Avatar Video

Avatar Video

Create AI avatar videos with full control over avatars, voices, scripts, and backgrounds using POST /v3/videos. Two creation modes via discriminated union on type:

• "type": "avatar" + avatar_id — use a HeyGen avatar from the library
• "type": "image" + image (AssetInput) — animate any photo via Avatar IV

Authentication

All requests require the X-Api-Key header. Set the HEYGEN_API_KEY environment variable.

curl -X GET "https://api.heygen.com/v3/avatars" \
  -H "X-Api-Key: $HEYGEN_API_KEY"

Tool Selection

If HeyGen MCP tools are available (mcp__heygen__*), prefer them over direct HTTP API calls — they handle authentication and request formatting automatically.

Video generation (POST /v3/videos) and avatar/voice listing are done via direct API calls — see reference files below.

Default Workflow

1. List avatar looks — GET /v3/avatars/looks → pick a look, note its id (this is the avatar_id) and default_voice_id. See avatars.md 2. List voices (if needed) — GET /v3/voices → pick a voice matching the avatar's gender/language. See voices.md 3. Write the script — Structure scenes with one concept each. See scripts.md 4. Generate the video — POST /v3/videos with avatar_id, voice_id, script, and optional background per scene. See video-generation.md 5. Poll for completion — GET /v3/videos/{video_id} until status is completed. See video-status.md

Routing: This Skill vs Create Video

This skill = precise control (specific avatar, exact script, custom background). create-video = prompt-based ("make me a video about X", AI handles the rest).

Reference Files

Read these as needed — they contain endpoint details, request/response schemas, and code examples (curl, TypeScript, Python).

Core workflow:

• references/video-generation.md — POST /v3/videos request fields, avatar input modes, voice settings, backgrounds
• references/avatars.md — GET /v3/avatars (groups) and GET /v3/avatars/looks (looks → avatar_id)
• references/voices.md — GET /v3/voices with filtering by language, gender, engine
• references/video-status.md — GET /v3/videos/{id} polling patterns and download

Customization:

• references/scripts.md — Script writing, SSML break tags, pacing
• references/backgrounds.md — Solid color and image backgrounds
• references/captions.md — Auto-generated captions/subtitles
• references/text-overlays.md — Text overlays with fonts and positioning

Advanced:

• references/photo-avatars.md — Animate photos via type: "image" (Avatar IV), AI-generated avatars
• references/templates.md — Template listing and variable replacement
• references/remotion-integration.md — Using HeyGen avatars in Remotion compositions
• references/webhooks.md — Webhook endpoints and events
• references/assets.md — Uploading images, videos, audio
• references/dimensions.md — Resolution and aspect ratios
• references/quota.md — Credit system and usage limits

Best Practices

1. Preview avatars before generating — Use GET /v3/avatars/looks and download preview_image_url so the user can see the avatar before committing 2. Use avatar's default voice — Most avatars have a default_voice_id pre-matched for natural results 3. Fallback: match gender manually — If no default voice, ensure avatar and voice genders match 4. Use test mode for development — Set test: true to avoid consuming credits (output will be watermarked) 5. Set generous timeouts — Video generation often takes 5-15 minutes, sometimes longer 6. Validate inputs — Check avatar and voice IDs exist before generating

Asset Upload and Management

HeyGen allows you to upload custom assets (images, videos, audio) for use in video generation, such as backgrounds, talking photo sources, and custom audio.

Upload Flow

Asset uploads are a single-step process: POST the raw file binary directly to the upload endpoint. The Content-Type header must match the file's MIME type.

Uploading an Asset

Endpoint: POST https://upload.heygen.com/v1/asset

Request

The request body is the raw binary file data. No JSON or form fields are needed.

Response

curl

curl -X POST "https://upload.heygen.com/v1/asset" \
  -H "X-Api-Key: $HEYGEN_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: image/jpeg" \
  --data-binary '@./background.jpg'

TypeScript

import fs from "fs";
import path from "path";

interface AssetUploadResponse {
  code: number;
  data: {
    id: string;
    name: string;
    file_type: string;
    url: string;
    image_key: string | null;
    folder_id: string;
    meta: string | null;
    created_ts: number;
  };
  msg: string | null;
  message: string | null;
}

async function uploadAsset(filePath: string, contentType: string): Promise<AssetUploadResponse["data"]> {
  const resolvedPath = path.resolve(filePath);
  const fileBuffer = fs.readFileSync(resolvedPath);

  const response = await fetch("https://upload.heygen.com/v1/asset", {
    method: "POST",
    headers: {
      "X-Api-Key": process.env.HEYGEN_API_KEY!,
      "Content-Type": contentType,
    },
    body: fileBuffer,
  });

  const json: AssetUploadResponse = await response.json();

  if (json.code !== 100) {
    throw new Error(json.message ?? "Upload failed");
  }

  return json.data;
}

// Usage
const asset = await uploadAsset("./background.jpg", "image/jpeg");
console.log(`Uploaded asset: ${asset.id}`);
console.log(`Asset URL: ${asset.url}`);

TypeScript (with streams for large files)

import fs from "fs";
import path from "path";
import { stat } from "fs/promises";

async function uploadLargeAsset(filePath: string, contentType: string): Promise<AssetUploadResponse["data"]> {
  const resolvedPath = path.resolve(filePath);
  const fileStats = await stat(resolvedPath);
  const fileStream = fs.createReadStream(resolvedPath);

  const response = await fetch("https://upload.heygen.com/v1/asset", {
    method: "POST",
    headers: {
      "X-Api-Key": process.env.HEYGEN_API_KEY!,
      "Content-Type": contentType,
      "Content-Length": fileStats.size.toString(),
    },
    body: fileStream as any,
    // @ts-ignore - duplex is needed for streaming
    duplex: "half",
  });

  const json: AssetUploadResponse = await response.json();

  if (json.code !== 100) {
    throw new Error(json.message ?? "Upload failed");
  }

  return json.data;
}

Python

import requests
import os

def upload_asset(file_path: str, content_type: str) -> dict:
    with open(file_path, "rb") as f:
        response = requests.post(
            "https://upload.heygen.com/v1/asset",
            headers={
                "X-Api-Key": os.environ["HEYGEN_API_KEY"],
                "Content-Type": content_type
            },
            data=f
        )

    data = response.json()
    if data.get("code") != 100:
        raise Exception(data.get("message", "Upload failed"))

    return data["data"]


# Usage
asset = upload_asset("./background.jpg", "image/jpeg")
print(f"Uploaded asset: {asset['id']}")
print(f"Asset URL: {asset['url']}")

Supported Content Types

Uploading from URL

If your asset is already hosted online:

async function uploadFromUrl(sourceUrl: string, contentType: string): Promise<AssetUploadResponse["data"]> {
  // 1. Validate and download the file
  const url = new URL(sourceUrl);
  if (url.protocol !== "https:") {
    throw new Error("Only HTTPS URLs are supported");
  }
  const sourceResponse = await fetch(sourceUrl);
  const buffer = Buffer.from(await sourceResponse.arrayBuffer());

  // 2. Upload directly to HeyGen
  const response = await fetch("https://upload.heygen.com/v1/asset", {
    method: "POST",
    headers: {
      "X-Api-Key": process.env.HEYGEN_API_KEY!,
      "Content-Type": contentType,
    },
    body: buffer,
  });

  const json: AssetUploadResponse = await response.json();

  if (json.code !== 100) {
    throw new Error(json.message ?? "Upload failed");
  }

  return json.data;
}

Using Uploaded Assets

As Background Image

const videoConfig = {
  video_inputs: [
    {
      character: {
        type: "avatar",
        avatar_id: "josh_lite3_20230714",
        avatar_style: "normal",
      },
      voice: {
        type: "text",
        input_text: "Hello, this is a video with a custom background!",
        voice_id: "1bd001e7e50f421d891986aad5158bc8",
      },
      background: {
        type: "image",
        url: asset.url,  // Use the URL from the upload response
      },
    },
  ],
};

As Talking Photo Source

const talkingPhotoConfig = {
  video_inputs: [
    {
      character: {
        type: "talking_photo",
        talking_photo_id: asset.id,  // Use the ID from the upload response
      },
      voice: {
        type: "text",
        input_text: "Hello from my talking photo!",
        voice_id: "1bd001e7e50f421d891986aad5158bc8",
      },
    },
  ],
};

As Audio Input

const audioConfig = {
  video_inputs: [
    {
      character: {
        type: "avatar",
        avatar_id: "josh_lite3_20230714",
        avatar_style: "normal",
      },
      voice: {
        type: "audio",
        audio_url: asset.url,  // Use the URL from the upload response
      },
    },
  ],
};

Complete Upload Workflow

async function createVideoWithCustomBackground(
  backgroundPath: string,
  script: string
): Promise<string> {
  // 1. Upload background
  console.log("Uploading background...");
  const background = await uploadAsset(backgroundPath, "image/jpeg");

  // 2. Create video config
  const config = {
    video_inputs: [
      {
        character: {
          type: "avatar",
          avatar_id: "josh_lite3_20230714",
          avatar_style: "normal",
        },
        voice: {
          type: "text",
          input_text: script,
          voice_id: "1bd001e7e50f421d891986aad5158bc8",
        },
        background: {
          type: "image",
          url: background.url,
        },
      },
    ],
    dimension: { width: 1920, height: 1080 },
  };

  // 3. Generate video
  console.log("Generating video...");
  const response = await fetch("https://api.heygen.com/v3/videos", {
    method: "POST",
    headers: {
      "X-Api-Key": process.env.HEYGEN_API_KEY!,
      "Content-Type": "application/json",
    },
    body: JSON.stringify({
      type: "avatar" as const,
      avatar_id: avatarId,
      script: script,
      voice_id: voiceId,
      background: { type: "image", asset_id: bgAssetId },
      resolution: "1080p",
      aspect_ratio: "16:9",
    }),
  });

  const { data } = await response.json();
  return data.video_id;
}

Asset Limitations

• File size: 10MB maximum
• Image dimensions: Recommended to match video dimensions
• Audio duration: Should match expected video length
• Retention: Assets may be deleted after a period of inactivity

Best Practices

1. Optimize images - Resize to match video dimensions before uploading 2. Use appropriate formats - JPEG for photos, PNG for graphics with transparency 3. Validate before upload - Check file type and size locally first 4. Handle upload errors - Implement retry logic for failed uploads 5. Cache asset IDs - Reuse assets across multiple video generations

HeyGen Avatars

The v3 API organizes avatars into two levels:

• Groups represent a character (e.g., "Josh", "Angela"). A group has a name, preview images, and a default voice.
• Looks represent a specific outfit, style, or pose within a group. Each look has an id that you pass as avatar_id when creating a video via POST /v3/videos.

A single group can have multiple looks. For example, the "Josh" group might have looks for business attire, casual wear, and seasonal outfits.

Previewing Avatars Before Generation

Always preview avatars before generating a video to ensure they match user preferences. Both groups and looks include preview URLs that can be opened directly in the browser.

Preview Fields

Both URLs are publicly accessible -- no authentication needed to view them.

Workflow: Preview Before Generate

1. List avatar groups -- browse available characters 2. List looks for a group -- see available outfits/styles 3. Show preview URLs to user -- share preview_image_url for visual check 4. User selects a look by name or ID 5. Use `look.id` as `avatar_id` and look.default_voice_id as voice_id in POST /v3/videos

Listing Avatar Groups

List all avatar groups (characters) available to your account.

curl

# List public avatar groups
curl -X GET "https://api.heygen.com/v3/avatars?ownership=public&limit=10" \
  -H "X-Api-Key: $HEYGEN_API_KEY"

# List your private avatar groups
curl -X GET "https://api.heygen.com/v3/avatars?ownership=private&limit=10" \
  -H "X-Api-Key: $HEYGEN_API_KEY"

TypeScript

interface AvatarGroupItem {
  id: string;
  name: string;
  preview_image_url: string | null;
  preview_video_url: string | null;
  gender: string | null;
  created_at: number;
  looks_count: number;
  default_voice_id: string | null;
}

interface AvatarGroupsResponse {
  data: AvatarGroupItem[];
  has_more: boolean;
  next_token: string | null;
}

async function listAvatarGroups(
  ownership: "public" | "private" = "public",
  limit: number = 50,
  token?: string
): Promise<AvatarGroupsResponse> {
  const params = new URLSearchParams({
    ownership,
    limit: limit.toString(),
  });
  if (token) {
    params.set("token", token);
  }

  const response = await fetch(
    `https://api.heygen.com/v3/avatars?${params}`,
    { headers: { "X-Api-Key": process.env.HEYGEN_API_KEY! } }
  );

  if (!response.ok) {
    throw new Error(`Failed to list avatar groups: ${response.status}`);
  }

  return response.json();
}

// Usage
const { data: groups, has_more, next_token } = await listAvatarGroups("public", 10);
for (const group of groups) {
  console.log(`${group.name} (${group.gender}) - ${group.looks_count} looks`);
  console.log(`  ID: ${group.id}`);
  console.log(`  Preview: ${group.preview_image_url}`);
}

Python

import requests
import os


def list_avatar_groups(
    ownership: str = "public",
    limit: int = 50,
    token: str | None = None,
) -> dict:
    params = {"ownership": ownership, "limit": limit}
    if token:
        params["token"] = token

    response = requests.get(
        "https://api.heygen.com/v3/avatars",
        headers={"X-Api-Key": os.environ["HEYGEN_API_KEY"]},
        params=params,
    )
    response.raise_for_status()
    return response.json()


