How To Create Ai Video

General
1

I’m trying to make my first AI-generated video for a small project, but I’m overwhelmed by all the tools and steps. I’m not sure which platform to use, what kind of prompts or assets I need, or how to get decent quality without spending a ton of money. Could anyone share a simple, step-by-step process or recommend beginner-friendly tools to create an AI video?

2

I went through this a few months ago. Here is a simple path that works without going nuts.

Step 1. Decide your workflow
Pick one of these and stick to it for the first project.

  1. Script first
  2. Images or video clips first
  3. Talking head avatar

Fastest for beginners is 3.

Step 2. Choose a tool based on what you want

  1. Talking avatar explainer
    Tools: HeyGen, Synthesia, D-ID
    Flow:

    • Write script in a doc
    • Paste into the tool
    • Pick avatar and voice
    • Choose aspect ratio (16:9 for YouTube, 9:16 for shorts)
    • Generate, then tweak text if lip sync feels off

  2. Slideshow / b-roll mashup
    Tools: Pika, Runway, Kapwing, Canva Video
    Flow:

    • Write 60 to 120 second script first
    • Break script into short sentences (subtitles)
    • Generate visuals for each sentence
      • Either AI images (Midjourney, DALL·E, Leonardo)
      • Or stock clips inside Kapwing or Canva
    • Add voiceover with ElevenLabs or built in text to speech
    • Sync clips to voice in a timeline editor

  3. Full AI video scenes
    Tools: Pika, Runway, Luma
    This looks cool but gets messy fast. I would skip this for a first project unless you want to experiment only.

Step 3. Prompts that work decently

For images or clips, keep prompts simple and specific.

Bad prompt: “futuristic city”
Better: “wide shot of a dense futuristic asian city at night, blue and purple neon lights, street level, no text”

For avatars:
Write like you talk. Short sentences. Example:

“Today you learn how to use AI to make a one minute video. I will walk you through three simple steps. No video experience needed.”

Avoid long compound sentences. They sound robotic.

Step 4. Audio quality

Audio matters more than visuals for perceived quality.

Options:

  • Use a decent AI voice like ElevenLabs, PlayHT, HeyGen voices
  • Or record on your phone with a cheap lav mic

Tips:

  • Keep background noise low
  • Speak close to the mic
  • Normalize volume in the editor

Step 5. Editing basics

Use a simple editor if you are new.

  • CapCut, VN, Clipchamp, or Canva Video
  • Import clips or avatar render
  • Drop voice track first
  • Cut visuals to fit the audio
  • Add big clear captions
  • Use 1 or 2 fonts only
  • Keep music quiet under the voice

Step 6. Quality settings

Inside most tools:

  • Pick 1080p export
  • 24 or 30 fps is fine
  • Avoid adding heavy effects everywhere, it adds noise and looks messy

Step 7. Time and expectations

Rough time for a 60 to 90 second video once you get the hang of it:

  • Script: 15 to 20 minutes
  • Visual generation or avatar setup: 15 minutes
  • Edit and export: 20 to 30 minutes

First one will take longer. That is normal.

Concrete starter recipe

If you want a quick start, do this:

  • Use HeyGen free trial
  • Write a 120 word script
  • Pick one avatar and one voice
  • Generate in 16:9
  • Export, then drop it into CapCut
  • Add captions and light music
  • Export 1080p

Do one simple video end to end. Then upgrade parts you dislike: switch to better AI voice, better b-roll, or a different editor.

If you share what type of video you want, like “product explainer” or “YouTube short with facts”, people here can suggest more specific tools and prompt templates.

3

You’re not crazy for feeling overwhelmed. AI video is a clown car of tools right now.

@viajantedoceu already gave a solid “here’s one path” breakdown. I’ll add a different angle so you don’t get stuck tool-hopping forever.

