Everyone’s got a story and everyone’s got imagination (to some degree or another). What most people don’t have is access to the team, equipment, and finance needed to turn their ideas into movies. While making a full-blown Hollywood blockbuster from the comfort of your sofa may still be out of our reach (you can hear Disney sighing with relief at that), there are an increasing number of AI video generators that can certainly take you a step closer.
Today, with just a few text prompts, you can create sometimes worryingly realistic video footage of pretty much anything you like. We’re going to look at six of the best platforms out there to help you achieve that. So, if you’re looking to set yourself up as the Speilberg of TokTok, here’s what you need to know.
Luma
If you’re looking for cinematic quality and advanced editing tools, Luma may be the way to go. Using NeRF AI 3D Capture, Luma transforms simple prompts into realistic, high-fidelity video sequences and holds great appeal to digital creators and game developers.
✅ Text to video (available on Dream Machine)
✅ Image to video
✅ Video to video
Key Features:
Cinematic Quality : Utilizes NeRF AI 3D Capture for detailed 3D models from 2D images, ensuring professional-grade video outputs.
Unity Integration: Seamlessly integrates with Unity, boosting creative possibilities for developers.
Customizable Templates: Offers versatile templates for various projects, from promotions to educational content.
Advanced Editing: Includes Dream Machine and Guided Capture Mode for precise scene composition.
Pros:
High-Quality Output: Ideal for visually stunning videos with cinematic realism.
Unity Compatibility: Appeals to developers integrating AI content into interactive experiences.
Cons:
Free Plan Limits: Restrictions on video downloads and daily creations in the trial may hinder large projects.
Use Cases:
Luma suits creators and developers aiming for cinematic quality in videos and 3D animations.
User consensus
As powerful as Luma is (and you might want to watch this to get an idea of how good it is)...
Mind-blowing stuff by Luma #DreamMachine
— Max (@maxescu) June 15, 2024
The input was all three images at once. pic.twitter.com/cxCUvJmdVY
… it’s a costly platform for beginners. With a decent video requiring hundreds of generations, you can use up your monthly allocation even on a Pro plan pretty quickly. Also, some users have noted limitations to Luma when creating complex scenes on non-iOS devices.
Pricing:
Standard : $29.99/month (150 video generations).
Pro: $99.99/month (430 video generations).
Free Trial: Up to 10 daily creations without commercial use, allowing exploration of capabilities.
Sora
Sora , developed by OpenAI, represents a significant advancement in text-to-video technology, specializing in generating photorealistic videos from natural language prompts. It’s great for creating complex scenes with multiple characters, detailed backgrounds, and precise motion animations.
✅ Text to video
❌ Image to video
❌ Video to video
Key Features:
Natural Language Processing (NLP) Capabilities: Converts textual descriptions into detailed and realistic video sequences, leveraging advanced NLP models to understand semantics, context, and visual compositions.
Extended Video Length: Supports videos up to 60 seconds long, accommodating more extensive storytelling and detailed visual narratives.
Customization Options: Offers flexibility in adjusting visual styles, animation effects, color schemes, and typography to tailor video outputs according to specific project requirements.
Collaboration Tools: Includes features for real-time editing, version control, and collaborative feedback, facilitating teamwork and project management.
Pros:
Advanced Technology: Sora’s state-of-the-art capabilities deliver cinematic-quality outputs suitable for diverse applications, including marketing campaigns, educational content, and creative storytelling.
Safety Measures: Implements rigorous safety protocols to ensure responsible usage and content moderation, including watermarking AI-generated videos for transparency.
Cons:
Accuracy Challenges: Despite its advanced capabilities, Sora may encounter occasional difficulties in accurately depicting physical interactions and nuanced visual details, which can affect overall realism and user experience.
Which way, where? It also has a problem differentiating between left and right (which, to be honest, an AI this advanced should be ashamed of).
Review
#Sora 🌟😍
— Dev Khanna (@CurieuxExplorer) February 24, 2024
Not only does it respond to text, images, and video inputs, but Sora also masterfully blends two distinct videos into one seamless transition 🎞️✨
Check out these three unedited videos, all created by Sora, showcasing its incredible interpolation magic without… pic.twitter.com/Sm1c6cESs1
Use Cases:
Sora is ideal for content creators, marketers, and educators seeking to leverage AI technology for creating high-fidelity, engaging video content with a focus on visual realism, narrative complexity, and audience engagement. Just don’t ask it to turn left at the lights.