# Usage
result = list_avatar_groups("public", limit=10)
for group in result["data"]:
    print(f"{group['name']} ({group['gender']}) - {group['looks_count']} looks")
    print(f"  ID: {group['id']}")
    print(f"  Preview: {group['preview_image_url']}")

Response Format

{
  "data": [
    {
      "id": "ag_abc123",
      "name": "Josh",
      "preview_image_url": "https://files.heygen.ai/...",
      "preview_video_url": "https://files.heygen.ai/...",
      "gender": "male",
      "created_at": 1710000000,
      "looks_count": 3,
      "default_voice_id": "1bd001e7e50f421d891986aad5158bc8"
    },
    {
      "id": "ag_def456",
      "name": "Angela",
      "preview_image_url": "https://files.heygen.ai/...",
      "preview_video_url": "https://files.heygen.ai/...",
      "gender": "female",
      "created_at": 1710100000,
      "looks_count": 2,
      "default_voice_id": "2d5b0e6a8c3f47d9a1b2c3d4e5f60718"
    }
  ],
  "has_more": true,
  "next_token": "eyJsYXN0X2lkIjoiYWdfZGVmNDU2In0="
}

Get Avatar Group Details

Retrieve details for a single avatar group by its ID.

curl

curl -X GET "https://api.heygen.com/v3/avatars/ag_abc123" \
  -H "X-Api-Key: $HEYGEN_API_KEY"

TypeScript

async function getAvatarGroup(groupId: string): Promise<AvatarGroupItem> {
  const response = await fetch(
    `https://api.heygen.com/v3/avatars/${groupId}`,
    { headers: { "X-Api-Key": process.env.HEYGEN_API_KEY! } }
  );

  if (!response.ok) {
    throw new Error(`Failed to get avatar group: ${response.status}`);
  }

  return response.json();
}

Python

def get_avatar_group(group_id: str) -> dict:
    response = requests.get(
        f"https://api.heygen.com/v3/avatars/{group_id}",
        headers={"X-Api-Key": os.environ["HEYGEN_API_KEY"]},
    )
    response.raise_for_status()
    return response.json()

Listing Avatar Looks

Looks are the specific outfits, styles, or poses within a group. The look id is what you pass as avatar_id to POST /v3/videos.

curl

# List all public looks
curl -X GET "https://api.heygen.com/v3/avatars/looks?ownership=public&limit=20" \
  -H "X-Api-Key: $HEYGEN_API_KEY"

# List looks for a specific group
curl -X GET "https://api.heygen.com/v3/avatars/looks?group_id=ag_abc123&limit=20" \
  -H "X-Api-Key: $HEYGEN_API_KEY"

# List only studio avatars
curl -X GET "https://api.heygen.com/v3/avatars/looks?avatar_type=studio_avatar&ownership=public&limit=20" \
  -H "X-Api-Key: $HEYGEN_API_KEY"

Query Parameters

TypeScript

interface AvatarLookItem {
  id: string;
  name: string;
  avatar_type: "studio_avatar" | "video_avatar" | "photo_avatar";
  group_id: string | null;
  preview_image_url: string | null;
  preview_video_url: string | null;
  gender: string | null;
  tags: string[];
  default_voice_id: string | null;
  supported_api_engines: string[];
}

interface AvatarLooksResponse {
  data: AvatarLookItem[];
  has_more: boolean;
  next_token: string | null;
}

async function listAvatarLooks(options: {
  group_id?: string;
  avatar_type?: "studio_avatar" | "video_avatar" | "photo_avatar";
  ownership?: "public" | "private";
  limit?: number;
  token?: string;
} = {}): Promise<AvatarLooksResponse> {
  const params = new URLSearchParams();

  if (options.group_id) params.set("group_id", options.group_id);
  if (options.avatar_type) params.set("avatar_type", options.avatar_type);
  if (options.ownership) params.set("ownership", options.ownership);
  if (options.limit) params.set("limit", options.limit.toString());
  if (options.token) params.set("token", options.token);

  const response = await fetch(
    `https://api.heygen.com/v3/avatars/looks?${params}`,
    { headers: { "X-Api-Key": process.env.HEYGEN_API_KEY! } }
  );

  if (!response.ok) {
    throw new Error(`Failed to list avatar looks: ${response.status}`);
  }

  return response.json();
}

// List all public looks
const { data: looks } = await listAvatarLooks({ ownership: "public", limit: 20 });

// List looks for a specific group
const { data: groupLooks } = await listAvatarLooks({ group_id: "ag_abc123" });

// List only studio avatars
const { data: studioLooks } = await listAvatarLooks({
  avatar_type: "studio_avatar",
  ownership: "public",
});

Python

def list_avatar_looks(
    group_id: str | None = None,
    avatar_type: str | None = None,
    ownership: str | None = None,
    limit: int = 50,
    token: str | None = None,
) -> dict:
    params: dict = {"limit": limit}
    if group_id:
        params["group_id"] = group_id
    if avatar_type:
        params["avatar_type"] = avatar_type
    if ownership:
        params["ownership"] = ownership
    if token:
        params["token"] = token

    response = requests.get(
        "https://api.heygen.com/v3/avatars/looks",
        headers={"X-Api-Key": os.environ["HEYGEN_API_KEY"]},
        params=params,
    )
    response.raise_for_status()
    return response.json()


# List all public looks
result = list_avatar_looks(ownership="public", limit=20)
for look in result["data"]:
    print(f"{look['name']} ({look['avatar_type']}) - ID: {look['id']}")

# List looks for a specific group
result = list_avatar_looks(group_id="ag_abc123")

# List only studio avatars
result = list_avatar_looks(avatar_type="studio_avatar", ownership="public")

Response Format

{
  "data": [
    {
      "id": "lk_josh_business",
      "name": "Josh - Business",
      "avatar_type": "studio_avatar",
      "group_id": "ag_abc123",
      "preview_image_url": "https://files.heygen.ai/...",
      "preview_video_url": "https://files.heygen.ai/...",
      "gender": "male",
      "tags": ["business", "professional"],
      "default_voice_id": "1bd001e7e50f421d891986aad5158bc8",
      "supported_api_engines": ["avatar_4_quality", "avatar_4_turbo"]
    },
    {
      "id": "lk_josh_casual",
      "name": "Josh - Casual",
      "avatar_type": "studio_avatar",
      "group_id": "ag_abc123",
      "preview_image_url": "https://files.heygen.ai/...",
      "preview_video_url": "https://files.heygen.ai/...",
      "gender": "male",
      "tags": ["casual", "lifestyle"],
      "default_voice_id": "1bd001e7e50f421d891986aad5158bc8",
      "supported_api_engines": ["avatar_4_quality", "avatar_4_turbo"]
    }
  ],
  "has_more": false,
  "next_token": null
}

Get Look Details

Retrieve details for a single look by its ID.

curl

curl -X GET "https://api.heygen.com/v3/avatars/looks/lk_josh_business" \
  -H "X-Api-Key: $HEYGEN_API_KEY"

TypeScript

async function getAvatarLook(lookId: string): Promise<AvatarLookItem> {
  const response = await fetch(
    `https://api.heygen.com/v3/avatars/looks/${lookId}`,
    { headers: { "X-Api-Key": process.env.HEYGEN_API_KEY! } }
  );

  if (!response.ok) {
    throw new Error(`Failed to get avatar look: ${response.status}`);
  }

  return response.json();
}

// Usage
const look = await getAvatarLook("lk_josh_business");
console.log(`${look.name} (${look.avatar_type})`);
console.log(`Engines: ${look.supported_api_engines.join(", ")}`);
console.log(`Default voice: ${look.default_voice_id}`);

Python

def get_avatar_look(look_id: str) -> dict:
    response = requests.get(
        f"https://api.heygen.com/v3/avatars/looks/{look_id}",
        headers={"X-Api-Key": os.environ["HEYGEN_API_KEY"]},
    )
    response.raise_for_status()
    return response.json()


# Usage
look = get_avatar_look("lk_josh_business")
print(f"{look['name']} ({look['avatar_type']})")
print(f"Engines: {', '.join(look['supported_api_engines'])}")
print(f"Default voice: {look['default_voice_id']}")

Avatar Types

The avatar_type field on looks distinguishes three categories:

Filtering by Type

// Get only studio avatars (highest quality)
const { data: studioLooks } = await listAvatarLooks({
  avatar_type: "studio_avatar",
  ownership: "public",
});

// Get only photo avatars (from uploaded photos)
const { data: photoLooks } = await listAvatarLooks({
  avatar_type: "photo_avatar",
  ownership: "private",
});

# Get only video avatars (trained from video footage)
result = list_avatar_looks(avatar_type="video_avatar", ownership="private")

Using Avatar's Default Voice

Each look has a default_voice_id that is pre-matched for natural results. This is the recommended approach rather than manually selecting voices.

Recommended Flow

1. GET /v3/avatars/looks      -> Pick a look
2. Use look.id as avatar_id   -> Pass to POST /v3/videos
3. Use look.default_voice_id  -> Pass as voice_id to POST /v3/videos

Complete Example: Generate Video with a Look's Default Voice

TypeScript

async function generateWithDefaultVoice(
  lookId: string,
  script: string
): Promise<string> {
  // 1. Get look details to find default voice
  const look = await getAvatarLook(lookId);

  if (!look.default_voice_id) {
    throw new Error(`Look ${look.name} has no default voice`);
  }

  console.log(`Using ${look.name} with default voice: ${look.default_voice_id}`);

  // 2. Generate video with the look's default voice
  const response = await fetch("https://api.heygen.com/v3/videos", {
    method: "POST",
    headers: {
      "X-Api-Key": process.env.HEYGEN_API_KEY!,
      "Content-Type": "application/json",
    },
    body: JSON.stringify({
      video_inputs: [{
        character: {
          type: "avatar",
          avatar_id: look.id,       // The look ID is the avatar_id
          avatar_style: "normal",
        },
        voice: {
          type: "text",
          input_text: script,
          voice_id: look.default_voice_id,
        },
      }],
      dimension: { width: 1920, height: 1080 },
    }),
  });

  if (!response.ok) {
    throw new Error(`Video generation failed: ${response.status}`);
  }

  const { data } = await response.json();
  return data.video_id;
}

Python

def generate_with_default_voice(look_id: str, script: str) -> str:
    # 1. Get look details to find default voice
    look = get_avatar_look(look_id)

    if not look.get("default_voice_id"):
        raise ValueError(f"Look {look['name']} has no default voice")

    print(f"Using {look['name']} with default voice: {look['default_voice_id']}")

    # 2. Generate video with the look's default voice
    response = requests.post(
        "https://api.heygen.com/v3/videos",
        headers={
            "X-Api-Key": os.environ["HEYGEN_API_KEY"],
            "Content-Type": "application/json",
        },
        json={
            "video_inputs": [{
                "character": {
                    "type": "avatar",
                    "avatar_id": look["id"],       # The look ID is the avatar_id
                    "avatar_style": "normal",
                },
                "voice": {
                    "type": "text",
                    "input_text": script,
                    "voice_id": look["default_voice_id"],
                },
            }],
            "dimension": {"width": 1920, "height": 1080},
        },
    )
    response.raise_for_status()
    return response.json()["data"]["video_id"]

Why Use Default Voice?

1. Guaranteed gender match -- avatar and voice are pre-paired 2. Natural lip sync -- default voices are optimized for the avatar 3. Simpler code -- no need to fetch and match voices separately 4. Better quality -- HeyGen has tested this combination

Filtering and Searching

The v3 API supports server-side filtering across multiple dimensions.

By Group

// Get all looks for a specific character
const { data: looks } = await listAvatarLooks({ group_id: "ag_abc123" });

By Avatar Type

// Only studio-quality avatars
const { data: looks } = await listAvatarLooks({ avatar_type: "studio_avatar" });

By Ownership

// Public avatars provided by HeyGen
const { data: publicLooks } = await listAvatarLooks({ ownership: "public" });

// Your custom/private avatars
const { data: privateLooks } = await listAvatarLooks({ ownership: "private" });

By Gender (Client-Side)

Gender is available on the response but not as a query parameter. Filter client-side:

const { data: looks } = await listAvatarLooks({ ownership: "public" });
const femaleLooks = looks.filter((look) => look.gender === "female");
const maleLooks = looks.filter((look) => look.gender === "male");

result = list_avatar_looks(ownership="public")
female_looks = [look for look in result["data"] if look["gender"] == "female"]
male_looks = [look for look in result["data"] if look["gender"] == "male"]

Combining Filters

// Private studio avatars for a specific group
const { data: looks } = await listAvatarLooks({
  group_id: "ag_abc123",
  avatar_type: "studio_avatar",
  ownership: "private",
  limit: 10,
});

Search by Name (Client-Side)

function searchLooksByName(looks: AvatarLookItem[], query: string): AvatarLookItem[] {
  const lowerQuery = query.toLowerCase();
  return looks.filter((look) =>
    look.name.toLowerCase().includes(lowerQuery)
  );
}

const { data: allLooks } = await listAvatarLooks({ ownership: "public" });
const results = searchLooksByName(allLooks, "josh");

Cursor-Based Pagination

Both the groups and looks endpoints use cursor-based pagination. The response includes has_more (boolean) and next_token (string or null). Pass next_token as the token query parameter to fetch the next page.

