Demo: The Letter
These clips are placeholders made without spending anything; prices are fal.ai's real list prices. A real episode replaces them soon.
A finished project, start to end, without signing up: one 30 second vertical episode in 6 shots.
Total for this project: $8.61 on Dropisode, or $7.18 at fal's price.
1. The script
Started from the idea "A courier finds a letter addressed to herself, dated tomorrow". The script model wrote this. It could also have been pasted or written by hand, and it stays editable.
2. The cast
Each character, location and prop has a description and reference images. Dropisode uses them in every shot they appear in.
MAYA character
late 20s courier, short black hair, yellow rain jacket, messenger bag.
LEO character
early 30s shopkeeper, round glasses, grey cardigan.
CORNER SHOP location
a small, warmly lit corner shop at night, rain on the windows.
3. The storyboard
The scene became 6 shot cards. Each shot was drafted on a cheap model first, approved, then rendered once on a premium model. Prices are what you would pay on Dropisode.
Shot 1 5 s approved
Wide: rain-streaked window, the corner shop glowing at night. Maya pushes the door open.
Camera: wide, static
1 draft on Veo 3.1 Lite (720p), 1 final on Kling 3.0 Pro. $1.32
Shot 2 5 s approved
Medium: Maya shakes rain off her yellow jacket and slides a letter across the counter.
Camera: medium, slow push in
MAYA: This one has my name on it. And tomorrow's date.
2 drafts on Veo 3.1 Lite (720p), 1 final on Kling 3.0 Pro. $1.58
Shot 3 5 s approved
Close-up: Leo turns the envelope over under the lamp, frowning.
Camera: close-up, handheld
1 draft on Veo 3.1 Lite (720p), 1 final on Kling 3.0 Pro. $1.32
Shot 4 5 s approved
Medium two-shot: Leo slides the letter back.
Camera: medium two-shot
LEO: Then you'd better not open it until tomorrow.
1 draft on Veo 3.1 Lite (720p), 1 final on Kling 3.0 Pro. $1.32
Shot 5 5 s approved
Insert: Maya's hands tear the envelope open.
Camera: insert, top-down
1 draft on Veo 3.1 Lite (720p), 1 final on Kling 3.0 Pro. $1.32
Shot 6 5 s approved
Close-up: Maya reads, her face falling.
Camera: close-up, slow push in
MAYA: It says: don't come back here.
2 drafts on Veo 3.1 Lite (720p), 1 final on Kling 3.0 Pro. $1.58
4. The cost log
Every request, its model, units and price. "You pay" is the fal price plus 20%, worked out per job as billing does.
| Step | Requests | fal price | You pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Script, cast list and storyboard | 2 | $0.02 | $0.02 |
| Cast reference images | 3 | $0.12 | $0.14 |
| Drafts (frames and clips) | 16 | $1.76 | $2.11 |
| Finals (frames and clips) | 12 | $5.28 | $6.34 |
| Total | 33 | $7.18 | $8.61 |
Every line (33)
| Step | Model | Tier | Units | fal price | You pay | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Script | Gemini 3.8 Flash | 1,681 tokens | $0.0063 | $0.0076 | charged | |
| Cast image, MAYA | Seedream 4.5 | 1 image | $0.04 | $0.0480 | charged | |
| Cast image, LEO | Seedream 4.5 | 1 image | $0.04 | $0.0480 | charged | |
| Cast image, CORNER SHOP | Seedream 4.5 | 1 image | $0.04 | $0.0480 | charged | |
| Storyboard | Gemini 3.8 Flash | 3,347 tokens | $0.0127 | $0.0152 | charged | |
| First frame, shot 1 | Seedream 4.5 | draft | 1 image | $0.04 | $0.0480 | charged |
| First frame, shot 2 | Seedream 4.5 | draft | 1 image | $0.04 | $0.0480 | charged |
| First frame, shot 3 | Seedream 4.5 | draft | 1 image | $0.04 | $0.0480 | charged |
| First frame, shot 4 | Seedream 4.5 | draft | 1 image | $0.04 | $0.0480 | charged |
| First frame, shot 5 | Seedream 4.5 | draft | 1 image | $0.04 | $0.0480 | charged |
| First frame, shot 6 | Seedream 4.5 | draft | 1 image | $0.04 | $0.0480 | charged |
| Clip, shot 6 | Veo 3.1 Lite (720p) | draft | 6 s | $0.18 | $0.2160 | charged |
| Clip, shot 5 | Veo 3.1 Lite (720p) | draft | 6 s | $0.18 | $0.2160 | charged |
| Clip, shot 3 | Veo 3.1 Lite (720p) | draft | 6 s | $0.18 | $0.2160 | charged |
| Clip, shot 4 | Veo 3.1 Lite (720p) | draft | 6 s | $0.18 | $0.2160 | charged |
| Clip, shot 2 | Veo 3.1 Lite (720p) | draft | 6 s | $0.18 | $0.2160 | charged |
| Clip, shot 1 | Veo 3.1 Lite (720p) | draft | 6 s | $0.18 | $0.2160 | charged |
| First frame, shot 2 | Seedream 4.5 | draft | 1 image | $0.04 | $0.0480 | charged |
| First frame, shot 6 | Seedream 4.5 | draft | 1 image | $0.04 | $0.0480 | charged |
| Clip, shot 6 | Veo 3.1 Lite (720p) | draft | 6 s | $0.18 | $0.2160 | charged |
| Clip, shot 2 | Veo 3.1 Lite (720p) | draft | 6 s | $0.18 | $0.2160 | charged |
| First frame, shot 1 | Seedream 4.5 | final | 1 image | $0.04 | $0.0480 | charged |
| First frame, shot 2 | Seedream 4.5 | final | 1 image | $0.04 | $0.0480 | charged |
| First frame, shot 3 | Seedream 4.5 | final | 1 image | $0.04 | $0.0480 | charged |
| First frame, shot 4 | Seedream 4.5 | final | 1 image | $0.04 | $0.0480 | charged |
| First frame, shot 5 | Seedream 4.5 | final | 1 image | $0.04 | $0.0480 | charged |
| First frame, shot 6 | Seedream 4.5 | final | 1 image | $0.04 | $0.0480 | charged |
| Clip, shot 2 | Kling 3.0 Pro | final | 5 s | $0.84 | $1.0080 | charged |
| Clip, shot 4 | Kling 3.0 Pro | final | 5 s | $0.84 | $1.0080 | charged |
| Clip, shot 5 | Kling 3.0 Pro | final | 5 s | $0.84 | $1.0080 | charged |
| Clip, shot 1 | Kling 3.0 Pro | final | 5 s | $0.84 | $1.0080 | charged |
| Clip, shot 3 | Kling 3.0 Pro | final | 5 s | $0.84 | $1.0080 | charged |
| Clip, shot 6 | Kling 3.0 Pro | final | 5 s | $0.84 | $1.0080 | charged |
5. The episode
The approved finals, joined in order with burned-in subtitles.
Assembly also writes these files, for finishing in another editor: