What is Story Maker and who is it for?

Story Maker is an AI-powered production platform built for screenwriters, directors, and production houses. It lets you go from raw idea to a production-ready screenplay in minutes, not months. Whether you're an indie filmmaker drafting your first feature or a production house managing a full slate of projects, Story Maker's Cinema Context Engine handles the heavy lifting — story structure, screenplay formatting, budget breakdowns, scheduling, and more.

How do I create my first project?

Log in and click "New Project" on your dashboard. Enter your project title, genre, a short description, and an optional logline. Hit "Create Project" — your production bible is now open. Head to Story Beats to let the AI map out your narrative structure. Move to Screenplay to generate a full, formatted script from those beats. Think of it as your Director's Chair — you stay in creative control while AI handles the drafting.

What is the Cinema Context Engine?

The Cinema Context Engine is the AI pipeline that powers Story Maker's core workflow: Story Beats — Break your concept into structured narrative beats (acts, turning points, climax). Character Builder — Generate full character profiles with arcs and backstories. Screenplay Generation — Turn beats into a properly formatted, scene-by-scene screenplay. Script Coverage — Get an industry-standard script analysis report automatically. Each stage feeds context into the next, producing output that stays consistent across your entire project.

Which AI models are available and how do I choose?

Story Maker offers three quality tiers for most features: Basic — Fast and efficient; ideal for drafts and iteration. Lowest credit cost. Advanced — Balanced quality and speed; the default for most workflows. Premium — Studio-grade output; best for final-draft quality. Highest credit cost. You can switch tiers using the Quality Tier selector visible on any AI generation panel. Start with Advanced and upgrade to Premium when you're ready for final output. The exact credit cost for your chosen tier is always shown before you confirm a generation.

What are all the AI features available?

Story Maker includes 35 AI tools across the full production pipeline — from Story and Script Analysis, through Pre-Production and Finance, to Post-Production and Release & Distribution. See the complete, always-up-to-date list on the Tools & Features page.

Can I collaborate with my writing team?

Yes! Every project has a Writer's Room — open it by clicking the "Share" button on any Screenplay page. Invite collaborators by email as Co-Writer, Editor, or Viewer. Live presence avatars appear in the header when teammates are viewing the same screenplay. For full production teams, ask about Production House Workspaces — a shared environment with centralised credit billing.

What are Credits and how do they work?

Credits are the currency of Story Maker. Every AI generation costs a certain number of credits depending on the feature and the quality tier you choose — the exact cost is always shown before you confirm. Purchased credits are valid for 365 days from the date of purchase, and are deducted oldest-first. Credits are deducted only when a generation completes successfully. If something fails mid-stream, any credits spent are automatically refunded to your balance.

What plans are available?

Plan Credits Free2,500 on signup First Film2,500 credits (₹999) Starter5,000 credits (₹1,999) Growth15,750 (15,000 + 5% bonus, ₹5,999) Scale33,000 (30,000 + 10% bonus, ₹11,999) Pro1,20,000 (1,00,000 + 20 percent bonus) Production House WorkspaceCustom pool, contact sales Prices and current bonus terms are always shown on the Pricing page, along with a custom credit top-up option starting at 2,500 credits.

How do different AI quality tiers affect credit cost?

Each feature has its own credit cost, which scales up with the quality tier you choose (Basic, Advanced, or Premium). These costs are centrally managed and can be adjusted from time to time, so we don't publish fixed numbers here that could go stale. The exact cost for your selected feature and tier is always shown in the credit confirmation dialog before you confirm a generation — no surprises.

Do I get a credit rebate as I level up?

Yes — as part of The Producer's Path gamification system, higher ranks unlock automatic credit rebates: Script Cub (0–1,000 CXP) — Standard rates Indie Darling (5,000–14,999 CXP) — 2% rebate on all generations Studio Mogul (15,000+ CXP) — 5% rebate on all generations Rebate credits are added automatically after each successful generation.

What payment methods are accepted?