TypeScript

async function listAllAvatarLooks(
  options: { ownership?: "public" | "private"; avatar_type?: string } = {}
): Promise<AvatarLookItem[]> {
  const allLooks: AvatarLookItem[] = [];
  let token: string | undefined;

  do {
    const response = await listAvatarLooks({
      ...options,
      limit: 50,
      token,
    });

    allLooks.push(...response.data);
    token = response.has_more && response.next_token
      ? response.next_token
      : undefined;
  } while (token);

  return allLooks;
}

// Fetch every public look across all pages
const allPublicLooks = await listAllAvatarLooks({ ownership: "public" });
console.log(`Total public looks: ${allPublicLooks.length}`);

Python

def list_all_avatar_looks(
    ownership: str | None = None,
    avatar_type: str | None = None,
) -> list[dict]:
    all_looks: list[dict] = []
    token: str | None = None

    while True:
        result = list_avatar_looks(
            ownership=ownership,
            avatar_type=avatar_type,
            limit=50,
            token=token,
        )

        all_looks.extend(result["data"])

        if not result["has_more"] or not result.get("next_token"):
            break
        token = result["next_token"]

    return all_looks


# Fetch every public look across all pages
all_public_looks = list_all_avatar_looks(ownership="public")
print(f"Total public looks: {len(all_public_looks)}")

curl (Manual Pagination)

# First page
curl -X GET "https://api.heygen.com/v3/avatars/looks?ownership=public&limit=50" \
  -H "X-Api-Key: $HEYGEN_API_KEY"

# Next page (use next_token from previous response)
curl -X GET "https://api.heygen.com/v3/avatars/looks?ownership=public&limit=50&token=eyJsYXN0X2lkIjoiLi4uIn0=" \
  -H "X-Api-Key: $HEYGEN_API_KEY"

Selecting the Right Avatar

Avatar Categories

HeyGen avatars fall into distinct categories. Match the category to your use case:

Selection Guidelines

For business/professional content:

• Choose looks with neutral attire (business casual or formal)
• Avoid themed or seasonal looks (holiday costumes, casual clothing)
• Preview the look to verify professional appearance
• Consider your audience demographics when selecting gender and appearance
• Prefer studio_avatar type for highest quality

For casual/social content:

• More flexibility in look choice
• Themed looks can work for specific campaigns
• Match avatar energy to content tone

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Using themed looks for business content -- a holiday-themed look appears unprofessional in a product demo 2. Not previewing before generation -- always check the preview URL to verify appearance 3. Mismatched voice gender -- always use the look's default_voice_id or match genders manually 4. Using a group ID instead of a look ID -- POST /v3/videos requires a look id, not a group id

Selection Checklist

Before generating a video:

• [ ] Previewed look image/video in browser
• [ ] Look appearance matches content tone (professional vs casual)
• [ ] Voice gender matches avatar gender
• [ ] Using default_voice_id when available
• [ ] Passing the look id (not the group id) as avatar_id
• [ ] Checked supported_api_engines if targeting a specific rendering engine

Best Practices

1. Always use look IDs for video generation. The look id is the avatar_id you pass to POST /v3/videos. Group IDs are for browsing and organization only. 2. Prefer `default_voice_id`. Each look has a pre-matched voice. Use it unless the user explicitly requests a different voice. 3. Preview before generating. Share preview_image_url with the user to confirm the look matches their expectations. 4. Use server-side filters. Filter by ownership, avatar_type, and group_id at the API level rather than fetching everything and filtering client-side. 5. Paginate large result sets. Use limit and token to page through results. The maximum limit is 50. 6. Check `supported_api_engines`. Some looks support avatar_4_quality (higher quality, slower) and avatar_4_turbo (faster). Choose based on your latency and quality requirements. 7. Cache group and look lists. Avatar catalogs change infrequently. Cache the results for a reasonable period to reduce API calls.

Video Backgrounds

HeyGen supports various background types to customize the appearance of your avatar videos.

Background Types

Color Backgrounds

The simplest option - use a solid color:

const videoConfig = {
  video_inputs: [
    {
      character: {
        type: "avatar",
        avatar_id: "josh_lite3_20230714",
        avatar_style: "normal",
      },
      voice: {
        type: "text",
        input_text: "Hello with a colored background!",
        voice_id: "1bd001e7e50f421d891986aad5158bc8",
      },
      background: {
        type: "color",
        value: "#FFFFFF", // White background
      },
    },
  ],
};

Common Color Values

Using Transparent/Green Screen

For compositing in post-production:

background: {
  type: "color",
  value: "#00FF00", // Green screen
}

Image Backgrounds

Use a static image as background:

From URL

const videoConfig = {
  video_inputs: [
    {
      character: {
        type: "avatar",
        avatar_id: "josh_lite3_20230714",
        avatar_style: "normal",
      },
      voice: {
        type: "text",
        input_text: "Check out this custom background!",
        voice_id: "1bd001e7e50f421d891986aad5158bc8",
      },
      background: {
        type: "image",
        url: "https://example.com/my-background.jpg",
      },
    },
  ],
};

From Uploaded Asset

First upload your image, then use the asset URL:

// 1. Upload the image
const assetId = await uploadFile("./background.jpg", "image/jpeg");

// 2. Use in video config
const videoConfig = {
  video_inputs: [
    {
      character: {...},
      voice: {...},
      background: {
        type: "image",
        url: `https://files.heygen.ai/asset/${assetId}`,
      },
    },
  ],
};

Image Requirements

• Formats: JPEG, PNG
• Recommended size: Match video dimensions (e.g., 1920x1080 for 1080p)
• Aspect ratio: Should match video aspect ratio
• File size: Under 10MB recommended

Video Backgrounds

Use a looping video as background:

const videoConfig = {
  video_inputs: [
    {
      character: {
        type: "avatar",
        avatar_id: "josh_lite3_20230714",
        avatar_style: "normal",
      },
      voice: {
        type: "text",
        input_text: "Dynamic video background!",
        voice_id: "1bd001e7e50f421d891986aad5158bc8",
      },
      background: {
        type: "video",
        url: "https://example.com/background-loop.mp4",
      },
    },
  ],
};

Video Requirements

• Format: MP4 (H.264 codec recommended)
• Looping: Video will loop if shorter than avatar content
• Audio: Background video audio is typically muted
• File size: Under 100MB recommended

Different Backgrounds Per Scene

Use different backgrounds for each scene:

const multiBackgroundConfig = {
  video_inputs: [
    // Scene 1: Office background
    {
      character: {
        type: "avatar",
        avatar_id: "josh_lite3_20230714",
        avatar_style: "normal",
      },
      voice: {
        type: "text",
        input_text: "Let me start with an introduction.",
        voice_id: "1bd001e7e50f421d891986aad5158bc8",
      },
      background: {
        type: "image",
        url: "https://example.com/office-bg.jpg",
      },
    },
    // Scene 2: Product showcase
    {
      character: {
        type: "avatar",
        avatar_id: "josh_lite3_20230714",
        avatar_style: "closeUp",
      },
      voice: {
        type: "text",
        input_text: "Now let me show you our product.",
        voice_id: "1bd001e7e50f421d891986aad5158bc8",
      },
      background: {
        type: "image",
        url: "https://example.com/product-bg.jpg",
      },
    },
    // Scene 3: Call to action
    {
      character: {
        type: "avatar",
        avatar_id: "josh_lite3_20230714",
        avatar_style: "normal",
      },
      voice: {
        type: "text",
        input_text: "Get started today!",
        voice_id: "1bd001e7e50f421d891986aad5158bc8",
      },
      background: {
        type: "color",
        value: "#1a1a2e",
      },
    },
  ],
};

Background Helper Functions

TypeScript

type BackgroundType = "color" | "image" | "video";

interface Background {
  type: BackgroundType;
  value?: string;
  url?: string;
}

function createColorBackground(hexColor: string): Background {
  return { type: "color", value: hexColor };
}

function createImageBackground(imageUrl: string): Background {
  return { type: "image", url: imageUrl };
}

function createVideoBackground(videoUrl: string): Background {
  return { type: "video", url: videoUrl };
}

// Preset backgrounds
const backgrounds = {
  white: createColorBackground("#FFFFFF"),
  black: createColorBackground("#000000"),
  greenScreen: createColorBackground("#00FF00"),
  corporate: createColorBackground("#0066CC"),
};

Best Practices

1. Match dimensions - Background should match video dimensions 2. Consider avatar position - Leave space where avatar will appear 3. Use contrasting colors - Ensure avatar is visible against background 4. Optimize file sizes - Compress images/videos for faster processing 5. Test with green screen - For professional post-production workflows 6. Keep backgrounds simple - Avoid distracting elements behind the avatar

Common Issues

Background Not Showing

// Wrong: missing url/value
background: {
  type: "image"
}

// Correct
background: {
  type: "image",
  url: "https://example.com/bg.jpg"
}

Aspect Ratio Mismatch

If your background doesn't match the video dimensions, it may be cropped or stretched. Always match your background aspect ratio to your video dimensions:

// For 1920x1080 video
// Use 1920x1080 background image

// For 1080x1920 portrait video
// Use 1080x1920 background image

Video Background Audio

Background video audio is typically muted to avoid conflicting with the avatar's voice. If you need background music, add it as a separate audio track in post-production.

Video Captions

HeyGen can automatically generate captions (subtitles) for your videos, improving accessibility and engagement.

Enabling Captions

Captions can be enabled when generating a video:

const videoConfig = {
  video_inputs: [
    {
      character: {
        type: "avatar",
        avatar_id: "josh_lite3_20230714",
        avatar_style: "normal",
      },
      voice: {
        type: "text",
        input_text: "Hello! This video will have automatic captions.",
        voice_id: "1bd001e7e50f421d891986aad5158bc8",
      },
    },
  ],
  // Caption settings (availability varies by plan)
  caption: true,
};

Caption Configuration Options

interface CaptionConfig {
  // Enable/disable captions
  enabled: boolean;

  // Caption style
  style?: {
    font_family?: string;
    font_size?: number;
    font_color?: string;
    background_color?: string;
    position?: "top" | "bottom";
  };

  // Language for caption generation
  language?: string;
}

Caption Styles

Basic Captions

const config = {
  video_inputs: [...],
  caption: true, // Enable with default styling
};

Styled Captions

const config = {
  video_inputs: [...],
  caption: {
    enabled: true,
    style: {
      font_family: "Arial",
      font_size: 32,
      font_color: "#FFFFFF",
      background_color: "rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7)",
      position: "bottom",
    },
  },
};

Multi-Language Captions

For videos in different languages, captions are generated based on the voice language:

// Spanish video with Spanish captions
const spanishConfig = {
  video_inputs: [
    {
      character: {
        type: "avatar",
        avatar_id: "josh_lite3_20230714",
        avatar_style: "normal",
      },
      voice: {
        type: "text",
        input_text: "¡Hola! Este video tendrá subtítulos en español.",
        voice_id: "spanish_voice_id",
      },
    },
  ],
  caption: true,
};

Working with SRT Files

SRT File Format

Standard SRT format:

1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,000
Hello! This video will have

2
00:00:03,000 --> 00:00:06,000
automatic captions generated.

3
00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:09,000
They sync with the audio.

Using Custom SRT

For video translation, you can provide your own SRT:

const translationConfig = {
  input_video_id: "original_video_id",
  output_languages: ["es-ES", "fr-FR"],
  srt_key: "path/to/custom.srt", // Custom SRT file
  srt_role: "input", // "input" or "output"
};

Caption Positioning

Bottom (Default)

Standard position for most videos:

caption: {
  enabled: true,
  style: {
    position: "bottom"
  }
}

Top

For videos where bottom space is occupied:

caption: {
  enabled: true,
  style: {
    position: "top"
  }
}

Accessibility Best Practices

1. Always enable captions - Improves accessibility for deaf/hard-of-hearing viewers 2. Use high contrast - White text on dark background or vice versa 3. Readable font size - At least 24px for standard video, larger for mobile 4. Don't cover important content - Position captions away from key visual elements 5. Sync timing - Ensure captions match audio timing accurately

Caption Helper Functions

interface CaptionStyle {
  font_family: string;
  font_size: number;
  font_color: string;
  background_color: string;
  position: "top" | "bottom";
}

const captionPresets: Record<string, CaptionStyle> = {
  default: {
    font_family: "Arial",
    font_size: 32,
    font_color: "#FFFFFF",
    background_color: "rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7)",
    position: "bottom",
  },
  minimal: {
    font_family: "Arial",
    font_size: 28,
    font_color: "#FFFFFF",
    background_color: "transparent",
    position: "bottom",
  },
  bold: {
    font_family: "Arial",
    font_size: 36,
    font_color: "#FFFFFF",
    background_color: "rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9)",
    position: "bottom",
  },
  branded: {
    font_family: "Roboto",
    font_size: 30,
    font_color: "#00D1FF",
    background_color: "rgba(26, 26, 46, 0.9)",
    position: "bottom",
  },
};

function createCaptionConfig(preset: keyof typeof captionPresets) {
  return {
    enabled: true,
    style: captionPresets[preset],
  };
}

Social Media Caption Considerations

TikTok / Instagram Reels

• Position captions in center or upper portion
• Avoid bottom 20% (covered by UI elements)
• Use larger font sizes for mobile viewing

const socialCaptions = {
  enabled: true,
  style: {
    font_size: 42,
    position: "top", // Avoid bottom UI elements
  },
};

YouTube

• Standard bottom captions work well
• YouTube also supports closed captions upload

LinkedIn

• Captions highly recommended (many watch without sound)
• Professional styling preferred

Limitations

• Caption styles may be limited depending on your subscription tier
• Some advanced caption features may require the web interface
• Multi-speaker caption detection may have limited availability
• Caption accuracy depends on audio quality and speech clarity

Integration with Video Translation

When using video translation, captions are automatically handled:

// Video translation includes caption generation
const translationConfig = {
  input_video_id: "original_video_id",
  output_languages: ["es-ES"],
  // Captions generated in target language
};

See the video-translate skill for more details on video translation.

