Kickstarter video: 5120 MB main video, optional 9:16 clip

A Kickstarter project does not need a video to launch, but the main video can be MOV, MPEG, AVI, MP4, 3GP, WMV or FLV and up to 5120 MB. The optional Discovery Mode video is a 9:16 vertical clip of 60 to 90 seconds with clear audio, and captions are suggested. Details are from Kickstarter Help, read 2026-10-01.

What does Kickstarter ask for in each video?

How do I render the 9:16 Discovery Mode clip with Sume?

Timeline 1.0 defaults to 1080x1920 MP4, which is 9:16, and audio.duration_seconds is where you set 60 to 90. Timeline 1.0 (POST /v1/timeline-1.0/render) takes output.width and output.height as even integers from 256 to 2160 and output.fps of 24, 25, 30 or 60, or omits fps to match the sources. It needs an Idempotency-Key, accepts only media.sume.com sources, and returns one MP4 at $0.10 per output minute, rounded up. The unbilled POST /v1/timeline-1.0/plan previews the cost first.

curl -X POST https://api.sume.com/v1/timeline-1.0/render \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $SUME_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Idempotency-Key: kickstarter-discovery-001" \
  -d '{
    "audio": { "mode": "silence", "duration_seconds": 75 },
    "output": { "width": 1080, "height": 1920, "fps": 30 },
    "video": [
      { "source_url": "https://media.sume.com/artifacts/artf_demo/shot.mp4",
        "start": 0, "duration": 75, "fit": "cover" }
    ]
  }'

How do I cut a vertical clip from my pitch video?

Video trim cuts [start, end) from one clip into a new MP4 (start plus exactly one of end or duration, $0.02 per job). Its output field can conform to a new size, exact precision only. Trim does not reframe a landscape pitch into vertical content by itself, so pair a 9:16 plan with footage shot for it.

How do I add captions?

Kickstarter suggests captions on the Discovery clip. Video captions takes a public HTTPS URL, burns them in at a fixed $0.20 per video up to 60 seconds. A 60 to 90 second clip is longer than that stated band, so confirm the price in GET /v1/catalog first.

Do I need Sume for the main video?

Any of the listed formats and 5120 MB are generous. Sume returns MP4, which is on the list. Use it if you want a produced explainer, not for compliance.