There are a lot of options out there for free AI video generation, and they come with their own set of factors to consider. We’ll be talking about open-source tools, combining multiple AI tools to get the best results, web apps that are free to use, and even platforms that offer free tiers that refresh every day.
So, keep watching, and I’ll show you exactly how to create your own AI-powered videos step-by-step. Let’s get started!
Replicate AI is an innovative platform that allows users to run open-source machine learning models in the cloud with ease.
One of the most impressive models on Replicate is Live Portrait, which animates still images using a driving video—a video clip that guides the animation by mapping facial movements onto a static image. Here’s how it works:
To animate an image using Replicate AI, you begin by uploading a face image of your choice. Once the image is selected, you then choose a driving video, which serves as the motion reference for the animation. Replicate provides a library of pre-recorded motion clips, but users can also upload their own custom videos for a more personalized result. After selecting the driving video, running the model is as simple as clicking a button. The AI processes the image and generates an animated video in approximately 20 to 30 seconds. Once completed, the final output is a smooth, realistic animation that can be downloaded and used for various purposes, including avatars, storytelling, or other creative projects.
Replicate AI is extremely user-friendly, offering free credits to new users and low-cost cloud-based processing for continued use. For those who prefer offline use, models can also be downloaded and run locally—though this requires at least 16 gigabytes of RAM for smooth performance.
GPT+Runway
Now walk through how to create lifelike, cinematic videos using the combined power of ChatGPT for crafting detailed video prompts and Runway for generating the video itself.
The first step is to define the concept of your video. For this tutorial, let’s say we want to create a cinematic video of a woman walking through a foggy forest at dusk, with atmospheric elements like glowing fireflies and moving camera shots.
We’ll break this concept down into the following key elements:
Next, we’ll need to write a detailed prompt for ChatGPT. In this case, our prompt should include all the elements. Here’s an example prompt we might input:
“Create a cinematic scene of a woman walking through a foggy forest at dusk. The fog should be thick, and glowing fireflies hover around her. The scene should have a mysterious, dream-like atmosphere. The woman is dressed in a flowing white dress, with long dark hair. The camera should follow her as she walks, panning slightly to capture both her and the ethereal background. The lighting is low, with the soft glow of the fireflies providing subtle illumination. The forest should be dense with trees, and there is an overall sense of calm and mystery. The camera should have a shallow depth of field, focusing on the woman while gently blurring the background.”
Once you’ve input your prompt into ChatGPT, you may need to refine it. ChatGPT can suggest additional details to enhance your cinematic vision. For instance, you might ask it for suggestions on how to improve the lighting or the camera movements.
ChatGPT might respond with:
“To enhance the dream-like atmosphere, you could add a slight camera sway as the character walks, almost as if the camera is floating. The lighting could be softer, with the fireflies casting faint glows that create a warm, golden hue against the cool blue of the twilight sky.”
With this feedback, your final prompt becomes even more refined. You may decide to integrate these suggestions into the next version of your prompt.
Once you have your refined, detailed prompt, you can input it into Runway to generate your video. Runway will process the text and generate a visual representation based on the instructions provided. Here’s how:
Open Runway and go to the Text to Video section. Paste your refined prompt into the text input box. Adjust any settings if needed, such as video length, resolution, etc. Click Generate and let Runway create your video. After the video is generated, watch it and see how well the footage matches your vision.
And then we have Fiki, a tool that transforms plain text into full-fledged videos. Its standout feature? AI voiceovers. With over 2,000 AI voices available in 80+ languages, it’s an excellent choice for those who prefer not to record their own voice but still want high-quality narration. Let’s explore what makes Fliki a great option.
Fliki simplifies video production by automatically pairing visuals with your script. This is particularly beneficial for those with little to no video editing experience. Instead of manually sourcing clips or designing animations, the AI selects everything for you, streamlining the process and saving time.
