Field Notes / 2026-10-12
AI Video Production Workflow Explained
OnePointFive runs AI video production as a structured process, not a single tool click. Clients usually want to know where humans are still involved and where automation does the work. This post walks through the stages in order.
Input Collection
Every project starts with source material. This can be raw footage, product photos, brand guidelines, or a script. We also collect reference videos that show tone and pacing the client likes. Some projects start with nothing but a voice memo describing the idea. The input stage determines how much generation versus editing will happen later.
Script and Storyboard Pass
Once input is gathered, we draft a script or shot list. For AI-generated video, this step is stricter than traditional production. Each line of script maps to a specific visual prompt or asset. A 30-second spot might need 8 to 12 distinct prompt segments. This keeps the pacing tight and avoids filler shots that AI tools tend to generate when prompts are vague.
Generation and Asset Creation
This is where AI tools produce raw visual or audio material. The approach depends on the goal: some projects call for realistic scenes, others for stylized motion graphics or product visualization. Generation rarely happens once. A single 10-second clip might go through 4 or 5 regenerations before it matches the script's intent and the brand's visual standard.
Human Review and Selection
Generated output is reviewed closely. An editor flags anything with visual drift, unnatural motion, or inconsistent lighting between clips. Two outputs from the same prompt can differ in quality. Human review is what prevents an inconsistent final cut from reaching a client.
Editing and Assembly
Approved clips move into a standard non-linear editing timeline. This part of the workflow looks like traditional post-production. Color correction, audio mixing, and pacing adjustments happen here. AI-generated segments are blended with any live footage when a project includes both.
Client Review Rounds
We send a draft cut for feedback. Revision requests at this stage are usually about pacing or messaging, not regeneration of visuals. Regenerating visuals late in the process adds time, because it loops back to the generation stage rather than staying in editing.
Final Export and Delivery
The last stage produces exports formatted for the intended platform. A vertical cut for social feeds differs from a horizontal cut for a website or screen at an event. Export specs are set early in the project, during the script and storyboard pass, so the editing team doesn't have to reformat everything at the end.
What Changes the Timeline
Several factors push a project toward a longer or shorter timeline. A script that depends on realistic generated people usually takes longer than one built from product shots and motion graphics. Projects that mix AI generation with live-shot footage need extra coordination between the shoot and the generation work. Revision rounds that require new generation, rather than just re-editing, add the most time. Clients who approve input material and scripts quickly tend to see faster turnarounds overall. These factors also affect cost, since regeneration and extra coordination both add working hours.
Where This Workflow Applies
This process applies across formats: social ads, product explainers, event recap videos, and brand films. Our AI Video Production in NYC page covers hybrid projects that shoot the core live and extend it with AI into new formats and variations.
Clients include Moët Hennessy USA and TAO Group.
If you're scoping a project, reach out and we'll walk through the workflow against your specific material before anything gets scheduled. You can also see examples of finished work in our portfolio.