Creating professional-looking videos used to require a camera, lighting equipment, actors, a video editor and sometimes an entire production team.

That is changing.

With AI video generators, you can now turn a simple idea, story, product photo or written script into an engaging video without recording everything yourself.

 

Whether you want to tell a story, advertise your business, promote a product, create a social media advert or make a faceless video, several AI-powered tools can help you do it from your phone or computer.

The best part is that you don’t need to master complicated video-editing software before getting started.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to create an AI video from start to finish, including the best free tools to use for writing the story, generating visuals, creating voiceovers, adding music and editing the final video.

 

Important: AI tools frequently change their free plans, credits and features. Some of the tools mentioned below are free to use but may place limits on the number of generations, video length, resolution or exports.

What Can You Create With AI Video Generators?

AI video generation can be used for much more than social-media clips.

You can use it to create:

• Short films
• Storytelling videos
• Business advertisements
• Product advertisements
• Promotional videos
• YouTube videos
• TikTok videos
• Instagram Reels
• Animated stories
• Educational videos
• Faceless videos
• Real-estate adverts
• Restaurant promotions
• Fashion advertisements
• Event promotions
• Explainer videos

For example, a fashion business could provide a picture of a dress and use AI to create a promotional video around it.

A storyteller could provide a story idea and generate characters, scenes, narration and background music.

A small business owner could create an advert without hiring actors or renting a studio.

How to Generate an AI Video From Start to Finish

Creating a good AI video is easier when you break the process into several stages.

You don’t necessarily need one tool to do everything.

A simple workflow is:

Idea → Script → Images → Animation → Voiceover → Music → Editing → Final Video

Let’s look at each stage.

Step 1: Create Your Story or Advertisement Idea

Before opening an AI video generator, decide what you want your video to communicate.

For storytelling, think about:

• Who is the main character?
• What happens to them?
• What problem do they face?
• How does the story develop?
• How does it end?

For a business advertisement, think about:

• What are you selling?
• Who is the target customer?
• What problem does your product solve?
• Why should people buy it?
• What action should viewers take?

Best free tool for this step: ChatGPT

You can use ChatGPT to develop your story, advertisement concept, characters, dialogue and video script.

For example, you could enter:

“Write a 60-second emotional story about a young Nigerian woman who starts a small food business from her kitchen and eventually builds a successful restaurant. Divide the story into eight visual scenes and include narration for each scene.”

For an advertisement:

“Create a 30-second video advertisement for a Nigerian fashion brand selling affordable women’s dresses. Make it energetic, persuasive and suitable for Instagram Reels and TikTok. Divide it into six scenes with narration and on-screen text.”

The more information you provide, the easier it is to get a useful script.

Step 2: Turn the Script Into Scenes

Don’t ask an AI video generator to create an entire five-minute story in one prompt.

Instead, break your script into individual scenes.

For example, if you’re creating a story about a young entrepreneur:

Scene 1

A young woman sitting in a small room, thinking about starting a business.

Scene 2

She visits a local market to purchase supplies.

Scene 3

She begins making products from her home.

Scene 4

Her first customer places an order.

Scene 5

Orders begin increasing.

Scene 6

She moves into a larger shop.

Scene 7

Her business becomes successful.

Scene 8

She looks back at how far she has come.

Breaking the story into scenes gives you much more control over the final video.

Best free tool for planning scenes: ChatGPT

You can ask ChatGPT to convert your entire script into a scene-by-scene storyboard, including:

• Visual description
• Character description
• Camera angle
• Narration
• Dialogue
• On-screen text
• Background music suggestion

Step 3: Create the Images for Your Scenes

Once your scenes are ready, you need visuals.

You can either generate video directly from text or create still images first and animate them later.

Creating images first can be particularly useful for storytelling because you can establish the appearance of your characters before animating them.

Best free tool: Microsoft Designer / Image Creator

Microsoft’s image-generation tools can be used to create images from text descriptions.

