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Guide · Open source

How to use MoneyPrinter: install, run and troubleshoot

Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data

MoneyPrinter is an open-source Python project that automates making YouTube Shorts. You give it a video topic, and it generates a script and metadata with local Ollama models, then assembles the video using MoviePy. This guide walks through the prerequisites, the basic setup, and the common problems the project's README documents, so you can get a first run working.

MoneyPrinterFujiwaraChoki/MoneyPrinter · ★ 14.1k · MIT

Quick start

  1. 1Install prerequisites. Install Ollama, ImageMagick and, if you want the containerized setup, Docker.
  2. 2Clone the repository. Run git clone on the MoneyPrinter GitHub repository.
  3. 3Start Ollama and pull a model. Run ollama serve, then ollama pull llama3.1:8b.
  4. 4Set ImageMagick path if needed. Confirm ImageMagick is on your PATH, or set IMAGEMAGICK_BINARY in .env.
  5. 5Follow the quickstart. Work through docs/quickstart.md and run setup.sh if you want the interactive setup.
  6. 6Enter a topic and generate. Select your Ollama model in the web UI, provide a video topic, and let MoneyPrinter create the script, metadata and video.

What you need before you install MoneyPrinter

MoneyPrinter is Ollama-first, so script generation depends on a local Ollama model. You also need ImageMagick for video work, and Docker if you want the containerized queue setup.

The project is installed by cloning the repository and building it yourself. It is not a packaged app.

  • Ollama, running locally, with a model pulled
  • ImageMagick, auto-detected from your PATH or set manually in .env
  • Docker, only needed for the containerized queue setup (API, worker and Postgres)
  • Python, since the project is written in Python

Clone the repository and start Ollama

Clone the project from GitHub, then start the Ollama server and pull the example model the README uses.

The README's example model is llama3.1:8b. The UI lets you select the model once Ollama is running.

git clone https://github.com/FujiwaraChoki/MoneyPrinter ollama serve ollama pull llama3.1:8b

Configure ImageMagick and .env settings

MoneyPrinter auto-detects ImageMagick from your PATH on Linux, macOS and Windows. If detection fails, set the executable path manually in the .env file.

On Windows, use double backslashes in the path rather than single ones.

  • Leave IMAGEMAGICK_BINARY unset if ImageMagick is on your PATH
  • Set IMAGEMAGICK_BINARY in .env if auto-detection fails
IMAGEMAGICK_BINARY="C:\\Program Files\\ImageMagick-7.1.0-Q16\\magick.exe"

Run the setup script or follow the quickstart

The repository includes an interactive setup script (setup.sh) and a quickstart guide in docs/quickstart.md. The README points to these for the full setup steps, and to docs/configuration.md for settings.

The README describes multiple setup steps and dependencies, so expect to work through them rather than run a single command.

  • setup.sh: interactive setup script
  • docs/quickstart.md: quickstart guide
  • docs/configuration.md: configuration reference
  • docs/docker.md: Docker setup for the queue (API, worker, Postgres)

Fix common install problems

If the playsound package fails with a wheel build error, the README suggests upgrading wheel and then playsound using uv.

For other problems, check docs/troubleshooting.md, search existing or closed issues, or ask in the project's Discord. The README asks that plain questions go to Discord rather than the issue tracker.

uv pip install -U wheel uv pip install -U playsound

What people use it for

  • Experimenting with automated short-form video creation as a hobbyist
  • Studying how a local LLM can drive a MoviePy video pipeline in Python
  • Self-hosting a short-video generator instead of using a paid cloud video service
  • Testing a DB-backed generation queue (API, worker and Postgres in Docker)

Frequently asked questions

Is MoneyPrinter free to use?

The repository is licensed under the MIT License, as stated in the project's license file reference. The README does not list any paid service, but you still need to run Ollama and the other dependencies yourself.

Does MoneyPrinter need Ollama?

Yes. The README says MoneyPrinter is Ollama-first and that script generation and metadata are fully powered by local Ollama models. Without a local Ollama model, script generation will not work.

Which model should I use with MoneyPrinter?

The README's example is llama3.1:8b, pulled with ollama pull llama3.1:8b. You select the model in the web UI after Ollama is running.

Why is MoneyPrinter not detecting ImageMagick?

MoneyPrinter auto-detects ImageMagick from your PATH on Linux, macOS and Windows. If that fails, set the executable path manually in the .env file as IMAGEMAGICK_BINARY, using double backslashes in Windows paths.

How do I fix the playsound 'Wheel failed to build' error?

The README suggests running uv pip install -U wheel, then uv pip install -U playsound. These commands are listed as a fix for that specific install error.

Can I contribute code to MoneyPrinter?

Not right now. The README says Pull Requests will not be accepted for the time being, so you can report issues or ask questions instead.

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Our verdict

MoneyPrinter suits hobbyists and developers who are comfortable running Ollama, configuring a local Python environment and self-hosting. If you need polished, hands-off short videos with no setup, or you cannot run a local Ollama model, pick a different tool.

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