Nowadays, you don’t need to be a video editor (or even know much about AI) to start playing around with AI-generated videos. If you’ve got an idea and a few spare minutes, then that’s honestly enough to get going.

In this beginner’s guide to creating AI videos, we’ll walk you through the basics of how to create AI videos from scratch — even if you’ve never edited before. We’ll look at where to start (hint: Envato VideoGen is a great option), how to write video prompts that actually work, and how to piece everything together into something you can use or share. No jargon, no pressure!

To start creating AI videos, the first thing you’ll need is an AI video tool that can actually generate the clips. There are a bunch out there now, and they’re all a bit different. Some focus on more realistic style videos, others on more specific things like talking avatars or animation. If you’re new to this, there’s no need to stress over which tool is “best.” Go with whatever feels easy to use and interesting to you.

A great option for beginners for learning how to start AI video generation is our very own Envato VideoGen. It’s a web based tool, so there’s nothing to install. You just log in, and type in a description of what you want for your video. 

If you’re exploring AI video for the first time, these tools are a good place to start. Each one takes a different approach and offers something unique:

With your tool ready (maybe it’s Envato VideoGen) you’re now ready to guide the visuals by writing a short prompt.

If you’re not sure how to start AI video generation, think of your prompt as a mini movie pitch. You’re giving the AI a scene to build. The more grounded your description, the better the result. Think of it like giving creative directions to a very fast, very visual assistant. If you want a more detailed guide, check out The complete guide to creative AI video prompts. Here’s a basic structure that you can follow:

[subject]+[action]+[setting]+[mood/tone]+[lighting]+[camera]+

What is the video about? Think of the main subject for your video, which could be some sort of character or even a static product you want to show off in an ad. Focus on the main thing you want to show. Here are some examples you could use:

Next, you’ll need to give your subject something to do. Motion will add life and energy to your video, even in subtle ways. Use clear, simple verbs like the examples below:

Now let’s focus on the setting. Where is the action happening and what sort of environment is it taking place in? This helps ground the scene and gives the AI something to build from. Here are a few examples:

How do you want the video to feel specifically? You can describe the feeling, name a genre, or even reference a film. This helps guide everything from the lighting to the pacing to the color grading. Here’s some ideas that can get you going:

This can really change the look as lighting plays a huge role in the way the video will ultimately look like in the end. Try a few examples below and see how it changes the look of your video:

Some tools (like VideoGen) respond well to certain camera movement phrases. This adds an additional element that you can control for the look of your video and can really add some personality. Try a few of the examples below:

This is an optional step, and for tools like VideoGen, you’ll have to make sure to toggle audio “on”. Once you’ve done that you can prompt for things like background music, ambient sounds and even voice overs. And don’t worry if you skip this step here, we can always add sound or additional sound later on. Here are some examples of what you can use to prompt for audio:

Here’s an example of how it looks when you put it all together:

You can make your prompt longer or shorter depending on how specific you want to be. If your first try looks a bit weird, try and tweak it by changing one part at a time and then regenerate the clip.

Got an image you like? You can actually use it to kick off your AI video. Maybe it’s a photo you’ve taken, something you sketched, or just an image that has the right vibe. You can even use Envato ImageGen for this! Instead of starting from nothing, you give the AI something visual to work with.

In Envato VideoGen, there’s an option to upload that image and use it as the first frame. After that, you just add a short line describing how you want the scene to move. The tool then adds motion based on your prompt.

Next to the prompt box there’s a round “plus” button. Click on it and then select the “Upload image” button. Then just choose an image from your computer.

Once you’ve done that, just continue writing your prompt. You can still follow the structure we outlined previously.

Choose whether you want the video in square, portrait, or landscape format. This can change depending on where you plan to share it.

The tool will process your image and animate it based on your prompt. This usually takes just a few seconds. Once it’s ready, you can preview the video and download it to your device.

You’ve got a few clips now from Envato VideoGen. Next step? Put them together! Just drop them into an editor, line them up, and see how they play one after the other.

And it’s totally fine if you’ve never edited videos before. You’re not doing anything complicated here. Cut the parts that feel off. Keep what looks good. That’s it.

