Generative AI, or GenAI, isn’t the future — it’s here right now. What began as something talked about in “what ifs” has quickly turned into: “how can we leverage this?” And, it’s already showing surprising results where productivity is concerned.
Proper use of GenAI can help skilled workers be 40% more productive.
These kinds of productivity gains are being realized across different areas, particularly content creation, and video is no exception. With the right kind of video generation software, you can streamline video creation without sacrificing on quality.
Making matters better, there are numerous video generation software solutions available, each with different strengths and weaknesses. If you’re considering exploring such a solution for your own team, but don’t know where to begin, this guide will help you pick the right platform.
- What Exactly is a "Video Generation" Software?
- Can You Really Use AI to Make Videos?
- Things to Consider When Selecting a Video Generation Software
[#TOC1]What Exactly is a Video Generation Software?[#TOC1]
Before diving in, it’s important to have a solid understanding of this software, along with the benefits it brings to the table.
"Video generation software is a type of software application that enables users to create, edit, and produce videos automatically or semi-automatically. These software use artificial intelligence, machine learning, and pre-designed templates to automate and streamline the video creation process."
This can range from software that generates a video with a few inputs (known as “prompts”), to using AI to enhance something you’ve already fed into the software.
With reliable video generation software, you can accelerate video creation and make better content with half the effort and resources. The ability to quickly make videos can make a huge difference in a number of ways depending on your team.
- If you’re a training professional: it means increased production of training videos 🚀
- If you’re a marketer: it means stronger brand awareness and higher conversions 📈
- If you’re a sales lead: it means improved nurturing and increased reply rates 💸
- If you’re a general manager: it means better synchronization with your teams 🤝
[#TOC2]Can You Really Use AI to Make Videos?[#TOC2]
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. Can you use AI to make videos? Completely out of thin air?
The short answer: yes, you can use AI to make videos.
You can use AI to simulate realistic interactions, enhance creativity, and ultimately improve productivity.
But, there are some caveats here. When using AI to make videos, you need to temper your expectations.
Like Kieran Flanagan says when discussing AI for writing:
"Can it create great writing? No, you have to edit it. Can it help you create more great writing at scale? Yes."
Kieran Flanagan, SVP Marketing, HubSpot
No matter what, you still need to be involved in the process. AI isn’t perfect, and your hand as an editor and someone knowledgeable of the company’s voice is required to make sure AI-generated videos are aligned with your goals, branding, and the interest of your audience.
That said, it does wonders for your productivity. With a video GenAI tool, you can:
- Generate Video Scripts: AI can easily take a text input on a particular topic and generate a first draft script that’s perfect for workshopping.
- Generate Voice Overs: AI can take a script and generate voiceovers in any language.
- Create Talking Head Videos: AI can also generate talking head videos, with background footage, music, sound effects, and even virtual avatars based on your prompt or script.
- Streamlining editing: you can also use AI to simplify video editing with tools like automated transcripts, audio clean up, eye contact correction, and more.
[#TOC3]What to Consider When Selecting a Video Generation Software[#TOC3]
There are numerous video generation software solutions out there, each one offering something different that may or may not be suitable for your team. Before making a choice, keep the following in mind to ensure you find the right one.
Think About the Software Type
“Video generation software” is an umbrella term, which covers numerous types of tools powered by AI. These platforms vary in functionality, but generally speaking, can be split into two major categories:
- Standalone Video Generation Tools: text-to-video platforms that allow you to create videos with just scripts.
- Full-Blown Video Editors with Generative AI Tools: robust video editing platforms that have generative AI features embedded into them.
With this in mind, your first step is deciding which type of video generation software fits your needs.
If your team is already using a video editing tool, but it lacks AI, there are a number of benefits that make switching worth the effort.
Embracing a standalone video generation tool alongside your existing editing software can unlock new creative possibilities for your team. You can generate the raw videos there and then edit/refine them using your usual editing software editor. However, it's another tool to purchase and maintain alongside your editor.
Note: Your video needs will likely change over time. A powerful one trick pony of a tool may fit your needs now, but over time you may find yourself wanting to create more and different videos. Switching to a more comprehensive tool now will save you the trouble of learning a new tool as your production requirements increase.
