Here is a suggested approach for making movies with AI tools. This page describes my method and includes a list of the tools I use (updated 25 October 2025). Feel free to modify this process.

My AI film-making process

Firstly and most importantly you need a great story. That is more likely to come from a human brain, possibly aided by AI tools. When I have an idea for a story I ask ChatGPT, Copilot and Gemini to suggest 30 or 40 versions of that idea. Then I sift through the results.

This works on the principle that nature over-delivers. Of the many eggs a frog produces, only a handful become a mature frog. Of the many ideas AI tools offer, perhaps a handful will appeal.

I have found using a prompt like this useful: “Suggest 30 storylines in the style of [SNL, for example, or Mock The Week] about [insert story idea]. Sometimes you can find a gem or two within the suggestions. If you don’t, then ask for more, and use a different AI tool.

If your characters are historic people AI tools will help you research bios. Find images of them on Google. I use ImageUpscaler to enhance the images because web files are usually tiny. Colourise b&w photos with tools like PhotosRevive or Fotor.

Write a draft script. The AI tools mentioned above can be helpful for suggesting dialogue. But the human mind is still the best tool for developing a concept, especially for comedy. Sift through all the suggestions to mine the gems. Discard the chaff.

Save your draft script as a PDF.

Ask Gemini or Copilot to act as a professional script reader to give feedback on that PDF. Use a prompt like: “Assume you are a Hollywood script reader and provide feedback about [insert subject like structure or dialogue] for the attached script.”

Ask tools like Katalist, Copilot, ChatGPT, Gemini to provide shotlists, storyboards and camera angles and suggest lighting.

Generate images of your characters and their environment. Many people like Midjourney. Another option is a free creator like NightCafe. Improve the quality of your images with a tool like Adobe PhotoShop or Topaz Photo AI.

I also use KlingAI to create images of characters because the tool lets me create video based on those images. I also like Gemini’s free image tools.

The quality of the images you generate influences the video created from them. I often create video based on still images because the output is more consistent than text prompts. Text to video can be problematic. Never-the-less it’s vital to learn how to write prompts to be able to evolve new versions of your generations.

Midjourney offers this approach to writing prompts.

Gemini and ChaptGPT are great for creating storyboards and shot lists and suggesting camera angles or lighting based on the PDF text in your script.

For me the best current video-creation tools are Runway Gen4 and Kling. I’m learning to use Veo-3. Note that these tools are evolving rapidly. Runway’s Aleph and Act-Two are formidable.

If you want to create storyboards I recommend LTX Studio, Katalist and Rubbrband (note the spelling for the last).

One great trick to ensure consistent characters when you create a film sequence is to grab the last frame of one piece of video you like and use that as the start image for the next piece.

Another trick is to use “image reference” where you generate an image by combining aspects of images that you supply the AI tool. For example, you merge an image of a person and an image of a location and image reference creates a new image. I used an image of myself and an image of a Kremlin church in Moscow to generate a picture of myself in a part of the world I’ve never visited.

Assemble the video you create to begin editing. Often you will find that only bits of your videos are suitable. I work on a 10:1 ratio. That is, you will need to generate about 10 clips from a prompt to get one good piece of video.

Some of the video-creation tools mentioned above also allow you to lipsync dialogue.

If you choose to have a narrator, use ElevenLabs or Hume to create your narration and character voices. ElevenLabs is good for cloning voices but you need a higher-priced subscription to get lots of cloned voices. ElevenLabs makes excellent sound effects.

Ultimately you will need to spend money on subscriptions. Think of the money as an investment in your film-making career.

Download video to your laptop or tablet and edit with your preferred software. I edit with the free version of DaVinci Resolve.

Make soundtracks with Udio and Suno. Insert music and sound effects into your editing software.

Add titles, name supers and credits. I sometimes use the free Vont app to create animated titles on my iPhone that I drop into my editing timeline.

AI video-creation tools output at 1080p. If you want to enhance your video to 4K use Topaz VideoAI. This also unifies frame rates. Expensive at USD 299 a year but you have few options if you want 4K.

You will need to find a way to market and distribute your film and then await recognition of your genius. I’m still searching for AI tools that can help here.

Option using stills: It’s fun to make movies using still images or cartoons that you create with AI tools like Midjourney. Write a draft script. Use a tool like Play or Murf or ElevenLabs to record a narration via copy-paste from your script.

I open a video editor and insert audio tracks in the appropriate order (I edit with iMovie or KineMaster or LumaFusion or DaVince Resolve, depending on the complexity of the story).

Then insert stills/cartoons to match the audio track/s. I use the Ken Burns effect to create the illusion of movement. I colourise b&w photos with PhotosRevive.

To finish, add titles, sound/visual effects and a music soundtrack before uploading.

A chap with the username PJ Ace offers lots of excellent advice in his website.