Video Dimensions and Resolution

HeyGen supports various video dimensions and aspect ratios to fit different platforms and use cases.

Standard Resolutions

Landscape (16:9)

Portrait (9:16)

Square (1:1)

Setting Dimensions

TypeScript

// Landscape 1080p
const landscapeConfig = {
  video_inputs: [...],
  dimension: {
    width: 1920,
    height: 1080
  }
};

// Portrait 1080p
const portraitConfig = {
  video_inputs: [...],
  dimension: {
    width: 1080,
    height: 1920
  }
};

// Square 1080p
const squareConfig = {
  video_inputs: [...],
  dimension: {
    width: 1080,
    height: 1080
  }
};

curl

# Landscape 1080p
curl -X POST "https://api.heygen.com/v3/videos" \
  -H "X-Api-Key: $HEYGEN_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "type": "avatar",
    "avatar_id": "YOUR_AVATAR_LOOK_ID",
    "script": "Hello!",
    "voice_id": "YOUR_VOICE_ID",
    "resolution": "1080p",
    "aspect_ratio": "16:9"
  }'

Dimension Helper Functions

type AspectRatio = "16:9" | "9:16" | "1:1" | "4:3" | "4:5";
type Quality = "720p" | "1080p";

interface Dimensions {
  width: number;
  height: number;
}

function getDimensions(aspectRatio: AspectRatio, quality: Quality): Dimensions {
  const configs: Record<AspectRatio, Record<Quality, Dimensions>> = {
    "16:9": {
      "720p": { width: 1280, height: 720 },
      "1080p": { width: 1920, height: 1080 },
    },
    "9:16": {
      "720p": { width: 720, height: 1280 },
      "1080p": { width: 1080, height: 1920 },
    },
    "1:1": {
      "720p": { width: 720, height: 720 },
      "1080p": { width: 1080, height: 1080 },
    },
    "4:3": {
      "720p": { width: 960, height: 720 },
      "1080p": { width: 1440, height: 1080 },
    },
    "4:5": {
      "720p": { width: 576, height: 720 },
      "1080p": { width: 864, height: 1080 },
    },
  };

  return configs[aspectRatio][quality];
}

// Usage
const youTubeDimensions = getDimensions("16:9", "1080p");
const tikTokDimensions = getDimensions("9:16", "1080p");
const instagramDimensions = getDimensions("1:1", "1080p");

Platform-Specific Recommendations

YouTube

const youtubeConfig = {
  video_inputs: [...],
  dimension: { width: 1920, height: 1080 }, // 16:9 landscape
};

TikTok / Instagram Reels / YouTube Shorts

const shortFormConfig = {
  video_inputs: [...],
  dimension: { width: 1080, height: 1920 }, // 9:16 portrait
};

Instagram Feed Post

const instagramFeedConfig = {
  video_inputs: [...],
  dimension: { width: 1080, height: 1080 }, // 1:1 square
};

LinkedIn

const linkedinConfig = {
  video_inputs: [...],
  dimension: { width: 1920, height: 1080 }, // 16:9 landscape preferred
};

Twitter/X

const twitterConfig = {
  video_inputs: [...],
  dimension: { width: 1280, height: 720 }, // 16:9, 720p is common
};

Avatar IV Dimensions

For Avatar IV (photo-based avatars), dimensions are set via orientation:

type VideoOrientation = "portrait" | "landscape" | "square";

function getAvatarIVDimensions(orientation: VideoOrientation): Dimensions {
  switch (orientation) {
    case "portrait":
      return { width: 720, height: 1280 };
    case "landscape":
      return { width: 1280, height: 720 };
    case "square":
      return { width: 720, height: 720 };
  }
}

Custom Dimensions

HeyGen supports custom dimensions within limits:

const customConfig = {
  video_inputs: [...],
  dimension: {
    width: 1600,
    height: 900  // Custom 16:9 at non-standard resolution
  }
};

Dimension Constraints

• Minimum: 128px on any side
• Maximum: 4096px on any side
• Must be even numbers: Both width and height must be divisible by 2

function validateDimensions(width: number, height: number): boolean {
  if (width < 128 || height < 128) {
    throw new Error("Dimensions must be at least 128px");
  }
  if (width > 4096 || height > 4096) {
    throw new Error("Dimensions cannot exceed 4096px");
  }
  if (width % 2 !== 0 || height % 2 !== 0) {
    throw new Error("Dimensions must be even numbers");
  }
  return true;
}

Resolution vs. Credit Cost

Higher resolutions may consume more credits:

Consider using 720p for drafts and testing, then 1080p for final output.

Background Considerations

Match background image/video dimensions to your video dimensions:

// For 1080p landscape video
const config = {
  video_inputs: [
    {
      character: {...},
      voice: {...},
      background: {
        type: "image",
        url: "https://example.com/1920x1080-background.jpg" // Match video dimensions
      }
    }
  ],
  dimension: { width: 1920, height: 1080 }
};

Creating a Video Config Factory

interface VideoConfigOptions {
  script: string;
  avatarId: string;
  voiceId: string;
  platform: "youtube" | "tiktok" | "instagram_feed" | "instagram_story" | "linkedin";
  quality?: "720p" | "1080p";
}

function createVideoConfig(options: VideoConfigOptions) {
  const platformDimensions: Record<string, Dimensions> = {
    youtube: { width: 1920, height: 1080 },
    tiktok: { width: 1080, height: 1920 },
    instagram_feed: { width: 1080, height: 1080 },
    instagram_story: { width: 1080, height: 1920 },
    linkedin: { width: 1920, height: 1080 },
  };

  const dimension = platformDimensions[options.platform];

  // Scale down for 720p if requested
  if (options.quality === "720p") {
    dimension.width = Math.round((dimension.width * 720) / 1080);
    dimension.height = Math.round((dimension.height * 720) / 1080);
  }

  return {
    video_inputs: [
      {
        character: {
          type: "avatar",
          avatar_id: options.avatarId,
          avatar_style: "normal",
        },
        voice: {
          type: "text",
          input_text: options.script,
          voice_id: options.voiceId,
        },
      },
    ],
    dimension,
  };
}

// Usage
const tiktokVideo = createVideoConfig({
  script: "Hey everyone! Check this out!",
  avatarId: "josh_lite3_20230714",
  voiceId: "1bd001e7e50f421d891986aad5158bc8",
  platform: "tiktok",
  quality: "1080p",
});

Photo Avatars

Animate a static photo into a speaking video. Use POST /v3/videos with "type": "image" and a nested image field (AssetInput discriminated union: { "type": "url", "url": "..." } or { "type": "asset_id", "asset_id": "..." }) — this uses Avatar IV technology automatically for high-quality results, no avatar group creation needed.

Direct Image-to-Video (v3 API)

Request Fields

AssetInput is a discriminated union on the type field:

• URL variant: { "type": "url", "url": "https://example.com/photo.jpg" }
• Asset ID variant: { "type": "asset_id", "asset_id": "uploaded_asset_id" }

curl Example

curl -X POST "https://api.heygen.com/v3/videos" \
  -H "X-Api-Key: $HEYGEN_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "type": "image",
    "image": { "type": "url", "url": "https://example.com/portrait.jpg" },
    "script": "Hello! This is a high-quality photo avatar video.",
    "voice_id": "1bd001e7e50f421d891986aad5158bc8",
    "aspect_ratio": "16:9",
    "resolution": "1080p"
  }'

Response:

{
  "error": null,
  "data": {
    "video_id": "abc123def456"
  }
}

TypeScript Example

type AssetInput =
  | { type: "url"; url: string }
  | { type: "asset_id"; asset_id: string };

interface PhotoVideoRequest {
  type: "image";
  image: AssetInput;
  script: string;
  voice_id: string;
  motion_prompt?: string;
  expressiveness?: "high" | "medium" | "low";
  aspect_ratio?: "16:9" | "9:16";
  resolution?: "1080p" | "720p";
  remove_background?: boolean;
}

interface VideoResponse {
  error: string | null;
  data: {
    video_id: string;
  };
}

interface VideoStatusResponse {
  error: string | null;
  data: {
    video_id: string;
    status: "pending" | "processing" | "completed" | "failed";
    video_url?: string;
    thumbnail_url?: string;
    duration?: number;
    error?: string;
  };
}

async function createPhotoVideo(config: PhotoVideoRequest): Promise<string> {
  const response = await fetch("https://api.heygen.com/v3/videos", {
    method: "POST",
    headers: {
      "X-Api-Key": process.env.HEYGEN_API_KEY!,
      "Content-Type": "application/json",
    },
    body: JSON.stringify(config),
  });

  const json: VideoResponse = await response.json();
  if (json.error) {
    throw new Error(json.error);
  }

  return json.data.video_id;
}

async function pollVideoStatus(videoId: string): Promise<string> {
  for (let i = 0; i < 120; i++) {
    const response = await fetch(
      `https://api.heygen.com/v3/videos/${videoId}`,
      { headers: { "X-Api-Key": process.env.HEYGEN_API_KEY! } }
    );

    const json: VideoStatusResponse = await response.json();

    if (json.data.status === "completed") {
      return json.data.video_url!;
    }
    if (json.data.status === "failed") {
      throw new Error(json.data.error ?? "Video generation failed");
    }

    await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 5000));
  }

  throw new Error("Video generation timed out");
}

// Usage
const videoId = await createPhotoVideo({
  type: "image",
  image: { type: "url", url: "https://example.com/portrait.jpg" },
  script: "Hello! This is a high-quality photo avatar video.",
  voice_id: "1bd001e7e50f421d891986aad5158bc8",
  aspect_ratio: "16:9",
  resolution: "1080p",
});

const videoUrl = await pollVideoStatus(videoId);
console.log("Video ready:", videoUrl);

Python Example

import requests
import os
import time

def create_photo_video(
    script: str,
    voice_id: str,
    image_url: str | None = None,
    image_asset_id: str | None = None,
    motion_prompt: str | None = None,
    expressiveness: str | None = None,
    aspect_ratio: str = "16:9",
    resolution: str = "1080p",
    remove_background: bool = False,
) -> str:
    api_key = os.environ["HEYGEN_API_KEY"]

    # Build the AssetInput discriminated union
    if image_url:
        image_input = {"type": "url", "url": image_url}
    elif image_asset_id:
        image_input = {"type": "asset_id", "asset_id": image_asset_id}
    else:
        raise ValueError("Provide either image_url or image_asset_id")

    payload: dict = {
        "type": "image",
        "image": image_input,
        "script": script,
        "voice_id": voice_id,
        "aspect_ratio": aspect_ratio,
        "resolution": resolution,
    }

    if motion_prompt:
        payload["motion_prompt"] = motion_prompt
    if expressiveness:
        payload["expressiveness"] = expressiveness
    if remove_background:
        payload["remove_background"] = True

    resp = requests.post(
        "https://api.heygen.com/v3/videos",
        headers={
            "X-Api-Key": api_key,
            "Content-Type": "application/json",
        },
        json=payload,
    )

    data = resp.json()
    if data.get("error"):
        raise Exception(data["error"])

    return data["data"]["video_id"]


def poll_video_status(video_id: str) -> str:
    api_key = os.environ["HEYGEN_API_KEY"]

    for _ in range(120):
        resp = requests.get(
            f"https://api.heygen.com/v3/videos/{video_id}",
            headers={"X-Api-Key": api_key},
        )
        data = resp.json()["data"]

        if data["status"] == "completed":
            return data["video_url"]
        if data["status"] == "failed":
            raise Exception(data.get("error", "Video generation failed"))

        time.sleep(5)

    raise Exception("Video generation timed out")


# Usage
video_id = create_photo_video(
    image_url="https://example.com/portrait.jpg",
    script="Hello! This is a high-quality photo avatar video.",
    voice_id="1bd001e7e50f421d891986aad5158bc8",
)
video_url = poll_video_status(video_id)
print(f"Video ready: {video_url}")

Motion Prompts and Expressiveness

Use motion_prompt and expressiveness to control how the photo avatar moves and emotes:

curl -X POST "https://api.heygen.com/v3/videos" \
  -H "X-Api-Key: $HEYGEN_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "type": "image",
    "image": { "type": "url", "url": "https://example.com/portrait.jpg" },
    "script": "Let me tell you about our exciting new product launch.",
    "voice_id": "1bd001e7e50f421d891986aad5158bc8",
    "motion_prompt": "nodding head and smiling, gesturing with hands while speaking",
    "expressiveness": "high",
    "aspect_ratio": "16:9"
  }'

Uploading Images

If your image is not publicly accessible via URL, upload it first using the asset upload endpoint. Then use the returned asset ID with the asset_id variant of the image field.

