How to Generate AI Images and Videos With the CloneViral CLI

The CloneViral CLI brings image generation, video generation, Director Studio, and Viral Flow into your terminal. Use it for a single shot, a repeatable production script, or a coding agent that needs to work with local media files.

The npm package is @cloneviral/cli, and the executable is cviral. This guide follows the CLI 1.8.0 source. Check cviral --help for the options supported by your installed version.

Install and connect your account

You need Node.js 18 or later, npm, and a CloneViral API key. Create a key on the API keys page, then configure CLONEVIRAL_API_KEY in your shell environment. Keep the key out of chat messages and source control.

npm install -g @cloneviral/cli
cviral --help
cviral credits

Run cviral credits after configuring the environment variable to verify the connection and inspect your balance. Media generation can consume account credits; a working connection does not mean generation is free.

Create an image, then animate it

Start with a product frame that you can review before making a video:

cviral image "Studio photograph of a silver skincare bottle on pale stone, soft morning window light, no text" --model flux-2-pro --ratio 9:16

Keep the prediction ID returned by the command. If the image is still processing, check it with:

cviral status YOUR_IMAGE_PREDICTION_ID --type image

Once it finishes, copy the actual output URL into the next command. The URL below is a placeholder; replace it with your generated image URL.

cviral video "Slow push toward the bottle, soft light shifts across the metal, preserve the product shape" --model seedance2.5-i2v --start https://example.com/your-generated-frame.png --duration 5 --ratio 9:16 --res hd
cviral status YOUR_VIDEO_PREDICTION_ID --type video

A submitted prediction is a running job, not a finished video. Keep its ID and continue checking that job rather than submitting another generation whenever a render takes longer than expected.

Direct a cinematic shot

Director Studio separates the still frame's look from the camera movement. Discover the presets before choosing one:

cviral presets looks
cviral presets moves
cviral frame "a lone astronaut on a rain-soaked rooftop" --look blockbuster --size wide

Check the frame's prediction with --type image. After it completes, use its output URL:

cviral shot --start https://example.com/your-completed-frame.png --move crash-zoom-in --duration 5

This makes it easier to approve composition first and decide how the camera should move second.

Bring local files into Viral Flow

Viral Flow connects production steps as nodes. The CLI is especially useful when your source footage is on disk or your final assets need to land in a local project folder.

cviral flows
cviral flow show YOUR_FLOW_ID
cviral flow upload ./hero.jpg
cviral flow run YOUR_FLOW_ID --node YOUR_NODE_ID --watch
cviral flow pull YOUR_FLOW_ID --out ./assets --generated

Use the URL returned by flow upload as an input in your flow before running the relevant node. Uploading a file alone does not wire it into a graph. flow show reports node readiness and estimated cost; run steps in dependency order. flow pull downloads assets, so those files are available to your editor or delivery script.

More workflows from the same terminal

Use cviral analyze <videoUrl> to study a source video, cviral remix <videoUrl> --count 3 to build remix variants, and cviral translate <videoUrl> --lang ja to submit a translation job. Translation uses cviral translate-status <jobId> for progress.

Motion Studio also has a CLI route:

cviral motion-models
cviral motion "A 12-second kinetic typography promo for a habit app, bold headings and clean transitions" --ratio 9:16 --duration 12 --watch

Inspect the available writing models and prices before choosing a Motion Studio model.

CLI, plugin, or MCP?

Route	Best fit	Setup
CLI	Shell scripts and local uploads/downloads	npm package and API key
Plugin	Guided creative work inside a supported assistant	Packaged skill and MCP connection
MCP	Connecting your own compatible assistant	Remote endpoint or stdio server

Choose the CLI when file handling and explicit commands matter. For conversational production, read the GPT and Claude plugin guide. For client configuration and tool workflows, read the MCP guide.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use my browser login instead of an API key?

This CLI reads CLONEVIRAL_API_KEY. Configure that variable before running account or generation commands.

Does every command wait until the video is finished?

No. Keep the returned prediction ID and use cviral status. Some workflows expose a --watch option; consult the help for that command.

Can I pass a local image path to every generation command?

Generation examples use URLs. For a local file, cviral flow upload returns an uploaded URL that you can use where the selected workflow accepts it.

Open the CLI and integration setup page.