For example:

“A young Nigerian woman in her late 20s sitting inside a modest Lagos apartment, looking thoughtfully at a notebook containing business plans, cinematic photography, realistic African features, warm natural lighting.”

Generate the character and environment you need.

Important tip: Keep characters consistent

One of the biggest problems with AI storytelling is that the same character may look different from scene to scene.

To reduce this problem, keep describing the character using similar details.

For example:

Character: 28-year-old Nigerian woman, dark skin, shoulder-length black braids, round face, wearing a yellow blouse and blue jeans.

Use the same description whenever that character appears.

Step 4: Turn Your Images Into Moving Videos

Now comes the exciting part.

You can take your still images and turn them into short video clips.

This is called image-to-video generation.

Instead of simply zooming into a photograph, AI can create movement such as:

• Walking
• Turning
• Smiling
• Looking around
• Camera movement
• Hair movement
• Clothing movement
• Environmental movement

Best free tool to try: Kling AI

Kling AI is designed for AI-generated video and image-to-video creation.

Upload your image and describe the movement you want.

For example:

“The woman slowly looks up from her notebook and smiles confidently. The camera gently moves closer to her. Natural movement, realistic facial expression and cinematic lighting.”

The AI then attempts to turn the still image into a moving clip.

Another option: Pika

Pika can also be used for creating short AI video clips from images and prompts.

The free allowance and available features can change, so check the current plan before generating large amounts of content.

Step 5: Create the Voiceover

A good voice can completely change the quality of a storytelling video or advertisement.

You can either record yourself or use an AI-generated voice.

For storytelling, you might want:

• A calm narrator
• An emotional voice
• A dramatic voice
• A children’s storytelling voice

For advertisements, you might prefer:

• Energetic
• Friendly
• Professional
• Persuasive

Best free tool: ElevenLabs

ElevenLabs offers AI voice generation that can turn written scripts into spoken audio.

Paste your narration, select a suitable voice and generate the audio.

You can then download the voiceover and add it to your video editor.

Always check the current free-plan terms, including usage limits and commercial-use rights, before using generated voices for paid business advertising.

Alternative: CapCut

CapCut also provides text-to-speech functionality, making it useful if you want to create the voiceover and edit the video within the same application.

Step 6: Add Background Music and Sound Effects

A video without sound can feel empty.

For a story, you might use:

• Emotional piano
• Suspense music
• Dramatic effects
• Rain sounds
• Footsteps
• City ambience

For an advertisement, you may prefer:

• Energetic background music
• Upbeat music
• Product sound effects
• Short transition sounds

Best free tool: CapCut

CapCut provides a large collection of editing features and audio resources that can be used to add music and sound effects.

You can also import your own audio.

When creating commercial advertisements, however, make sure the music or sound you use is properly licensed for commercial use.

Step 7: Put Everything Together

Now you have:

• Your script
• Your AI-generated images
• Your animated video clips
• Your narration
• Your background music

It’s time to combine everything.

Best free app: CapCut

CapCut is one of the easiest options for beginners because you can:

• Import your AI video clips
• Arrange scenes
• Add narration
• Add background music
• Add captions
• Add transitions
• Add text
• Adjust video speed
• Add effects
• Export the final video

You don’t need advanced editing knowledge to get started.

Step 8: Add Captions

Captions are particularly important for social-media videos because many people watch videos without sound.

Instead of putting an entire paragraph on screen, use short phrases.

For example:

“She had only ₦50,000.”

Then:

“But she had a plan.”

Then:

“That plan changed everything.”

For an advertisement:

“Looking for affordable dresses?”

Then:

“New arrivals now available.”

Then:

“Order today.”

Best free app: CapCut

CapCut’s automatic caption tools can help generate subtitles from your voiceover.

Always review the captions before publishing because AI-generated subtitles can make mistakes.

Step 9: Add Your Business Information

If you’re creating a business advertisement, don’t allow the AI visuals to become the entire advertisement.

Your audience needs to know what you’re selling and how to contact you.