User consensus
Sora doesn’t currently support incorporating custom images or videos into its text-to-video generation process. That said, its video output looks great, even if the platform struggles a little with hands (but don’t they all). In general, it’s an impressive addition to the text-to-video roster, and certainly a step up from Runway Gen-2 and Google's Imagen.
Pricing:
Sora's pricing is based on the number of tokens you hold in the OpenAI ecosystem.
Colossyan
Colossyan specializes in AI-driven video tools tailored for learning and development, serving corporate communication, training modules, compliance videos, and more. It features GPT-based script assistance, multilingual support, and customizable avatars for personalized video content creation.
✅ Text to video
✅ Image to video
✅ Video to video
Key Features:
Learning and Development Focus: Designed for educational and training content, offering tools for instructional videos, employee onboarding, and compliance training.
AI Support Tools: Includes GPT-based script assistance and AI image generation for streamlined content creation and enhanced visual storytelling.
Customization Options : Allows avatar customization, voice uploads, and integration of personalized content elements to align with organizational branding.
Pros:
Versatile Applications: Ideal for corporate training, compliance videos, and educational content creation.
User-Friendly Interface: Intuitive platform design caters to users with varying technical expertise, allowing for easy content creation.
Cons:
Enterprise Limitations: Advanced features may be restricted to higher-tier plans, limiting access for smaller organizations.
Visual Realism Challenges: Customizable avatars may lack complete lifelike realism, potentially impacting viewer engagement.
Example:
https://youtu.be/DzvMacZ0-Hs?si=3Khp9IME9KOIQmvp
Use Cases:
Colossyan suits organizations and educators seeking AI-powered tools for creating engaging, informative, and visually compelling video content for learning and compliance.
User consensus
If Synthesia is the benchmark by which all other AI video generators are currently judged, Colossyan is rubbing shoulder-to-shoulder with it. Its price, however, may deter smaller creators, and beginners might find the platform challenging to learn initially. Its UI can also be a little slow to respond, making it feel a little cumbersome to use at times.
Pricing:
Free Trial: Includes five minutes of video, five max scenes per video, 70+ languages and voices, and three auto-translations. Watermark is included.
Starter: From $27/month for up to 20 minutes of video, five max scenes, 70+ languages and voices, and three auto-translations.
Pro: From $87/month for up to 90 minutes of video, three seats, 25 max scenes, 70+ languages and voices, and ten auto-translations.
Enterprise: Custom pricing with unlimited video, scenes, avatars, auto-translations, and additional support and branding options.
Runway (Gen 3)
Runway 's Gen 3 AI video model introduces advanced capabilities in video generation technology, emphasizing enhanced realism, natural motion, and extended video durations. It's built on a new-generation infrastructure for large-scale multimodal training and is currently only accessible to members of Runway's Creative Partners Program (but that will be widely available soon).
✅ Text to video
✅ Image to video
✅ Video to video
Key Features:
Enhanced Realism: Utilizes advanced training techniques to produce highly realistic video outputs, enhancing visual fidelity and authenticity in animations and scenes.
Natural Motion: Improves motion dynamics for fluid and lifelike animations, creating engaging character movements and scene interactions.
Extended Video Duration: Supports longer initial video clips, ranging from 10 to 11 seconds, enabling comprehensive storytelling capabilities compared to earlier versions.
Lip-Sync Accuracy: Achieves precise lip-syncing for realistic character animations and dialogue delivery.
Pros:
Technological Advancements: The platform is a significant leap in AI video generation, leveraging state-of-the-art models and infrastructure for superior visual and animation quality.
Creative Potential: Provides creators with detailed scene compositions and enhanced storytelling abilities, ideal for artistic projects, marketing campaigns, and digital content.
Cons:
Not Quite There Yet: With current availability of the platform limited, we’re going to have to wait and see if the buzz surrounding it is justified or not.
Review::
https://youtu.be/J52boyqNiec?si=MXp31HNU8dL5TYiS
Use Cases:
Tailored for creative professionals and digital storytellers aiming to push the boundaries of visual storytelling and animation quality in their projects.
User consensus
Gen 3 may only be on limited release, but word of mouth seems to be very good.
It has real strengths when it comes to creating detailed landscape videos, fire and smoke effects, and realistic close-up face videos. However, it struggles with complex human movements and may require fine-tuning for lip sync. Despite some morphing issues, it’s great at creating cinematic scenes with a dreamlike quality.
Pricing:
Pricing and availability details are an open question at the moment.