Endpoint: POST https://upload.heygen.com/v1/asset

curl -X POST "https://upload.heygen.com/v1/asset" \
  -H "X-Api-Key: $HEYGEN_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: image/jpeg" \
  --data-binary '@./portrait.jpg'

Response:

{
  "code": 100,
  "data": {
    "id": "741299e941764988b432ed3a6757878f",
    "name": "741299e941764988b432ed3a6757878f",
    "file_type": "image",
    "url": "https://resource2.heygen.ai/image/.../original.jpg",
    "image_key": "image/741299e941764988b432ed3a6757878f/original.jpg"
  }
}

Then use the asset id in POST /v3/videos:

curl -X POST "https://api.heygen.com/v3/videos" \
  -H "X-Api-Key: $HEYGEN_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "type": "image",
    "image": { "type": "asset_id", "asset_id": "741299e941764988b432ed3a6757878f" },
    "script": "Hello from an uploaded photo!",
    "voice_id": "1bd001e7e50f421d891986aad5158bc8"
  }'

See assets.md for full upload details.

AI-Generated Photo Avatars

Generate synthetic photo avatars from text descriptions instead of uploading a photo.

Endpoint: POST https://api.heygen.com/v2/photo_avatar/photo/generate

Note: This endpoint is still v2 (no v3 equivalent). After generating an image, use the resulting image URL in POST /v3/videos with "type": "image" and "image": { "type": "url", "url": "..." } for high-quality video generation.

IMPORTANT: All 8 fields are REQUIRED. The API will reject requests missing any field.

When a user asks to "generate an AI avatar of a professional man", you need to ask for or select values for ALL fields below.

Required Fields (ALL must be provided)

curl Example

curl -X POST "https://api.heygen.com/v2/photo_avatar/photo/generate" \
  -H "X-Api-Key: $HEYGEN_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "name": "Sarah Product Demo",
    "age": "Young Adult",
    "gender": "Woman",
    "ethnicity": "White",
    "orientation": "horizontal",
    "pose": "half_body",
    "style": "Realistic",
    "appearance": "Professional woman with a friendly smile, wearing a navy blue blazer over a white blouse, soft studio lighting, clean neutral background"
  }'

Response:

{
  "error": null,
  "data": {
    "generation_id": "6a7f7f2795de4599bec7cf1e06babe30"
  }
}

Check Generation Status

Endpoint: GET https://api.heygen.com/v2/photo_avatar/generation/{generation_id}

The response includes multiple generated images to choose from:

{
  "error": null,
  "data": {
    "id": "6a7f7f2795de4599bec7cf1e06babe30",
    "status": "success",
    "image_url_list": [
      "https://resource2.heygen.ai/photo_generation/.../image1.jpg",
      "https://resource2.heygen.ai/photo_generation/.../image2.jpg",
      "https://resource2.heygen.ai/photo_generation/.../image3.jpg",
      "https://resource2.heygen.ai/photo_generation/.../image4.jpg"
    ],
    "image_key_list": [
      "photo_generation/.../image1.jpg",
      "photo_generation/.../image2.jpg",
      "photo_generation/.../image3.jpg",
      "photo_generation/.../image4.jpg"
    ]
  }
}

AI Photo to Video (Recommended Flow)

Generate an AI photo, then use the resulting image URL directly in POST /v3/videos:

// 1. Generate AI photo
const genResponse = await fetch(
  "https://api.heygen.com/v2/photo_avatar/photo/generate",
  {
    method: "POST",
    headers: {
      "X-Api-Key": process.env.HEYGEN_API_KEY!,
      "Content-Type": "application/json",
    },
    body: JSON.stringify({
      name: "Product Demo Host",
      age: "Young Adult",
      gender: "Woman",
      ethnicity: "Unspecified",
      orientation: "horizontal",
      pose: "half_body",
      style: "Realistic",
      appearance:
        "Professional woman, navy blazer, friendly smile, soft lighting",
    }),
  }
);

const { data: genData } = await genResponse.json();
const generationId = genData.generation_id;

// 2. Poll until generation completes
let imageUrl: string | undefined;
for (let i = 0; i < 60; i++) {
  const statusResp = await fetch(
    `https://api.heygen.com/v2/photo_avatar/generation/${generationId}`,
    { headers: { "X-Api-Key": process.env.HEYGEN_API_KEY! } }
  );
  const statusJson = await statusResp.json();

  if (statusJson.data.status === "success") {
    imageUrl = statusJson.data.image_url_list[0];
    break;
  }
  if (statusJson.data.status === "failed") {
    throw new Error("Photo generation failed");
  }
  await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 5000));
}

if (!imageUrl) throw new Error("Photo generation timed out");

// 3. Create video using v3 API with the generated image URL
const videoResp = await fetch("https://api.heygen.com/v3/videos", {
  method: "POST",
  headers: {
    "X-Api-Key": process.env.HEYGEN_API_KEY!,
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    type: "image" as const,
    image: { type: "url" as const, url: imageUrl },
    script: "Welcome to our product demo!",
    voice_id: "1bd001e7e50f421d891986aad5158bc8",
    aspect_ratio: "16:9",
    resolution: "1080p",
  }),
});

const { data: videoData } = await videoResp.json();
console.log("Video ID:", videoData.video_id);

Pre-Generation Checklist

Before calling the AI generation API, ensure you have values for ALL fields:

If the user only provides a vague request like "create a professional looking man", ask them to specify the missing fields OR make reasonable defaults (e.g., "Early Middle Age", "Realistic" style, "half_body" pose, "horizontal" orientation).

Appearance Prompt Tips

The appearance field is a text prompt - be descriptive:

Good prompts:

• "Professional woman with shoulder-length brown hair, wearing a light blue button-down shirt, warm friendly smile, soft studio lighting, clean white background"
• "Young man with short black hair, casual tech startup style, wearing a dark hoodie, confident expression, modern office background with plants"

Avoid:

• Vague descriptions: "a nice person"
• Conflicting attributes
• Requesting specific real people

Legacy: Creating Photo Avatar Groups

Note: This is the legacy workflow. For most use cases, prefer the direct "type": "image" approach with POST /v3/videos described above. The avatar group workflow is more complex and does not produce better results.

The legacy workflow is: Upload Image -> Create Avatar Group -> Use in Video

Step 1: Upload the Image

Upload a portrait photo using the asset upload endpoint (see Uploading Images above).

Step 2: Create Photo Avatar Group

Use the image_key from the upload response to create a photo avatar group.

Endpoint: POST https://api.heygen.com/v2/photo_avatar/avatar_group/create

curl -X POST "https://api.heygen.com/v2/photo_avatar/avatar_group/create" \
  -H "X-Api-Key: $HEYGEN_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "image_key": "image/741299e941764988b432ed3a6757878f/original.jpg",
    "name": "My Photo Avatar"
  }'

Response:

{
  "error": null,
  "data": {
    "id": "045c260bc0364727b2cbe50442c3a5bf",
    "image_url": "https://files2.heygen.ai/...",
    "created_at": 1771798135.777256,
    "name": "My Photo Avatar",
    "status": "pending",
    "group_id": "045c260bc0364727b2cbe50442c3a5bf",
    "is_motion": false,
    "business_type": "uploaded"
  }
}

Step 3: Wait for Processing

Poll GET /v2/photo_avatar/{id} until status is "completed".

Step 4: Use in Video Generation

Use the photo avatar look ID as avatar_id in POST /v3/videos:

curl -X POST "https://api.heygen.com/v3/videos" \
  -H "X-Api-Key: $HEYGEN_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "type": "avatar",
    "avatar_id": "045c260bc0364727b2cbe50442c3a5bf",
    "script": "Hello! This is my photo avatar speaking.",
    "voice_id": "1bd001e7e50f421d891986aad5158bc8",
    "aspect_ratio": "16:9"
  }'

Adding Photos to an Existing Group

Endpoint: POST https://api.heygen.com/v2/photo_avatar/avatar_group/add

Training a Photo Avatar Group

Endpoint: POST https://api.heygen.com/v2/photo_avatar/train

curl -X POST "https://api.heygen.com/v2/photo_avatar/train" \
  -H "X-Api-Key: $HEYGEN_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"group_id": "045c260bc0364727b2cbe50442c3a5bf"}'

Check training status: GET /v2/photo_avatar/train/status/{group_id}

Managing Photo Avatars

Get Photo Avatar Details

Endpoint: GET https://api.heygen.com/v2/photo_avatar/{id}

async function getPhotoAvatar(id: string): Promise<any> {
  const response = await fetch(
    `https://api.heygen.com/v2/photo_avatar/${id}`,
    { headers: { "X-Api-Key": process.env.HEYGEN_API_KEY! } }
  );
  return response.json();
}

Delete Photo Avatar

Endpoint: DELETE https://api.heygen.com/v2/photo_avatar/{id}

async function deletePhotoAvatar(id: string): Promise<void> {
  const response = await fetch(
    `https://api.heygen.com/v2/photo_avatar/${id}`,
    {
      method: "DELETE",
      headers: { "X-Api-Key": process.env.HEYGEN_API_KEY! },
    }
  );

  if (!response.ok) {
    throw new Error("Failed to delete photo avatar");
  }
}

Delete Photo Avatar Group

Endpoint: DELETE https://api.heygen.com/v2/photo_avatar_group/{group_id}

async function deletePhotoAvatarGroup(groupId: string): Promise<void> {
  const response = await fetch(
    `https://api.heygen.com/v2/photo_avatar_group/${groupId}`,
    {
      method: "DELETE",
      headers: { "X-Api-Key": process.env.HEYGEN_API_KEY! },
    }
  );

  if (!response.ok) {
    throw new Error("Failed to delete photo avatar group");
  }
}

Photo Requirements

Technical Requirements

Quality Guidelines

1. Lighting - Even, natural lighting on face 2. Expression - Neutral or slight smile 3. Background - Simple, uncluttered 4. Face position - Centered, not cut off 5. Clarity - Sharp, in focus 6. Angle - Straight-on or slight angle

Best Practices

1. Use `POST /v3/videos` with `"type": "image"` for the best quality - This is the recommended path and automatically uses Avatar IV technology 2. Use `"image": { "type": "asset_id", ... }` for private images - Upload first via POST upload.heygen.com/v1/asset, then pass the asset ID in the image field 3. Use high-quality photos - Better input = better output 4. Front-facing portraits work best - Clear face visibility produces the most natural animation 5. Use `motion_prompt` for natural movement - Describe the body language you want (e.g., "nodding and gesturing") 6. Start with `expressiveness: "low"` - Increase to "medium" or "high" only if you want more energetic movement 7. Avoid the legacy avatar group workflow - The direct "type": "image" approach is simpler and produces equivalent or better results

API Reference

Limitations

• Photo quality significantly affects output
• Side-profile photos have limited support
• Full-body photos may not animate properly
• Some expressions may look unnatural
• Processing time varies by complexity

HeyGen Quota and Credits

HeyGen uses a credit-based system for video generation. Understanding quota management helps prevent failed video generation requests.

Checking Remaining Quota

curl

curl -X GET "https://api.heygen.com/v2/user/remaining_quota" \
  -H "X-Api-Key: $HEYGEN_API_KEY"

TypeScript

interface QuotaResponse {
  error: null | string;
  data: {
    remaining_quota: number;
    used_quota: number;
  };
}

const response = await fetch("https://api.heygen.com/v2/user/remaining_quota", {
  headers: { "X-Api-Key": process.env.HEYGEN_API_KEY! },
});

const { data }: QuotaResponse = await response.json();
console.log(`Remaining credits: ${data.remaining_quota}`);

Python

import requests
import os

response = requests.get(
    "https://api.heygen.com/v2/user/remaining_quota",
    headers={"X-Api-Key": os.environ["HEYGEN_API_KEY"]}
)

data = response.json()["data"]
print(f"Remaining credits: {data['remaining_quota']}")

Response Format

{
  "error": null,
  "data": {
    "remaining_quota": 450,
    "used_quota": 50
  }
}

Credit Consumption

Different operations consume different amounts of credits:

Pre-Generation Quota Check

Always verify sufficient quota before generating videos:

async function generateVideoWithQuotaCheck(videoConfig: VideoConfig) {
  // Check quota first
  const quotaResponse = await fetch(
    "https://api.heygen.com/v2/user/remaining_quota",
    { headers: { "X-Api-Key": process.env.HEYGEN_API_KEY! } }
  );

  const { data: quota } = await quotaResponse.json();

  // Estimate required credits (rough estimate: 1 credit per minute)
  const estimatedMinutes = videoConfig.estimatedDuration / 60;
  const requiredCredits = Math.ceil(estimatedMinutes);

  if (quota.remaining_quota < requiredCredits) {
    throw new Error(
      `Insufficient credits. Need ${requiredCredits}, have ${quota.remaining_quota}`
    );
  }

  // Proceed with video generation
  return generateVideo(videoConfig);
}

Quota Management Best Practices

1. Monitor Usage Regularly

async function logQuotaUsage() {
  const response = await fetch(
    "https://api.heygen.com/v2/user/remaining_quota",
    { headers: { "X-Api-Key": process.env.HEYGEN_API_KEY! } }
  );

  const { data } = await response.json();

  console.log({
    remaining: data.remaining_quota,
    used: data.used_quota,
    percentUsed: (
      (data.used_quota / (data.remaining_quota + data.used_quota)) *
      100
    ).toFixed(1),
  });
}

2. Set Up Alerts

const QUOTA_WARNING_THRESHOLD = 50;

async function checkQuotaWithAlert() {
  const response = await fetch(
    "https://api.heygen.com/v2/user/remaining_quota",
    { headers: { "X-Api-Key": process.env.HEYGEN_API_KEY! } }
  );

  const { data } = await response.json();

  if (data.remaining_quota < QUOTA_WARNING_THRESHOLD) {
    // Send alert (email, Slack, etc.)
    await sendAlert(`Low HeyGen quota: ${data.remaining_quota} credits remaining`);
  }

  return data;
}

3. Use Test Mode for Development

When available, use test mode to avoid consuming credits during development:

const videoConfig = {
  test: true, // Use test mode during development
  video_inputs: [...],
};

// Test videos may have watermarks but don't consume credits

Subscription Tiers

Different subscription tiers have different quota allocations and features:

API access typically requires Enterprise tier or higher.

