Templates#

Templates let you save a movie JSON in your JSON2Video account and reuse it later — replacing only the parts that change per render (text, image URLs, prices, …). They are the fastest way to scale automated video generation: design once, render thousands.

Templates live at json2video.com/dashboard/templates.

TODO: capture screenshot of the templates list and the template editor.

When to use a template vs inline JSON#

Creating a template#

1. Open json2video.com/dashboard/templates.
2. Click Add new template. The template editor opens.
3. Give the template a name and an optional set of tags (categories for filtering in the list view).
4. Build the JSON in one of two modes:
   • Visual — drag-and-drop, same UI as the visual editor.
   • JSON — raw editor with syntax highlighting and validation.
5. Use {{variable_name}} syntax in any string field to mark replaceable values.
6. Click Save.

The new template appears in the list with a unique ID. Click the row menu → Copy template ID to grab it.

The template ID#

Every template has a stable ID like abcd1234efgh. You'll reference this ID from:

• Your own code via the API.
• Make.com's Create a Movie from my Template module.
• n8n's HTTP Request node pointed at the template endpoint.
• Anyone you share the template with — they can import it into their own account.

Rendering from a template#

The API endpoint to render a template is POST /v2/movies, with the template ID and variables:

curl -X POST https://api.json2video.com/v2/movies \
  -H "x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "content-type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "template": "abcd1234efgh",
    "variables": {
      "name": "Ana",
      "price": "$49"
    }
  }'

The engine loads the saved template, substitutes the variables, and renders. The response shape is the same as a regular render — you get a project ID and poll for status.

You can also override individual properties at render time by passing a movie object alongside template; the override is deep-merged into the saved template.

Editing JSON vs Visual#

The visual editor is the same one used for one-off videos — see Visual editor for the full walkthrough. The JSON editor offers:

• Syntax highlighting and JSON validation.
• Direct access to features the visual editor doesn't expose (e.g. iterate, if, complex expressions).
• Side-by-side preview when you click Preview.

Switch modes at any time using the toggle in the toolbar. The two views share state — changes made in one show up in the other.

Naming and tagging#

Good names and tags pay off as your template library grows. Conventions we've seen work well:

• By workflow: intro-card, social-reel-vertical, product-launch-3min.
• By customer / segment: acme-monthly-update, enterprise-quarterly-summary.
• By status: prod-, draft-, experiment-.

Tags filter the list at the top of the templates page. Click a tag to scope the list.

Sharing a template#

Two ways to share:

1. Send the template ID to anyone — they can import it into their account from the Import template button on the templates page.
2. Send the JSON — copy the JSON view to a Gist/file. The recipient pastes it into a new template.

There is currently no per-template ACL — shared templates are independent copies in each account, not live-linked.

Versions and rollback#

Each save creates a new version. The dashboard keeps the last N versions; you can roll back to any prior version from the template's history menu.

For mission-critical production templates, treat the template like code: keep a copy of the JSON in your own git repository as a backup.

See also#

• Dashboard — Visual editor
• Tutorial 11 — Templates
• API endpoints — templates
• Tutorial 10 — Variables