movmaker

Flat-folder Python + ffmpeg movie maker, plus optional MVLog worker.

What it does

• Input: one directory with mixed images/videos/audio + optional data.txt
• Output: one rendered MP4 with transitions, captions, intro/logo, stamps, and embedded metadata
• Optional worker (mvlog_worker.py) renders/publishes MVLog jobs either locally on the webserver or via the older SSH/SCP remote mode

Requirements

• Python 3
• ffmpeg, ffprobe

Install (Debian/Ubuntu):

sudo apt install ffmpeg

Basic usage

python3 movmaker.py /path/to/input

Preview render:

python3 movmaker.py /path/to/input --preview

Custom output dir:

python3 movmaker.py /path/to/input --out-dir /path/to/output

Input model (flat folder)

Supported media:

• Images: .jpg .jpeg .png .webp .bmp .tif .tiff
• Videos: .mp4 .mov .mkv .avi .webm .m4v
• Audio: .mp3 .wav .m4a .aac .flac .ogg
• Data file: data.txt (also accepts info.txt, title.txt)

No required subfolders.

Ordering

If order.json exists in the input folder, it is used first for visual media order. Then fallback order is handled by movmaker logic (metadata/filename/file-time based sorting path).

order.json should contain only visual files (images/videos).

data.txt format

Use key: value lines.

General keys used by movmaker:

• Title / Name
• Teaser
• Quote_da
• Location / Place / Where
• Date / Dates / When
• Description / Desc / Synopsis

Per-file captions:

IMG_0001.jpg: caption text
clip01.mp4: caption text

Per-video source audio toggle (optional):

clip01.mp4 audio: yes

Current render behavior (important)

• Default still duration: 6s
• Default crossfade: 3s
• First still is extended (FIRST_IMAGE_DURATION_MULTIPLIER)
• Intro/logo mode supported (--intro-logo)
• Teaser is metadata-only (not burned into intro text)
• quote_da and teaser are embedded in output metadata
• Long video caption rule:
  • if clip duration > 10s, caption starts at +2s and shows for 6s
• Output filename is normalized/safe ASCII (YYYYMMDD_slug.mp4)
• Detailed ffmpeg logs are written under <input>/.logs/

MVLog worker (mvlog_worker.py)

Worker is for MVLog web integration. Preferred deployment is webserver-local: /var/www/html/in-dir -> render on the webserver -> /var/www/html/out-dir. Older SSH/SCP remote mode is still available for rollback/manual use.

Key points:

• Uses per-job state .movmaker-state.json
• Honors job toggles (.movmaker-enabled, .movmaker-preview, .mvlog-hidden)
• Includes article IDs from .mvlog-id in state
• Ignores .mvlog-id and .mvlog-hide-map in fingerprinting
• Publishes output atomically and clears remote cache file
• Supports remote mode (SSH/SCP) and --local mode

Run once on the webserver:

./mvlog_worker.py --local --remote-root /var/www/html --work-dir /srv/mvlog/work

Single job on the webserver:

./mvlog_worker.py --local --remote-root /var/www/html --work-dir /srv/mvlog/work --job 20260525_mohnesee

Older SSH/SCP remote mode from another machine:

./mvlog_worker.py

Force rerender:

./mvlog_worker.py --job 20260525_mohnesee --force

Pass extra movmaker args:

./mvlog_worker.py --movmaker-arg=--preview

Webserver deployment

Recommended deployment keeps this repo checked out on the webserver at:

/srv/mvlog/app

The worker writes temporary render data outside git at /srv/mvlog/work and publishes public files to /var/www/html/out-dir.

Systemd templates are in deploy/systemd/:

sudo cp deploy/systemd/mvlog-worker.service /etc/systemd/system/
sudo cp deploy/systemd/mvlog-worker.timer /etc/systemd/system/
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable --now mvlog-worker.timer

Notes

• This repo does not send web push itself; push is handled by MVLog web app server-side.
• Keep secrets out of git (API keys, push keys, auth files).