MCP FAQ

Which connection method should I use?

If your agent supports it, one-click connect (OAuth) is easier — no key to copy or store, and you can disconnect any agent later from your profile. If your agent doesn’t offer a Connect button, browser sign-in, or connector list, use the security token method.

Where do I see and disconnect connected agents?

Profile → ⋯ → API Keys. The same modal lists your active API keys (security tokens) and your Connected agents (one-click-connected apps). You can revoke either independently.

Is my API key safe?

Yes. The key is sent on the network as a request header — your AI agent reads it from your config file but never shows it to the model, so it can’t be leaked back into chat. Treat it like a password and don’t commit it to a public repo.

My agent isn’t using Popcorn — what gives?

A few quick checks:

Did you fully quit and reopen the agent app after editing the config? Most agents only re-read MCP config on startup.
Try saying “Use Popcorn to…” explicitly — agents won’t always pick the right tool on their own.
Make sure your API key isn’t revoked (or your connected agent isn’t disconnected). Verify in your profile (avatar → ⋯ → API Keys).

I lost my key. What do I do?

We can’t show it to you again — that’s by design. Just go to Profile → ⋯ → API Keys, revoke the missing one, and generate a new key.

We don’t recommend it — every action taken with the key is billed to your account. Generate a separate key per device or per teammate so you can revoke them individually if anything goes wrong.

Does this work with ChatGPT?

Yes, if you are on a ChatGPT Business, Edu, or Enterprise workspace. Personal ChatGPT plans cannot add custom MCP servers today.

Open ChatGPT on the web, go to Workspace Settings → Apps → + Create, enable Developer mode, enter the Popcorn MCP URL, and click Connect. See the ChatGPT guide for the full setup.

How long does a movie take?

Most short movies are ready in 2–10 minutes depending on length and complexity. Longer or more elaborate movies can take 10–30 minutes. Your agent should poll get_movie every 15–30 seconds and report progress back to you.

My movie completed but there’s no video — what happened?

Sometimes Popp’s internal pipeline finishes the agent loop before producing the final composited video. The skill handles this automatically: send a follow-up message asking Popp to finish the final video, then keep polling.

If your agent doesn’t have the Popcorn skill installed, you can do this manually — open the movie in the studio and ask Popp to finish.

Can I give my agent a file to send to Popcorn?

Yes — a reference photo, style guide, voice sample, script, or rough cut. It’s a two-step flow because MCP tool arguments are JSON and can’t carry a file: your agent uploads it over plain HTTP, then puts the returned link in a message. See Attaching files.

If your agent describes the file in words rather than uploading it, the file never reached Popcorn. Ask it to upload the file and send the URL — or install the Popcorn skill, which teaches it to do that by default.

How much does an MCP-driven movie cost?

Same as any movie produced through the web UI — see Pricing & credits. Movies kicked off via MCP run on your account and your credit balance.

Can I see movies created via MCP in the web UI?

Yes. Every MCP-created movie shows up in your popcorn.co studio under your movies, the same as anything you created in the web UI. You can iterate on it from either side.

Building my own MCP client?

Popcorn’s server is a standard remote MCP server over Streamable HTTP at https://api.popcorn.co/mcp, so any spec-compliant client works — you don’t need anything Popcorn-specific. Start with Other MCP clients for the connection shape, the Tools reference for every tool’s inputs and outputs, and Attaching files for the upload endpoint.

If you need something not covered here, ask in Discord.