AI is Transforming Video Production—Are You Using It the Right Way?

Artificial intelligence (AI) has undeniably transformed video production, offering tools that streamline processes and enhance creativity. But like any tool, AI is only as effective as the person wielding it. Used wisely, it can streamline workflows and unlock new creative possibilities. Used poorly, it can produce lifeless, generic content—or worse, land you in hot water with copyright lawyers. So, with that in mind, let’s talk about the right—and wrong—ways to use AI for video.

At Matter, we integrate AI into our video production process in specific, strategic ways. It’s an assistant, not the director. We use AI in pre-production for pre-visualizations and mood board inspiration to align with clients on creative vision. We use it to sift through mountains of interview transcripts, identifying key themes and structuring compelling narratives for short-form content. In post-production, AI helps us speed up time-consuming, repetitive tasks such as color matching, audio repair and cleanup, generating captions/subtitles and resizing exports for various platforms.

Do’s: Using AI in Video Production

DO Enhance Efficiency with Automation

AI excels at handling repetitive tasks, allowing our creative teams to focus on more strategic aspects:

Pre-Production: We like to use AI for pre-visualizations and mood board creation to help us align with clients on their vision for the video. AI is also great for organizing the most relevant stock footage examples and weeding out the junk.

Post-Production: Our NLE editor of choice, Adobe Premiere Pro, has robust built-in AI features for expediting and improving color correction, audio cleanup, subtitling, and auto-resizing videos for different screen formats. This helps us ensure consistency and quality across all deliverables.

• Social Content: So many of us are accustomed to reading along when viewing video content on social. Take advantage of AI tools to help generate captions quickly so you can focus on getting your content in front of your audience in a timely manner. Just don’t forget to do proofreading pass for quality control.

DO Organize and Synthesize Content with AI Assistance

Managing extensive footage and whittling down dozens of pages of interview transcripts into a compelling :90-second video can be daunting. For us, AI aids in:

Structuring Messaging Cuts: A “Messaging Cut” is an early edit of an interview-based video that only includes the talk-track without the final polish of B-Roll, effects, and sound design. By analyzing hours of interviews, AI helps separate the signal from the noise, suggesting potential story structures for the Messaging Cut that get our creative juices flowing. This helps us arrive at a cohesive, compelling narrative for concise videos faster than before.

DO Maintain Brand Voice and Authenticity

While AI offers numerous tools, human oversight ensures that the content resonates — this is crucial whether we’re talking about longer form high production projects or quick hit social posts:

Customization: We tailor AI tools to reflect our brand’s tone and storytelling style, preserving the unique voice that our audience expects.

Quality Control: Human review is integral to validate AI-assisted edits, ensuring they meet our standards and authentically convey our message.

Don’ts: What to Avoid when Using AI in Video Production

DON’T Over-Automate and Lose the Human Touch

Relying solely on AI can result in content that feels impersonal and “off” if not checked carefully by a human:

Creativity and Storytelling: AI lacks the nuanced understanding of human emotions and narratives. We avoid using it for final scriptwriting or making creative decisions that require a human touch.

Generic Output: AI-generated visuals often fall into the uncanny valley where something doesn’t look quite right, but it’s tough to put a finger on what. (Sometimes, it is the finger; AI notoriously has difficulty faithfully recreating hands!) They also simply lack the soul and originality of human creation, which is why we rely on them in pre-production rather than final delivery.

DON’T Neglect Ethical and Legal Considerations

As we know, misusing AI can lead to massive ethical dilemmas and legal challenges:

Deepfakes and Synthetic Media: We steer clear of AI-generated visuals that could mislead or deceive our client’s audiences. We take our clients’ brand credibility seriously.

Copyright Concerns: AI-generated content might inadvertently incorporate copyrighted materials, opening us and our clients up to potential infringements. That’s why, for the time being, we’ll stick with the verifiable license agreements that come with traditional stock footage.

DON’T Rely Solely on AI-Generated Content

While AI can produce content, it often lacks the depth and authenticity of human-created material. It can be particularly tempting to rely heavily on AI tools to consistently get content out at a quick pace like on social media:

Visuals and Footage: We prefer original, high-quality footage over AI-generated stock, ensuring our content remains genuine and engaging.

Quality Limitations: AI-generated videos can exhibit unnatural or unpolished elements, affecting the overall viewing experience.

Final Thoughts

Incorporating AI into video production offers remarkable benefits, but it’s crucial to balance technological advantages with human creativity and ethical considerations. Want to learn how your brand can start strategically using AI to enhance your video marketing efforts? Drop us a line below or on our Video Production page.