Animate an image

Animate Image

Turn an existing product image or static ad into a short motion creative through GooseWorks. This skill uses the same backend workflow as the Animate Images interface.

Prerequisite

This workflow requires the GooseWorks MCP connector (https://mcp.gooseworks.ai/mcp). It uses three tools: ads_creative_animation_quote (free price), ads_creative_animate (paid start) and job_get (poll). Some clients list tools by group and show the ads tools only after they are loaded. If ads_creative_animation_quote or ads_creative_animate is not in the advertised tool list, call tools_load with { "groups": ["ads"] } first (free). If the tools are still missing, or account_whoami reports features.animate_image: false, explain that the connection or feature is not available and stop; do not substitute an unrelated image generator.

Tool calls

Both ads_creative_animation_quote and ads_creative_animate take the same payload:

{
  "brand_id": "<brand id from brand_read>",
  "creative_id": "<ad creative id from ads_creative_read or ads_save>",
  "animate": {
    "source_render_id": "<render id, or null>",
    "source_image_url": "<public https URL of the still>",
    "frame": "end",
    "prompt": "<motion prompt>",
    "duration_seconds": 5
  }
}

• creative_id is the ad creative the animation belongs to. Prefer an existing render (source_render_id plus its URL as source_image_url) so provenance is preserved.
• frame is "start" (the still is the opening frame) or "end" (the still is the closing frame, the default). The two can cost different credits; the quote shows the price for the frame you pass.
• duration_seconds must be 5 or 10. Other values are rejected.
• Starting needs an agent-scoped token or a default agent on the account; the tool returns agent_required otherwise.

Workflow

1. Resolve the brand with brand_read (leave out brand_id to list the brands). Then find the still:
   • An existing ad: read it with ads_creative_read (include renders) to get creative_id, source_render_id and the render URL.
   • A plain image not yet in GooseWorks: upload it with media_upload under the brand, then save it as an ad creative with ads_save (pass the media_id; free). ads_save returns creative_id, render_id and output_url; use them as creative_id, source_render_id and source_image_url.
2. Clarify the motion goal, duration (5 or 10 seconds), and whether the user wants the source image as the start frame or the end frame.
3. Write a motion prompt describing camera movement, subject movement, environment movement, pacing, and what must remain unchanged. Do not redesign the product or add unsupported claims.
4. Call ads_creative_animation_quote and show the user estimated_credits exactly as the tool returns it. Never convert it to dollars or do your own math. Ask for their yes to that credit number.
5. After their yes, call ads_creative_animate once with the same payload. Save the returned job_id.
6. Poll job_get with kind: "animate" every few seconds until status is complete or failed. Never start the same animation again while it runs; a second start pays again.
7. Return result.output_url and the source image used. If it fails, report the error in plain words before proposing a retry.

Rules

• Ask before spending credits. The quote is free; every ads_creative_animate call is a paid generation.
• Never start without the user's explicit yes to the quoted credits.
• Money is the credit number the quote returns. Never show dollars.
• Preserve product shape, logo, packaging, and on-image copy unless the user explicitly requests a change.
• Prefer subtle, physically plausible motion for product shots and graphic ads.
• A new prompt for an already-running job is a new paid generation; quote it and ask again.