Build a longer video from short AI-generated clips

Define the opening, the change and the ending in plain language. For an explainer, identify what the audience should understand; for a product story, identify the one claim the visuals must support.

Then write a shot list. Each entry should state what appears, what happens and how it connects to the next shot. You can use still images, titles or existing permitted footage where generation would add no value.

An illustrative minute made entirely from five-second segments needs twelve segments before allowing for overlaps, unusable frames or pauses. This is arithmetic for planning, not a promise that every model or shot should use that duration.

Keep a reference sheet for recurring characters, clothing, products and locations. Record framing, light direction and the point where a movement ends. Matching the end of one shot to the beginning of another matters more than making every clip visually elaborate.

Use a compatible model and choose its supported settings. Ask for the action required by the shot list rather than trying to describe the whole film in every prompt.

Review the full output and keep enough material around the intended cut when possible. If a transition needs exact timing, create it in the editor rather than assuming the model will place a cut at a precise frame.

• Name files by scene and shot.
• Keep the source images and prompts beside accepted outputs.
• Track rejected attempts when reviewing the project budget.

Make a rough edit before polishing every generated clip. Add narration, useful ambient sound and readable captions where they serve the story. Check that transitions do not change the character, direction or time of day unintentionally.

Watch the complete film at normal speed and on its intended screen size. A collection of individually attractive clips can still feel incoherent; remove shots that do not advance the idea.