FAQ

Does anything cost anything before I say so?

Almost nothing. Creating a show, a character or an episode spends nothing. An episode stops for your approval after each step, and every button that spends says its price before you press it. A few helpers that write words (the idea brainstorm, Enhance, Zip's replies, Publish's drafted captions) spend a few credits each; the brainstorm shows N credits this session.

Can I change something after it is made?

Yes. Edit the story, a character, a clip's words or its length, and only what depends on that change is made again. Everything else is kept as it is. Before a change runs, the app shows what it will remake and its price.

Why are the prices blurred in these pages?

The recordings and pictures were made in a rehearsal copy of the app, where nothing is charged, so the prices in them are not real. They are blurred so nobody reads them as real. The app always shows the current price before you press anything that spends.

How long can an episode be?

Up to 10 minutes. You set a target length when you create it; the Director treats it as a target, not a promise, and decides the length of each clip.

A character's face changed between clips. How do I stop that?

Give the character a reference image (a model sheet) on their page: create one, or upload artwork you have. It is sent with every picture and clip they are in. See Characters and voices.

How do I give a character a voice?

On their page, under Voice and speech, press Choose a voice to pick one from the library, or Custom to record or upload a sample, or describe the voice in words. See Characters and voices.

Something failed. What now?

Open the episode: a Needs your attention box says what failed and what you can do, such as Try again or changing the words. A passing problem usually goes through on Try again; a refusal needs the words changed. See The Pipeline and "Needs your attention".

What is the difference between Regular and Premium?

Regular is cheaper and makes clips of 5 to 15 seconds. Premium makes longer, more continuous clips (4 to 30 seconds) and usually starts at 480p (Draft first) so you can check it, then keep it as it is or upscale to 1080p; you can upscale any time, and Upscale to 1080p makes the same take sharper. You choose when you create the episode. See the Glossary.

Can I ask for changes in my own words?

Yes. Open the Assistant on any episode and say what you want, for example make Brett's first line warmer. Zip drafts the change as a list and says what it will remake and its price; nothing runs until you press Apply. See Ask Zip.

Can it make a whole episode without stopping?

No. Every episode stops for your approval after each step, so you see the story, the cast and the clips before the next thing is paid for.

Where do my finished episodes go?

Every episode is in the Library. On an episode's Video step you can Export the cut, Download it, and Publish it to YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. See Publish and the Library.

Can I use ShowMaker on my phone?

You can watch and download finished episodes, open their posted links, see what made them, and follow a run. Making and changing shows and episodes, and approving steps, needs a bigger screen. See On your phone.

Who can see my shows?

Only you. Your shows, characters and episodes are yours alone. Nothing is posted anywhere unless you use Publish.

Are posts labelled as AI-generated?

Yes, by default. Publish turns the label on for every post, and you can switch it off.

Who are Penny, Slate and Zip?

Your crew. Penny, your Screenwriter, writes the story. Slate, your Director, plans the clips. Zip is the assistant you can ask for changes. Their names appear next to the work they did.