Error Handling for Quota Issues

async function handleQuotaError(error: any) {
  if (error.message.includes("quota") || error.message.includes("credit")) {
    console.error("Quota exceeded. Consider:");
    console.error("1. Upgrading your subscription");
    console.error("2. Waiting for quota reset");
    console.error("3. Purchasing additional credits");

    // Check current quota
    const quota = await getQuota();
    console.error(`Current remaining: ${quota.remaining_quota}`);
  }

  throw error;
}

HeyGen + Remotion Integration

This guide covers workflows for generating HeyGen avatar videos and using them in Remotion compositions.

Quick Start

// 1. Get avatar with default voice
const avatar = await getAvatarDetails(avatarId);

// 2. Generate video (MP4 with background - most common)
const videoId = await generateVideo({
  video_inputs: [{
    character: { type: "avatar", avatar_id: avatar.id, avatar_style: "normal" },
    voice: { type: "text", input_text: script, voice_id: avatar.default_voice_id },
    background: { type: "color", value: "#1a1a2e" },
  }],
  dimension: { width: 1920, height: 1080 },
});

// 3. Poll for completion (10-15+ min)
// 4. Use in Remotion with motion graphics overlaid on top

Overview

A typical workflow: 1. Generate avatar video with HeyGen 2. Wait for completion and get video URL 3. Download or use URL directly in Remotion 4. Compose with other elements (backgrounds, overlays, animations)

Choosing the Right Output Format

Use MP4 with background for most cases. Use WebM when you need to see content behind the avatar.

Note: WebM only supports normal and closeUp styles. For circular framing, use CSS border-radius: 50% in Remotion.

Recommended: Parallel Development Workflow

HeyGen video generation takes 10-15+ minutes. Don't wait - work in parallel:

1. Start HeyGen generation - save video_id to a file, exit immediately 2. Build Remotion composition - use a placeholder or the avatar's preview_video_url (a short loop) 3. Check HeyGen status periodically or when done building 4. Swap placeholder for real video URL once ready

Estimate duration from script: ~150 words/minute speech rate, so wordCount / 150 * 60 * fps gives approximate frames.

Composition tip: Design components to work with or without the avatar video, so motion graphics can be tested independently.

Dimension Alignment

Critical: Match HeyGen output dimensions to your Remotion composition.

Common Dimension Presets

// Shared dimension constants for both HeyGen and Remotion
const DIMENSIONS = {
  landscape_1080p: { width: 1920, height: 1080 },
  landscape_720p: { width: 1280, height: 720 },
  portrait_1080p: { width: 1080, height: 1920 },
  portrait_720p: { width: 720, height: 1280 },
  square_1080p: { width: 1080, height: 1080 },
  square_720p: { width: 720, height: 720 },
} as const;

type DimensionPreset = keyof typeof DIMENSIONS;

HeyGen Video Generation

// Generate HeyGen video with specific dimensions
async function generateHeyGenVideo(
  script: string,
  avatarId: string,
  voiceId: string,
  preset: DimensionPreset
): Promise<string> {
  const dimension = DIMENSIONS[preset];

  const response = await fetch("https://api.heygen.com/v3/videos", {
    method: "POST",
    headers: {
      "X-Api-Key": process.env.HEYGEN_API_KEY!,
      "Content-Type": "application/json",
    },
    body: JSON.stringify({
      type: "avatar" as const,
      avatar_id: avatarId,
      script,
      voice_id: voiceId,
      background: {
        type: "color",
        value: "#00FF00", // Green screen for compositing
      },
      resolution: preset === "landscape_1080p" ? "1080p" : "720p",
      aspect_ratio: preset.startsWith("portrait") ? "9:16" : "16:9",
    }),
  });

  const { data } = await response.json();
  return data.video_id;
}

Remotion Composition Setup

// remotion/src/Root.tsx
import { Composition } from "remotion";
import { AvatarComposition } from "./AvatarComposition";

const DIMENSIONS = {
  landscape_1080p: { width: 1920, height: 1080 },
  // ... same as above
};

export const RemotionRoot: React.FC = () => {
  return (
    <>
      <Composition
        id="AvatarVideo"
        component={AvatarComposition}
        durationInFrames={300} // Will be set dynamically
        fps={30}
        width={DIMENSIONS.landscape_1080p.width}
        height={DIMENSIONS.landscape_1080p.height}
        defaultProps={{
          avatarVideoUrl: "",
        }}
      />
    </>
  );
};

Generating Avatar Video for Remotion

Standard: MP4 with Background

Most Remotion compositions work best with MP4 + background. Overlays and motion graphics go on top:

async function generateAvatarForRemotion(
  script: string,
  avatarId: string,
  voiceId: string,
  options: {
    style?: "normal" | "closeUp" | "circle";
    backgroundColor?: string;
  } = {}
): Promise<string> {
  const { style = "normal", backgroundColor = "#1a1a2e" } = options;

  const response = await fetch("https://api.heygen.com/v3/videos", {
    method: "POST",
    headers: {
      "X-Api-Key": process.env.HEYGEN_API_KEY!,
      "Content-Type": "application/json",
    },
    body: JSON.stringify({
      type: "avatar" as const,
      avatar_id: avatarId,
      script,
      voice_id: voiceId,
      background: {
        type: "color",
        value: backgroundColor,
      },
      resolution: "1080p",
      aspect_ratio: "16:9",
    }),
  });

  const { data } = await response.json();
  return data.video_id;
}

Transparent Background (WebM)

Only use when you need to see content behind the avatar (e.g., avatar overlaid on screen recording):

// Use POST /v3/videos with remove_background: true for transparent background
const response = await fetch("https://api.heygen.com/v3/videos", {
  method: "POST",
  headers: {
    "X-Api-Key": process.env.HEYGEN_API_KEY!,
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    type: "avatar" as const,
    avatar_id: avatarId,
    script,
    voice_id: voiceId,
    remove_background: true,       // Transparent background
    resolution: "1080p",
    aspect_ratio: "16:9",
  }),
});

Using HeyGen Video in Remotion

Important: Use OffthreadVideo for Frame-Accurate Rendering

Always use `OffthreadVideo` instead of `Video` for HeyGen avatar videos. The basic Video component uses the browser's video decoder which isn't frame-accurate, causing jitter during rendering. OffthreadVideo extracts frames via FFmpeg for smooth, accurate playback.

OffthreadVideo is included in the core remotion package - no additional install needed.

Basic Usage

// remotion/src/AvatarComposition.tsx
import { OffthreadVideo, useVideoConfig } from "remotion";

interface AvatarCompositionProps {
  avatarVideoUrl: string;
}

export const AvatarComposition: React.FC<AvatarCompositionProps> = ({
  avatarVideoUrl,
}) => {
  return (
    <div style={{ flex: 1, backgroundColor: "#1a1a2e" }}>
      <OffthreadVideo
        src={avatarVideoUrl}
        style={{
          width: "100%",
          height: "100%",
          objectFit: "contain",
        }}
      />
    </div>
  );
};

WebM with Transparent Background (Recommended)

Using WebM from /v1/video.webm (this endpoint remains at v1 — no v3 equivalent yet) - no chroma keying needed:

import { OffthreadVideo, AbsoluteFill, Sequence } from "remotion";

export const AvatarWithMotionGraphics: React.FC<{
  avatarWebmUrl: string
}> = ({ avatarWebmUrl }) => {
  return (
    <AbsoluteFill>
      {/* Layer 1: Your background/content */}
      <AbsoluteFill style={{ backgroundColor: "#1a1a2e" }}>
        <YourMotionGraphics />
      </AbsoluteFill>

      {/* Layer 2: Avatar with transparent background - use OffthreadVideo for frame-accurate rendering */}
      <OffthreadVideo
        src={avatarWebmUrl}
        transparent
        style={{
          position: "absolute",
          bottom: 0,
          right: 0,
          width: "50%",
          height: "auto",
        }}
      />

      {/* Layer 3: Overlays on top of avatar */}
      <Sequence from={30}>
        <AnimatedTitle text="Welcome!" />
      </Sequence>
    </AbsoluteFill>
  );
};

Loom-Style: Circle Avatar Over Screen Recording

Use closeUp style + WebM, then apply circular mask in Remotion:

import { OffthreadVideo, AbsoluteFill } from "remotion";

export const LoomStyleComposition: React.FC<{
  screenRecordingUrl: string;
  avatarWebmUrl: string; // Generated with avatar_style: "closeUp" via /v1/video.webm (still v1)
}> = ({ screenRecordingUrl, avatarWebmUrl }) => {
  return (
    <AbsoluteFill>
      {/* Screen recording fills the frame */}
      <OffthreadVideo src={screenRecordingUrl} style={{ width: "100%", height: "100%" }} />

      {/* Avatar with circular mask - transparent bg shows screen behind */}
      <OffthreadVideo
        src={avatarWebmUrl}
        transparent
        style={{
          position: "absolute",
          bottom: 40,
          left: 40,
          width: 180,
          height: 180,
          borderRadius: "50%", // Circular mask applied in CSS
          overflow: "hidden",
          objectFit: "cover",
        }}
      />
    </AbsoluteFill>
  );
};

Note: WebM doesn't support circle style - use normal or closeUp and apply circular masking via CSS.

Legacy: Green Screen with Chroma Key

If using MP4 with green background (not recommended - use WebM instead):

// Note: True chroma key requires WebGL or post-processing
// WebM transparent background is much simpler
<OffthreadVideo
  src={avatarVideoUrl}
  style={{
    mixBlendMode: "multiply", // Basic compositing only
  }}
/>

Layered Composition

import { OffthreadVideo, Sequence, useVideoConfig, Img } from "remotion";

interface LayeredAvatarProps {
  avatarVideoUrl: string;
  backgroundUrl: string;
  logoUrl: string;
  title: string;
}

export const LayeredAvatarComposition: React.FC<LayeredAvatarProps> = ({
  avatarVideoUrl,
  backgroundUrl,
  logoUrl,
  title,
}) => {
  const { fps } = useVideoConfig();

  return (
    <div style={{ position: "relative", width: "100%", height: "100%" }}>
      {/* Layer 1: Background */}
      <Img
        src={backgroundUrl}
        style={{
          position: "absolute",
          width: "100%",
          height: "100%",
          objectFit: "cover",
        }}
      />

      {/* Layer 2: Avatar video - use OffthreadVideo to prevent jitter */}
      <OffthreadVideo
        src={avatarVideoUrl}
        style={{
          position: "absolute",
          bottom: 0,
          right: 0,
          width: "40%",
          height: "auto",
        }}
      />

      {/* Layer 3: Title (appears after 1 second) */}
      <Sequence from={fps}>
        <div
          style={{
            position: "absolute",
            top: 50,
            left: 50,
            color: "white",
            fontSize: 48,
            fontWeight: "bold",
          }}
        >
          {title}
        </div>
      </Sequence>

      {/* Layer 4: Logo */}
      <Img
        src={logoUrl}
        style={{
          position: "absolute",
          top: 20,
          right: 20,
          width: 100,
          height: "auto",
        }}
      />
    </div>
  );
};

Complete Workflow

Generate and Compose

import { bundle } from "@remotion/bundler";
import { renderMedia, selectComposition } from "@remotion/renderer";

async function generateAvatarVideoForRemotion(
  script: string,
  outputPath: string
) {
  // 1. Generate HeyGen video
  console.log("Generating HeyGen avatar video...");
  const videoId = await generateHeyGenVideo(
    script,
    "josh_lite3_20230714",
    "1bd001e7e50f421d891986aad5158bc8",
    "landscape_1080p"
  );

  // 2. Wait for completion
  console.log("Waiting for HeyGen video...");
  const avatarVideoUrl = await waitForVideo(videoId);
  console.log(`HeyGen video ready: ${avatarVideoUrl}`);

  // 3. Get video duration for Remotion
  const avatarDuration = await getVideoDuration(avatarVideoUrl);
  const durationInFrames = Math.ceil(avatarDuration * 30); // 30 fps

  // 4. Bundle Remotion project
  console.log("Bundling Remotion project...");
  const bundleLocation = await bundle({
    entryPoint: "./remotion/src/index.ts",
  });

  // 5. Select composition
  const composition = await selectComposition({
    serveUrl: bundleLocation,
    id: "AvatarVideo",
    inputProps: {
      avatarVideoUrl,
    },
  });

