Whenever I write a card for a special occasion, I aim to make the person reading it cry.
Maybe this was my first sign that I'd enjoy content creation. It sounds sick, but let's strip it back. I like invoking emotion in people but in the form of some content. In that example, it's writing cards, but fast forward to now, writing these things, posting on LinkedIn, and now creating video content. Music may make us feel emotion, but video is another added layer that only enhances the experience. I never realized it until the age of 33, but those anime music videos I made ~15 years ago on Windows Movie Maker must have been a sign. One that I overlooked.
I've been experimenting with YouTube and decided to try my hand at AI-generated video content. Some people may call those types of YouTube channels a Cash Cow of No-face content, but I enjoy experimenting with AI creation tools and seeing if it is a means to streamline my process.
Who gets stuck in analysis paralysis when researching? 😅
When questing for something important, it can be easy to get carried away. Maybe that's perfectionism and the tendency to overanalyze. Maybe it just means you are an expert in research and strategy. I prefer the latter of the two.
I chose to pay for a year's subscription to Invideo AI in my quest to see if it streamlines my process and fulfills these basic needs:
- The tool generates a video with sound using stock content.
- The tool can create long-form and short-form content.
- The tool has a quality AI voiceover for narration.
- The user experience is easy and efficient.
- The tool's AI effectively listens to my inputs and delivers the content (video, narrations, and music) that I want.
I whipped it out. And I paid for it — all on my credit card, of course. Invideo's marketing works and I've seen their watermark across the internet. I believe it met the five basic needs above, so after coughing up for a year's subscription, I started experimenting.
Here is how Invideo AI met my five pieces of criteria:
The tool can generate a video with sound using stock content.
10/10 — The tool can generate video with sound. Invideo AI can create good video content with narration and music, meeting the most basic needs.
The tool can create long-form and short-form content.
10/10 — The tool can create long-form and short-form content. I specifically wanted it for long-form content (5+ minutes) and the ability to try out shorts and TikTok along the way.
The tool has a quality AI voiceover for narration.
6/10 — My voice clone sounded cool on the first try, but when I or the prompt gave it a script, it seemed to have a weird issue with the speed or pausing in odd places. Even with editing, it could have been better. The voiceovers that come with the platform functioned better, but it was never the exact voice I wanted.
The user experience is easy and efficient.
7/10 — From a high level, it is easy to use. If you have used AI, you know conversational AI works. Where it starts falling apart is manually editing your content. If you are a perfectionist, then you may not get the exact vibe down, or it may just take a while to learn how to communicate effectively to get your desired output.
The tool's AI effectively listens to my inputs and delivers the content (video, narrations, and music) that I want.
6/10 — As I've mentioned, it takes time to get what you want. If you manually edit or use AI, it will take time to edit. You need to decide if you would instead experiment with AI and try to get exactly what you want or learn from the ground up and edit your stock footage from sites like Pexels, possibly sourcing your narration through ElevenLabs or just recording your voice. YouTube offers free music, too. But is that good enough for you?
Invideo AI's score is 39/50, and 78% is a C+
Like they say, "C's get degrees." InvideoAI does the job well and makes its mark by committing to most of the features it markets. If you are a perfectionist or are going for a super niche look, then be aware that it will take time. One of the biggest things I learned in this part of our story is that I should test new tools out if they offer a trial period or pay for a single month if it's offered. Some AI tools in this market don't provide either, which is a red flag for me. Paying for an entire year for something you have never used kind of seems stupid when I think back on my decision.
Here is an example of how I used the tool
I took off to create a script using the "Invideo AI's Streamline Pro" GPT on ChatGPT. Since I love my research, I started to ask questions to help me create a perfect prompt and later generate a script so I could have the perfect video. What I learned is that using a detailed script still didn't get the exact look and feel that I wanted. Using just a prompt may have worked better, which was weird to me at first.
After inputting a script that Invideo's GPT made, I went straight to creating a deep and masculine American voice. My voice personal clone was cool initially, but it had awkward pauses and tone issues. I know I'm monotone, but it was really monotone. The voice cloner is pretty sensitive — another learning curve.
It did choose decent stock footage, inputting the right keywords to return the type of footage I wanted, but it took refining to get the more cinematic look I wanted. The AI input (or the "Magic Box") works most of the time, with some errors. I used it to fix the voice and music volume, narration, and video or music selections. YouTube flagged the content for copyright on the first upload, but Invideo does give instructions on their help pages because you are supposed to be given the right to use Storyblock content. I'm glad they had that because that caught me off guard, and I hope it's fixed so it's not such a confusing experience for new users.
After a while, the videos did get to the point I wanted them to be — at least an "acceptable" level for someone new to creating YouTube videos. As I mentioned, it takes time to master the AI or the manual editing. Those were the biggest flaws, but overall, I'm happy. Invideo AI returned 5-minute videos narrated on the topic I gave it using my script, with music and footage. Streamlining the creation process to a degree, but since I didn't understand the basics of editing very well, it may have felt that way because I'm more used to using AI now.
Wrapping up with the key takeaways
The exploration of Invideo AI reveals its strengths and limitations in video content creation, highlighting the importance of experimentation and adaptability in mastering new tools. Ultimately, while it somewhat streamlines the process, achieving a polished final product requires time, patience, and a willingness to learn.
Take a look at a quick list of the critical points below for a quick snapshot of this article:
- AI tool s can simplify workflows: Although Invideo AI has its shortcomings, it does a good job of simplifying video creation, especially for beginners or those wanting to try out AI-generated content for the first time.
- Learning curve for those who seek perfection: If you tend to be a perfectionist, be ready for a bit of a learning curve. The tool might not always align with your exact expectations without considerable adjustments, particularly when it comes to voiceovers and specific video styles.
- The significance of trials or short-term subscriptions: A key takeaway is the importance of testing new tools before making a long-term commitment. Paying a full year upfront without trying the product first can be a bummer.
- Invideo AI gets the job done, but not flawlessly: While the tool covers most basic requirements, it may not provide the precise results one desires, so it's essential to consider the advantages and disadvantages of using AI compared to traditional video editing techniques.
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