Batch render videos from a CSV file
Turn rows of CSV data into finished videos using your After Effects templates. Upload your file and let Plainly replace text, images, colors and other content across the batch.
You know you often hear business owners say we really just want technology to help us run our business better. Like this is it. This is what you do to run your business better.
Jody Poole, Team Lead Design @ Leads.io
How CSV to video works
Set up your video template
Upload your After Effects project to Plainly and mark the elements that will change between video versions.
Prepare and upload your CSV
Generate an example CSV from your template, fill each row with content for a video, and upload the file to start a batch.
Render and collect your videos
Each row becomes its own video, rendered in the cloud from your After Effects template. Grab them all at once or have Plainly push them to your storage or other platforms
Replace video elements in bulk
Go further than content replacement
Use layer scripting to crop, trim, resize, reposition, and control
how layers behave across every video variation.
Crop composition
Match the composition start or end to a dynamic layer’s timing.
Extend footage
Extend a layer to show the full length of a longer incoming video.
Set layer duration
Give a layer a fixed duration or set it to zero to hide it.
Shift layers
Move a layer’s start or end to match another layer’s timing.
Trim layers
Trim a layer’s start or end based on another layer in the composition.
Stretch layers
Stretch a layer to match the duration of another layer.
Spread layers
Show only layers with input and spread them across the composition.
Auto scale media
Fit images and footage to the template while preserving their proportions.
Auto scale text
Resize text automatically to keep it within the original layer bounds.
Resize compositions
Change composition width and height during rendering.
Replace compositions
Swap the source composition to create different scenes or variants.
Change layer properties
Control timing, visibility, audio, fonts, and composition settings per render.
Go beyond CSV uploads
Keep using CSV for batches, or connect your templates to forms, native integrations and Plainly’s API to generate videos as new inputs arrive.
Turn form submissions into videos
Clients, customers, or team members submit the content, and each response generates a finished video automatically.
Trigger video creation from other tools
Connect Airtable, Google Sheets, HeyGen, and more to generate videos automatically.
Generate videos programmatically
Send data through the REST API and generate video variations directly from your product or backend.
Give your team a workflow they can run themselves
Build the creative workflow once in Plainly Flows, then let teammates or clients generate new versions through a form or table. Your creative team controls the templates and what can change.
How teams implement CSV batch rendering
Personalized videos
Connect your customer data and turn one template into a video for every person.
Dynamic video ads
Generate multiple ad versions from one template by changing hooks, visuals, copy, and offers.
Product videos
Upload product visuals, details, and specifications to create videos for your entire catalog automatically.
Localized videos
Create localized video versions for different regions, languages, and campaigns.
What others say about us
We have a great experience working with the team and Plainly. They weren’t shy to break the mold and go the extra mile. Personalization in today’s saturated digital landscape is paramount to cut through the noise and stick out; Plainly offers a great platform, product, and solution for this.
CMO, Y11 Sport & Media Holdings
Working with Plainly was great, their API is robust but simple to set up. After setting up the workflow, we literally forgot about it. The integration with After Effects allowed my team to work with tools they are familiar with and create high-quality video templates.
CTO, Tapni
Plainly allows you to produce large amounts of video content very quickly. A great advantage is that your content can be still very individual and on-brand due to the ability of using Templates made in Adobe After Effects. Its interface is quite intuitive and the software gets new interesting features often.
Motion Designer, Freelance
Turn your CSV into a batch of finished videos
