the narration and the visual of every scene before anything renders. Keep the narration to about 70 words. Price it with autoshort_estimate_cost. Render only after I say yes.
Art style
COMIC_BOOK (Comic Book). Our real Dumpling episodes used another, costlier path; this recipe adapts the idea to the standard draft path with a cartoon style.
Length and format
30 seconds, 9:16.
Language
Narration: English (en).
Voice
Not selectable on the draft path: the product narrates with its default voice. Steer the delivery with short sentences and plain punctuation; premium ElevenLabs voices are a separate paid option (see the options table). Deadpan comes from flat, short sentences.
Caption look
Picked automatically through MCP.
Estimated cost
40 credits (about $0.63 on the Starter plan, $0.80 at the $0.02-per-credit list rate). Ask for the price first: autoshort_estimate_cost quotes it for free.
Tools it triggers
  • autoshort_list_options
  • autoshort_draft_video
  • autoshort_get_draft
  • autoshort_update_draft
  • autoshort_estimate_cost
  • autoshort_render_draft

Visual direction for the images

  • Put the same character line first in every scene visual.
  • Write "exactly one animal" and name the pose in each visual. An upright reference pose made the model stand the animal up when startled.
  • Calm beats should look different from each other (water, mud, coconut, rock) so the six images are not six copies.
  • Keep any caption area clear: captions sit at about 68-76 % of frame height.

Two variations

A different calm animal: “This is Moth. Moth has one job.”

A sloth with one job; same five beats.

Make a 30-second documentary animal comedy with AutoShort. Art style COMIC_BOOK, 9:16, English narration (language en).

Hook, my first spoken line and first caption: "This is Moth. Moth has one job."
Frame 1 is already moving: a grey sloth hanging from a branch, one arm slowly reaching for a leaf, camera pushing in.

Scenes, one idea each:
1. Hook: the sloth hanging calmly.
2. The task: one leaf, just out of reach.
3. The sloth ignores a passing storm.
4. A parade of birds lands on the branch. The sloth does not move.
5. Punchline: one claw closes on the leaf.

Look of every image: bold comic-book colours, character lock "Moth, a grey sloth with a pale face and long curved claws" in every scene visual, exactly one sloth per scene, no people, no text.
Ending: Deadpan last line.

Write the scenes yourself and show me the narration and the visual of every scene before anything renders. Keep the narration to about 70 words. Price it with autoshort_estimate_cost. Render only after I say yes.
Reaction-first: “Dumpling has seen this coconut before.”

Open on the reaction, then show what she is reacting to.

Make a 30-second documentary animal comedy with AutoShort. Art style COMIC_BOOK, 9:16, English narration (language en).

Hook, my first spoken line and first caption: "Dumpling has seen this coconut before."
Frame 1 is already moving: a round capybara's face in close-up, one eyebrow lifting slowly, camera pushing in.

Scenes, one idea each:
1. Hook over the lifted eyebrow.
2. Pull back: a coconut hangs above her.
3. She does not move.
4. The coconut falls; she does not move.
5. Punchline: she moves one inch to the left.

Look of every image: bold comic-book colours, character lock "Dumpling, a round coffee-brown capybara with a pale muzzle, small low ears and sleepy half-closed eyes" in every scene visual, exactly one animal, no people, no text.
Ending: Deadpan last line.

Write the scenes yourself and show me the narration and the visual of every scene before anything renders. Keep the narration to about 70 words. Price it with autoshort_estimate_cost. Render only after I say yes.

Do not

  • Do not name two animals in the visual unless both are meant to be in the frame; a second unrequested animal failed an episode.

    What we saw: Shot 4 showed a second, small capybara-like animal next to the main one and a distorted body; the episode failed QA and was not posted. (our note: qa-dumpling-ep4.md, line 29.)

  • Do not leave the pose to the model ("startled" stood the animal upright).

    What we saw: The animal was drawn upright in every reference view, so the model stood her up when startled; "on all four legs" is the fix. (our note: qa-dumpling-ep1.md, line 64.)

  • Do not mix style words between scenes: the look drifted between realistic and cartoon in one episode.

    What we saw: The look drifted between realistic fur in some shots and cartoon in others. (our note: qa-dumpling-ep1.md, line 47.)

  • Do not rely on a second caption line unless you check the finished video: it was dropped twice.

    What we saw: captionSecondaryLanguage "vi" was sent but no Vietnamese caption line was burned in. (our note: qa-dumpling-ep4.md, line 34.)

Related real videos (not made from this recipe)

  • Dumpling Does Nothing, ep 3 (Character Studio path, 304 credits for episode 1)

    Real video from our own account on a different, costlier path. YouTube: 4 views at the 28 Oct read. Instagram reel: 143 grid views. The Dumpling YouTube channel's median at the time was 5 views. Episode 4 of the same series failed QA for a second animal in shot 4 and was not posted.

    Our note: measurements-2026-10-28-autoshort.md, line 17,23.

Also see Pet and animal comedy use case, all prompts and what each step costs.

An emotional pet storyline in six slow beats that ends before the decision. Adapted: every scene needs a short line of narration.

Untested. We have not rendered a video from this brief yet. Rendering costs credits, so it has not been run; the draft steps (scenes, edits, price quote) are free.

Hook (nine words or fewer)

“Mochi came home. The bowl was gone.”

Frame 1, already in motion

A small white dog standing in an empty kitchen doorway, ears down, staring at the spot where a bowl used to be.

