City Box Video Generator
An enamel box stands on a plain studio surface. Its front panel swings open, and inside is a city built in miniature at street level, lit from within.
You name the city. The box, the gold cloisonne work, the slow push of the camera and the reveal are the format.
Which city?
Just the city name. The box, the enamel work and the reveal are handled for you — extra scenes are other cities.
- Kyoto
- Paris
- Marrakesh
- New York
- Venice
How it works
You type one line. The format supplies everything else: the camera, the framing, the pacing, the lighting and the sound design are already written and are restated for every scene, which is what keeps a multi-scene video looking like one video.
You choose how many scenes and how long each one runs, from one to ten scenes of five to ten seconds. The length of the video is that multiplication, and so is the price. The default here is 4 scenes of 8 seconds.
The cheapest version of this format is 175 credits. Animated video is 35 credits per second of finished video in HD, 25 at Standard quality and 65 at Full HD. Plans start at $19 a month for 3,000 credits.
Why this format works
The reveal is the entire video and it arrives fast. A closed object that opens onto something impossible is a shape that works whether or not anyone recognises the city.
Cities give the format instant recognition. A viewer who knows Kyoto or Venice sees their own landmark rendered in miniature, which is a much stronger reason to comment than a generic scene.
It is a natural series. Every city is a new video with the same construction, so a channel built on this has an obvious next upload every time.
Picking a subject that renders well
- Just the city name. Kyoto. Marrakesh. Nothing else is needed.
- Pick cities with a silhouette people recognise from one shot.
- In a multi-scene video, each scene is a different city, so choose ones that look nothing alike. Different continent, different palette, different landmark shape.
- Four scenes gives four cities in about 20 seconds, which is a good browsing pace.
Frequently asked questions
Does the city name appear on the box?
Yes. The format sets the city's name into the metalwork in short serif capitals, as part of the enamel design.
Can I use a small town rather than a famous city?
You can, but the format leans on recognition. A city with a landmark people can name from a silhouette produces a much stronger result than somewhere the generator has little reference for.
Is there narration?
No. Ambient sound only: a soft click as the panel opens, faint city noise rising from inside, and quiet room tone.
What does it cost?
35 credits per second in HD. A four-scene video at five seconds each is 20 seconds, so 700 credits.