Instead of starting with “Which platform?” start with 3 questions:

  1. Where is this video going?

    • TikTok / Reels / Shorts: vertical, super punchy, 15–45 sec.
    • Website / presentation: horizontal, calmer pacing, 60–120 sec.

  2. What role should AI play?

    • A) Just helping visuals
    • B) Just helping script / voice
    • C) Doing almost everything

  3. How much time do you actually want to spend learning stuff for this first one?

    • 30–60 min: keep it almost fully template-based
    • 2–3 hours: mix AI tools + a simple editor

A lot of people jump straight to avatar tools. I’ll be the annoying contrarian here: if you’re already overwhelmed, a talking head generator can add friction (lip sync tweaks, uncanny valley, weird expressions). For a tiny first project, a “smart slideshow” is usually calmer on the brain.

Concrete low-stress starter that’s different from what was suggested:

Path: Text → AI script → AI voice → Simple visuals → Auto-edit

Tools (pick closest alternatives if some are paywalled in your region):

  • Script helper: ChatGPT / Claude / whatever you use
  • Voice: ElevenLabs, PlayHT, or your platform’s built-in TTS
  • Visuals: stock + light AI images
  • Assembly tool: Descript, CapCut, Canva Video, Filmora

1. Script without overthinking

Write ugly first, then clean:

  • Draft 4–6 bullet points of what you want to say
  • Turn each bullet into 1–2 short sentences
  • Target 90–150 words for a first video

Example structure:

  1. Hook: 1 sentence
  2. What the video is about: 1–2 sentences
  3. 3 key points: 1–2 sentences each
  4. Tiny wrap up: 1 sentence

If you want, paste your draft into ChatGPT and tell it:
“Make this sound like a normal person talking, 120 words, simple language, short sentences.”

Ignore perfection. Your first script just needs to be clear, not clever.

2. Voice: pick the least annoying option

You don’t need the “best” AI voice, just “not distracting.”

  • Grab one voice, generate the whole thing
  • Listen once: if it sounds slightly stiff but understandable, that’s fine
  • Only tweak if words are obviously mispronounced
    • If a word is misread, change spelling phonetically in the script just for that voice render

Honestly, if you’re comfortable speaking, recording with your phone in a quiet room can be faster and more forgiving than chasing the “perfect” AI voice.

3. Visuals: keep them criminally simple

This is where most beginners drown.

Use this rule:
1 sentence = 1 visual.

Do this:

  • Put your script into a doc
  • Hit Enter after every sentence
  • For each sentence, decide:
    • “Do I really need a custom AI image?”
    • Or “Is a simple stock clip or photo fine?”

You’ll be shocked how often “generic stock is fine.”

For the 2 or 3 most important lines, you can use AI images:

Prompt tip that’s a bit different than what was already given:
Use a 3-part structure:
Subject + style + camera/feel

Example:
“young woman in a modern office, friendly expression, minimalist flat lighting, medium shot, no text, realistic but soft style”

Keep your style & color scheme consistent across images so it doesn’t look like 5 different artists fighting on screen.

4. Let a “smart editor” do the heavy lifting

Instead of manually building everything from scratch:

Option A: Descript style workflow

  • Import your voice file (or generate inside if it supports TTS)
  • Drop in images / clips roughly in order
  • Trim by editing text like a doc
  • Auto-captions
  • Export at 1080p

Option B: CapCut / Canva Video simple lane

  • Create project with the right aspect ratio
  • Drop voice track first
  • For each sentence:
    • Drop one image / clip
    • Resize to fill frame
  • Add auto captions
  • Add very low-volume background music (like -25 to -30 dB under voice)

No transitions circus, no crazy effects. Straight cuts and readable captions will look 10x more “pro” than glitchy chaos.

