AI Text to Video Generator
AI text to video turns a written description into a clip with no images needed
What is text to video?
AI text to video turns a written description into a clip with no images needed: describe the subject, the action, how the camera moves and the mood, pick a video model, and get a 1 to 15 second clip depending on the model.
Checked 2026-11-02
Who it's for
- +You have an idea for a shot but no images to start from.
- +You want to try several directions quickly and keep the one worth refining.
- +Establishing shots, mood shots and scenes where no character has to look a specific way.
- +You're blocking out a storyboard and want a rough 480P version of each shot before spending on images or high resolution.
- +You want the scene to be heard as well as seen: Seedance 2.0, Veo 3.1 Fast and Wan 3.0 generate sound along with the picture.
When not to use it
- −A character must match an existing image — add that image as a reference in the AI video generator. Create Video with AI →
- −The framing must match an image you already have — use image to video with it as the first frame. AI Image to Video Generator →
How to turn a prompt into a video
- 01
Write one shot
Subject + action + camera move + mood. One beat per clip; don't cram a plot into a few seconds.
- 02
Pick a model and length
For sound choose Seedance 2.0, Veo 3.1 Fast or Wan 3.0; for 2K choose MiniMax H3; draft cheaply at 480P first. The AI video models page compares lengths and resolutions.
- 03
Rerun the keeper in HD
Rerun the version you like at a higher resolution; the Generate button shows the cost.
Tips for better text to video results
Write subject, action, camera, mood
Put all four in one sentence, in that order: a golden retriever chases waves at dusk, low tracking shot, warm backlight. Give the clip one continuous action; several unrelated actions in a few seconds come out rushed or skipped, and every gap you leave is filled with the model's own guess.
Name the sound, or mute it
Seedance 2.0, Veo 3.1 Fast and Wan 3.0 generate sound by default. Say what you want to hear, such as forest ambience, no music, no dialogue; left unsaid, the model may add music you didn't ask for. If you'll lay your own track, switch the generator to Muted. MiniMax H3 is always silent.
Don't count on the same character twice
Each run invents the character from your words, so a character in one clip won't look the same in the next. In our first full test, clips made from words alone drifted from the character design. For a recurring character, draw it once with the character turnaround sheet generator and switch to reference to video.
Fix the framing with a still
If the composition keeps coming out wrong, stop rewording the prompt. Generate the opening frame with the image generator AI, where a rerun costs far less than a video, then animate it with image to video; the prompt then only has to describe the motion.
Draft at 480P, rerun the keeper
480P is the cheapest resolution: test the motion on Seedance 2.0 Mini (the default) or MiniMax H3 Lite, then rerun the same prompt on Seedance 2.0 at 1080P or MiniMax H3 at 2K. The rerun is a new take, so details will differ; to keep a draft exactly as it is, run it through the AI video upscaler instead.
Text to video vs. similar tools
| Tool | You give | You get | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Text to video (this page) | Words only | A clip where the model invents the whole picture | Ideas with no images yet: establishing shots, mood shots, quick tests of a direction |
| Image to video | One image as the first frame, plus the motion | A clip that opens on your exact image | Animating a picture whose framing and subject are already right |
| Reference to video | Up to 9 reference images (characters, props, settings), each labeled in the prompt | A new shot with those characters and objects in it | Keeping a character on-model across many clips |
| First and last frame video | Two images, opening and ending, plus what happens between | A clip that starts on one image and lands on the other | Transitions, transformations and before-and-after shots where both ends are fixed |
| AI video generator | A prompt, plus any images, video or audio you add | A 1–15 second clip; the input mode is picked from what you add | Starting anywhere: one box for every input mode and every video model |
Models behind text to video
Make 4–15 second videos with sound from text, a first frame or up to 9 reference images with ByteDance's Seedance 2.0 — Mini, Fast and 2.0 compared.
Generate an 8-second 720p clip with optional sound using Google's Veo 3.1 Fast, from text or from a first and last frame. One fixed price per clip.
Use MiniMax H3, the Hailuo video model, for 2K clips with reference images and videos, or H3 Lite for the cheapest silent drafts from 1 second.
Use Alibaba's Wan 3.0 for 2–15 second videos with sound from text, a first frame or reference images, or to replace the person in a video.
Text to video FAQ
What's the difference between text to video and image to video?
Text to video works from words alone, so the model invents the whole picture; image to video starts from a first frame you provide, so framing and subject are far more controllable.
How long can a clip be?
It depends on the model: Seedance 2.0 runs 4–15 seconds, Wan 3.0 2–15, MiniMax H3 5–15 and H3 Lite 1–15, and Veo 3.1 Fast is fixed at 8.
Do failed generations cost credits?
No. Failed, rejected or cancelled generations are refunded automatically.
Which models work from a prompt alone?
All of the video models in the generator: Seedance 2.0 (Mini, Fast and the full model), Veo 3.1 Fast, MiniMax H3 and H3 Lite, and Wan 3.0 (Standard and Prime). The default is Seedance 2.0 Mini, which is meant for cheap drafts.
Is it free to try?
Yes. The Free plan includes monthly credits, and the Generate button shows the exact cost before you confirm; a short 480P draft is the cheapest start. Failed or rejected generations are refunded automatically; plans and credit packs are on the pricing page.
Does the video come with sound?
It can. Seedance 2.0, Veo 3.1 Fast and Wan 3.0 generate sound with the picture and have it on by default; describe what you want to hear, or switch to Muted. MiniMax H3 and H3 Lite are silent.
Why doesn't my character look the same in every clip?
Because each run invents the character from words. To hold a look, give the model pictures: one image as the opening frame with image to video, or several angles of the character as references with reference to video.
What aspect ratio and resolution do I get?
16:9 by default, or 9:16, 1:1, 4:3 and 3:4. Resolution depends on the model: up to 1080P on Seedance 2.0 and Wan 3.0, 720P on Veo 3.1 Fast, 768P or 2K on MiniMax H3, and 480P or 768P on H3 Lite.
How do I make a video longer than 15 seconds?
Generate it as several shots and join them. Describe the end of one clip as the start of the next, or end a clip on an image and start the next from that same image with first and last frame video. For a whole multi-shot film, the canvas at the bottom of this page generates it clip by clip.
Tools to pair with text to video
Image Generator AI →
Lock the look as a still first: an image fixes the framing that words keep changing, then you animate it.
AI Character Turnaround Sheet Generator →
Need the same character in every clip? Design a front, side and back sheet once and use it as a reference instead of describing the character.
AI Video Upscaler →
Keep a 480P draft exactly as it is and lift it to 1080P, 2K or 4K without generating a new take.
AI Video Models →
See which models generate sound, which one renders 2K and how long each model's clips can be.
Other creation tools
Wire script, character, shot and voice nodes into one pipeline and generate it clip by clip, with the same character in every clip.