Creating Short-form Video Content With AI: Tools & Detailed Guide

The rise of short-form video content on platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels has created a demand for fast, engaging content creation. This is where AI tools can help. You don’t have to be an expert content creator or social media specialist to produce high-quality content in less time.

In this guide, we’ll look at the top 5 AI tools for making short videos. We’ll also discuss how to use them effectively and share examples of successful videos to inspire you.

5 Best AI Tools To Create Short-form Videos And How To Use Them

InVideo

InVideo is a cloud-based platform that caters to both beginners and seasoned video creators. It offers a comprehensive suite of features designed to streamline your short-form video creation process from just your script alone. InVideo is a good choice for people who are new to creating short videos with little to no footage on hand.

Pricing:

• Free
• Business: $15/month (billed annually)
• Unlimited: $30/month (billed annually)

Features:

• Text-to-video generation: Briefly mention InVideo’s ability to generate a video from scratch based on a script or outline you provide.
• Stock media library: Highlight the extensive library of royalty-free stock footage, images, and music that can be easily integrated into your short-form videos.
• AI-powered editing tools: Expand on smart trimming by mentioning features like scene detection, montage creation, and automatic transitions powered by AI.
• Video templates: Emphasize the vast collection of pre-made templates designed specifically for short-form platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels. These templates can act as a starting point and save you time on design.

How to use InVideo to produce short-form videos:

• Choose Your Starting Point: Select a pre-made template or upload your own footage.
• Add Media: You can upload your own videos and images or choose from Invideo’s library to start creating your video.
• Leverage AI Text-to-Speech: Now, it’s time for your audio. You can upload your own recording voiceover or use InVideo to generate a voice track that complements your video.
• Smart Editing with AI Assistance: Let InVideo’s AI suggest the best parts of your footage and use the editing tools to refine your short-form video.
• Preview & fine-tune: Click on the ‘Preview’ button to see how your video looks and make any necessary adjustments like timings or transitions to your liking.
• Export & Share: Once you’re happy with your creation, export it directly to your desired platform and share it with the world!

Pictory

Pictory is an AI-powered tool that simplifies the creation and editing of short videos. It’s designed for users with limited social media experience and doesn’t require technical skills. Its rich features make it a valuable asset for maximizing the reach and impact of your content across platforms.

Pictory offers four main ways to create short videos:

• From scripts: Turn your written scripts into videos.
• From articles: Transform published articles into video content.
• From long videos: Condense longer videos into shorter, engaging clips.
• From visuals: Create videos using images or other visual elements.

Pricing:

• Free trial: 3 video projects up to 5 mins long each
• Start: $19/month (billed annually)
• Professional: $39/month (billed annually)
• Teams: $99/month (billed annually)

Features:

• AI-powered Storyboarding: Upload your long-form video, and Pictory’s AI will intelligently analyze it and suggest key moments to create a captivating storyboard for your short-form video.
• Effortless Caption Generation: No more manually adding captions! Pictory’s AI automatically generates captions from your video’s audio, saving you precious time and ensuring accessibility for your audience.
• Automatic Video Editing from Text: Have a script or key points in mind? Pictory’s AI can use your text to automatically create a short-form video, pulling relevant visuals and music from its vast library.
• Seamless Editing & Customization: While AI takes care of the heavy lifting, Pictory also offers editing tools to refine your short-form video further. Add text overlays, calls to action, and other elements to personalize your creation.

How to use Pictor to produce short-form videos:

Script to Video:

• Paste your text directly into Pictory.
• Customize by highlighting keywords, selecting visuals, and creating scenes.
• Choose a brand-aligned template.
• Edit the generated storyboard scene by scene.

Article to Video:

• Paste the article’s URL into Pictory.
• The tool will summarize the content into scenes.
• Select a template and add visuals to the storyboard.

Edit Videos using Text:

• Paste the YouTube link or video file into Pictory.
• Specify the number of speakers.
• Edit the generated storyboard scene by scene.

Visuals to Video:

• Upload your images and short videos.
• Arrange them in the desired order.
• Choose a template and aspect ratio.
• Edit the video to your liking.

VEED.io

VEED.io stands out for its focus on user-friendly editing and real-time collaboration, making it a great choice for teams or creators who value a streamlined workflow. 

This AI tool is packed with a bunch of features, including a selection of 100+ free stock clips, media, and live webcam recordings with its online screen recorder functions. You can also tailor your content for specific social media platforms like Instagram Reels and TikTok.

Pricing:

• Basic: $18/month (billed annually)
• Pro: $30/month (billed annually)
• Business: $59/month (billed annually)
• Enterprise: Custom pricing

Features:

• Real-Time Captions & Transcriptions: VEED.io leverages AI to generate captions and transcripts for your videos in real time, allowing you to add text overlays and ensure accessibility for your audience quickly.
• Speech-to-Text Conversion: No need for manual transcription! VEED.io’s AI can convert the spoken word in your video into text, which you can then edit and use for captions, subtitles, or even voiceovers in other languages.
• Easy Editing Tools: VEED.io provides a user-friendly interface with all the essential editing functionalities you need for short-form content, including trimming, cutting, adding transitions, and effects.
• Cloud-Based Collaboration: Collaborate seamlessly with your team in real time. VEED.io allows multiple users to edit the same video simultaneously, making it ideal for content creation teams or projects requiring client feedback.

