2026 Source Check
Answer first: Dream Machine web plans, the Luma API, model capabilities, and commercial terms are separate sources. Verify Dream Machine, pricing, developer docs, and terms before planning output volume.
Use the Luma pricing guide for cost, or the Luma alternatives guide for workflow fit.
Dream Machine FAQ at a Glance
| Question | Source-safe answer |
|---|---|
| What is the maximum clip length? | It depends on the current model and generation or extension mode, not only the plan name. |
| Which resolution is supported? | Check the exact model, web or API path, and export controls. |
| Can I use output commercially? | Verify the current terms for the account and retain rights to all inputs; payment alone is not blanket clearance. |
| Is API access included with a web plan? | Do not assume so. API models, pricing, limits, and agreements can be separate. |
| How should I write motion prompts? | Describe subject motion, camera motion, scene change, and timing without contradictory directions. |
Video Length, Resolution, and Credits
What is the maximum video length?
Check the live generation controls or the API documentation for the exact model. Base generation, extend, loop, keyframe, and modify workflows may expose different durations. A historical limit attached to a plan label can become stale when Luma changes its model lineup.
For a project estimate, capture:
- model name and version;
- web or API generation path;
- base and extension duration shown in that path;
- resolution and aspect ratio;
- credits or API price for each operation; and
- whether failed, rejected, or extended attempts are billed.
What resolution and aspect ratios are supported?
Use the current model controls or developer schema. Resolution labels can describe generation, upscaling, or final export, which are not equivalent. Run a test and inspect the downloaded file before promising a delivery specification.
How should I budget credits?
Budget against usable output, not a single generation. Record the cost of base clips, extensions, upscales, retries, and alternate aspect ratios, then divide the total by accepted shots. Recheck pricing immediately before a large batch.
Motion Prompting
What makes a useful motion prompt?
Separate four ideas:
- Subject action: what the person, object, or environment does.
- Camera action: pan, tilt, dolly, orbit, handheld, or locked-off behavior.
- Timing: slow, sudden, continuous, or staged movement.
- Constraints: what should remain stable, such as identity, framing, lighting, or background.
Prefer one coherent camera move and one primary subject action. Contradictory directions make it harder to judge whether a failure came from the prompt or the model.
How should I test a prompt?
Start with a short, inexpensive generation at the target aspect ratio. Change one variable at a time, preserve the seed or reference settings when available, and log which prompt produced the approved shot. Test faces, hands, text, fast motion, and occlusion if they matter to delivery.
Commercial Use and Ownership
Can I use Dream Machine output commercially?
Consult the current Luma terms and the agreement covering the account. Confirm the exact plan, model, generation date, and intended use. Rights may also depend on uploaded images, video, audio, logos, characters, and recognizable people.
Do not convert a plan label into an unsupported promise of “full commercial license” or indemnification. If those protections matter, obtain the applicable written agreement and review limitations, exclusions, and liability caps.
Does a watermark decide whether an output is commercial-safe?
No. Watermark behavior is an export characteristic, not a license. Check the current output controls and terms separately. A clean file may still contain third-party material or be subject to use restrictions.
Who owns generated video?
Platform contract rights, copyright eligibility, and third-party clearance are separate. Save the governing terms and input licenses with the project; seek legal advice when exclusivity, registration, or high-value distribution is required.
Web Product and API
Does Dream Machine have an API?
Use the current Luma developer docs to identify available models and operations. Do not assume the web product’s plan, credits, rate limits, retention, or rights apply to the API.
What should an API buyer verify?
- the exact model identifiers and supported operations;
- request and output pricing;
- concurrency and rate limits;
- callback, polling, retention, and failure behavior;
- input and output size limits; and
- the agreement that governs production use.
Production Checklist
- Record the model and whether generation occurs on web or API.
- Verify duration, resolution, credits, and extension behavior live.
- Test representative prompts and calculate cost per accepted shot.
- Clear all uploaded media, brands, music, characters, and likenesses.
- Review current terms for commercial use, ownership, and prohibited content.
- Archive approved files and the source/settings needed to reproduce them.