Clients often ask how long an AI ad takes. For a short social ad, I can go from brief to final file in one day. Here is the exact workflow I follow.
1. Brief (30 minutes)
I start with three questions: who is it for, where will it be posted, and what should people do after watching? I also collect product photos, brand colours and two or three references the client likes.
2. Idea and script (1 hour)
I write one simple idea and a short script, shot by shot. A 15 second ad is usually four to six shots. Each shot gets one job: hook, product, benefit, end frame.
3. Key visuals (2 hours)
I generate the main images first, because images are faster and cheaper to test than video. I lock the look here: light, colours and style. These frames become the starting point for each video shot.
Style sheet: soft warm light from the left, beige and white tones with one green accent, 50mm lens, calm premium mood, no text.4. Animate (2 to 3 hours)
I turn the best frames into video shots, one at a time. I keep the same style sheet in every prompt, so the shots match. I usually make three to five versions of each shot and pick the best one.
5. Edit, sound and deliver (1 to 2 hours)
- Cut the shots to the music or voiceover.
- Add a voiceover with an AI voice tool, or the client’s own.
- Add captions and the logo at the end.
- Export in 9:16, 4:5 and 16:9.
What makes it work
The speed comes from the order. Decide the look with images first, then animate. Most wasted time comes from trying to fix the look inside a video model.
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