Merge Videos combines multiple clips into one file with ffmpeg transitions, for 10 credits per merge run. It is the simplest tool on this canvas and worth knowing about precisely because it is basic: for a straightforward sequence it removes a download-and-upload loop, and for anything else you want a real editor.
TL;DR
- 10 credits per merge run, about ten cents, regardless of how many clips
- What it does: concatenates clips in order with ffmpeg transitions
- What it does not: trimming to the frame, audio mixing, colour grading, captions, keyframes
- Use it for simple sequences and for keeping a chain on the canvas
- Use an editor for anything where timing, sound or grade matters, which is most finished work
What it is
A node that takes several video clips and outputs one file, joined in order, with transitions handled by ffmpeg. Flat price per run.
The practical value is not the feature, it is that the whole chain stays in one place: generate six shots, merge them, and the result is a board you can hand to someone rather than six files in a downloads folder plus a project in an editor.
What it costs, in context
Canon 8frame prices, a credit is $0.01 at pack rate:
| Element | Route | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Merge run | Merge Videos | 10 |
| Six shots at 480p | Wan 3.0, 5s each | 144 |
| Six shots at 1080p | Wan 3.0 base, 5s each | 570 |
| Music bed, 30 seconds | Lyria 2 | 13 |
| Sound effect | ElevenLabs SFX | 5 |
| Voiceover, 1,000 characters | ElevenLabs TTS | 13 |
A short assembled piece: six shots at 480p (144), a music bed (13), one merge (10) is 167 credits, about $1.67.
When it is the right tool
A simple sequence in order. Six generated plates joined into a 30-second background, or a set of cutaways assembled into one file.
Keeping the work on the canvas. For a collaborative board, a merged output is something a colleague can see in context. Six separate files are not.
Quick assembly to evaluate. Before committing to an edit, joining the clips tells you whether the sequence reads at all. At 10 credits that is a cheap check.
Programmatic workflows. Driven through the MCP server at mcp.8frame.co as part of an automated chain, where opening an editor is not an option.
When to use an editor instead
Almost everything else, and the list is worth being specific about:
Timing. Trimming a 5-second generation to the best 1.5 seconds is the single most important operation in working with generated video, and it is not what this tool does. Generated clips degrade with duration, so you will discard most of every clip.
Audio. A continuous ambient bed under the whole sequence is the fix for the audible gaps at cuts between generated clips, and that needs real audio tracks.
Grading. Generated clips arrive with their own look and will not match each other or your real footage. One grade across everything is what makes a sequence read as one piece.
Grain. A grain overlay across the whole timeline hides residual flicker and is the biggest single tell when mixing generated and filmed material. See how to match AI clips to real footage.
Captions. Most views are muted, and caption craft (two lines, 32 to 42 characters, split at clause boundaries, lower middle third) is editor work.
Text and titles. Generated text garbles, so type goes in the edit.
The honest workflow
For anything that ships:
- Generate more than you need. Five seconds per shot, expecting to use 1.5.
- Merge to evaluate if you want a quick look at the sequence, 10 credits.
- Take it to an editor for the real assembly: trim, grade, grain, audio bed, captions.
- Export at delivery resolution, which means generating at delivery resolution, since there is no video upscaler on this canvas.
Merge Videos sits in step 2. Treating it as step 3 produces something that looks like joined clips, because that is what it is.
FAQ
How much does Merge Videos cost? 10 credits per merge run, about ten cents, flat regardless of clip count.
Can it trim clips? No. It concatenates in order. Trimming is editor work, and it is the operation that matters most with generated footage.
Can it add music? No. Generate audio separately and mix it in an editor.
Should I use it for finished work? For a simple sequence, it will do. For anything needing timing, grade or sound, use an editor.
Merge to look, edit to ship. The 8frame canvas is free and unlimited, and generation is paid from $19/month.