AI in Action: Idea to 30s Spot in 1 Hour

With the incredible advancements in text-to-video technology recently, I wanted to challenge myself to create a 30s spot for The Authentic .AI exclusively using AI tools (Google Gemini 1.5, Anthropic Claude, ElevenLabs, + 2 non-commercial platforms that I'm currently beta-testing) in under an hour.

Here's the result:

Here's a step-by-step guide on how I did it:

1. Refining and challenging my ideas with a mobile AI assistant

One of the great use cases of AI is to use it as a trusted personal assistant to bounce ideas off of. I especially find this useful via voice and natural language interaction so that I'm able to quickly go back and forth with the AI without my relatively slow (& inaccurate) typing skills getting in the way of my fast-flowing ideas. For this case, I used the new Google Gemini Live feature on the Google iOS App to create (via initial prompting) a seasoned ad-exec personal assistant to go back and forth with as I honed my original idea on what this commercial should be.

2. Converting my idea to a usable script and shot list

With my idea refined to a point that I was satisfied with, I decided to use AI to put together a script and shot list. Although not really necessary here (as I was conducting this exercise alone), I thought it would be a useful way to organize my thoughts and ensure that I wasn't missing anything as I created the core assets of the piece. Although I could have used any of the standard AI Chatbots here, I decided to go with Anthropic's Claude (3.5 Sonnet model) as I like the user interface's handling of structured text.

3. Building Narration Audio

I then took the voice-over script from Claude and pasted it into the Text-to-Speech tool in Eleven Labs. As I was still unsure if I wanted to use a single voice or a medley of different voices for my narration, I generated 5 different versions of the script using different voices. These voices were created in both male and female voice using a variety of regional accents.

4. Creating an Impactful Score

I used a non-commercial tool that I'm testing to generate a background audio track. I prompted the tool with a request for "Inspiring classical violins with a moody ambient synthesizer background for a commercial", reviewed and revised my prompt multiple times until I was satisfied and exported a 30-second looping track.

5. Generating Video Imagery

This was the fun part of the process. Using a not-yet-released platform that was recently shared with me (similar to OpenAI's Sora or Runway), I was able to create the video clips for the piece using text prompts. After extensive experimentation with various prompts, I was able to get a good collection of realistic, impactful clips that I could use for the piece.

6. Assembling the Final Output

With all of the various assets created via AI, I assembled the piece per the initial video script using CapCut. I added transitions and our company logo and then exported the piece as a 1080p mp4 file to easily upload and share.

The entire process took me approximately 60 minutes, with most of the time spent revising prompts and reviewing the options that the AI tools provided.

Key Takeaways:

• AI like having an entire ad staff at your fingertips. Knowing how and when to use this crew effectively still key.

• The "artists eye" still critical. Using the output generated by AI "as is" is not sufficient to crafting impactful "authentic" content.

• Generating content that perfectly replicates what's in your mind's eye is difficult. AI most effective if you are open to utilizing alternative assets to articulate the message you are trying to deliver.

Conclusion

This experiment highlights the incredible power and potential of AI in content creation. While it may seem like magic, effectively using these tools still requires a human touch. Think of AI as your tireless assistant, ready to generate ideas, refine scripts, and produce assets at your command. But it's the human element – your creative vision, your understanding of your audience, and your ability to select and refine the best AI output – that truly brings the content to life.

The ability to generate a 30-second commercial in just one hour is a game-changer. It democratizes content creation, allowing individuals and businesses to produce high-quality material quickly and affordably. However, it's crucial to remember that AI tools are just that – tools. They should be used to enhance our creativity, not replace it.

As AI technology continues to evolve at a rapid pace, it's essential to stay curious and adaptable. Embrace these new tools, experiment with them, and discover how they can help you tell your stories in more compelling ways. The future of content creation is here, and it's powered by AI and human ingenuity working together.