Jun 20, 2026 · 5 min read
How to make AI videos as a beginner: the 2026 guide
To make an AI video, you pick a model, write a prompt describing the shot, and hit generate. That's the whole workflow — the hard part is that every weak output traces back to a decision you made before pressing the button: a vague prompt, a blurry source image, or the wrong model for the job. This guide is about getting those three decisions right.
Match the model to the shot, not the hype
There is no "best" model — there's a best model for your shot. Five cover almost every beginner use case in 2026; swipe through them and flip each card for its specs, price, and the one thing it can't do.
Two workflows, one decision
Every generation starts with the same fork, and it's decided by one question: does a specific face or product have to survive into the clip?
One mechanic to internalize early: the model generates all frames in a single continuous pass, and each new generation starts cold — it has no memory of your previous clip. Character consistency across clips is a separate problem you solve with reference images, not with prompting harder.
Write the prompt like a director
A usable prompt names four things: subject (who or what is in frame), action (what they're doing), setting (where), and camera (how it's framed). One to three sentences — longer is not better, more specific is better.
If your clip looks nothing like what you described, that's the diagnosis every time: the model filled an ambiguous gap its own way. Add specifics; don't reroll and hope.
For image-to-video, the source image matters as much as the prompt: sharp focus, even lighting, a front-facing subject with visible features, no heavy clutter, at least 1024×1024. A blurry input never animates into a sharp output.
Your first generation, step by step
Six decisions, in order — tap through them. Each one exists because skipping it costs credits.
Struggling to turn an idea into a four-element prompt? Describe it in plain language to an AI assistant like Claude or ChatGPT and ask it to rewrite it as a shot description. That output is usually a better prompt than a beginner writes cold.
What a clip actually costs
Approximate cost per 8-second 720p clip, pay-as-you-go:
| Model | Cost per clip |
|---|---|
| Google Veo 3.1 | ~$2.50 |
| Runway Gen-4.5 | ~$2.00 |
| Kling 3.0 | ~$0.80 |
| Wan 2.6 | ~$0.75 |
| Minimax Hailuo 2.3 | ~$0.70 |
On subscriptions, Higgsfield bundles Veo 3.1, Kling 3.0, Wan 2.6 and Minimax under one plan — Starter at $15/month (200 credits), Plus at $49/month (1,000 credits). Runway sells separately: Standard $12/month (625 credits), Pro $28/month (2,250 credits). The math is why the 720p rule exists: at Veo prices, ten careless 1080p tests is real money.
Know the walls before you hit them
Five limits every beginner hits in their first week. None require technical skill to work around — flip through what each one is and the standard fix.
Clip length
Most models cap a single generation at 6–10 seconds. Longer pieces are edited sequences of short clips, not one generation.
Character consistency
Cold starts mean the same prompt produces a different face tomorrow. Use identity tools or reference-based workflows, not prompting harder.
Precise motion
Text is a blunt instrument for choreography. Wan 2.6's first-and-last-frame control is the most direct fix.
Two people interacting
Still visibly inconsistent in one pass. Generate the characters separately and composite in the edit.
Audio
Runway and Minimax Hailuo lack native audio — if sound matters, pick Veo, Kling, or Wan instead.
Every wall above yields to the habit this guide keeps repeating: decide the shot, the workflow, and the model before you spend a single credit. The generate button is the cheapest part of the process.