What Is OpenMontage? Installation, License, Costs and a Fake Installer Warning
You ask a coding assistant (Claude Code, Cursor, Copilot, Windsurf, Codex) for a video; with OpenMontage the assistant runs research, script, visuals, audio and editing in sequence and produces a finished video. The repository description counts 12 production pipelines. It's open source and the software is free (AGPL-3.0); on the no-key route, Piper voiceover, stock footage and Remotion and HyperFrames editing run on your computer, and keys for paid AI providers are optional. The official install is only git clone and make setup; there's no ready-made .exe or .dmg installer.
- What it does
- Produces video end to end with a coding assistant
- Type
- Open-source repository / video production system
- Maker
- calesthio
- Privacy
- Runs locally; you choose what goes to the cloud
- Watch out
- Fake installer reports; Remotion company license
- Turkish
- Docs are silent; depends on the voiceover provider
- Price
- Software free (AGPL-3.0); providers are paid
What does OpenMontage do?
OpenMontage isn't a single program but a repository an agent works inside: it contains files defining production pipelines, Python tools, a Remotion render project and instructions telling the agent what to do. You give the agent a request like "make a 60-second video explaining how neural networks learn"; the agent runs the pipeline.
The pipeline count varies by source: the repository description lists 12, the README table 11, and the text says "10+"; the pipeline definitions folder holds 12 pipelines and one test pipeline. For tools, the README says "100+"; the docs don't give an exact count of registered tools.
Who it helps: users who want to produce promos, narrated videos or short clips with an agent and don't shy away from a command-line setup. It's not for everyone looking for a finished product: setup is technical.
How do you install OpenMontage?
Requirements: Python 3.10+, FFmpeg, Node.js 18+ (Node.js 22+ for the HyperFrames render engine) and an AI coding assistant. The commands are taken verbatim from the README.
› git clone https://github.com/calesthio/OpenMontage.git && cd OpenMontage && make setupmake setup creates a virtual environment, installs the Python dependencies and the Remotion project's npm packages, downloads Piper voiceover and the HyperFrames package, and creates the .env file. If you don't have Make, the README has bash and PowerShell equivalents; on Windows, if npm install throws ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE, use npx --yes npm install.
!The only official install route is git clone and make setup. The repository has no releases or ready-made installer files. Open issues in the repository (#626, #200) report .exe, .7z, .dmg or .run "installers" circulating under the OpenMontage name as fake or malicious; #200 says one download was flagged as a Trojan. These are user reports; the README has no such warning. Don't use unofficial downloads.
The site (openmontage.video) lists the "OpenMontage Studio" desktop app and a Claude Code plugin as private alpha and waitlist; they aren't released. Local video models need an NVIDIA GPU (6-24 GB VRAM per model).
How do you use OpenMontage?
Open the project in your coding assistant and write what you want. The repository has an instruction file for each assistant (CLAUDE.md for Claude Code, and dedicated files for Cursor, Copilot, Codex and Windsurf).
The README describes default budget guards (a $10 total limit, approval for $0.50 per action), but the config file shows the default mode as "warn", and one user reports the limit isn't enforced at all (issue #723, unanswered). If you use a paid provider, set your own spending limit in the provider's dashboard.
Which agents does OpenMontage work in?
| Claude CodeYes | The repository has CLAUDE.md and command files. |
|---|---|
| CursorYes | Rule and command files are included. |
| GitHub Copilot, Windsurf, CodexYes | Each has an instruction file. |
| VS Code (separately)Unclear | Listed in the catalog, but the README has no separate step; the Copilot route applies. |
What does OpenMontage access?
The brief you give, a reference video link or file, your own source videos, the keys in .env; live web research (YouTube, Reddit, Hacker News, news sites).
Script, scene plan, audio, visuals, checkpoint files and the rendered video to the project folder; .venv, node_modules and .env during setup.
The docs list no delete actions; there's only a script that clears the local model cache. Because the assistant runs commands on your computer, what it does depends on the assistant's permission settings.
