BigBanana AI Director: Open‑Source AI Drama Production Platform
What is BigBanana AI Director?
BigBanana AI Director is a production‑ready, open‑source framework that lets writers, animators, and developers create short‑drama videos—animated stories that you can script, storyboard, and export as MP4—all driven by AI. The project is hosted on GitHub (shuyu‑labs/BigBanana-AI-Director) and is built with:
- React 19 + TailwindCSS for a slick, type‑safe UI
- AntSK API (GPT‑5.x for text, Gemini‑3 for vision, Sora 2 & Veo 3.1 for video)
- IndexedDB for local storage—no backend required
- Docker for easy, reproducible deployment
The core idea is Script‑to‑Asset‑to‑Keyframe: a single line of prose turns into a full‑length short drama, with precise control over character consistency, scene continuity, and camera motion.
Key Features
| Feature | What it Does | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Automated Script Parsing | The platform parses your story outline into scenes, beats, and dialogue, then creates a structured script. | Saves hours that normally go towards manual scene breakdowns. |
| Visual Prompt Generation | Uses Gemini‑3 to generate Midjourney‑style prompts for character references, environment concepts, and keyframes. | Guarantees high‑quality images that match your narrative. |
| Keyframe‑Driven Video | Sora 2 & Veo 3.1 interpolate between a start frame and an end frame, producing smooth video clips. | Gives filmmakers the level of control over shot composition that usually requires a director. |
| Interactive Storyboard Grid | A 9‑grid interface lets you drag, drop, and tweak individual shots before rendering the whole sequence. | Offers a quick visual editor for fine‑tuning pacing and composition. |
| Export & Integration | Export HD keyframes and MP4 clips, ready for Post‑Production in Adobe Premiere or After Effects. | Keeps your workflow compatible with industry tools. |
| Docker‑Ready & Lightweight | A pre‑built Docker image contains all dependencies; just fire it up and you’re in production. | Eliminates the “works on my machine” headache. |
The Four‑Phase Workflow
- Script & Storyboard – Feed raw text or outline and let the AI decompose it. You can edit prompts, tweak character lists, or change camera angles directly.
- Assets & Casting – Generate reference images for each character and environment. The platform’s wardrobe system lets you swap outfits while keeping the face consistent.
- Director Workbench – Use the shot grid to arrange scenes, set camera motion, and preview keyframe interpolation in real time.
- Export – Render the video, download a ZIP archive of all frames and MP4s, or copy the clips straight into your editing package.
Getting Started
1. Clone the Repo
git clone https://github.com/shuyu-labs/BigBanana-AI-Director.git
cd BigBanana-AI-Director
2. Install Dependencies
npm install
3. Configure Your API Key
Create a .env file in the root or copy .env.example. Add your AntSK API key:
ANTSK_API_KEY=your‑api‑key-here
4. Run Locally
npm run dev
http://localhost:3000 in your browser. The UI lets you load a story, generate assets, and preview the final video.
5. Docker Deployment (Recommended)
docker-compose up -d --build
http://localhost:3005 by default. Adjust the ports in docker-compose.yml if needed.
6. Production Build
npm run build
npm run preview
Licensing & Commercial Use
The project is released under the CC BY‑NC‑SA 4.0 license:
- Allowed: personal learning, research, and non‑commercial projects.
- Not Allowed: commercial use without a separate license.
- What to do: If you want to use BigBanana AI Director commercially, contact
[email protected]for authorization.
Why AntSK API?
The platform is tightly coupled with AntSK’s ecosystem, which offers:
- Cross‑model compatibility (GPT‑5.x, Gemini‑3, Sora 2, Veo 3.1)
- Low latency, high throughput
- Cost‑effective pricing (below 80% of flagship rates)
- Real‑time usage monitoring via the dashboard
This synergy means the platform can pull the best model for any stage—text analysis, image prompt generation, or video interpolation—without extra configuration.
Community & Extending
- Open source: Feel free to fork, raise issues, or submit pull requests.
- Roadmap: Upcoming features include multi‑language support, a plugin system for custom rendering back‑ends, and UI tweaks for mobile‑first design.
- Contribution guide: Located in the repository under
CONTRIBUTING.md.
Bottom Line
BigBanana AI Director represents the next step in AI‑powered media creation: one tool that handles scripts, assets, cinematography, and final rendering. Whether you’re a solo creator, a small studio, or a developer building your own AI animation pipeline, the platform’s Docker image and lightweight front‑end make it accessible and fast to get running. Fork the repo, plug in your AntSK key, and watch your ideas morph into full‑length animated short dramas in minutes.
Ready to build your own AI‑directed short? Check out the GitHub repository or drop the code into a Docker container for instant deployment.