Generate AI videos from Telegram messages with Nano Banana & Veo-3

How to use the provided n8n workflow (step‑by‑step), what matters, what it’s good for, and costs per run.

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What this workflow does (in simple terms)

1. You write (or speak) your idea in Telegram.
2. The workflow builds two short prompts:
   • Image prompt → generates one thumbnail via KIE.ai – Nano Banana (Gemini 2.5 Flash Image).
   • Video prompt → starts a Veo‑3 (KIE.ai) video job using the thumbnail as init image.
3. You receive the thumbnail first, then the short video back in Telegram once rendering completes.

Typical output: 1 PNG thumbnail + 1 short MP4 video (e.g., 8–12 s, 9:16).

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Why this is useful

• Rapid ideation: Turn a quick text/voice idea into a ready‑to‑post thumbnail + matching short video.
• Consistent look: The video uses the thumbnail as init image, keeping colors, objects and mood consistent.
• One chat = full pipeline: Everything happens directly inside Telegram—no context switches.
• Agency‑ready: Collect ideas from clients/team chats, and deliver outputs quickly.

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What you need before importing

1. KIE.ai account & API key

   • Sign up/in at KIE.ai, go to Dashboard → API / Keys.
   • Copy your KIE_API_KEY (keep it private).

2. Telegram Bot (BotFather)

   • In Telegram, open @BotFather → command /newbot.
   • Choose a name and a unique username (must end with bot).
   • Copy your Bot Token (keep it private).

3. Your Telegram Chat ID (browser method)

   • Send any message to your bot so you have a active chat
   • Open Telegram web and the chat with the bot
   • Find the chatid in the URL

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Import & minimal configuration (n8n)

1. Import the provided workflow JSON in n8n.
2. Create Credentials:
   • Telegram API: paste your Bot Token.
   • HTTP (KIE.ai): usually you’ll pass Authorization: Bearer {{ $env.KIE_API_KEY }} directly in the HTTP Request node headers, or make a generic HTTP credential that injects the header.
3. Replace hardcoded values in the template:
   • Chat ID: use an Expression like {{$json.message.chat.id}} from the Telegram Trigger (prefer dynamic over hardcoded IDs).
   • Authorization headers: never in query params—always in Headers.
   • Content‑Type spelling: Content-Type (no typos). `

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How to run it (basic flow)

1. Start the workflow (activate trigger).
2. Send a message to your bot, e.g.
   glass hourglass on a black mirror floor, minimal, elegant
3. The bot replies with the thumbnail (PNG), then the Veo‑3 video (MP4).

If you send a voice message, the flow will download & transcribe it first, then proceed as above.

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Pricing (rule of thumb)

• Image (Nano Banana via KIE.ai): ~ $0.02–$0.04 per image (plan‑dependent).
• Video (Veo‑3 via KIE.ai):
  • Fast: ~ $0.40 per 8 seconds (~$0.05/s)
  • Quality: ~ $2.00 per 8 seconds (~$0.25/s)

Typical run (1 image + 8 s Fast video) ≈ $0.42–$0.44.

> These are indicative values. Check your KIE.ai dashboard for the latest pricing/quotas.

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Why KIE.ai over the “classic” Google API?

• Cheaper in practice for short video clips and image gen in this pipeline.
• One vendor for both image & video (same auth, similar responses) = less integration hassle.
• Quick start: Playground/tasks/status endpoints are n8n‑friendly for polling workflows.

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Security & reliability tips

• Never hardcode API keys or Chat IDs into nodes—use Credentials or Environment variables.
• Add IF + error paths after each HTTP node:
  • If status != 200 → Send friendly Telegram message (“Please try again”) + log to admin.
• If you use callback URLs for video completion, ensure the URL is publicly reachable (n8n Webhook URL). Otherwise, stick to polling.
• For rate limits, add a Wait node and limit concurrency in workflow settings.
• Keep aspect & duration consistent across prompt + API calls to avoid unexpected crops.

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Advanced: voice input (optional)

• The template supports voice via a Switch → Download → Transcribe (Whisper/OpenAI).
• Ensure your OpenAI credential is set and your n8n instance can fetch the audio file from Telegram.

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Example prompt patterns (keep it short & generic)

• Thumbnail prompt: “Minimal, elegant, surreal [OBJECT], clean composition, 9:16”
• Video prompt: “Cinematic [OBJECT]. slow camera move, elegant reflections, minimal & surreal mood, 9:16, 8–12s.”

You can later replace the simple prompt builder with a dedicated LLM step or a fixed style guide for your brand.

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Final notes

• This template focuses on a solid, reliable pipeline first. You can always refine prompts later.
• Start with Veo‑3 Fast to keep iteration costs low; switch to Quality for final renders.
• Consider saving outputs (S3/Drive) and logging prompts/URLs to a sheet for audit & analytics.