Consider Feature Depth
While versatility is important, it’s also critical that you and your team can properly use the software you pick. And more, isn’t always better.
Unless you’re filming a Hollywood feature, you don’t need a high-end video editor for most of your content needs. Instead, focus on finding video generation software that prioritizes simplicity and usability (this doesn’t have to mean sacrificing features, though).
If you’re unsure of what to look for, here are some common generative AI video features:
- AI Avatars: the ability to generate stylized avatars that can add visual flair to a video while speaking/mouthing along to lines of dialogue.
- Text-to-Video: the ability to take any text input and generate a stock video, including background, visuals, and more.
- Text-to-Speech: similar to text-to-video, this allows you to input text and generate spoken lines. Typically you can customize the voice, language, and accent to your liking as well.
- Image-to-Video: the ability to take an image, upload it, and convert it into an in-motion video or animation.
- Dubbing and Translations: a feature that lets you feed a video through AI and automatically dub over the audio with a language of your choice.
- Auto Subtitling: this feature allows you to automatically generate subtitles for a video based on the audio.
- Anything-to-Video: the ability to input any kind of document and generate a video based on the prompt.
- Auto B-roll: this feature allows the AI to pick a background and supplementary footage for your video based on various prompts or inputs.
- General AI editing: lastly, you should look for general AI-assisted editing. This can help you quickly clean up videos, edit for length, and benefit from auto suggestions.
Think about your own requirements and the kinds of videos and support you need the most. Then, look for video generation software that complements those needs.
Determine Your Use Case
Most video generation software will overlap in terms of features. But, not all of them are built the same way.
Some platforms can allow you to do amazing, creative things. Want to generate a flying car? Dinosaurs running through the jungle? Those tools are out there. And, they’re a ton of fun! But can they also help you will deliver impressive marketing collateral or training content, for example?
Not necessarily.
For instance, if your goal is to speed up and streamline the creation of training content, VEED’s AI avatars and other suite of features are highly suitable (including an upcoming doc-to-video function that will save you precious time).
As you compare the features of different platforms to your use case, take note of how the features are bundled. One platform might check all the right boxes, but require you subscribe to a plan that’s well out of your budget.
Consider Flexibility
While AI technology has improved considerably, it can still miss the mark — even when you have the perfect prompt.
This is why it’s essential your video generation software allows for flexibility and user input, allowing you to make edits and changes before hitting publish.
For example, VEED allows you to tweak or even regenerate AI avatars for talking head videos, instead of having to generate them from scratch all over again. This allows for a final product you’re happy with, without wasting time on starting over each time you want a new result.
Furthermore, anything you generate can be tweaked and edited to your liking. This allows you to create video content that aligns with your brand, the message you’re trying to give, and how you envision it.
Keep this kind of flexibility in mind as you view demos or give trials a shot. Does the platform make you start over when you want a different result? Does it allow you to edit your AI-generated videos within the same tool? How does all of this fit with your requirements and use cases?
Research About Pricing
Lastly, any video generation solution you go with has to fit your budget.
Most video generation software solutions follow a credit or a minutes-based pricing model. With this type of model, you purchase credits or minutes based on your plan, and then spend them on video generation.
For instance, you could get 500 credits or 300 minutes with a plan. You can then use them to generate your videos, until you run out of your credits or minutes.
Furthermore, you typically also get charged based on the number of seats/users you require. A larger team would naturally mean a heftier plan.
Think about your own volume and the number of users as you compare pricing models. If you’re looking to create an extensive library of L&D content and have a large team, something like a custom plan with a fixed price and unlimited credits will likely make more sense.
On the other hand, if you have a small team and want to start off slow with only a handful of videos each month, a solution that offers a more affordable, low-volume plan will likely be more feasible.
Looking for a suitable video editing platform for your team? Check out our extensive guide to learn more.
Comparing Your Options
There’s no shortage of video generation software out there. To help make your choice a little easier, we’ve created a comparison chart that showcases the top solutions.
Again, think about your own needs and budget as you review the following video generation software:
The right video generation software will help you be more efficient, create more professional videos, and ultimately help achieve your goals — whether that’s decreased incident rates, improved conversions, or higher reply rates.
