Face swap video_url rejected: signed and private URLs explained

The Avatar Face Swap Beta rejects a video_url that is not a fetchable public HTTPS video. Per the docs, localhost, private-network, non-HTTPS, signed or private URLs, and provider task URLs are all refused before generation is submitted. A link that works in your browser because of a cookie or an expiring signature will not work for Sume.

Sources: Face swap (Beta), Media inputs and CLI troubleshooting.

Which URLs fail?

What does a valid request look like?

Required fields are avatar_handle, video_url and quality; quality has no default on this endpoint. Prompts, transcripts, duration knobs, aspect ratio and provider fields are unsupported.

curl -X POST https://api.sume.com/v1/models/sume/avatar-face-swap/v1.0/runs \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $SUME_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Idempotency-Key: face-swap-001" \
  -d '{
    "avatar_handle": "studio_presenter",
    "video_url": "https://example.com/source-clip.mp4",
    "quality": "standard"
  }'

How do I host the clip so Sume can fetch it?

Put the file at a stable public HTTPS location that needs no cookie, header or expiring signature. If your storage only offers signed links, publish a copy of this one clip at an open path for the duration of the job. Completed face-swap results are exposed under media.sume.com.

Keep the clip to what the Beta targets: about 4 to 15 seconds, with usable audio.

Is face swap the right endpoint?

Face swap applies a ready avatar's face onto an existing video. If you want the avatar to speak a script, that is the talking-video endpoint instead; see face swap or talking video: which endpoint. Face swap is Beta, so confirm current behavior in the live OpenAPI schema before shipping it to production.

How do I test a URL before submitting?

Open the URL in a private browser window with no login. Then run curl -I against it from a machine outside your network and check for a 200 and a video content type. If either step fails, treat the URL as one Sume cannot fetch. A 403 or a redirect to a login page is the common sign of a private link.

Per the docs, rejected URLs are refused before generation is submitted.

What about the audio in the source clip?

The Beta expects source videos suitable for face-swap processing, currently planned for about 4 to 15 seconds with usable audio. A silent clip is therefore a risk even when the URL is valid. Check the clip with video inspect if it is hosted on media.sume.com, or play it yourself before you submit.