Story Maker uses Razorpay for secure payment processing, which supports: All major credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Rupay) UPI (Google Pay, PhonePe, Paytm) Net banking EMI options on eligible cards All transactions are encrypted and processed securely. We never store your card details.

Unused purchased credits can be refunded within 14 days of purchase. Refund requests are reviewed manually and, once approved, processed back to your original payment method via Razorpay. Free credits (signup bonus, referral rewards, gamification rebates) carry no monetary value and are not refundable. See the full Refund Policy for details and timelines.

What is The Producer's Path?

The Producer's Path is Story Maker's gamification system. Every time you use an AI feature, you earn Cinematic XP (CXP) — experience points that reflect your creative output and unlock permanent rewards. Think of it as your Director's CV: the more you create, the more the platform recognises and rewards your craft.

How do I earn Cinematic XP (CXP)?

CXP is awarded automatically after every successful AI generation: CXP earned ≈ 10% of the credits spent on that generation (minimum 1 CXP). Higher-tier model usage (Advanced, Premium) costs more credits, so it earns more CXP per generation. Certain achievements — like trying a set number of different features — award bonus CXP on top. Your CXP progress bar is always visible in the dashboard sidebar.

What are the ranks and their perks?

Script Cub 0 – 4,999 CXP Your first steps on set. Access all features and the standard credit rate. Indie Darling 5,000 – 14,999 CXP Your scripts are getting noticed. Unlock a 2% credit rebate on every generation — automatically credited after each use. Studio Mogul 15,000+ CXP You run the lot. Enjoy a 5% credit rebate on every generation plus priority badge recognition in the Writer's Room.

Where can I see my badges and achievements?

Visit /dashboard/awards to see your full achievement cabinet. Badges are awarded for creative milestones — trying a range of different tools, reaching usage streaks, and hitting CXP thresholds. Locked badges show you exactly what you need to do to earn them.

How do I check my current CXP and rank?

Your circular XP progress bar is always visible in the left sidebar of the dashboard. It shows: Your current rank name and icon CXP earned vs. CXP needed for the next rank A colour-coded ring that fills as you progress For the full breakdown, head to /dashboard/awards.

What is the Cinema Circle Referral program?

The Cinema Circle is our dual-sided referral program. When you invite a fellow filmmaker: They get — bonus credits on their first paid purchase You get — a credit match starting at 10%, rising to 15–20% the more consistently you refer (see the Streak system below) It's a win for both sides of the clapperboard.

Where do I find my referral link?

Go to /dashboard/referrals. Your unique invite link and QR code are displayed at the top of the page. You can share it anywhere — WhatsApp, email, Instagram, or film school group chats.

What is the Referral Streak system?

The Referral Streak system rewards consistent referrers with a compounding credit match: ×1Streak 1–2: 20% credit match per referee (standard) ×2Streak 3–4: 25% credit match per referee ×3Streak 5+: 30% credit match per referee + "Executive Producer" badge A streak is maintained by converting at least one new paid referee every 30 days. Miss the window and your streak resets to 1 on your next successful referral.

How do I see my streak and milestone progress?

The Referrals Dashboard shows: Your current streak flame with glow intensity matching your level A Milestone Progress Bar counting down to the next bonus tier An anonymised Leaderboard of top referrers this month Full history of every referral and its status

When are referral credits added to my account?

Referral credits are added immediately when your referee completes their first paid credit purchase. You'll receive an in-app notification (bell icon) and an email confirmation. All referral rewards are logged as 'bonus' credits and are valid for 365 days.

Where do I find my notifications?

Look for the Bell icon in the top navigation bar of your dashboard. A red badge appears when you have unread notifications. Click the bell to open a dropdown showing your most recent alerts. Clicking any notification marks it as read and takes you to the relevant page.

What kinds of notifications will I receive?

