AI-Generated chapters for your videos: A developer’s guide

Imagine a viewer watching a long tutorial video on cooking. They want to jump directly to the section on how to prepare a specific dish, but without chapters, they’re left scrubbing through the timeline. This is where video chapters come into play. By creating chapters, you can significantly improve navigation, making it easier for viewers to access the information they need.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through the process of AI generated chapters for your videos using the OpenAI API, starting from uploading your video to the FastPix platform. Let's dive right in!

What are video chapters?

Video chapters are segments within a video that allow viewers to navigate directly to specific topics or sections. YouTube have popularized this feature, enabling users to skip to the parts they are most interested in. For example, a cooking tutorial may have chapters for “Ingredients,” “Preparation,” and “Cooking Time,” allowing viewers to jump directly to the section they need.

Using chapters not only enhances the viewing experience but also improves engagement and retention. When viewers can easily find the information they seek, they are more likely to stay engaged with your content.

Why use AI for chapter generation?

Creating chapters manually can be a tedious task, particularly for longer videos. Did you know that you can automate this process with AI? By leveraging the OpenAI API, you can not only streamline chapter creation but also maintain consistency across your content. This approach ensures that your viewers can easily find and jump to specific sections, improving engagement and satisfaction.

Now, let’s explore how to implement this in your videos!

Prerequisites

Before we dive into the implementation, ensure you have the following:

• An OpenAI account: Sign up and create a project in the OpenAI dashboard.
• Upload your video: Upload a video with the createSubtitles feature enabled.‍

Setting up your OpenAI account

1. Sign up for an OpenAI account.

2. Create a new project in the OpenAI dashboard.
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3. Generate an API key for that project.

4. Ensure your account has available credits.

Note: Be sure to save the API key; it will be useful later.

Generate chapters with FastPix

To generate chapters for your video content, start by uploading the video to the FastPix platform.

You can either upload a video using a URL link (pull video) or upload a video from your local machine (push video).

{
  "inputs": [
    {
      "type": "video",
      "url": "https://static.fastpix.io/sample.mp4"
    }
  ],
  "createSubtitles": {
    "name": "name",
    "languageCode": "en-us"
  },
  "accessPolicy": "public"
}

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Your media has now been created with subtitles enabled.

Be sure to note the stream URL for that video

Step-by-Step Guide to Implementing Video Chapters

Step 1: Set up your Node.js project

First, let’s create a new folder for your project:

mkdir my-video-chapters
cd my-video-chapters

Next, initialize your Node.js project:

npm init -y

This command will create a package.json file, which will manage your project’s dependencies.

Step 2: Install the OpenAI SDK

Now, we need to install the OpenAI SDK to interact with the API:

npm install openai

Step 3: Create the chapters.js file

Create a new file named chapters.js in your project directory. This file will contain the code to process the subtitles and generate chapters. Here’s a basic structure to get you started:

const OpenAI = require("openai");
const playbackID = '...'; // Replace with your actual playback ID
const streamURL = https://stream.fastpix.app/{playbackId}.vtt;
const openai = new OpenAI({
    apiKey: '...' // Replace with your actual OpenAI API key
});

async function init() {
    const response = await fetch(streamURL);
    const data = await response.text();

    const chatCompletion = await openai.chat.completions.create({
        messages: [
            { role: 'system', content: 'You are a helpful assistant.' },
            { role: 'user', content: data }
        ],
        model: 'gpt-3.5-turbo',
    });

    const rx = /(\d+:\d+:\d+(\.\d*)?) - (\d+:\d+:\d+(\.\d*)?)? ?(.*)/g;
    const matches = chatCompletion.choices[0].message.content.matchAll(rx);
    const output = [...matches].map(match => ({
        start: match[1].replace(/\.\d+/, ''),
        title: match[5]
  }));

    console.log(output);
}

init();

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Step 4: Add your API key and stream URL

Make sure to replace '...' in the code with your actual OpenAI API key. Additionally, if you have a Stream URL for your video, be sure to include it as it will be useful for linking your generated chapters to the actual content.

Step 5: Run the script

You can now run your chapters.js file to generate chapters based on your subtitles. Use the following command in your terminal:

node chapters.js

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Use cases of having video chapters

Here’s a competitive breakdown of the uses for chapters in video content:

1. Webinars and conferences

• Audience engagement: By dividing recorded sessions into chapters based on speakers or topics, attendees can easily find and focus on content that resonates with their interests. This targeted approach keeps the audience engaged and makes the experience feel more personalized.
• Accessibility: With the ability to skip directly to relevant sections, viewers with time constraints or specific interests can optimize their learning. Additionally, providing chapter titles and descriptions can help viewers understand what each segment covers, further enhancing accessibility for those who may benefit from a more structured format.