Pika Labs
Pika Labs simplifies animated video and 3D animation creation with a user-friendly platform that converts textual inputs and image prompts into dynamic visuals. Designed for marketers, educators, and social media influencers, Pika Labs emphasizes accessibility and ease of use to enhance content with AI-generated animations.
✅ Text to video
✅ Image to video
✅ Video to video
Key Features:
Text-to-Video Conversion: Transforms text inputs into animated video sequences for engaging visual content creation.
Image-to-Video Transformation: Enhances static images into dynamic animations directly within the platform.
Platform Accessibility: Available on web and Discord, promoting flexibility in content creation and collaboration.
Customization Options: Allows detailed video region modifications, lip-sync enhancements, and animation style adjustments.
Pros:
Ease of Use: Intuitive interface simplifies video creation, suitable for users with minimal technical skills.
Advanced Features: Offers customization, animation effects, and enhancements for professional-quality videos tailored to specific needs.
Cons:
Output Limitations: While suitable for animation-style and explainer videos, its results may vary in animation quality when compared to platforms focused on cinematic-grade outputs.
Review:
https://youtu.be/906PV5ih5d8?si=gRyVcrzX3HKttF0V
Use Cases:
Ideal for creators and influencers integrating AI-driven animations into digital content strategies to boost engagement and visual appeal.
User consensus
If you’re looking for a free—or at least cheap—platform to create superior-quality videos, then Pika Labs is probably for you. With a range of functions available, including shot management commands like zoom, pan, rotation, it’s an affordable choice for those who don’t have a corporate budget behind them. It may not necessarily be the best of the bunch in terms of quality, but certainly the best value for your buck.
Pricing:
Free Plan: Watermarked 4-second videos.
Standard: $8/month for extended video length, watermark removal, and higher resolution.
Pro: $28/month.
Unlimited: $58/month.
Free Trial: Provides 30 initial credits, refilling daily.
Synthesia
Synthesia specializes in creating lifelike animated avatar videos tailored to businesses seeking personalized marketing and communication solutions. Boasting a diverse catalog of more than 140 realistic AI avatars, Synthesia stands out with its intricate gestures and extensive multilingual capabilities.
✅ Text to video
✅ Image to video
✅ Video to video
Key Features:
Lifelike Avatars: Synthesia offers a wide selection of realistic AI avatars capable of nuanced gestures like nodding and eyebrow raises, enhancing video authenticity.
Multi-Language Support: With more than 120 languages and various accents supported, Synthesia ensures global accessibility and customization.
Customizable Templates: Users can personalize video templates by adjusting backgrounds, fonts, transitions, and adding soundtracks directly within the platform.
Text-to-Speech Functionality : Synthesia provides robust text-to-speech features for accurate and natural-sounding narration in multiple languages and voices.
Pros:
Professional Quality: Ideal for creating polished, on-brand videos suitable for business presentations, marketing campaigns, and customer engagement.
Wide Avatar Selection: Extensive avatar library and language support facilitate global outreach and personalized content creation.
Cons:
Limited Trial Features: Synthesia restricts its trial to one demo video, limiting initial exploration.
Use Cases
Effective for businesses aiming to create personalized video content with lifelike avatars, for marketing, customer support, or internal communications.
User consensus
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the general view of Synthesia is hugely positive among users, with a typical review reading something like this . There are a few complaints here and there—from the inability to change an avatar’s clothes, to the AI’s voice sounding a little robotic in places—however, by and large, it’s a solidly performing platform.
Pricing:
Personal Plan: $22.50/month, offering 120 minutes of annual video production.
Enterprise: Custom pricing available for larger projects and organizational needs.
Promote your videos with Coverr AI Workflows
There are, of course, many more AI video platforms out there, but there are the ones we like—or, at least, like the sound of (and, yes, Runway, we’re looking at you). Their output quality may vary and some are easier to use than others, but they’ll all do a pretty fine job of turning your text prompts into impressive little videos, although it may take a few iterations to get right.
If AI video creation is something that rings your bell, then head on over to Coverr. With a vast library exceeding thousands of high-quality videos, it has garnered more than 5 million downloads and attracts a monthly viewership of 1.1 million. Born as a passion project from Veed.me (the video production marketplace founded in 2012), Coverr aims to address the challenges faced by entrepreneurs and startups when acquiring visually appealing video content for their products by offering access to beautifully crafted footage completely free of charge.
To find out more about Coverr, you can visit us here . And to explore Coverr’s already existing AI generated video and workflows, visit us here .