The Complete n8n Workflow: Auto-Script, Auto-Edit, Auto-Upload

The Architecture of the n8n Workflow

Here is the exact step-by-step technical breakdown of how to configure the nodes in your n8n canvas.

Node 1: The Brain (Advanced AI Node)

Do not use a standard HTTP request to OpenAI. Use n8n's native Advanced AI Node.

• Model: Connect an OpenAI Chat Model (GPT-6 Sol is cheap and extremely fast for this).
• Output Parser: Attach an Auto-fixing JSON Output Parser. This is critical. You must force the LLM to output a JSON array of scenes (e.g., Scene 1 text, Scene 2 text). If the LLM breaks the JSON formatting, n8n will automatically prompt it to fix itself.

Node 2: The Voice (ElevenLabs or OpenAI TTS)

Use an HTTP Request Node set to POST https://api.elevenlabs.io/v1/text-to-speech/{voice_id}.

Pro-Tip: Do not pass the entire script at once. Use a Split In Batches node to iterate through the JSON array generated by Node 1. Generate the audio for Scene 1, then Scene 2. This allows your video renderer to perfectly time the text overlays to the specific audio file of that scene.

Node 3: The Video Renderer (Creatomate)

Creatomate is a video editing API. You first go to their website and build a "Template" using a timeline editor (just like CapCut). You place placeholders for "Background Video", "Audio", and "Text Overlay".

In n8n, you use the Creatomate node (or an HTTP Request) and pass the payload:

{
  "template_id": "YOUR_TEMPLATE_ID",
  "modifications": {
    "Text_Overlay": "{{ $json.scene_text }}",
    "Audio_Track": "{{ $json.elevenlabs_url }}",
    "Background": "https://url-to-your-stock-footage.mp4"
  }
}

The node will pause execution (using a Wait node or webhook callback) until Creatomate finishes rendering the MP4 and returns the final download URL.

Node 4: The YouTube Uploader

Use the native n8n YouTube Node. You must set up Google OAuth2 credentials in Google Cloud Console.

• Resource: Video
• Operation: Upload
• Title: Mapped from Node 1 (LLM generation)
• Description: Mapped from Node 1
• Privacy Status: Set to Private or Unlisted first! Never automate straight to Public until you trust your system completely. Have the client review it, or review it yourself on your phone, then manually click "Public".

Handling Errors and Rate Limits

An automated workflow is useless if it crashes every time an API times out.

In the Settings tab of every HTTP Request node (especially Creatomate and ElevenLabs), enable "On Error: Continue Pipeline" and configure an Error Trigger node. If the video rendering fails, the Error node should send a message to your Telegram or Discord via a webhook, alerting you exactly which client's video failed so you can manually re-trigger it.