  // 6. Render final video
  console.log("Rendering final composition...");
  await renderMedia({
    composition: {
      ...composition,
      durationInFrames,
    },
    serveUrl: bundleLocation,
    codec: "h264",
    outputLocation: outputPath,
    inputProps: {
      avatarVideoUrl,
    },
  });

  console.log(`Final video rendered: ${outputPath}`);
  return outputPath;
}

Dynamic Duration with calculateMetadata

// remotion/src/AvatarComposition.tsx
import { CalculateMetadataFunction } from "remotion";

export const calculateAvatarMetadata: CalculateMetadataFunction<
  AvatarCompositionProps
> = async ({ props }) => {
  // Fetch video duration from HeyGen video
  const duration = await getVideoDurationInSeconds(props.avatarVideoUrl);

  return {
    durationInFrames: Math.ceil(duration * 30),
    fps: 30,
    width: 1920,
    height: 1080,
  };
};

// In Root.tsx
<Composition
  id="AvatarVideo"
  component={AvatarComposition}
  calculateMetadata={calculateAvatarMetadata}
  defaultProps={{
    avatarVideoUrl: "",
  }}
/>

Best Practices

1. Use Green Screen for Flexibility

Generate HeyGen videos with green screen background when you want to composite:

background: {
  type: "color",
  value: "#00FF00", // Pure green for chroma key
}

2. Match Frame Rates

HeyGen default is 25 fps. Consider this when setting Remotion fps:

// Option 1: Match HeyGen's 25 fps
fps: 25

// Option 2: Use 30 fps with playback rate adjustment
<OffthreadVideo
  src={avatarVideoUrl}
  playbackRate={25/30} // Slow down slightly to match
/>

3. URL vs Download: When to Use Each

Use URL directly when:

• Previewing in Remotion Studio (npm run dev)
• URL won't expire before render completes
• You want faster iteration during development

// Direct URL usage - simpler, faster for dev
<OffthreadVideo src={avatarVideoUrl} />

Download first when:

• URL has expiration (HeyGen URLs expire after ~24 hours)
• Rendering will happen later or repeatedly
• Network reliability is a concern
• You need offline rendering

// Download with retry for reliability
async function downloadVideoWithRetry(
  url: string,
  outputPath: string,
  maxRetries = 5
): Promise<string> {
  for (let attempt = 0; attempt < maxRetries; attempt++) {
    try {
      const response = await fetch(url);
      if (!response.ok) throw new Error(`HTTP ${response.status}`);

      const buffer = await response.arrayBuffer();
      await fs.promises.writeFile(outputPath, Buffer.from(buffer));
      return outputPath;
    } catch (error) {
      const delay = 2000 * Math.pow(2, attempt);
      console.log(`Retry ${attempt + 1}/${maxRetries} in ${delay}ms...`);
      await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, delay));
    }
  }
  throw new Error("Download failed after retries");
}

// Use local file in Remotion
const localPath = await downloadVideoWithRetry(avatarVideoUrl, "./public/avatar.mp4");

Hybrid approach (recommended for production):

// Save both URL and local path in metadata
const metadata = {
  videoUrl: result.video_url,           // For quick preview
  localPath: "./public/avatar.mp4",     // For reliable rendering
  expiresAt: Date.now() + 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000, // URL expiration
};

// In Remotion component, prefer local if available
const videoSrc = fs.existsSync(localPath) ? staticFile("avatar.mp4") : avatarVideoUrl;

4. Handle Avatar Positioning

Common avatar positions in compositions:

const AVATAR_POSITIONS = {
  fullscreen: { width: "100%", height: "100%", position: "center" },
  bottomRight: { width: "40%", bottom: 0, right: 0 },
  bottomLeft: { width: "40%", bottom: 0, left: 0 },
  pictureInPicture: { width: "25%", bottom: 20, right: 20 },
  leftThird: { width: "33%", left: 0, height: "100%" },
};

Output Formats

HeyGen Output

• Format: MP4 (H.264)
• Audio: AAC
• Resolution: As specified in request

Remotion Output

• Codec: H.264 (default), VP8, VP9, ProRes
• Match or exceed HeyGen quality settings

await renderMedia({
  codec: "h264",
  crf: 18, // High quality
  // ...
});

Troubleshooting

Video Not Playing in Remotion

1. Check URL accessibility (CORS issues) 2. Verify video format compatibility 3. Try downloading locally first

Dimension Mismatch

Ensure both HeyGen and Remotion use identical dimensions:

// Shared config
const VIDEO_CONFIG = {
  width: 1920,
  height: 1080,
  fps: 30,
};

// HeyGen
dimension: { width: VIDEO_CONFIG.width, height: VIDEO_CONFIG.height }

// Remotion
<Composition width={VIDEO_CONFIG.width} height={VIDEO_CONFIG.height} />

Video Jitter During Rendering

If avatar video appears jittery or stuttery in rendered output:

1. Use `OffthreadVideo` instead of `Video` - The basic Video component uses the browser's video decoder which isn't frame-accurate 2. Update imports (no additional install needed - it's in core remotion):

   // Before (causes jitter)
   import { Video } from "remotion";

   // After (frame-accurate)
   import { OffthreadVideo } from "remotion";

3. For WebM with transparency, add the transparent prop:

   <OffthreadVideo src={avatarWebmUrl} transparent />

Audio Sync Issues

If avatar audio drifts:

• Verify source video frame rate
• Check for encoding issues
• Consider re-encoding with consistent settings

Writing Scripts for HeyGen Videos

Scripts for AI avatar videos have different requirements than scripts for human presenters. This guide covers best practices for writing scripts that sound natural and render well.

Script Basics

Speech Rate and Duration

Typical speech is approximately 150 words per minute at normal speed (1.0x). Use this as a rough estimate for planning script length.

// Estimate video duration from script
function estimateDuration(script: string, speed: number = 1.0): number {
  const words = script.split(/\s+/).filter(w => w.length > 0).length;
  const wordsPerMinute = 150 * speed;
  return words / wordsPerMinute * 60; // seconds
}

// Estimate frames for Remotion
function estimateFrames(script: string, fps: number = 30, speed: number = 1.0): number {
  const durationSeconds = estimateDuration(script, speed);
  return Math.ceil(durationSeconds * fps);
}

Sentence Structure

Keep sentences short. AI voices handle shorter sentences more naturally.

Punctuation Affects Delivery

Adding Pauses with Break Tags

Use SSML-style <break> tags for precise pause control:

<break time="Xs"/>

Where X is seconds (e.g., 0.5s, 1s, 1.5s, 2s).

Formatting Rules

When to Use Pauses

Pause Duration Guide

Examples

// Section transitions
const script = `
Welcome to our product overview. <break time="1s"/>

Today I'll cover three key features. <break time="0.5s"/>
First, let's look at the dashboard. <break time="1.5s"/>

As you can see, it's designed for simplicity. <break time="0.5s"/>
Every action is just one click away.
`;

// Building suspense
const announcement = `
We've been working on something special. <break time="1s"/>
After months of development... <break time="1.5s"/>
I'm excited to announce <break time="0.5s"/> our new AI assistant.
`;

// List with rhythm
const features = `
Our platform offers three core benefits. <break time="0.5s"/>
Speed. <break time="0.5s"/>
Reliability. <break time="0.5s"/>
And simplicity. <break time="1s"/>
Let me show you each one.
`;

Consecutive Breaks

Multiple consecutive breaks are combined:

// These two breaks:
"Hello <break time=\"1s\"/> <break time=\"0.5s\"/> world"

// Are treated as a single 1.5s pause

Script Structure Templates

Product Demo (60 seconds, ~150 words)

const productDemo = `
Hi, I'm [Name], and I'm excited to show you [Product]. <break time="1s"/>

[Product] helps you [main benefit] in just [timeframe]. <break time="0.5s"/>

Here's how it works. <break time="1s"/>

First, [step 1]. <break time="0.5s"/>
Then, [step 2]. <break time="0.5s"/>
And finally, [step 3]. <break time="1s"/>

What used to take [old time] now takes [new time]. <break time="0.5s"/>

Ready to get started? <break time="0.5s"/>
Visit [website] today.
`;

Tutorial Introduction (90 seconds, ~225 words)

const tutorial = `
Welcome to this tutorial on [topic]. <break time="0.5s"/>
I'm [Name], and I'll guide you through everything you need to know. <break time="1s"/>

By the end of this video, you'll be able to [outcome 1], [outcome 2], and [outcome 3]. <break time="1s"/>

Let's start with the basics. <break time="1.5s"/>

[Section 1 content - 2-3 sentences] <break time="1s"/>

Now that you understand [concept], let's move on to [next topic]. <break time="1.5s"/>

[Section 2 content - 2-3 sentences] <break time="1s"/>

And finally, let's cover [last topic]. <break time="1.5s"/>

[Section 3 content - 2-3 sentences] <break time="1s"/>

That's everything you need to get started. <break time="0.5s"/>
If you have questions, leave a comment below. <break time="0.5s"/>
Thanks for watching!
`;

Announcement (30 seconds, ~75 words)

const announcement = `
Big news! <break time="0.5s"/>

We're thrilled to announce [announcement]. <break time="1s"/>

This means [benefit 1] and [benefit 2] for all our users. <break time="0.5s"/>

Starting [date], you'll be able to [new capability]. <break time="1s"/>

Head to [location] to learn more. <break time="0.5s"/>
We can't wait to hear what you think!
`;

Writing Tips for AI Voices

Do

• Write conversationally - Read it aloud to check flow
• Use contractions - "We're" not "We are", "It's" not "It is"
• Break up long sentences - Split at natural pause points
• Spell out abbreviations - "API" may sound like "a pee eye"
• Add pauses for emphasis - Guide the listener's attention
• End sections clearly - Don't trail off mid-thought

Avoid

• Jargon without context - Explain technical terms
• Long parentheticals - Move to separate sentences
• Ambiguous pronunciations - "read" (present) vs "read" (past)
• Excessive exclamation marks - One per script is usually enough
• Run-on sentences - Break into digestible chunks
• Dense information - Space out facts with pauses

Pronunciation Hints

For words that might be mispronounced, spell phonetically or add hints:

// Technical terms
const script1 = "Our API (A-P-I) handles authentication...";

// Ambiguous words
const script2 = "I read (red) the documentation yesterday...";

// Brand names
const script3 = "Welcome to HeyGen (hey-jen)...";

Multi-Scene Scripts

When splitting scripts across scenes (for different backgrounds or avatars):

const multiSceneVideo = {
  video_inputs: [
    {
      // Scene 1: Introduction
      character: { type: "avatar", avatar_id: "josh_lite3_20230714", avatar_style: "normal" },
      voice: {
        type: "text",
        input_text: "Welcome to our quarterly update. <break time=\"1s\"/> I'm Josh, and I'll walk you through the highlights.",
        voice_id: "voice_id_here",
      },
      background: { type: "color", value: "#1a1a2e" },
    },
    {
      // Scene 2: Main content (different background)
      character: { type: "avatar", avatar_id: "josh_lite3_20230714", avatar_style: "normal" },
      voice: {
        type: "text",
        input_text: "Let's start with revenue. <break time=\"0.5s\"/> We grew 25 percent quarter over quarter. <break time=\"1s\"/> Here's what drove that growth.",
        voice_id: "voice_id_here",
      },
      background: { type: "image", url: "https://..." },
    },
    // ... more scenes
  ],
};

Scene Transition Tips

• End each scene with a complete thought
• Start new scenes with brief context
• Maintain consistent tone across scenes
• Use pauses at scene starts to let visuals register

Testing Your Script

Before generating the full video:

1. Read aloud - Time yourself, check for awkward phrasing 2. Count words - Verify expected duration 3. Check break tags - Ensure proper spacing and syntax 4. Preview with short clip - Generate a 10-second test if unsure about pronunciation

// Test a small portion first
const testScript = script.split('.').slice(0, 2).join('.') + '.';
const testVideoId = await generateVideo({
  video_inputs: [{
    character: { type: "avatar", avatar_id: avatarId, avatar_style: "normal" },
    voice: { type: "text", input_text: testScript, voice_id: voiceId },
  }],
  dimension: { width: 1280, height: 720 }, // Lower res for test
});

Voice Speed Adjustment

Adjust delivery speed in the voice configuration:

voice: {
  type: "text",
  input_text: script,
  voice_id: "voice_id",
  speed: 1.1,  // Slightly faster (range: 0.5 - 2.0)
}

See voices.md for full voice configuration options.

Video Templates

HeyGen templates allow you to create reusable video structures with variable placeholders, enabling personalized video generation at scale.

