Gen AI video: is it the superhero we didn’t know we needed—or the sidekick that keeps tripping over its own cape? In the world of video production, AI can be a game-changer, helping you save time and add that extra flair. But it’s not a magical push of the button. Sometimes, it gets a little…weird. Here’s a look at the good, the bad, and the bizarre of using AI to create your next video masterpiece.
The “Better” Side of AI
AI can be a total game-changer for video production when used wisely. Think faster edits, smarter color correction, and even automatically generating subtitles. Here are a few ways AI can make your video better.
Speedy Post-Production: AI tools like Adobe Premiere’s Sensei can analyze hours of raw footage and suggest the best shots in a fraction of the time it would take a human editor. Need a quick highlight reel of your company retreat? AI can scan for smiling faces, dynamic movement, and key moments to help you craft a polished video without pulling an all-nighter.
Mind-Blowing Visual Effects: Want to create an apocalyptic skyline, replace a green screen background, or animate a talking dog? AI-powered tools can handle these tasks with ease, turning what used to be multi-hour workflows into quick tweaks. Even indie filmmakers can now achieve blockbuster-level effects with tools like Runway or DeepAI—assuming you’re not afraid to tinker.
Personalized Content: By analyzing audience data, AI can help you tailor video content to different demographics. Want to make separate video ads for cat lovers and dog enthusiasts? AI can generate variations on the fly, swapping images, text, or even music to create hyper-relevant videos that speak directly to viewers. It’s like having a content chameleon at your fingertips.
The “Worse” Side of AI
AI isn’t flawless, and when it misfires, the results can range from awkward to downright disastrous. Without careful oversight, you might end up with a video that feels hollow, off-brand, or unintentionally strange. Here’s where things can go wrong:
Soulless Storytelling: AI might be great at piecing together data, but it doesn’t understand emotion or nuance. Sure, it can churn out a script, but don’t expect heartfelt dialogue or compelling narratives. You could end up with something that sounds like a car manual when trying to tell a bedtime story. Pro tip: always have a human oversee the creative side of your project.
Over-Automation: Relying too heavily on AI to make decisions can lead to awkward results. For example, AI editing tools might cut key emotional moments because they don’t fit the algorithm’s idea of “high energy.” Or worse, it might over-prioritize flashy cuts and transitions, leaving your video feeling like a TikTok montage instead of a cohesive story.
Uncanny Valley Weirdness: AI-generated faces, voices, or animations can sometimes veer into “creepy robot” territory. Have you seen those AI-generated influencers? They’re polished but just off enough to make you uncomfortable. Using these tools without a careful touch can leave your audience wondering if they’re watching a corporate video or a dystopian trailer for Black Mirror.
So, What’s the Verdict?
AI isn’t here to replace creativity; it’s here to amplify it. Think of AI as your quirky intern: capable of brilliance but also prone to spilling coffee on the keyboard. If you give it clear direction and don’t let it run wild, it can take your video production to the next level.
For better or worse, we’re still stuck with each other to create good videos for now. If you’re looking to create an engaging, emotional connection with your audience (and isn’t that what video is for?), you can’t just ask the machine to make it for you. You need people to understand your story, your target audience, visual storytelling, etc. etc. etc.
Call up your local video production company. People like Red Canary. The great news is you can use AI in your video production to get Hollywood-level moments that were never possible before. Use AI wisely, and your videos will shine. Use it recklessly, and… let’s just say we’ll still be here to help fix it when things go sideways.
---
Need help navigating the AI-video frontier? Drop us a line. We promise no robots will answer your email… yet.