Render errors
What to do when a render fails.
When a render fails, Prism replaces the player with a failure card that names the stage, explains the problem and offers two ways forward.
A failed output stays in the in progress tab with an error icon, and its Distribution tab stays locked.
Nothing you made is lost. The edit is untouched, and the failure card leads straight back to it.
Read the failure card
The card shows the output name, a red alert icon, a title and a description.
The title tells you which stage failed:
| Title | Stage that failed |
|---|---|
| Render failed | Turning the edit into a video |
| Video editing failed | Building the edit |
| Script writing failed | Writing the script |
| Output failed | Processing the output |
Below the title sits the reason, and below that two buttons: Editing Suite and Retry.
What the reason means
Where Prism knows why the render stopped, it says so.
| Cause | What you are told |
|---|---|
| The render ran too long | The render took longer than expected and was stopped. Try shortening the video or splitting it into smaller segments. |
| Capacity is exhausted | Render capacity is temporarily exhausted. Please try again in a few minutes. |
| The edit has bad data | The video edit contains invalid or missing data. Open the editor to review and fix the issue. |
| An asset has gone | One or more assets used in this video are no longer available. Replace the missing asset and try again. |
| A server problem | A server error stopped the render. Please try again — if the problem persists, contact support. |
| No spendable credits | This account has no spendable credits, so rendering is paused. Add credits under Usage & Plan, then retry. |
When the card shows a general message
If the card does not name a cause, it shows a general message for the stage. For a render it reads We couldn’t render this video. Retry below, or return to the editing suite to make changes first.
Retry first. If the render fails again, contact us with the output name.
Retry the render
- Open the failed output
- Click Retry, and watch it change to Retrying…
- Prism starts a new render and returns you to the outputs list
You can also retry from the outputs list: open the ⋯ menu on the card and choose Retry Video Rendering.
A retry runs the same edit again. It does not save anything new, so it fixes nothing on its own.
If the retry cannot start you get: Couldn’t start the retry. Please try again or contact support if the issue persists.
When to fix the edit first
Retry first after a timeout, capacity message or server error. These problems are often temporary.
Anything that points at the edit needs work before another attempt:
- Open the Editing Suite when the message names invalid or missing data
- Replace the missing asset when the message names an asset
- Shorten the video, or split it, when the render timed out
Use the Editing Suite button on the failure card. It takes you back to the same output with everything as you left it.
Failures before the render
The earlier stages fail the same way, and the output card's ⋯ menu carries a retry for each: Retry Script Writing and Retry Video Editing.
A script or edit failure means the render never started. Your first video walks through the stages in order.
FAQ
Does retrying use my latest edit?
Yes. A retry renders the edit as it was last saved, and the Editing Suite saves your work as you go.
Who do I ask when nothing works?
Contact us with the output name and the message you saw.