01
Verify the prerequisites
Read the OpenMontage overview first. The current quick start lists Python 3.10+, FFmpeg, Node.js 18+ and an AI coding assistant that can read project files and execute commands.
Confirm each runtime from the same shell the agent will use. A partial environment can fail much later when Remotion, FFmpeg and Python tools meet in one production path. Windows users in particular should ensure FFmpeg is actually on PATH.
02
Clone and set up the primary repository
Use the primary repository at github.com/calesthio/OpenMontage, enter the project and run the current documented setup path. The quick start presently uses make setup, with manual dependency installation documented for environments without Make.
Because the repository changes quickly, record the commit you validated for team use. Open it in Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, Copilot or Windsurf and ask the agent to read the repository's own agent instructions before it attempts production work.
03
Discover the actual capability envelope
OpenMontage is designed to discover which providers and tools are really available in the environment. Two installations can have very different capabilities depending on configured API keys and local components.
Do not add every optional provider on day one. Start with the capabilities you actually need, set conservative spend limits and ask the agent to show the chosen pipeline, external calls and estimated cost before it begins paid generation.
04
Produce a low-risk first render
A short explainer using free or local tools is a better first test than a complex cinematic production. It validates whether the agent reads the pipeline, whether provider discovery works and whether Python, Node, Remotion and FFmpeg can complete the full path.
The repository documents make test-contracts for contract tests that do not require API keys and make test for the broader suite. Run the relevant checks before client work and treat environment-specific failures as setup problems rather than creative failures.
05
Validate the output and save a baseline
Do not accept an agent message saying done as proof that a video is ready. Check duration, aspect ratio, narration, music levels, subtitles, placeholders, motion quality, branding and whether the output actually satisfies the requested production mode.
Once the first run works, record the validated commit, Python/Node/FFmpeg versions, coding agent, enabled providers, budget thresholds, test results and a known-good sample. For a practical creator workflow after setup, continue with the reference-video guide.
Sources
Primary and supporting sources
Facts were rechecked against the linked sources immediately before publication. Pricing, product availability and rollout status can change.