Listing Templates

curl

curl -X GET "https://api.heygen.com/v2/templates" \
  -H "X-Api-Key: $HEYGEN_API_KEY"

TypeScript

interface Template {
  template_id: string;
  name: string;
  thumbnail_url: string;
  variables: TemplateVariable[];
}

interface TemplateVariable {
  name: string;
  type: "text" | "image" | "audio";
  properties?: {
    max_length?: number;
    default_value?: string;
  };
}

interface TemplatesResponse {
  error: null | string;
  data: {
    templates: Template[];
  };
}

async function listTemplates(): Promise<Template[]> {
  const response = await fetch("https://api.heygen.com/v2/templates", {
    headers: { "X-Api-Key": process.env.HEYGEN_API_KEY! },
  });

  const json: TemplatesResponse = await response.json();

  if (json.error) {
    throw new Error(json.error);
  }

  return json.data.templates;
}

Python

import requests
import os

def list_templates() -> list:
    response = requests.get(
        "https://api.heygen.com/v2/templates",
        headers={"X-Api-Key": os.environ["HEYGEN_API_KEY"]}
    )

    data = response.json()
    if data.get("error"):
        raise Exception(data["error"])

    return data["data"]["templates"]

Response Format

{
  "error": null,
  "data": {
    "templates": [
      {
        "template_id": "template_abc123",
        "name": "Product Announcement",
        "thumbnail_url": "https://files.heygen.ai/...",
        "variables": [
          {
            "name": "product_name",
            "type": "text",
            "properties": {
              "max_length": 50
            }
          },
          {
            "name": "presenter_script",
            "type": "text",
            "properties": {
              "max_length": 500
            }
          },
          {
            "name": "product_image",
            "type": "image"
          }
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
}

Getting Template Details

curl

curl -X GET "https://api.heygen.com/v2/template/{template_id}" \
  -H "X-Api-Key: $HEYGEN_API_KEY"

TypeScript

async function getTemplate(templateId: string): Promise<Template> {
  const response = await fetch(
    `https://api.heygen.com/v2/template/${templateId}`,
    { headers: { "X-Api-Key": process.env.HEYGEN_API_KEY! } }
  );

  const json = await response.json();

  if (json.error) {
    throw new Error(json.error);
  }

  return json.data;
}

Generating Video from Template

Request Fields

Note: The variables object keys must match the template's defined variable names. Check template details to see which variables are defined.

curl

curl -X POST "https://api.heygen.com/v2/template/{template_id}/generate" \
  -H "X-Api-Key: $HEYGEN_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "test": false,
    "variables": {
      "product_name": "SuperWidget Pro",
      "presenter_script": "Introducing our latest innovation!",
      "product_image": "https://example.com/product.jpg"
    }
  }'

TypeScript

interface TemplateGenerateRequest {
  variables: Record<string, string>;           // Required
  test?: boolean;
  title?: string;
  callback_id?: string;
  callback_url?: string;
}

interface TemplateGenerateResponse {
  error: null | string;
  data: {
    video_id: string;
  };
}

async function generateFromTemplate(
  templateId: string,
  variables: Record<string, string>,
  test: boolean = false
): Promise<string> {
  const response = await fetch(
    `https://api.heygen.com/v2/template/${templateId}/generate`,
    {
      method: "POST",
      headers: {
        "X-Api-Key": process.env.HEYGEN_API_KEY!,
        "Content-Type": "application/json",
      },
      body: JSON.stringify({ test, variables }),
    }
  );

  const json: TemplateGenerateResponse = await response.json();

  if (json.error) {
    throw new Error(json.error);
  }

  return json.data.video_id;
}

Python

def generate_from_template(template_id: str, variables: dict, test: bool = False) -> str:
    response = requests.post(
        f"https://api.heygen.com/v2/template/{template_id}/generate",
        headers={
            "X-Api-Key": os.environ["HEYGEN_API_KEY"],
            "Content-Type": "application/json"
        },
        json={
            "test": test,
            "variables": variables
        }
    )

    data = response.json()
    if data.get("error"):
        raise Exception(data["error"])

    return data["data"]["video_id"]

Variable Types

Text Variables

For dynamic text content:

const variables = {
  customer_name: "John Smith",
  product_name: "SuperWidget Pro",
  price: "$99.99",
  cta_text: "Order Now!",
};

Image Variables

For dynamic images (backgrounds, product shots):

const variables = {
  product_image: "https://example.com/product.jpg",
  logo: "https://example.com/logo.png",
  background: "https://example.com/bg.jpg",
};

Audio Variables

For custom audio content:

const variables = {
  background_music: "https://example.com/music.mp3",
  custom_voiceover: "https://example.com/voiceover.mp3",
};

Batch Video Generation

Generate multiple personalized videos from a template:

interface PersonalizationData {
  name: string;
  email: string;
  company: string;
  customMessage: string;
}

async function batchGenerateVideos(
  templateId: string,
  recipients: PersonalizationData[]
): Promise<string[]> {
  const videoIds: string[] = [];

  for (const recipient of recipients) {
    const variables = {
      recipient_name: recipient.name,
      company_name: recipient.company,
      personalized_message: recipient.customMessage,
    };

    const videoId = await generateFromTemplate(templateId, variables);
    videoIds.push(videoId);

    // Rate limiting: add delay between requests
    await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 1000));
  }

  return videoIds;
}

// Usage
const recipients = [
  {
    name: "John Smith",
    email: "john@example.com",
    company: "Acme Inc",
    customMessage: "Thanks for your interest in our product!",
  },
  {
    name: "Jane Doe",
    email: "jane@example.com",
    company: "Tech Corp",
    customMessage: "We'd love to show you a demo!",
  },
];

const videoIds = await batchGenerateVideos("template_abc123", recipients);

Template Validation

Validate variables before generating:

function validateTemplateVariables(
  template: Template,
  variables: Record<string, string>
): { valid: boolean; errors: string[] } {
  const errors: string[] = [];

  for (const templateVar of template.variables) {
    const value = variables[templateVar.name];

    // Check if required variable is provided
    if (!value) {
      errors.push(`Missing required variable: ${templateVar.name}`);
      continue;
    }

    // Check text length limits
    if (templateVar.type === "text" && templateVar.properties?.max_length) {
      if (value.length > templateVar.properties.max_length) {
        errors.push(
          `Variable "${templateVar.name}" exceeds max length of ${templateVar.properties.max_length}`
        );
      }
    }

    // Validate image URLs
    if (templateVar.type === "image") {
      try {
        new URL(value);
      } catch {
        errors.push(`Variable "${templateVar.name}" is not a valid URL`);
      }
    }
  }

  return {
    valid: errors.length === 0,
    errors,
  };
}

Complete Template Workflow

async function createPersonalizedVideo(
  templateId: string,
  personalization: Record<string, string>
): Promise<string> {
  // 1. Get template details
  const template = await getTemplate(templateId);
  console.log(`Using template: ${template.name}`);

  // 2. Validate variables
  const validation = validateTemplateVariables(template, personalization);
  if (!validation.valid) {
    throw new Error(`Validation errors: ${validation.errors.join(", ")}`);
  }

  // 3. Generate video
  console.log("Generating video...");
  const videoId = await generateFromTemplate(templateId, personalization);
  console.log(`Video ID: ${videoId}`);

  // 4. Wait for completion
  const videoUrl = await waitForVideo(videoId);
  console.log(`Video ready: ${videoUrl}`);

  return videoUrl;
}

// Usage
const videoUrl = await createPersonalizedVideo("template_abc123", {
  customer_name: "John Smith",
  product_name: "SuperWidget Pro",
  offer_details: "Get 20% off your first order!",
});

Best Practices

1. Design for flexibility - Create templates with generic placeholders 2. Set reasonable limits - Define max lengths for text variables 3. Validate inputs - Check variable values before generating 4. Use test mode - Test with test: true to verify before production 5. Implement rate limiting - Add delays for batch generation 6. Cache template data - Reduce API calls by caching template details 7. Error handling - Gracefully handle generation failures

Use Cases

• Sales outreach - Personalized prospect videos
• Customer onboarding - Welcome videos with customer name
• Product updates - Announcements with dynamic content
• Training - Customized training modules
• Marketing campaigns - Targeted promotional videos

Text Overlays

Add text overlays to your HeyGen videos for titles, captions, lower thirds, and other on-screen text elements.

Basic Text Overlay

const videoConfig = {
  video_inputs: [
    {
      character: {
        type: "avatar",
        avatar_id: "josh_lite3_20230714",
        avatar_style: "normal",
      },
      voice: {
        type: "text",
        input_text: "Welcome to our presentation!",
        voice_id: "1bd001e7e50f421d891986aad5158bc8",
      },
      background: {
        type: "color",
        value: "#1a1a2e",
      },
    },
  ],
  // Text overlay configuration (if supported in your API tier)
  // Note: Availability varies by plan
};

Text Overlay Configuration

Text overlays typically support these properties:

interface TextOverlay {
  text: string;
  x: number;          // X position (pixels or percentage)
  y: number;          // Y position (pixels or percentage)
  width?: number;     // Text box width
  height?: number;    // Text box height
  font_family?: string;
  font_size?: number;
  font_color?: string;
  background_color?: string;
  text_align?: "left" | "center" | "right";
  duration?: {
    start: number;    // Start time in seconds
    end: number;      // End time in seconds
  };
}

Positioning Text

Coordinate System

• Origin: Top-left corner (0, 0)
• X-axis: Increases to the right
• Y-axis: Increases downward
• Units: Typically pixels or percentage of video dimensions

Common Positions

For a 1920x1080 video:

Position Helper Function

interface Position {
  x: number;
  y: number;
}

function getTextPosition(
  location: "top-left" | "top-center" | "top-right" | "center" | "bottom-left" | "bottom-center" | "bottom-right",
  videoWidth: number,
  videoHeight: number,
  padding: number = 50
): Position {
  const positions: Record<string, Position> = {
    "top-left": { x: padding, y: padding },
    "top-center": { x: videoWidth / 2, y: padding },
    "top-right": { x: videoWidth - padding, y: padding },
    "center": { x: videoWidth / 2, y: videoHeight / 2 },
    "bottom-left": { x: padding, y: videoHeight - padding },
    "bottom-center": { x: videoWidth / 2, y: videoHeight - padding },
    "bottom-right": { x: videoWidth - padding, y: videoHeight - padding },
  };

  return positions[location];
}

Font Styling

Available Font Properties

const textStyle = {
  font_family: "Arial",
  font_size: 48,
  font_color: "#FFFFFF",
  font_weight: "bold",
  background_color: "rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5)",
  text_align: "center",
};

Common Font Families

Common Text Overlay Patterns

Title Card

const titleOverlay = {
  text: "Product Demo",
  x: 960,
  y: 540,
  font_family: "Arial",
  font_size: 72,
  font_color: "#FFFFFF",
  text_align: "center",
  duration: {
    start: 0,
    end: 3,
  },
};

Lower Third (Name/Title)

const lowerThirdOverlay = {
  text: "John Smith\nCEO, Company Inc.",
  x: 100,
  y: 900,
  font_family: "Arial",
  font_size: 36,
  font_color: "#FFFFFF",
  background_color: "rgba(0, 102, 204, 0.9)",
  text_align: "left",
  duration: {
    start: 2,
    end: 8,
  },
};

Call to Action

const ctaOverlay = {
  text: "Visit example.com",
  x: 960,
  y: 1000,
  font_family: "Arial",
  font_size: 42,
  font_color: "#FFD700",
  text_align: "center",
  duration: {
    start: 25,
    end: 30,
  },
};

Creating Text Overlay Templates

interface TextOverlayTemplate {
  name: string;
  style: Partial<TextOverlay>;
}

const templates: TextOverlayTemplate[] = [
  {
    name: "title",
    style: {
      font_family: "Arial",
      font_size: 72,
      font_color: "#FFFFFF",
      text_align: "center",
    },
  },
  {
    name: "subtitle",
    style: {
      font_family: "Arial",
      font_size: 42,
      font_color: "#CCCCCC",
      text_align: "center",
    },
  },
  {
    name: "lower-third",
    style: {
      font_family: "Arial",
      font_size: 36,
      font_color: "#FFFFFF",
      background_color: "rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7)",
      text_align: "left",
    },
  },
  {
    name: "caption",
    style: {
      font_family: "Arial",
      font_size: 32,
      font_color: "#FFFFFF",
      background_color: "rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5)",
      text_align: "center",
    },
  },
];

function createTextOverlay(
  text: string,
  templateName: string,
  position: Position,
  duration?: { start: number; end: number }
): TextOverlay {
  const template = templates.find((t) => t.name === templateName);

  if (!template) {
    throw new Error(`Template "${templateName}" not found`);
  }

  return {
    text,
    x: position.x,
    y: position.y,
    ...template.style,
    duration,
  };
}

Timing Text Overlays

Coordinate text appearance with your script:

// Script with timing markers
const script = `
Hello and welcome. [0:00 - 0:03]
Let me show you our features. [0:03 - 0:08]
First, we have analytics. [0:08 - 0:15]
Get started today! [0:15 - 0:20]
`;

// Matching text overlays
const overlays = [
  {
    text: "Welcome",
    duration: { start: 0, end: 3 },
    ...titleStyle,
  },
  {
    text: "Feature Overview",
    duration: { start: 3, end: 8 },
    ...subtitleStyle,
  },
  {
    text: "Analytics Dashboard",
    duration: { start: 8, end: 15 },
    ...lowerThirdStyle,
  },
  {
    text: "www.example.com",
    duration: { start: 15, end: 20 },
    ...ctaStyle,
  },
];

Best Practices

1. Readability - Use sufficient contrast between text and background 2. Size - Ensure text is large enough to read on mobile devices 3. Duration - Give viewers enough time to read (rule of thumb: 3 seconds minimum) 4. Positioning - Don't overlap with the avatar's face 5. Consistency - Use consistent fonts and styles throughout 6. Accessibility - Consider color-blind friendly palettes

Limitations

• Text overlay support varies by subscription tier
• Some advanced styling options may not be available via API
• Complex animations may require post-production tools
• For auto-generated captions, see captions.md