And if you want to take it even further, enhance your video with visual effects packages from Envato. From atmospheric overlays, extra fog or textures… it’s a great way to add that extra polish.

First, pick a simple editor that lets you drag and drop clips into a timeline. Here’s a few easy (and free) options:

A lot of these video editors like Adobe Premiere, now have AI tools of their own! These can enhance your AI generated videos even further. So make sure to check them out.

Once your clips are in place, the next step is adding sound. Doesn’t have to be fancy, just something to help set the tone and pull it all together.

If you want to talk over your video (maybe to explain what’s happening or add a story), you’ve got a couple of options. The easiest is just to record yourself. Most editors let you do this straight into the timeline using your laptop or phone mic.

Not into recording your own voice? You can type your script into something like Envato VoiceGen and it’ll read it out for you. You get a few different voices to pick from. When it sounds right, download the file and add it to your video.

Music helps. Even if the video is short, dropping in the right track makes a big difference. It kind of holds things together, covers up weird silences, and adds something that’s hard to explain but easy to feel.

MusicGen makes generating music feel like magic! All you have to do is write a prompt of what type of music you want, and it creates royalty-free music in just seconds. Find out more about how to use it in this MusicGen article.

Or you can poke around on Envato, there’s a bunch of royalty-free tracks there. Just hit play on a few until something fits. Doesn’t have to be perfect. If it feels close enough, it probably works.

Little sound effects can do more than you’d think. Stuff like leaves rustling, a bit of wind, maybe footsteps, tiny things that help the scene feel less flat. You don’t need much. Just enough to give it some texture.

You can throw in more than one sound if you want, pretty much all editors let you do that. Just drag stuff around, mess with the volume a bit. Doesn’t have to be exact. Close enough is usually fine. Check out Envato and choose from the thousands of royalty-free sound effects on the website.

Everything’s in place? Perfect. Now you just need to save it as a proper file you can actually use and/or share. Just go to whatever button says Export or Render. Depends on the editor. Might take a bit of time, especially if your video’s not short.

For basic settings, you’ll want to try to optimize your video for how you want to use it (e.g. a social media video for YouTube or TikTok, or a movie file for a project). If you’re still not sure, here’s what usually works:

And now you know the basics of creating AI videos! Remember: anyone can create AI videos with just an idea, a simple prompt, and the right tool. Even if the video turns out kind of weird/random, you’ve seen what’s possible now. And honestly, that’s the only way to get started. You have to just try it and see what happens.

When creating AI videos, you don’t need to get everything right. The more you mess with it, the more you’ll figure out what actually works for you. Here’s a few final things to keep in mind:

That’s it. You’ve got enough to start. Keep this AI video for beginners guide handy when you’re trying things out and go make something weird, or simple, or totally random. Just hit render and see what happens.

Q: What is the easiest way to create AI videos as a beginner?
A: The easiest way to start creating AI videos is by using a browser-based tool like Envato VideoGen. You just type in a simple description (called a prompt), and the AI generates a short video clip for you. No editing or technical skills required, perfect for beginners who want quick results.

Q: Do I need video editing skills to start creating AI videos?
A: Nope! You don’t need to be a video editor to create AI videos. Most AI video tools are designed for beginners and only require you to write a short text prompt. If you do want to polish your clips, free editors like CapCut or iMovie make it easy to stitch everything together without advanced editing knowledge.

Q: Which tools are best for creating AI videos?
A: The best tools for creating AI videos depend on your goals:

Q: How do I write a good prompt to create AI videos?
A: A strong prompt includes your subject + action + setting + mood + lighting + camera style. For example: “A woman in a flowing red dress walks slowly through a misty forest at night, with a dramatic cinematic close-up.” The more specific you are, the better your AI-generated video will look.

Q: Can I use my own images when creating AI videos?
A: Yes! Many AI video tools let you upload an image as a starting point. The AI then animates it based on your prompt. This is a great way to create AI videos that match a certain look, brand style, or vibe you already have in mind.

Q: Where can I find music and sound effects for my AI videos?
A: You can create background music using tools like MusicGen, or browse thousands of royalty-free tracks and sound effects on Envato. Adding audio is a simple step that makes your AI videos feel more polished and engaging.