Include:

Business name

Product/service

Price, if relevant

Phone number or social media handle

Location, if relevant

Website

Call to action

For example:

Zara’s Kitchen
Homemade cakes for every occasion
Order: 080XXXXXXXX
Instagram: @zarascakes
Place your order today.

Best free app: Canva

Canva can be useful for adding branded elements such as logos, colours, text and promotional graphics to your video.

Step 10: Choose the Correct Video Format

The format you choose depends on where you want to publish the video.

TikTok

9:16 vertical

Instagram Reels

9:16 vertical

YouTube Shorts

9:16 vertical

WhatsApp Status

9:16 vertical

YouTube standard video

16:9 landscape

Facebook

Both vertical and landscape formats can be useful depending on the placement.

If your primary goal is social-media advertising, 9:16 vertical is usually the easiest format to start with.

A Complete Free AI Video Workflow

If you’re wondering which tool to use at each stage, here’s a simple combination:

Stage	Recommended Tool	What It Does
Story/script	ChatGPT	Creates the story or advertisement script
Scene planning	ChatGPT	Breaks the script into scenes
Image generation	Microsoft Designer/Image Creator	Creates visual scenes
Image-to-video	Kling AI	Animates images
Alternative video generation	Pika	Creates short AI clips
Voiceover	ElevenLabs	Creates AI narration
Editing	CapCut	Combines everything
Captions	CapCut	Adds automatic subtitles
Branding	Canva	Adds logos, text and promotional elements

Important: “Free” does not always mean unlimited. Many AI platforms provide free credits or limited generations, and commercial-use rights may differ between free and paid plans.

How to Create an AI Storytelling Video

Let’s put everything together with a practical example.

Suppose you want to create a story called:

“The Girl Who Refused to Give Up”

Step 1: Create the story

Ask ChatGPT:

“Write a 60-second emotional story about a young Nigerian woman who fails several times while trying to start a business but eventually succeeds. Divide the story into eight scenes.”

Step 2: Create the characters

Generate an image of the main character.

Keep her appearance consistent throughout the story.

Step 3: Generate each scene

Create images showing the character:

1. Planning her business
2. Buying materials
3. Struggling to make sales
4. Feeling discouraged
5. Getting her first major customer
6. Expanding her business
7. Opening a shop
8. Celebrating her success

Step 4: Animate the scenes

Use an image-to-video AI tool to give each image movement.

Step 5: Generate narration

Use ElevenLabs or another text-to-speech tool to narrate the story.

Step 6: Edit

Import everything into CapCut.

Arrange the scenes according to the story.

Step 7: Add music

Choose background music that matches the emotional tone.

Step 8: Add captions

Make the narration readable without sound.

Step 9: Export

Export the video in 9:16 if you intend to publish it as a Reel, TikTok, Short or WhatsApp Status.

How to Create an AI Business Advertisement

AI video generation can also be useful for small businesses that cannot afford professional advertising.

For example, imagine you own a perfume business.

Instead of simply posting a product photograph, you could create a short advertisement.

Scene 1

A woman gets ready for an event.

Scene 2

She picks up your perfume.

Scene 3

She sprays the perfume.

Scene 4

She enters the event confidently.

Scene 5

Someone asks:

“What perfume are you wearing?”

Scene 6

Show the product.

Final screen

YOUR BRAND NAME

Long-lasting fragrance

Order now

080XXXXXXXX

This gives the audience a story instead of simply showing them a product.

AI Video Prompt for a Business Advertisement

You can use a prompt like this:

“Create a cinematic advertisement for a premium Nigerian perfume brand. Show a stylish young Nigerian woman preparing for an evening event in a modern apartment. She picks up an elegant perfume bottle, sprays it and smiles confidently. Cut to her arriving at an upscale event while people notice her. End with a close-up product shot of the perfume bottle. Luxury commercial style, realistic African setting, smooth camera movement, warm lighting, premium beauty advertisement, vertical 9:16.”

You can then generate individual scenes rather than expecting one AI generation to create the entire advertisement perfectly.

