How to Make a Video with AI: Method, Prompts and Limits

What AI can really do with video in 2026

"AI video" covers very different tools. Before you pick one, figure out which kind fits what you need.

For a business, a shop or a creator, the most common need is to get a clear message across: an offer, a price, something new, a key selling point. In that case, motion graphics are often the most effective format, because text stays perfectly readable and every element serves the message. If the term is new to you, our motion design guide covers the basics.

Make a video with AI in 5 steps

Here's the method we recommend, whatever your industry. Your first video takes about ten minutes, and much less after that.

1. Set one goal: sell an offer, announce an opening, explain a service, hire. One video, one goal.
2. Pick your format: 9:16 for TikTok, Reels, Shorts and WhatsApp Status; 16:9 for YouTube and your website; 1:1 for feed posts.
3. Gather your assets: logo, product photos, screenshots of your app or website, prices, address, contact details.
4. Write your request (the prompt) using the structure below.
5. Edit by chatting, then export and publish.

In ManyMotion, everything happens in a single chat, on your phone or computer, with nothing to install. Open the studio, describe your video in English, and ManyMotion's AI creates a complete video in about a minute, with animations, a natural English voice-over, original music and synced sound effects. You preview it right in your browser.

Writing a good video prompt: the structure that works

The quality of your video depends largely on your request. A vague prompt gets you a generic video. A specific prompt gets you a video that feels like you. Here are the 7 things to include:

1. Video type and length: "a 30-second ad", "a one-minute explainer video".
2. Format: "for TikTok", "in 16:9 for YouTube".
3. Your business and audience: "for my BBQ restaurant in Chicago, targeting office workers nearby".
4. Key message: the offer, the price, what's new, the main selling point.
5. Hook: the first line, the one that has to stop the scroll.
6. Tone and style: warm, upbeat, premium, funny, your brand colors.
7. Call to action: "book your table", "order on WhatsApp", "download the app".

Vague prompt: "Make a video for my store."

Specific prompt: "Create a 20-second TikTok video for my sneaker store in Johannesburg. Hook: 'The sneakers all of Joburg will be wearing this summer.' Show 3 models with their prices in rand, upbeat style, black and orange colors, an enthusiastic voice, and end with 'Order on WhatsApp, delivered in 24 hours.'"

The second prompt gives the AI everything it needs. You don't need technical jargon: write the way you'd talk to a designer. To polish the words the voice reads, use our method to write a voice-over script, and for your opening line, our video hook formulas.

6 sample prompts by business type

• Restaurant in Chicago: "25-second Reels video: $16 lunch special, starter + main + dessert, photos of the dishes, warm vibe, end with 'Book at (312)…'."
• Real estate agency in Lagos: "30-second 9:16 video showcasing a villa in Lekki: 4 bedrooms, pool, price in naira, calm premium voice, invitation to book a viewing."
• Delivery app: "40-second 16:9 launch video, with app screenshots in a phone frame, zoom on the Order button, energetic tone."
• Fitness coach in Nairobi: "20-second TikTok video: 3 mistakes holding you back at the gym, kinetic typography style, motivating voice."
• Event in Accra: "15-second WhatsApp Status video for a concert Saturday at 8 p.m., countdown, venue and ticket price."
• Accounting firm in Toronto: "One-minute 1:1 LinkedIn video: 4 key numbers about tax season, animated charts, professional tone, call to book an appointment."

For an app, feel free to upload your real screenshots: ManyMotion shows them in full inside a phone or browser frame, with a zoom on the key detail. We go deeper on this in our article on app launch videos.

Edit your video by chatting

The first version is rarely the final one, and that's normal. The advantage of a conversational AI is that you edit your video the way you'd brief an editor, in plain language.

• "Make it more upbeat."
• "Change the colors to green and white."
• "Make the price bigger."
• "Use a calmer, more upscale voice."
• "Cut it down to 15 seconds."
• "Switch it to TikTok format."
• "Add my logo at the end."

Voice, music and sound effects automatically re-sync to the visuals with every change. On ManyMotion, an edit costs 5 credits.

Voice-over, music, sound: what makes a video look pro

A silent video with moving text is fine. A video with a real voice, fitting music and well-placed sound effects is on another level. Sound is often what separates an amateur video from a professional one.

• Voice-over: ManyMotion offers 8 voices, from warm to cinematic, able to convey emotion (excitement, whispering, suspense). The voice-over follows the language of your request, so an English prompt gets an English voice-over. Specify the tone you want in your request.
• Music: an original track is composed for every video, so you don't have to hunt for royalty-free music.
• Sound effects: whooshes, pops, clicks, synced with the animations to add rhythm.

If the voice is central to your project, for example an explainer video or a tutorial, say so upfront in your request: script length, tone, pace.

The limits of AI video (and how to work around them)

AI doesn't replace everything. Being clear-eyed about its limits will save you some disappointment.

• It doesn't know your business: you bring the message, the prices, the selling points. An empty prompt gets an empty video.
• It doesn't film your team: to show real people or your venue, combine it with photos or a short clip shot on your phone.
• It doesn't replace a strategy: posting ten videos with no clear goal won't drive sales. Define your audience and your offer first.
• It doesn't fact-check you: always double-check prices, dates, addresses and phone numbers before publishing.
• For a highly distinctive brand film, an agency or a motion designer still has the edge. We compare the options honestly in our article on the cost of a motion graphics video.

If you already use professional animation software, AI can handle your everyday videos quickly while you keep your software for custom projects. The two approaches work really well together.

How much does it cost to make a video with AI?

On ManyMotion, you start free with 60 credits when you sign up, which is about 1 minute of video (with a watermark). It's simple: 1 credit = 1 second of video created, and an edit costs 5 credits.

Plans are monthly with no commitment, payable by card, Wave or Orange Money. Export is MP4 Full HD, and 4K on the Agency Scale plan. All the details are on the pricing page.

Frequently asked questions