# Create an interactive story with Pickford

Create an interactive story with Codex or Claude Code. Connect Pickford, then tell your assistant what you have in mind.

[Open the creation page](/create)

## What you can make

- **Microdrama:** Big feelings, close relationships, and choices that change what happens next.
- **Police procedural:** An unfolding case where the audience helps decide which leads to follow.

## How it works

1. **Bring an idea.** A character, a setting, or a story you loved is enough to start. Your assistant helps you find the story you want to tell.
2. **Shape it together.** Build your cast and the choices your audience will make through a short conversation. Review the plan before creating your project.
3. **Make it your own.** Save your draft, return to it in either app, and open the project in Pickford to keep creating. Building a project does not automatically publish it.

## Before you connect

All you need is a Pickford account. Sign in or create an account to connect.

[Sign in](/signin?return_to=%2Fcreate) or [create an account](/register?return_to=%2Fcreate). You can read this guide without signing in.

## 1. Connect StoryKernel to your agent

StoryKernel is Pickford’s story builder. Your coding agent talks to it over MCP, so you only connect it once.

Open the creation page in a browser for current installation availability and setup instructions.


[Manage connected apps](/account/integrations).

## 2. Tell your agent to start

Start a new chat after connecting: the StoryKernel tools only appear in chats opened after the connection is made. Then say this in Codex or Claude. Your agent guides everything from here: it interviews you about your idea and builds your StoryBundle.

> let's create a story with the StoryKernel MCP

If another Pickford story inspired you, include its public story URL and describe what you liked. Ask for an original story with a similar feeling, rather than assuming the source story or its assets can be copied. Saved drafts follow your Pickford account across supported apps.

### Which agent model to use

- **Best:** GPT-5.6 Sol (medium or high thinking)
- **Good:** Claude Opus 5 (medium thinking)
- **Tested:** GPT-6 Astra (medium thinking), Claude Fable 5 / 5.1 (medium thinking)

Other models and thinking levels are untested. They may work; use them at your own discretion.

## 3. Watch your show

Pickford renders your story as video. Open it from My stories and press play — there is nothing to install and no key to supply.

- **Pickford plays it for you.** Your finished show is listed in My stories. Open it and press Play as video — Pickford renders it. Capacity is limited while this is new, so if every renderer is busy you will be asked to try again in a few minutes.
- **Or run the renderer yourself.** The video renderer is open source. Running your own needs Node.js 22 or newer, FFmpeg, Docker, and a fal.ai API key — entered on the renderer’s own page on your computer, never in chat, so it stays on your machine.

Sign in to Pickford in your browser and approve access. Disconnect any time from Account → Connected tools.

Building a project does not automatically publish it or guarantee rendered playback. Continue editing and review the result in Pickford.