How to Make AI Videos Look More Realistic

AI videos can sometimes look artificial.

To improve your results:

Keep prompts specific

Tell the AI exactly what you want.

Use consistent characters

Don’t completely change your character description between scenes.

Keep movements simple

Simple movements often look more realistic than complicated actions.

Generate shorter clips

Creating several short scenes can give you more control than trying to generate a long video at once.

Check faces and hands

AI can still produce strange facial expressions, fingers or body movements.

Check text carefully

AI-generated text inside images and videos can contain spelling errors.

Add important text during editing instead.

Can You Create AI Videos Using a Phone?

Yes.

Many of the tools mentioned in this guide are browser-based or have mobile applications.

A basic smartphone workflow can be:

ChatGPT → Image generator → AI video generator → CapCut

You can write your script, generate your visuals, animate them and edit the final video without using a computer.

However, AI video generation can consume significant processing power or internet data, so a stable internet connection is recommended.

Can You Make AI Videos Without Showing Your Face?

Yes.

You can create a completely faceless video using:

• AI-generated characters
• AI-generated environments
• Stock footage
• Animated photographs
• AI voiceovers
• Captions
• Background music

This is particularly useful for storytelling channels, educational pages, product advertisements and businesses that don’t want employees or owners appearing on camera.

Can Businesses Use AI Videos for Advertising?

Yes, but businesses should pay attention to licensing.

Before using an AI-generated video in a paid advertisement, check:

• Whether the tool allows commercial use
• Whether the generated music is commercially licensed
• Whether stock footage has advertising rights
• Whether the AI-generated voice can be used commercially
• Whether logos or copyrighted characters were included
• Whether the platform places restrictions on free-plan content

A free AI tool may allow you to experiment with video creation without necessarily giving you unlimited commercial rights.

Always check the current terms of service before using AI-generated material in a commercial campaign.

Free AI Video Creation: What You Actually Need

You don’t need 20 different applications.

For a beginner, this simple setup can be enough:

• ChatGPT — idea and script
• AI image generator — characters and scenes
• Kling or Pika — animation
• ElevenLabs — voiceover
• CapCut — editing, captions and music
• Canva — branding and graphics

As you become more experienced, you can replace individual tools depending on the type of video you are creating.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best free AI video generator?

There is no single tool that is best for every purpose. Tools such as Kling, Pika, CapCut, Canva, Runway and InVideo serve different purposes, and their free features can change frequently.

Can I create an AI video for free?

Yes. Several platforms offer free plans, trials or free credits. However, free versions may limit video length, resolution, generations or commercial use.

Can AI create a video from a story?

Yes. You can write a story, divide it into scenes and use AI tools to generate images, animate the scenes, add narration and edit everything into a finished video.

Can AI create business advertisements?

Yes. AI can help create product demonstrations, promotional videos, social-media adverts and other marketing content.

Can I make AI videos without showing my face?

Yes. You can use AI-generated characters, images, stock footage, animation and AI voiceovers to create faceless videos.

Can I create AI videos on my phone?

Yes. Many AI and video-editing platforms can be accessed through a smartphone browser or mobile application.

Is AI video generation completely free?

Not always. Many platforms offer limited free credits rather than unlimited free generation. Always check the current pricing and usage terms.

Can I make money from AI videos?

AI videos can be part of a monetized content strategy, but simply generating AI videos does not guarantee income. The content should provide value and comply with the rules of the platform where it is published.

 

Final Thoughts

AI has dramatically lowered the barrier to video creation.

Today, someone with a smartphone, an internet connection and a good idea can create a story, animate characters, generate narration and produce a business advertisement without owning a professional camera.

The key is not to expect one AI tool to do everything perfectly.

A better approach is to build a simple workflow:

Create the idea → Write the script → Generate the visuals → Animate them → Add voice → Add music → Edit → Publish.

Start with a short 30-second video.

Once you understand the process, you can move on to longer stories, product advertisements, promotional videos and even complete AI-generated short films.