How to Make an AI Video From an Idea: A 7-Step Workflow

Step 1: Write the one-sentence promise

Before opening any tool, write one sentence that says who the video is for and what they will know, feel or do after watching. For example: "Show first-time founders how to explain their product in 30 seconds."

Every later decision, from the script to the music, is checked against that sentence. If a shot does not serve it, cut the shot.

Step 2: Turn it into a short script

Keep the structure simple:

1. Hook in the first three seconds. Open with the most interesting visual or the result.
2. Context or problem in one or two lines.
3. Payoff or steps, the main content.
4. One clear call to action.

Spoken English runs at roughly 130 to 160 words per minute, so a 45-second video is about 100 to 120 words. Read the script aloud and cut anything that is hard to say. A chat assistant such as ChatGPT is useful for drafting options and tightening wording, but you decide what stays.

Step 3: Build a shot list

Break the script into shots. Most AI video tools produce short clips, often a few seconds each, so plan shots of about two to five seconds and cut between them.

The "Source" column matters. Not every shot should be generated. Real screen recordings, your own footage and stock clips often belong in the mix. See avatar vs AI-generated video vs stock footage.

Step 4: Generate reference images first

Generate a still image for each shot before you animate anything. Stills are quicker and cheaper to iterate on, so you can approve the look before spending video credits.

• Reuse the same style sentence in every prompt so the shots feel like one video.
• Keep the same detailed description for any recurring character.
• Use reference-image or character features if your tool offers them.

The 7-part prompt formula shows how to describe each image.

Step 5: Animate each image

Use an image-to-video tool to turn each approved still into a short clip. Describe the motion only: what the subject does and how the camera moves. Do not re-describe the image.

• One action per clip. Slow, simple movement is more reliable than complex action.
• Generate two or three variations and keep the best.
• Reject clips with warped faces, extra fingers, melting text or objects that change shape.
• Remember that every attempt, including discarded ones, usually uses credits.

Step 6: Add voice or an avatar

You have three options for the voice and presenter:

• Your own voice. Usually the most natural and the cheapest.
• Text-to-speech. Fast and consistent, but choose a voice you are licensed to use commercially.
• An AI avatar. Useful when you need a presenter on screen without filming.

Only use a voice or face you own or have written permission for. Add captions too, since many viewers watch with the sound off.

Step 7: Edit, add sound and export

Assemble the clips in an editor such as Adobe Premiere Pro. Cut on action, keep a steady pace, and match colour across clips so they look like one video. Add music and sound effects you have the licence for, and balance the audio so the voice is clear.

• Export 1080 x 1920 (9:16) for Reels, Shorts and TikTok.
• Export 1920 x 1080 (16:9) for YouTube.
• Watch the entire export once, with sound, before you publish.

Tools you can use at each step

Tools change fast, and alternatives exist for every step. The workflow matters more than any single tool. These are the tools covered in the EduPlex course linked below.

Common mistakes

• Writing video prompts before the script is finished.
• Putting several ideas into one video.
• Mixing visual styles from shot to shot.
• Not checking frames for visual errors.
• Ignoring audio, which does as much work as the visuals.
• Skipping disclosure when the video could be taken as real.