2. Product demos

• Targeted information: Potential customers often seek specific information before making a purchase. By using chapters to highlight different features or benefits, businesses can cater to various buyer personas, allowing them to quickly locate the content that matters most to them.
• Sales efficiency: When product demos are segmented, viewers are more likely to engage with the content they find relevant, which can lead to shorter sales cycles. Additionally, including call-to-action buttons or links within specific chapters can facilitate immediate purchasing decisions or further inquiries, streamlining the sales process.

3. Vlogs and personal content

• Structured storytelling: Vloggers can use chapters to divide their content into relatable segments, such as "Morning Routine," "Travel Highlights," or "Favorite Recipes." This organization not only makes the content more digestible but also helps viewers find the parts that interest them most.
• Increased viewer retention: By clearly marking segments, vloggers can cater to viewers who may only be interested in specific aspects of their lives. This flexibility encourages viewers to return for more content, knowing they can skip to their favorite sections, thus increasing overall watch time and loyalty.

4. Online courses and educational content

• Enhanced learning experience: Breaking lessons into chapters allows educators to focus on distinct topics or skills, making complex subjects easier to digest. Students can use chapters to navigate challenging areas for review, promoting active learning and self-paced study.
• Progress tracking: With clear chapters, learners can easily monitor their progress through the course. This feature can include quizzes, or reflection prompts at the end of chapters, reinforcing learning and encouraging students to assess their understanding before moving on.‍

5. Web series and entertainment

• Viewer customization: By providing chapters for different plot points, character arcs, or themes, creators give viewers the freedom to curate their own viewing experience. This is particularly useful in binge-watching scenarios where viewers might want to revisit key moments without rewatching entire episodes.
• Facilitated discussions: The use of chapters not only helps viewers reference specific scenes when discussing the show with friends or online but also enriches fan communities. Fans can engage in more meaningful conversations by citing chapter titles or timestamps, fostering a deeper connection among viewers.

7. Competitive edge

• Accessibility and user experience: The ability to easily navigate content across all types of videos enhances the user experience, making it more likely that viewers will engage with the material. This is especially critical in a market where attention spans are short.•
• Increased engagement: The structured approach of chapters encourages viewers to interact more with the content, leading to higher retention rates. Enhanced viewer satisfaction can translate into better audience loyalty, repeat views, and positive word-of-mouth referrals.

By leveraging chapters effectively, content creators can differentiate themselves in a crowded market, providing tailored experiences that enhance engagement, accessibility, and overall satisfaction.

Why you should make chapters

Enhanced navigation and engagement

Creating chapters for your videos enhances navigation by allowing viewers to jump directly to specific sections, significantly improving their overall experience. This quick access helps maintain engagement, as viewers are less likely to lose interest when they can easily find relevant content.

Improved accessibility and retention

Chapters also improve accessibility, making it easier for all viewers, including those with disabilities, to navigate and understand your material. Additionally, they aid in information retention; when viewers can revisit specific topics, they are more likely to remember what they've learned.

SEO benefits and professionalism

From an SEO perspective, chapters can help search engines index your content more effectively, potentially increasing your video's visibility in search results. A well-organized video with chapters not only creates a more professional user experience but also facilitates sharing, as viewers can easily recommend specific sections on social media.

How to add chapters to your YouTube video

Adding chapters to your YouTube videos enhances navigation and improves the viewer experience. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do it:

Step 1: Prepare your video

1. Upload your video: Ensure your video is uploaded to your YouTube channel.
2. Gather timestamps: Watch your video and note down the timestamps where each chapter should begin. You can also create titles for each chapter.

Step 2: Add chapters in the video description

1. Go to your video: Navigate to your YouTube channel and select the video you want to edit.
2. Edit description: Click on the "Edit Video" button.
3. Enter timestamps and titles: In the description box, add the timestamps followed by the chapter titles. Use the following format

00:00 - Introduction

01:15 - Ingredients

03:45 - Preparation

05:30 - Cooking Time

08:00 - Conclusion

Note: The first timestamp must start at 00:00 for the chapters feature to be activated.

Step 3: Save changes

1. Save the description: After adding the timestamps and titles, make sure to save your changes.
2. Check video: Go back to your video to verify that the chapters appear in the progress bar and the description.

Step 4: Test chapters

1. Play the video: Click on the video and see if the chapters appear in the progress bar.
2. Navigate: Try clicking on the chapter markers to ensure they jump to the correct sections.

Conclusion

Adding video chapters with FastPix's AI tools makes it simple to improve viewer navigation and engagement. Instead of manually creating chapters, FastPix's helps automates the process, saving you time and effort. Whether you're creating tutorials, product demos, or educational videos, FastPix helps you quickly generate chapters, making it easier for viewers to find exactly what they need. This not only improves user experience but also keeps your audience engaged.