How to use VEED.io to produce short-form videos:

• Sign up or log in: Log in with your account or create if you don’t have one
• New Project: Click on the “New Project” button on the dashboard.
• Upload Media: Upload your video files, images, or audio from your computer, or drag and drop them into the upload area.
• Edit your video: Edit your video by arranging the media files on the timeline. You can easily drag and drop them, trim, cut, add text, apply effects, and much more to customize your video.
• Add Music and Voiceover: VEED’s AI tool can automatically generate captions or transcribe the audio, saving you valuable time.
• Edit & Enhance: Use the editing tools to refine your short-form video, incorporating the AI-generated text for subtitles or repurposing it for voiceovers.
• Collaborate (Optional): If working with a team, invite them to VEED.io and collaborate on the editing process in real time.
• Preview: Click the “Play” button to preview your video. Check for any mistakes or areas that need improvement.
• Export & Share: Once you’re satisfied with your creation, export it directly to your desired platform and share it with the world!

Synthesia

Synthesia takes a revolutionary approach to short-form video content creation. Forget traditional filming and editing; Synthesia allows you to generate professional-looking videos featuring realistic AI-powered avatars that speak your script. With over 120 avatars and 65 languages available, you can customize your videos to suit your needs. 

Interestingly enough, you can even create a personalized avatar that looks and sounds like you, adding a personal touch to your content.

Pricing:

• Starter: $22/month (billed annually)
• Creator: $67/month (billed annually)
• Enterprise: Custom pricing

Features:

• Vast Avatar Library: You can choose from a diverse range of customizable avatars, from various ethnicities and genders to different styles and appearances, to represent your brand or message.
• Text-to-Speech in Over 50 Languages: Synthesia has a variety of AI-generated voices in over 50 languages. Select the tone and accent that best suits your content and target audience.
• Emotion Control & Customization: Fine-tune the emotional expression of your chosen avatar to enhance the narrative and engagement of your short-form video.
• Seamless Video Generation: Write your script, select your avatar and voice preferences, and let Synthesia generate a high-quality video that looks and sounds like a professionally produced piece.

How to use Synthesia to produce short-form videos:

• Create your script: This will be the foundation of your video. Synthesia provides resources for writing effective scripts. You can also use AI tools like ChatGPT for assistance.
• Choose your avatar: Select from Synthesia’s library of over 120 avatars to narrate your video.
• Refine with text-to-speech: Use Synthesia’s text-to-speech feature to fine-tune pronunciations and add pauses for emphasis.
• Edit your video: Customize the background music, animations, transitions, videos, GIFs, icons, and other elements to your liking.
• Generate and share: Once you’re satisfied with your video, click “Generate video” to view, download, and share it with others.

Descript

Descript takes a unique approach to video editing, focusing on a text-based workflow that streamlines short-form video creation. It’s ideal for content creators who prioritize dialogue and clear storytelling in their short-form videos.

Pricing: 

• Free plan available
• Creator: $12/month (billed annually)
• Pro: $24/month (billed annually)
• Enterprise: Custom pricing

Features:

• AI-powered Transcription: Upload your video clip, and Descript’s AI will automatically transcribe the spoken audio into text. This text becomes the foundation for your editing process.
• Edit by Text: Instead of manipulating video clips on a timeline, Descript allows you to edit your video by editing the transcribed text. Add, remove, or rearrange sentences to refine your narrative for maximum impact in a short-form format.
• Studio-Quality Editing Tools: Despite the text-based approach, Descript offers essential editing functionalities like trimming, cutting, adding music and effects. You can also adjust the audio levels and use noise reduction for a polished final product.
• Overdub: This innovative feature allows you to re-record specific sections of the audio in your video directly within Descript. This is perfect for fixing minor mistakes or adding emphasis to certain parts of your script.

How to use Descript to produce short-form videos

• Upload Your Clip: Upload your video clip to the Descript platform. Descript’s AI will automatically transcribe the audio, giving you a text representation of your video.
• Edit: Review the transcribed text and make edits directly within the text editor. Cut unnecessary parts, rearrange sentences, and refine your script for optimal storytelling.
• Enhance with Audio Tools (Optional): Use Descript’s audio editing tools to adjust volume levels, add background music or effects, and enhance the overall sound quality of your short-form video.
• Overdub for Perfection (Optional): If needed, you can use the Overdub feature to re-record specific audio sections within Descript, ensuring a polished and mistake-free final product.
• Export & Share: Once you’re happy with your short-form video, export and share it to your social media platforms!

AI Short-Form Video Content Creator Tools: Challenges and Considerations

AI-powered tools for creating short-form video content offer numerous advantages, but they also come with certain challenges and considerations.

• Accuracy: AI-generated content, especially transcriptions and voiceovers, may not always be accurate. Errors in speech recognition or voice synthesis can affect the final quality of the video.
• Consistency: Maintaining a consistent tone and style across different videos can be challenging, especially if relying on AI for voiceovers and automated edits.
• Data Security: Consider how the tool handles data, especially if uploading sensitive information. Ensure the platform has robust data protection measures.

Tips for Success:

• Focus on strategy and storytelling (AI can’t replace that!).
• Maintain creative control and customize AI suggestions.
• Fact-check and edit AI-generated content.
• Consider cost and pricing models.
• Be transparent about using AI tools

Bottom Line

AI tools are transforming short-form video creation, offering significant advantages in speed, repurposing, accessibility, and storytelling. However, they shouldn’t replace human creativity. Remember, AI is a powerful ally, but the magic touch still comes from you, the creator.