How to make AI videos people actually watch

1. 01

   Decide where it will be watched

   Phones mean vertical 9:16 and a hook in the first seconds. StreamingWars makes every short in that shape.

2. 02

   Write the idea in two sentences

   A person, a place and a problem. “A barista realises every customer today has ordered the same strange drink” is a whole short.

3. 03

   Pick a genre and a length

   Genre sets the camera's behaviour. Length sets how much story fits: 15 seconds for a gag, 60 for a twist, 2 minutes for an arc.

4. 04

   Plan the shots

   Read the storyboard. Make sure the first shot hooks, every shot moves the story and the last one lands.

5. 05

   Add references if the look matters

   Up to four images for a character, place or prop. Skip this for quick ideas.

6. 06

   Film it

   Press roll. Most shorts are ready in a minute or two.

7. 07

   Show it to real people

   Your short enters the arena and gets votes against similar shorts. Check its record and rating, then make the next one better.

• Opening on scenery. Start with a face or a movement.
• Too many characters. Viewers can't follow five strangers in 30 seconds.
• No turn. If nothing changes, nobody finishes it.
• Describing style instead of story. “Cinematic, 4K, moody” is not an idea.
• Never checking the result. Votes tell you what worked.

Pick by what you need at the end. If you want raw clips to edit yourself, a general video model is fine. If you want finished vertical shorts and an audience to judge them, StreamingWars does the planning, filming and showing in one place. Our comparison of AI video tools in 2026 lays out the trade-offs.