Credit Purchase Confirmed — Instant alert when your payment succeeds. Badge Unlocked — Notified when you earn a new Producer's Path achievement. Referral Reward — When a referee completes their first purchase and your bonus lands. Streak Alert — Reminder when your referral streak is about to expire. Rank Up — Celebration notification when you reach a new XP rank. Admin Broadcasts — Platform-wide announcements from the Story Maker team.

Are notifications real-time?

Yes. Notifications are powered by Supabase Realtime, which means they appear in your bell dropdown the instant they are triggered — no page refresh required. As long as you have the dashboard open in your browser, you'll receive live updates.

Can I turn off notifications?

Notification preferences are on our roadmap. Currently, all in-app notifications are enabled by default. You can dismiss individual notifications by clicking them, which marks them as read. You can opt out of the weekly email digest using the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any digest email.

How do I reset my password?

Click "Forgot Password" on the login page. Enter your email and we'll send a secure reset link within minutes. Reset links expire after 1 hour for security. If yours expired, simply request a new one.

Is my script data private and secure?

Your projects and generated content are: Stored in an encrypted Supabase (PostgreSQL) database, with passwords hashed and optional two-factor authentication (2FA) available on your account Accessible only to you (and collaborators you explicitly invite) Processed by our AI providers (via OpenRouter and Google's AI platforms) solely to generate your requested output — not used to train their models Read our full Privacy Policy for complete details, including which third parties process your data.

Can I delete my account and data?

Yes. Go to Settings → Delete Account to permanently deactivate your account and erase your personal data yourself — no need to email us. This action is immediate and cannot be undone, so make sure you've exported anything you want to keep first. Accounts inactive for 730 days (2 years) are also automatically deleted regardless of plan tier. Before that happens we email you 90, 30, 7 and 1 day beforehand — and simply signing in resets the clock.

What happens to my projects if I run out of credits?

Your existing projects, scripts, and generated content remain fully accessible even with zero credits. You simply cannot trigger new AI generations until you top up. You can still read, export, share, and manage all previously generated content.

How do I contact the Story Maker team?

The fastest way to reach us is via the Contact page on the site, or by emailing contact@thestorymaker.app directly. Every message lands directly in our Admin Inbox, and our team replies in the same email thread — so your conversation stays organised and contextual. We don't currently offer live chat or phone support.

What is your typical response time?

Free, Starter & Growth: Within 2–3 business days Scale & Pro: Within 1 business day Production House Workspace / Enterprise: Same-day via a dedicated contact We operate Monday–Friday, 10am–6pm IST. Critical account issues (billing, data access) are prioritised regardless of tier.

I found a bug — how should I report it?

We appreciate bug reports! Please send an email to contact@thestorymaker.app with: Subject line: "Bug Report — [brief description]" Steps to reproduce Your browser and device type A screenshot or screen recording if possible Confirmed bugs are prioritised in our next release cycle.

Do you have a roadmap or feature request process?

Yes! We actively review feature requests. Send your ideas to contact@thestorymaker.app with the subject "Feature Request". Frequently requested features are upvoted internally and included in upcoming releases. Enterprise customers get direct input into our product roadmap.

Director's Manual

How can we help you?

Guides, FAQs, and studio-grade documentation for every feature in Story Maker.

Getting Started

Everything you need to direct your first AI-assisted production.

Credits & Billing

Understand how credits work, tier perks, and billing details.

The Producer's Path

Earn Cinematic XP, climb the ranks, and unlock real perks.

Cinema Circle Referrals

Invite collaborators and earn compounding rewards together.

Notifications

Stay in the loop on credits, exports, badges, and broadcasts.

Account & Security

Manage your profile, password, and privacy settings.

Contacting Support

Reach our team for personalised, threaded support.

Still need help?

Our support team reads every message personally. Reach us via the contact form and you'll get a threaded, contextual reply — no ticket numbers, no bots.

Contact Support contact@thestorymaker.app

Mon–Fri · 10am–6pm IST · Free/Starter/Growth: 2–3 business days · Scale: 1 business day · Production House Workspace: same-day via your account manager