If you choose a cloud provider, your prompt, image and audio content goes to that provider. If you work only with Piper, Remotion, HyperFrames, FFmpeg and local GPU models, production stays on your computer; your conversation with the assistant still goes to the assistant's provider.
The repository has no hooks; it has install and run scripts. GitHub Security Advisories is empty and there's no SECURITY.md; no published advisory is listed. This doesn't mean "safe."
Is OpenMontage free? License and costs
The software is free and AGPL-3.0 licensed: free for your own use; if you modify it and offer it as a service over a network, you may be obliged to share the source code. The no-key route costs zero dollars. Paid AI providers charge for what you use; the assistant's own subscription (Claude Code, etc.) is separate.
!The render engine Remotion has its own license: free eligibility is for for-profit organizations with 3 or fewer employees; larger for-profit companies need a Remotion company license. If you'll use it as an agency or company, check the Remotion license page. This is not legal advice.
| Provider (from the repository docs) | Example price (USD) |
|---|---|
| Piper TTS, Pexels, Pixabay | Free (Pexels/Pixabay need a key) |
| ElevenLabs | Free 10,000 characters/month; Starter $5/month |
| fal.ai Kling 2.5 Turbo Pro | $0.07 per second (pay as you go) |
| Runway | Free 125 one-time credits; Standard $12/month |
| HeyGen avatar video | $0.017-$0.10 per second |
These figures come from the repository docs and may change; current prices are on each provider's own page. Repository examples: a 60-second animation about $1.33, a full setup about $1-3; these are the repository owner's examples. No Turkish lira prices are published; prices are in US dollars. Commercial usage rights for generated videos vary by provider; check each provider's own terms. This is not financial advice.
Common problems and fixes
| What happens | What to do |
|---|---|
| npm install ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE on Windows | README: use npx --yes npm install. |
| No make command | Run the PowerShell command in the README's "No make?" subsection. |
| Reported by users Setup with Windows + Claude Code is slow and keeps asking for permission | Open issue (#756), unanswered; cause unclear. |
| Reported by users The spending limit didn't work | Issue #723 is open; set your own limit in the provider's dashboard. |
How do you uninstall OpenMontage?
- Folder: Delete the repository folder (including the .venv and node_modules inside it).
- Keys: Revoke the API keys in the dashboards of the providers you used; delete the .env file.
- Generated files: Clean up the videos and intermediate files in the project folder by hand.
There's no persistent account or server connection; these removal steps are the general method, the README doesn't describe them.
Frequently asked questions
What is OpenMontage?
An open-source repository that makes an AI coding assistant (Claude Code, Cursor, Copilot, Windsurf, Codex) work like a video studio. It runs the research, script, image and audio generation, editing and render steps through ready-made production pipelines.
Is OpenMontage free?
The software is free (AGPL-3.0). On the no-key route, Piper voiceover, stock footage and Remotion/HyperFrames editing work for free. If you use AI video, image and audio providers, you pay for what you use; the assistant's own fee is separate. For Remotion, for-profit companies with more than 3 employees need a separate license.
How do you install OpenMontage?
Have Python 3.10+, FFmpeg and Node.js installed; then git clone https://github.com/calesthio/OpenMontage.git, cd OpenMontage, make setup. There's no ready-made .exe or .dmg installer; if you see one, it may be fake, as reported in the issues.
Does OpenMontage work in Turkish?
The docs don't say. For Turkish narration, the voiceover provider is decisive: Turkish is in Google TTS's language list; the Piper docs don't list Turkish. There's no interface, and the docs are in English.
Is OpenMontage safe, and what does it access?
It runs locally; the assistant runs commands on your computer, writes files to the project folder, uses the .env keys and does live web research. If you choose a cloud provider, content goes to that provider. No published security advisory is listed, but that doesn't mean it's safe; there's no SECURITY.md.
Related guides
Sources
Not clear in the official sources: Number of registered tools · commercial usage rights for generated videos (by provider) · whether the budget limit is actually enforced · how current the provider prices are · Turkish support. Each is covered in the relevant section.