AI Video Today is NOT “type a Prompt & Get a Film.”
As we’ve experimented with some of the new AI tools like Kling, Veo 3 & Sora 2; we realized the bulk of the time spent on these tools is actually shot by shot.
You create a sequence (or series) of scenes & then craft a very specific, targeted prompt for each scene & then you will generate static image(s), edit/fix small details, ensure character consistency throughout all shots & then take those static images along with a brief video prompt & feed them both back into the model to create movement.
It feels a lot more like directing than “using a tool.”
At this juncture you are faced with an option. Will you keep everything in-house and create AI-generated video content with your internal team? Or will you utilize an AI Video Production Service (video team) that has experience in maintaining pacing and premium quality production?
This article will break down each route and detail the cost associated with each, as well as when it would be best to use one versus the other.
Why Everyone Thinks AI Video Is “Easy” Now
Many people view AI video as a “quick fix” or a “shortcut.”
They often see the end result, “before-and-after” videos with a brief description of what was done, and possibly a single-sentence prompt, but rarely (if ever) will they see information about how much time and effort went into developing the project; i.e., the amount of time spent planning; how many times the team had to take new shots before they got the ones they wanted; how many render attempts were required for the team to create the final version of the video.
The narrative that is spread is very simple: write one sentence and then receive a finished video.
Additionally, tool landing pages also promote the idea that writing a script and having a general idea of the project’s concept are all that is necessary. With clean UIs, large “generate” buttons and statements such as “No editing experience required,” many users assume that they can complete their projects in a spare weekend.
This assumption leads teams to expect AI video to be a fast check-box in a campaign plan rather than an art form.
What You Really Sign Up For With DIY AI Video Tools
DIY video AI on paper seems easy, you have an application, a script and time. But in reality, you are doing nearly all of the tasks of a production team’s job as well as the skills of individuals who normally do not have that experience.
To create the video, you will have to segment the script into defined segments or scenes, define the action for each scene, determine how the frame will be composed, how the rhythm and pacing of the video will be established and how to establish visual interest. Each scene will require its own prompt, likely multiple iterations of prompts to get the desired result. You will generate still images, identify odd hands, distorted faces, messy backdrops, etc., and make adjustments and repeat the process until the imagery looks consistent.
At this point, many in-house teams run into a roadblock. They know the product, they know the messaging; but they do not think creatively as a creative director or art director would think. A creative director or art director has years of experience developing shots, maintaining character consistency, and creating visual systems that can carry over through 20-30+ scenes.
The lack of the aforementioned skill set will produce inconsistent and seemingly random results.
The Hidden Costs Behind “Free” In-House AI Video Experiments
In house AI video is on the surface, damn cheap and flexible. With so much flexibility with how many times you can test prompts, render twenty different versions of a scene and since there’s no additional bill to be sent, there seems to be less risk associated with “trying” out things with in house AI video.
Your true costs will show themselves elsewhere.
Internal teams typically stop experimenting once their video has been produced into something they can call “good enough for now.” The faces in their scenes are nearly correct; motion is a little “floaty”; transitions are somewhat off base but the deadline is near and the budget is tight. As such, the final version is pushed out.
Audiences can see this “gap” right away. Even though audiences may not know which AI model was utilized, they can tell right away that the video is made by AI and is “a little off”. In cases where the “off” feeling may result in greater damage than if there had been a video created at all (i.e., product videos, launch videos, etc.), when your brand begins to appear to be some form of a rudimentary AI test, the cost of not being able to build trust is hidden.
When Hiring an AI Video Studio Feels Like Cheating (In a Good Way)
It’s easy to feel as though you’re being given an unfair advantage of working with a specialized AI video production studio after trying to do everything on your own.
You’re no longer the person who has to fight with prompt systems late at night, or try to make sure that a character’s face remains consistent across multiple scenes (from Scene Three through to Scene Twelve). You’re not the one debating whether the background of your logo and branding is “close enough”. You provide a brief to the studio, attend a couple of calls to review progress and offer your thoughts, and then you see the quality of the work improve with each iteration.
A professional AI video production service offers far more than just access to tools. They also bring a team with experience working with AI, and a knowledge base that includes how to plan storyboards for AI, create characters that will render consistently over many iterations, and plan out scenes so that the AI works as expected. The entire creative team (Creative Director, Art Director, Animators, Editors) look at the project together.
On your end, the process seems lighter, because you’ve been able to focus on your message, target audience, and timeline. They have handled the details of continuity, timing, and polish.
Creative Control: Owning the Prompt vs Owning the Vision
You have a lot of control when making your own AI-generated videos – but only in a small way. You create the prompt, which is all of the words you enter into the description for each scene. You also make minor tweaks to scenes, get a specific “look” from the model, and continue to ask for more detail or refinement, until the model gives you a version of what you had envisioned. In many ways, it can be a fun and interactive experience, particularly if you enjoy experimentation.
While you do have some control by tweaking the details of your prompt, you are still limited to adjusting only the surface details of your video. Each time you receive a new image from the model, you react to what you see. If you have created a poor structure or pace within your video, no amount of prompt adjustment will help correct those problems.
If you hire an AI Video Production Studio, you gain control of the larger picture and concept of your video project. Your primary focus will now be on how well does each segment of your video move the viewer. While you may use prompts as a tool to achieve that goal, they will always remain just that – a tool to aid in achieving your vision, never your actual vision.
Brand Risk – Your Reputation Is at Stake
The majority of people will only view your video for a couple of seconds; they will quietly form an opinion about your brand, which will have a lasting effect over the video clip itself.
If a viewer feels that your video has been generated with some sort of urgency (like it feels rushed), appears too generic, or has a slight glitch, the viewer does not simply assign the blame to the AI generating tool used to create it. The viewer assigns the blame to the organization/company that made the decision to post it. In other words, the perception formed by your audience is that “you are cutting corners,” even though that may have not been the intent of the person posting it. Your brand reputation gets a hard hit.
In general, internal teams (smaller in-house) tend to be under trained. An in-house team will release the first version of a video that looks good on a computer screen. On the other hand, a reputable AI video service provides much more support to protect your brand than you would provide. This is a key component of the cost associated with using their services.
A Real AI Video Wins You Can Learn From
Seeing how a campaign was done correctly gives you some idea about what “right” really looks like. Test clips are nice, but it’s better to look at finished videos that were distributed with a real brand name, and which can be viewed over and over again without losing interest.
Notice the similarities in the example above;
• The concepts are simple and easy to understand
• All elements of design (the type used), lighting, and the style of the piece work together to create a cohesive system
This normally comes down to having an experienced AI Video Production Service manage the entire process, rather than relying on a single person guessing with prompts.
Wrapping Up
Video is becoming easily accessible by AI but it is still difficult to make good video content.
DIY is an excellent way to conduct internal tests, small-scale experiments or low-stakes content; you can quickly test ideas and get them done with your team as fast as possible while keeping things close to home. However, DIY does not provide you with the quality or consistency required to meet your expectations on every piece of video you produce.
When creating important, high-impact videos such as launch pieces, product explainers or any other type of video that will be carrying your brand’s weight and reputation; you have to have better guidelines to follow. At this point, using experts becomes less of a luxury and more of a necessity in order to minimize the risks involved when producing high-quality video content.
