Getting Started

Get up and running with Elcine Studios in just a few minutes.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have:

  • An account on Elcine Studios (sign up is free)
  • API keys from at least one provider: OpenAI, Grok, or OpenClaw
  • A project idea or creative brief in mind

Step 1: Sign In

Navigate to the app and sign in with your preferred authentication method. We support email/password, Google, and GitHub authentication.

Step 2: Configure Your API Keys

Before generating content, you need to add your API keys. Go to Settings → BYOK and add your keys:

Environment Variables
OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-...
GROK_API_KEY=xai-...
OPENCLAW_API_KEY=oc-...

Your keys are encrypted at rest and never shared. See BYOK documentation for more details.

Step 3: Start a Companion Session

Navigate to Companions in the app sidebar. Choose a companion based on what you want to create:

  • Cinematic Director — For film-style compositions and camera language
  • Ad Creative Strategist — For marketing and advertising content
  • Prompt Engineer — For technical prompt optimization
  • Storyboard Artist — For visual sequence planning
  • Editor — For pacing and narrative flow

Click "Start Session" to begin a conversation. Describe your project, and the companion will help you develop your creative brief.

Step 4: Build Your Workflow

As you chat with your companion, you'll build artifacts:

Creative Brief — Your project overview and objectives
Script — Narrative structure and dialogue
Shotlist — Detailed camera and composition specifications
Prompt Pack — Export-ready JSON with all generation parameters

Use the "Generate Prompt Pack" button to compile your work into a structured JSON format.

Step 5: Generate in Studio

Click "Send to Studio" to take your Prompt Pack to the generation interface. In Studio, you can:

  • Select your AI provider (OpenAI, Grok, or OpenClaw)
  • Adjust generation parameters (size, style, quality)
  • Generate images for each shot in your sequence
  • Queue video generation jobs (where supported)
  • Download assets individually or as a batch

Step 6: Manage Your Library

All generated assets are automatically saved to your Library. From there you can:

  • Tag and organize assets by project
  • Copy prompts for reuse
  • Export metadata as JSON
  • Download high-resolution versions

Next Steps

Now that you're set up, explore these resources:

Companions Guide
Deep dive into each companion's expertise
Workflow Builder
Master the brief-to-render pipeline
Prompt Pack Format
Understand the JSON schema