HeyMotion MCP Overview BETA
What the HeyMotion MCP server is, the six tools it exposes, and the two ways to connect it — local install or remote connector — so an AI assistant can drive the studio for you.
#Overview
The HeyMotion MCP server lets an AI assistant — such as Claude — drive the studio for you using plain language. MCP (the Model Context Protocol) is a standard way for AI assistants to call external tools. With the HeyMotion MCP connected, you can ask your assistant to list templates, describe how one works, render a still preview, or render a finished MP4 clip, and it does the work by calling the studio directly.
It is the same 104 templates and the same brand engine you use in the app at https://heymotion.io/app — just reachable through a conversation instead of the editor.
The MCP server is in beta and free to use right now. When HeyMotion launches paid plans, MCP access graduates to the Studio tier. See Manage Your Subscription for the planned pricing — none of it is active yet.
#When to Use It
Reach for the MCP server when you would rather describe the graphic you want than click through the editor — for example, while you are already working inside Claude on a script or a video plan and want a matching clip without switching tabs. It is aimed at power users and anyone building an AI-assisted content workflow. If you just want to make one graphic by hand, the web studio is the simpler path.
#The Six Tools
The server exposes list_templates, describe_template, render_preview, render_clip, get_brand, set_brand — six tools in total. Each does one job:
| Tool | What it does |
|---|---|
list_templates | Returns the full template library so the assistant can pick the right one. |
describe_template | Explains a single template — its purpose, fields, and default duration. |
render_preview | Renders a still PNG captured mid-animation, so you can check the look before committing. |
render_clip | Renders a finished MP4 clip and returns it as a download. |
get_brand | Reads your current brand kit (colors, fonts, logo) so renders stay on-brand. |
set_brand | Updates the brand kit used for renders in the current session. |
All renders come out as H.264 MP4, the same format the web app exports. Overlay templates render on a solid green background (#00FF00) so you can chroma-key them over your footage — see the overlay notes in the app for which templates are green-screen.
#Two Ways to Connect
There are two connection modes, and they behave differently:
#Local install (power user)
You install the server on your own machine. It renders locally inside your own copy of Google Chrome, so there are no rate limits, everything stays private on your computer, and finished files land in your browser's Downloads folder. This mode requires Node 22+ and Google Chrome (macOS, Linux or Windows).
Install with:
curl -fsSL https://heymotion.io/install-mcp.sh | bash
#Remote connector (beta, no install)
You add a custom connector in your AI assistant's settings pointing at https://mcp.systemprompt.co/mcp. Nothing is installed — renders happen server-side. This is the fastest way to try MCP, but it has beta limits: 8 renders/hour, 20 seconds max per clip.
Full, step-by-step setup for both paths is in Connect HeyMotion to an AI Assistant.
#Options and Settings
| Choice | Local install | Remote connector |
|---|---|---|
| Install required | Yes — Node 22+ and Google Chrome (macOS, Linux or Windows) | No |
| Where it renders | Your own Chrome, on your machine | HeyMotion servers |
| Privacy | Fully local | Renders happen server-side |
| Limits | Unlimited | 8 renders/hour, 20 seconds max per clip |
| Output | MP4 to your Downloads | MP4 returned to the assistant |
#Best Practices
Set your brand before you start rendering. The assistant can call set_brand, or you can sign into the web studio and it will read your saved kit — either way, locking the brand first means every clip comes out styled correctly. When you are experimenting, prefer render_preview (a fast still) over render_clip so you are not spending render time on a look you might change.
#Common Mistakes
The most common mismatch is expecting the remote connector to behave like the local install. The remote connector is capped at 8 renders/hour, 20 seconds max per clip during beta; if you need unlimited or private rendering, use the local install. Also remember that overlay templates come back green — that is intentional for chroma-key, not a bug.
#Related Articles
Set it up next in Connect HeyMotion to an AI Assistant.