# Create and upload YouTube videos with FFmpeg: n8n workflow

> Started by an event in a connected app, and works across Google Drive and Google Sheets. 20 steps: a working afternoon to understand properly.

Source: https://millionrounds.com/workflow/create-and-upload-youtube-videos-with-ffmpeg (Millionrounds; every figure on the page links to its filing or article)

[Automation library](https://millionrounds.com/workflows) · [Money admin](https://millionrounds.com/workflows?category=Money+admin#library)

# Create and upload YouTube videos with FFmpeg

Started by an event in a connected app, and works across Google Drive and Google Sheets. 20 steps: a working afternoon to understand properly.

Medium

[Download free](https://millionrounds.com/login?next=%2Fapp%2Fworkflow%2Fcreate-and-upload-youtube-videos-with-ffmpeg)

**20 steps** Medium: a working afternoon

**0** Branches: places the flow splits

**0** Loops or waits

**2** Services it connects to

## The flow

Starts it 1 Logic 4 Service 15

The steps in the order they run, from what starts it.

- 1 **Start AutoClip Workflow** Manual trigger *Starts it*
- 2 **Retrieve Quote Data** Google Sheets *Service*
- 3 **List Video Background Files** Google Drive *Service*
- 4 **Configure Music Background Folder ID** Set *Logic*
- 5 **Merge File Selection Data** Merge *Logic*
- 6 **Retrieve Video Background Data** Google Sheets *Service*
- 7 **List Music Background Files** Google Drive *Service*
- 8 **Select Random Video, Music & Quote** Code *Logic*
- 9 **Retrieve Music Background Data** Google Sheets *Service*
- 10 **Download Selected Video Background** Google Drive *Service*
- 11 **Save Video Background Locally** Read Write File *Service*
- 12 **Download Selected Music Background** Google Drive *Service*
- 13 **Save Music Background Locally** Read Write File *Service*
- 14 **Prepare Overlay Text (Quote & Author)** Code *Logic*
- 15 **Generate Final Video Clip** Execute Command *Service*
- 16 **Initiate YouTube Resumable Upload** Http Request *Service*
- 17 **Read output file** Read Write File *Service*
- 18 **Upload Video to YouTube** Http Request *Service*
- 19 **Update Quote Upload Status** Google Sheets *Service*
- 20 **Mark Background as Used** Google Sheets *Service*

## How it's built

- **Starts on:** An event in a connected app
- **Steps:** 20
- **Size:** Medium: a working afternoon
- **Connects to:** Google Drive, Google Sheets
- **Model:** None. This is plumbing, not judgement

## Questions

What does it need to run?

An n8n account, plus your own Google Drive and Google Sheets accounts. You connect your own accounts after importing it; none are included.

What starts it?

It starts on an event in a connected app.

Does it use AI?

No. Every step is fixed logic or a call to a service, so it does the same thing every time.

How long does it take to set up?

Plan an afternoon. 20 steps is enough that you should read each one before running it.

How do I import it?

Copy the workflow, open a new workflow in n8n and paste. The steps appear on the canvas, ready for your own accounts.

**Before you run it**

Nothing here has been tested by us. It is somebody's working automation, read and described from its own steps. Treat the connections it wants as a list of accounts it will touch, and read the 20 steps before you point it at anything that matters.

## Run it in n8n

- **Create your n8n account** Free to start. n8n is where the workflow runs. [Create an n8n account ↗](https://millionrounds.com/n8n)
- **Download the workflow** Free with a Millionrounds account. [Download free](https://millionrounds.com/login?next=%2Fapp%2Fworkflow%2Fcreate-and-upload-youtube-videos-with-ffmpeg)
- **Paste it into n8n** Open a new workflow in n8n and paste. Then connect your own accounts.

Stored with the author's traces removed: canvas notes, instance identifiers, saved credential names and any live document they had left behind.

## Connects to

Each opens the other workflows that use it.

[Google Drive](https://millionrounds.com/workflows?service=Google+Drive#library)[Google Sheets](https://millionrounds.com/workflows?service=Google+Sheets#library)

## Workflows like it

Also money admin, with the same services where possible, closest in size first.

- [**Automate invoice processing with Gmail and OCR.space** 20 steps · Gmail, Google Sheets](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/automate-invoice-processing-with-gmail-and-ocr-space)
- [**Block duplicate vendor invoice payments with Google Sheets** 20 steps · Gmail, Google Sheets](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/block-duplicate-vendor-invoice-payments-with-google-sheets-2)
- [**Reconcile bank payments with ERP and Google Sheets** 20 steps · Google Sheets, Slack](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/reconcile-bank-payments-with-erp-and-google-sheets)
- [**Collect invoices from Gmail and save them** 20 steps · calls a model · Gmail, Google Drive](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/collect-invoices-from-gmail-and-save-them)
- [**Extract and log invoice data to Google Sheets with Ainoflow** 20 steps · calls a model · Gmail, Google Sheets](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/extract-and-log-invoice-data-to-google-sheets-with-ainoflow)
- [**Extract invoice data from Google Drive to Sheets with Mistral** 20 steps · calls a model · Google Drive, Google Sheets](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/extract-invoice-data-from-google-drive-to-sheets-with-mistra)