# Describe a Video: Scene Captions, Timeline & Summary

**Use case:** 

Turn a video file into text: frames are sampled, repeated shots are skipped for free, and every new scene gets a caption with its timestamp, a timed scene list and a one-paragraph summary of the whole video. For video search, chapters, accessibility descriptions and LLM pipelines. MP4/WEBM/MOV from your storage.

## Input

```json
{
  "imageUrls": [],
  "videoUrls": [
    "https://api.apify.com/v2/key-value-stores/aXcXwfChlioPWAUJv/records/sample-ocr-captions.mp4?signature=ImU3YcEhw0ddoYvT7QD5"
  ],
  "detailLevel": "detailed",
  "altTextMaxLength": 125,
  "includeTags": true,
  "readImageText": false,
  "frameIntervalSeconds": 2,
  "skipSimilarFrames": true,
  "maxSecondsBetweenCaptions": 30,
  "maxFramesPerVideo": 60,
  "maxVideoMinutes": 120,
  "maxVideoSizeMb": 2000,
  "downloadTimeoutSecs": 600
}
```

## Output

```json
{
  "fileName": {
    "label": "Video",
    "format": "text"
  },
  "status": {
    "label": "Status",
    "format": "text"
  },
  "summary": {
    "label": "Summary",
    "format": "text"
  },
  "framesCaptioned": {
    "label": "Frames charged",
    "format": "number"
  },
  "framesSkippedSimilar": {
    "label": "Similar frames skipped (free)",
    "format": "number"
  },
  "durationSeconds": {
    "label": "Duration (s)",
    "format": "number"
  },
  "tags": {
    "label": "Tags",
    "format": "array"
  },
  "timeline": {
    "label": "Scenes",
    "format": "array"
  },
  "note": {
    "label": "Note",
    "format": "text"
  },
  "error": {
    "label": "Error",
    "format": "text"
  }
}
```

## How it works

### 1. Sign up on Apify or log in

The AI Image Caption & Alt Text Generator (Images + Video) Actor is ready to run with the inputs already set for "Describe a Video: Scene Captions, Timeline & Summary". [Sign up or log in](https://console.apify.com/create-task-from-example/li1XZFSCH06rrHM9j) and you'll land in Apify Console with a copy of this exact task.

### 2. Start the "Describe a Video: Scene Captions, Timeline & Summary" task

The AI Image Caption & Alt Text Generator (Images + Video) Actor will start running based on the input automatically. You can also change all the input fields, like image urls, video urls (optional), and more, to match your specific use case.

### 3. Receive the "Describe a Video: Scene Captions, Timeline & Summary" output

Monitor the progress in real time. You will be notified as soon as your dataset is complete and ready for review. Each result includes data such as video, status, summary, and more.

### 4. Integrate into your workflow

The final output is delivered in JSON, CSV, or Excel format, ready to be plugged into your workflow. You can also [run the "Describe a Video: Scene Captions, Timeline & Summary" task via API](https://apify.com/kantolabs/image-caption-generator.md).

## About this Actor

This example demonstrates how to use [AI Image Caption & Alt Text Generator (Images + Video)](https://apify.com/kantolabs/image-caption-generator.md) with a specific input configuration. Visit the [Actor detail page](https://apify.com/kantolabs/image-caption-generator.md) to learn more, explore other use cases, and run it yourself.


## How to integrate an Actor?

This Task's input is already configured above. Use it as-is rather than inventing a new one.

Do not guess an integration path. Every one of them is in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md: the Apify MCP server, Agent Skills with the Apify CLI, the JavaScript and Python clients, the REST API, and the account-free path for an agent with no human to sign in. It also carries the rule on stating cost before the first paid run.

For full API examples (JavaScript, Python, CLI, MCP, OpenAPI), see this Task's Actor page: https://apify.com/kantolabs/image-caption-generator.md

Each client library has reference documentation the quickstart does not restate: [JavaScript/TypeScript](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md) (`npm install apify-client`) and [Python](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md) (`pip install apify-client`).