With access to a vast collection of millions of images, video clips, and music tracks, Fliki makes it easy to create visually appealing content. Whether you need a professional background, an engaging scene, or the perfect soundtrack, its built-in media library eliminates the hassle of searching for stock footage elsewhere.
Fliki offers pre-designed templates tailored for various types of content, such as product demos, social media stories, and educational videos. These templates help speed up production while ensuring a polished, professional look—no design skills required.
One of Fliki’s biggest advantages is its vast selection of AI-generated voices. With over 2,000 options in 80+ languages, users can experiment with different tones and styles to achieve the perfect narration. This feature is especially useful for multilingual content creators or those looking to refine their voiceover before finalizing the video.
Despite its strengths, Fliki isn’t without drawbacks. The most notable limitation is its 15,000-character cap for text input, which may require breaking longer scripts into multiple sections. Additionally, while its AI voices are superior to many text-to-speech options, they sometimes lack the emotional depth of a real human narrator.
Fliki is a powerful tool for effortless video creation, especially for those looking for AI-generated narration and automated editing. However, users working on longer projects or requiring deeply expressive voiceovers might find its limitations worth considering.
Microsoft Designer + Haiper.AI
Another way is to combine Microsoft Designer with Haiper AI. To start, visit the Microsoft Designer website, and enter a descriptive prompt for the type of image you want to create. For example, if you want a futuristic city scene, you could use a prompt like “A futuristic city with flying cars and neon lights at night.” After entering the prompt, Microsoft Designer will generate several image variations based on your description. Browse through the generated images and select the one that best fits your vision for the animation. Once you’ve made your selection, simply download the image to your computer.
Next, upload this image to Haiper.ai, a platform designed to animate static images. After logging into Haiper.ai, click the option to upload your image, and select the file you downloaded from Microsoft Designer. You’ll be prompted to input the same description you used in Microsoft Designer. Once you hit the “Generate” button, Haiper.ai will transform the image into a short animated video. You may have the option to adjust certain aspects of the animation, such as motion speed or style, depending on the platform’s features.
Once the animation is generated, take a moment to preview it and ensure it aligns with your creative vision. If necessary, Haiper.ai allows for some edits, giving you the ability to fine-tune elements like the speed of transitions or even add special effects. You can also add background music or sound effects to further enhance the video. After finalizing the animation, you can download the animated video to your computer.
Krea
While the primary focus of Krea AI seems to be image generation, it does offer video creation capabilities.
Once you’re logged in, navigate to the “Create” tab at the top of your dashboard and select “Video Generation” to open the video creation interface. Here, you can enter your text-based prompts, select models, and generate videos.
To craft your video, start by entering a detailed prompt that describes the scene you want to create. For example, you might describe “A serene landscape with a waterfall and birds flying at sunrise” or “A futuristic city with neon lights and flying cars at night.” The more descriptive you are, the better the AI can understand the scene’s mood, setting, and elements. After entering your prompt, choose the model that fits your needs. Krea AI offers several models, such as Flux 1.1 Pro for high-quality, realistic videos, Flux Basic for simpler, faster outputs, and Ideogram 2.0 for more creative and artistic results. You can also adjust settings like the Realism Slider, which controls how realistic the video looks, and the Strength Slider, which determines how closely the video follows your prompt.
Once your prompt and settings are in place, click “Generate” to begin the video creation process. Krea AI will process the input and generate a video, which may take anywhere from a few seconds to a couple of minutes. When it’s ready, you can preview the video directly in the interface. If the video doesn’t meet your expectations, you can adjust your prompt or settings and regenerate the video.
Krea AI also provides tools for fine-tuning your video. After generation, you can adjust brightness, contrast, frame speed, or even add or remove elements like birds or backgrounds by tweaking your prompt. Additionally, you can modify the soundtrack by adjusting volume levels, switching background tracks, or muting the audio if you plan to add your own later.
When you’re satisfied with your video, you can either download it or share it directly. Clicking the Download button allows you to save the video in MP4 format, while the sharing options let you send the video to platforms like Instagram, YouTube, or TikTok.