Using videos in a survey

Note:Before using video scenarios with your questions you must install the ffmpeg package

# brew install ffmpeg

from edsl import FileStore, QuestionFreeText, Scenario, Model

fs = FileStore("Nightmare_Before_Christmas_(1993).mp4")

s = Scenario({"video":fs})

q = QuestionFreeText(
    question_name = "test",
    question_text = "Breifly describe what is happening in this video: {{ scenario.video }}"
)

m = Model("gemini-2.5-flash", service_name="google")

r = q.by(s).by(m).run()

r.select("model", "test")

	model.model	answer.test
0	gemini-2.5-flash	This video is a trailer for Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas. It features a rapid montage of stop-motion animated scenes, showcasing the film’s gothic and fantastical world. Viewers see various spooky characters, including skeletons, monsters, and the iconic Jack Skellington, in eerie and imaginative settings. The video is accompanied by dramatic music and a voiceover that hints at a dark, magical realm, concluding with the movie title and release information.

Here we post a video to Expected Parrot using the FileStore module. This allows us to retrieve it later and share it with others:

fs = FileStore("Nightmare_Before_Christmas_(1993).mp4")

fs.push(
    description = "Trailer for the Nightmare Before Christmas",
    alias = "nightmare-before-christmas-trailer-video",
    visibility = "public"
)

{'description': 'Trailer for the Nightmare Before Christmas',
 'object_type': 'scenario',
 'url': 'https://www.expectedparrot.com/content/32122ab1-83ef-4c8b-93f5-81bb21676cd7',
 'alias_url': 'https://www.expectedparrot.com/content/RobinHorton/nightmare-before-christmas-trailer-video',
 'uuid': '32122ab1-83ef-4c8b-93f5-81bb21676cd7',
 'version': '0.1.62.dev1',
 'visibility': 'public'}

Here we retrieve the video from Expected Parrot, inspect it, and create a Scenario for it:

fs = FileStore.pull("https://www.expectedparrot.com/content/RobinHorton/nightmare-before-christmas-trailer-video")

fs.view()

If we want to add fields (metadata) for reference in the results, we simply add key/values as desired to the scenario (only the video key needs to be added to the question text (earn more about using scenarios for metadata):

s = Scenario({
    "video":fs,
    "title":"Trailer for the Nightmare Before Christmas",
    "year":1993
})

Next we create a Question that uses the scenario:

q = QuestionFreeText(
    question_name = "viewers",
    question_text = "Who would enjoy this movie? {{ scenario.video }}"
)

Here we select an appropriate Model (same as above):

m = Model("gemini-2.5-flash", service_name="google")

We run the question by adding the scenario and model:

r = q.by(s).by(m).run()

Here we inspect the response:

r.select("model", "title", "year", "viewers")

	model.model	scenario.title	scenario.year	answer.viewers
0	gemini-2.5-flash	Trailer for the Nightmare Before Christmas	1993	This movie, Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, would be enjoyed by: * Fans of Tim Burton’s unique aesthetic: If you appreciate his signature dark, gothic, and whimsical style (seen in films like Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, or Corpse Bride), you’ll likely love this. * Enthusiasts of stop-motion animation: The intricate and artistic stop-motion style is a major draw. * People who enjoy dark fantasy and whimsical horror: It blends spooky elements with a charming, imaginative story and characters. * Fans of musicals with a unique twist: The film is a musical, featuring memorable songs by Danny Elfman. * Those who appreciate holiday films with an unconventional edge: It’s a Christmas movie and a Halloween movie rolled into one, offering a fresh take on holiday themes. * Older children, teenagers, and adults: While animated, its slightly macabre themes and visuals might be a bit intense for very young children, but it’s generally enjoyed by a wide age range who appreciate its distinct style.

Here we post this notebook to Expected Parrot:

from edsl import Notebook

nb = Notebook("video_scenario_example.ipynb")

nb.push(
    description = "How to create video scenarios",
    alias = "video-scenarios-notebook",
    visibility = "public"
)

{'description': 'How to create video scenarios',
 'object_type': 'notebook',
 'url': 'https://www.expectedparrot.com/content/5f5f3d20-a3c4-4f6f-95aa-a9fa9c4d7e77',
 'alias_url': 'https://www.expectedparrot.com/content/RobinHorton/video-scenarios-notebook',
 'uuid': '5f5f3d20-a3c4-4f6f-95aa-a9fa9c4d7e77',
 'version': '0.1.62.dev1',
 'visibility': 'public'}

Introduction

Getting Started

Core Concepts

Getting Data

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Validating with Humans

No-code Apps

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How-to Guides

Notebook Examples

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