> ## Knowledge Base Index > Fetch the complete knowledge base index at: https://help.comicink.ai/sitemap.xml > Use this file to discover available pages before exploring further. > Pure-Markdown content can be obtained by appending a '.md' suffix to the content URLs listed in the sitemap (without the trailing slash). # Story Video credits and costs Story Video pricing is **per second of finished footage** — the render is the main cost. Rewriting the script and rearranging scenes is free; the render is where most credits go. Two other things do cost credits, though: the **reference images** for your cast, assets, and locations, and **storyboard frames**. Both use the standard per-image credit cost — see [how credits work](https://help.comicink.ai/en/article/how-credits-work-1m9t59m/). ## Reference images cost credits Before a video renders on-model, ComicInk generates a reference image for each character, asset, and location in it. Each of these costs the same flat per-image amount as any character or asset elsewhere in ComicInk — **10 credits each**, generated once and reused across every scene that features them. A video with, say, four characters, three props, and two locations generates nine reference images. These are charged as they generate; you only pay for references that don't already have an image. ## Your first scene is free Your **first scene render is free — once per account**, so you can see your story in motion before paying anything. It applies automatically to whichever scene you render first on your first video, and runs on fixed settings — 10 seconds at 720p, on the same model your paid renders use, so what you see is what you'll get. Every render after that is charged at the per-second rate below. The free render is only consumed when it succeeds — a failed or cancelled first render is returned. See [rendering scenes](https://help.comicink.ai/en/article/rendering-scenes-per-scene-vs-generate-all-z30txn/#your-first-scene-is-free) for how this fits into the render flow. ## Per-second render rate Renders use **~152 credits per second** of footage at 720p (the current render resolution) as a baseline. Each scene also has its own **Model** and **Time** selectors, and cost scales with both the duration and the model you pick for that scene — see [Choosing a model and scene length](https://help.comicink.ai/en/article/choosing-a-model-and-scene-length-1qc3bfq/). The live estimate shown on the scene card, and the confirmation before you render, is always the number to trust. Scene lengths are determined automatically from word count: each scene runs **4–15 seconds**, with the model targeting natural narration pacing. A video can have up to **16 scenes**. **Most videos fall in the range of ~2,700–9,100 credits**, depending on the number of scenes and how long each scene's narration runs. Edge cases (many long scenes) can run higher — the in-app estimate before you render is always authoritative. You'll see the exact credit cost in-app before you confirm the render — no surprises. To estimate roughly: multiply your expected total footage length in seconds by 151, as a baseline before model-specific pricing. ## Optional 1080p HD upscale Renders are 720p and free to download. At **Publish**, you can optionally upscale to **1080p HD** for a separate, lower-margin charge: - **9:16 and 16:9** — **19 credits per second** of footage. - **1:1 square** — **11 credits per second**. The upscale AI-upscales each scene's clip to 1080p and re-stitches the video at 1080p. You're charged **only for the scenes that need upscaling**: - The first time you upscale, every scene is upscaled — so a 60-second 9:16 video costs about 60 × 19 = **~1,140 credits**. - If you later re-render or edit a **single** scene and upscale again, only that one scene is re-upscaled. The other scenes reuse their cached 1080p clips, so you only pay for the changed scene. The exact cost is shown in-app before you confirm, and as with renders, a failed upscale is **refunded automatically**. ## Storyboard image cost Generating a storyboard frame costs **50 credits** — the same as a comic page image. This is charged when the image is generated (during storyboarding), not at render time. Each scene holds **up to two frames**: its opening beat and its closing beat. So a scene with both frames costs 2 × 50 = **100 credits**, and a video with 16 scenes costs up to 16 × 100 = **1,600 credits** for a complete storyboard. You're only charged for frames that are actually generated. Storyboards are optional and generated one tile at a time — click an empty dashed tile on the Storyboard tab to generate that scene's frame. There's no confirmation step; clicking charges immediately. A frame that's already generated is never re-charged; only an explicit regenerate on a single frame charges again. See [Storyboards](https://help.comicink.ai/en/article/storyboards-guiding-how-a-scene-looks-dx8v9m/). ## How per-scene charging works When you render an individual scene, the system pre-charges a **~1,500 credit hold** (based on a 10-second estimate at 720p). After the clip finishes rendering, the charge is **reconciled to the actual footage length**: - If the clip is shorter than the estimate, the difference is **refunded automatically**. - If the clip runs longer, a small additional amount is charged (bounded by the difference between the 15-second max and the 10-second estimate). The in-app cost display reflects this estimate before you render, and your credit balance settles to the actual cost within a minute or two of the clip completing. ## Refunds when a render fails If a render fails for a system reason (model error, upload failure, or timeout), the credits are **refunded automatically** — typically within 1–2 minutes of the failure. The same applies to individual scene renders. See [failed generations and refunds](https://help.comicink.ai/en/article/failed-generations-and-refunds-6vzv1b/) for more detail. If you simply don't like the output and want to re-render, that's a new render and a new charge. ## Getting more credits Story Video rendering draws from your regular credit balance. The **Video pack** is the most cost-effective way to top up — see [credit packs](https://help.comicink.ai/en/article/buying-credit-packs-1a4hv98/) for current pack options and rates.