Video Analysis API
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Video Analysis API docs

The Video Analysis API analyzes a video once and returns its breakdown as JSON: the transcript with a time for every word, every cut and what kind it is, the shots and scenes, every caption and graphic on the picture with its box and its times, and the cast with a crop of each appearance. A model or a program works from that instead of from the video.

Quick start

You need an API key. Create one on the platform. New accounts start with $5 of credit. The base URL is https://api.videoanalysisapi.com.

  1. Declare the file and get a URL to upload it to:

    curl -X POST https://api.videoanalysisapi.com/v1/uploads \
     -H "Authorization: Bearer va_live_…" -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
     -d '{"filename":"clip.mp4","bytes":2812322}'

    The response contains upload_id and upload.url.

  2. Put the file's bytes to that URL. This request needs no API key:

    curl -X PUT "$UPLOAD_URL" -H "Content-Type: video/mp4" --data-binary @clip.mp4

  3. Start the analysis:

    curl -X POST https://api.videoanalysisapi.com/v1/analyses \
     -H "Authorization: Bearer va_live_…" -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
     -d '{"upload_id":"up_…"}'

    The response contains the job's id. Poll GET /v1/analyses/:id until status is done. The 13-second video on the Example page took about 50 seconds.

  4. Fetch the result:

    curl "https://api.videoanalysisapi.com/v1/analyses/an_…/result" \
     -H "Authorization: Bearer va_live_…" -o clip.json

    Add ?format=text for the same facts as a document to read.

If the video is already at a public https URL, skip steps 1 and 2 and send {"url":"https://…"} in step 3.

The API holds the job's estimated price when it accepts the job and charges the actual cost when the job ends. A failed job costs nothing, and a video you have already analyzed is free.

Where to go next