5. Quality without chasing settings nerd-dom

Little things that make it feel “not AI-janky”:

  • Avoid mixing too many styles
    • If some clips are cinematic and some are cartoony, pick a lane
  • Keep text large and high contrast
    • White text + slight black shadow or box is boring but works
  • 1080p export, 24 or 30 fps, that’s it
  • Watch once with sound very low
    • If you can still follow thanks to captions + visuals, you’re in good shape

Where I slightly disagree with the usual advice

  • “Talking avatar is fastest for beginners”
    For some folks yeah, but for others it’s a mental block: you get stuck picking faces, voices, worrying if it “looks real.” A simple b‑roll + captions video usually hits “good enough” faster.

  • “Pick 1 tool and stick to it”
    For long term, yes. For first experiment, I’d say: pick 1 main editor, but feel free to mix a script helper + voice tool + whatever images you can get. The editor is the anchor.

If you share:

  • Where this video will live (site, social, internal presentation)
  • Rough topic
  • Whether you’re ok using your own voice

I can sketch a 5‑step “do exactly this, in this order” recipe tailored to your case so you’re not drowning in a buffet of tools.

4

Here’s a different angle: instead of “which tools,” think “what can I cut from the process and still get a decent AI video.”

@sternenwanderer and @viajantedoceu already gave strong, structured workflows. I’ll focus on simplifying even further and also where I’d ignore their advice for a tiny first project.

1. Don’t start with a full script

Hot take: script-first is overrated for your very first AI video.
Try this instead:

  • Write 5–7 bullet points you want to say
  • Record a super rough voice note (phone is fine) talking through them in 45–90 seconds
  • Trim obvious mistakes in a basic editor

Now your “script” exists as audio. You avoid staring at a blank page and sounding too robotic.

2. Let the editor build the structure

Instead of choosing between Pika / Runway / Luma right away:

  • Pick one simple “AI-friendly” editor and let it guide you.
    Examples: CapCut, Descript, Clipchamp, Canva Video.

Import your trimmed audio and:

  • Use auto captions
  • Let it create scenes from silence / pauses
  • Then attach visuals to those scenes

This reverses the usual “script → visuals → audio” and is often less overwhelming.

3. Treat AI video generators as B-roll factories, not directors

Where I slightly disagree with both replies: going all-in on one fancy AI video platform at the start can lock you into its quirks and limitations.

Instead:

  • Use AI tools just to spit out short clips or images that you drop into your main editor
  • Keep your “brain center” in the editor, not inside some all-in-one black box

You can even think of things labeled “How To Create AI Video” tutorials as inspiration, but your core should still be: audio timeline + captions + simple cuts.

4. On tools that claim to do everything for you

There are lots of “type text, get full video” products that market themselves like a magic “How To Create AI Video” button.

Pros:

  • Very fast to get something on screen
  • Great if you need a rough concept or internal draft
  • Good for idea testing before you commit time to proper editing

Cons:

  • Visuals often feel generic and mismatched
  • Limited control over pacing, scene timing, and style consistency
  • You can outgrow them in a weekend once you care about quality

Compared with what @sternenwanderer suggested (avatar-specific tools) or what @viajantedoceu described (smart slideshow), these “one-click” tools sit in a weird middle: easy, but not where you want to learn the craft. Use them to prototype, not to build your habits.

5. Micro-upgrade strategy

To avoid drowning in options:

  1. First video:

    • Record your voice
    • Auto captions
    • Simple stock / a couple of AI images
    • Straight cuts, no fancy transitions

  2. Second video:

    • Swap in a better AI voice or an avatar, like they described
    • Keep the rest identical

  3. Third video:

    • Start experimenting with one scene of fully AI-generated footage from Pika / Runway / Luma, but keep most of it simple

By version 3, you’ll actually know what annoys you: is it your voice, the visuals, or the timing. Then the choice of tools becomes obvious instead of overwhelming.

If you drop your topic, target platform (YouTube, IG, internal, etc.), and whether you’re okay using your voice, people can sketch a brutally simple 5-step recipe tailored to exactly that scenario.