The brief to paste

Make a 60-second pet drama with AutoShort. Art style OIL_PAINTING, 9:16, English narration (language en).

Hook, my first spoken line and first caption: "Mochi came home. The bowl was gone."
Frame 1 is already moving: a small white dog in an empty kitchen doorway, ears down, staring at a bare spot on the floor.

Scenes, one idea each:
1. Frame 1 is the emotional peak: Mochi and the empty spot.
2. Earlier that day: the bowl being carried away by a larger black cat.
3. The black cat returns, carrying the bowl, and stops.
4. They face each other across the kitchen. No violence.
5. The cat sets the bowl down between them.
6. Cliffhanger: Mochi steps forward. What happens next is not shown.

Look of every image: painterly oil-painting look, warm kitchen light. Character lock at the start of every scene visual: "Mochi, a small white dog with one brown ear" and "a large black cat with green eyes". Exactly the characters named in each scene, no people, no writing.
Ending: End at the decision. Put "Part 2" in the next post, not in the video.
Every scene gets one short sentence of narration, at most 12 words. A draft cannot be wordless.

Write the scenes yourself and show me the narration and the visual of every scene before anything renders. Keep the narration to about 145 words. Price it with autoshort_estimate_cost. Render only after I say yes.
Art style
OIL_PAINTING (Oil Painting). Painterly and emotional; the repo schema lists it. The original format has no spoken words, which a draft cannot do.
Length and format
60 seconds, 9:16.
Language
Narration: English (en).
Voice
Not selectable on the draft path: the product narrates with its default voice. Steer the delivery with short sentences and plain punctuation; premium ElevenLabs voices are a separate paid option (see the options table). Keep the narrator quiet: one short sentence per scene.
Caption look
Picked automatically through MCP.
Estimated cost
40 credits (about $0.63 on the Starter plan, $0.80 at the $0.02-per-credit list rate). Ask for the price first: autoshort_estimate_cost quotes it for free.
Tools it triggers
  • autoshort_list_options
  • autoshort_draft_video
  • autoshort_get_draft
  • autoshort_update_draft
  • autoshort_estimate_cost
  • autoshort_render_draft

Visual direction for the images

  • Frame 1 shows the peak: a clear face and a clear problem.
  • Cast pets, not humans. Humanised emotion comes from posture and light.
  • Name who is in each frame; two characters is the maximum.
  • No violence, no child characters.

Two variations

30 seconds, four beats: “The window was open. Mochi was not there.”

A shorter drama with the same cliffhanger shape.

Make a 30-second pet drama with AutoShort. Art style OIL_PAINTING, 9:16, English narration (language en).

Hook, my first spoken line and first caption: "The window was open. Mochi was not there."
Frame 1 is already moving: a curtain blowing in an open window, an empty dog bed beneath it.

Scenes, one idea each:
1. Frame 1: open window and empty bed.
2. The black cat watching from the garden wall.
3. Muddy paw prints on the sill.
4. Cliffhanger: a small white dog looks back over its shoulder at the camera.

Look of every image: painterly oil-painting look, character lock "Mochi, a small white dog with one brown ear" and "a large black cat with green eyes", no people, no writing.
Ending: End before the answer.

Write the scenes yourself and show me the narration and the visual of every scene before anything renders. Keep the narration to about 70 words. Price it with autoshort_estimate_cost. Render only after I say yes.
Comic version: “Mochi has questions about the missing sock.”

Swap the emotion for suspense with a comic payoff.

Make a 30-second pet comedy drama with AutoShort. Art style COMIC_BOOK, 9:16, English narration (language en).

Hook, my first spoken line and first caption: "Mochi has questions about the missing sock."
Frame 1 is already moving: a small white dog glaring at a lone sock on a floor, one brow raised.

Scenes, one idea each:
1. Frame 1: Mochi and the sock.
2. The black cat looks away too casually.
3. Muddy paw prints lead behind the sofa.
4. Cliffhanger: Mochi peeks behind the sofa.

Look of every image: bold comic-book colours, character lock "Mochi, a small white dog with one brown ear" and "a large black cat with green eyes", no people, no writing.
Ending: End before the reveal.

Write the scenes yourself and show me the narration and the visual of every scene before anything renders. Keep the narration to about 70 words. Price it with autoshort_estimate_cost. Render only after I say yes.

Do not

  • Do not plan a fully wordless video here: every scene of a draft needs narration text.

    What we saw: Every draft scene needs narration text; a draft cannot be wordless. (our note: drafts.ts, line 359.)

  • Do not add a third character "for drama". Extra animals appeared unrequested and failed a shot.

    What we saw: Shot 4 showed a second, small capybara-like animal next to the main one and a distorted body; the episode failed QA and was not posted. (our note: qa-dumpling-ep4.md, line 29.)

  • Do not let the main character change between episodes: our own drama series changed its lead.

    What we saw: The lead of a drama series was a different person in episode 3 than in episode 2. (our note: quality-benchmark-2026-10-27.md, line 63.)

Also see Pet and animal comedy use case, all prompts and what each step costs.

More

Questions

Did you make Dumpling Does Nothing with these recipes?

No. Dumpling was made with Character Studio, which animates AI clips and cost 304 credits for the first episode in our test. The recipes here use the standard draft path at 40 credits and are untested.

Why does my second character keep changing?

Models drift when two characters share one description. Repeat each character line at the start of every scene visual and write exactly which characters are in the frame.