Open Source Video Platform for Creators
New Kling AI Rival?
Over the last year, we've seen many AI videos. The generators have become accurate and realistic, but you will agree that they are often just gimmicky.
Today, I propose to understand and solve this problem. We’ll learn the rules of generating quality content (suitable for marketing, business, and blogging), discuss a benchmark example, and figure out how to create reels in a step-by-step tutorial.
In the process, we'll rely on just one tool, SkyReels.
And below I'll explain why using just one AI rather than a set is better.
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Quick Overview
SkyReels is a tool for converting prompts and images into full-length videos. It was designed for content creators, educators, marketers, and advertisers who want to automate short video creation using AI-assisted tools.
To make it short, you enter your concept, and the platform generates a video with coherent visuals and audio. Now, it supports two modes: “AI Video” (ideas into videos) and “AI Drama” (from script to screen). But that's not all.
Beyond video generation, the platform has a suite of editing features. You can create images or add voiceovers, lip-sync animations, sound effects, and background music to your video. SkyReels simplifies the post-production process to fine-tune different aspects within the platform.
This is the first reason we suggest using this tool.
You don’t need to look for a third-party solution, generate a soundtrack with it, and summarize the finished clip in a video editor.
In addition, unlike Sora and others, SkyRees focuses on more human-centric videos. And it’s more practical. The developers paid special attention to the quality of facial animations and body physics, so creating videos with people is notably easier.
This approach was made possible because the system centers on two open-source models: SkyReels-V1 and SkyReels-A1.
SkyReels-V1 is a video foundation model supporting durations of up to 180 seconds. It incorporates 33 predefined facial expressions and over 400 motion templates.
SkyReels-A1 focuses on portrait animation. It employs video diffusion transformers to replicate facial and body movements while maintaining proportional accuracy.
And this is the second reason. Creating compelling content without utilizing people is quite difficult. It's rather impossible if you want to do it all the time.
Pricing
SkyReels offers a variety of plans that vary depending on the user's requests.
The platform has a completely free plan. New users get 50 credits daily (first 3 days). It supports up to 3 tasks in a queue and has a shared task channel. In addition, the free version allows several re-generations if you want to see more options.
The paid plans start at $7.9/mo. The basic provides 1000 credits and allows you to generate about 40 videos, 1000 images, 400 songs, or 60 minutes of voice audio. It supports up to 5 queued tasks and provides watermark-free outputs with priority access to new features.
Currently, SkyReels also has extended VIP features for all plans: image upscaling, longer videos, and professional mode.
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Benchmark Example
A few weeks ago, creator Heydin AI showed that SkyReels can be used as a basis for creating professional ads. He chose the Chanel brand as an example and used the I2V (Image-to-Video) method.
In the short video, several girls show off the new lipstick in dark lighting. The video changes quickly, showing different models, and the brand logo, and then ends with the presentation of the new product. The action is accompanied by rhythmic music.
And while it's a fairly short clip (it's only 39 seconds long), it does a good job of showing the AI model capabilites. I could say I would never have guessed that this video was generated. But instead, let's take the video apart and try to learn a couple of useful lessons.
Here are the ones that grabbed my attention:
Photorealism: Almost all video consists of close-ups. This forces the model to work in sweat to generate realistic skin texture.
Complex lighting: One of the main things that causes the uncanny valley effect is the distribution of shadows on the skin. But in this case, it's great.
Camera mounting and movements: The video contains a lot of angles, camera overlaps, and jagged editing. This is another factor that makes you think that it was created manually.
Synchronized video sequence and soundtrack: The final touch is a skillful combination of sound and video. A rather aggressive beat complements the dark red visuals, which makes the video look more professional.
So, let's agree that if we saw this commercial on TV or on a billboard, we wouldn't think it was AI. But it is. And it's actually easier than it looks.
All we have to do is to use the right prompts. Here's what I created in less than a minute, using just one short (and far from perfect) query.
And here’s the prompt:
A young man dashes through a neon-soaked cyberpunk metropolis. Digital billboards flicker with futuristic code and holograms rendered in a realistic cinematic action style, nodding to Blade Runner.But that's only a fraction of all the possibilities.
Tutorial | How to Create Cinema-Grade Clips
Since we've decided to focus on creating actionable content, it's important for us to understand every aspect. What follows is a step-by-step tutorial on how we’ll proceed.
Step 1. Preparation
The foundation of any great video lies in smart preparation.
SkyReels offers a variety of options to customize your project from the start, ensuring it fits your vision.
Aspect Ratio: Choose 16:9 for a widescreen look—great for YouTube, websites, or presentations—or 9:16 for vertical videos that shine on TikTok, Instagram, or Snapchat. Your choice depends on where your audience hangs out most.
Duration: Pick 5 seconds for snappy ads or social media teasers that grab attention fast, or 10 seconds for narratives or tutorials with a bit more breathing room. Short and sweet is the name of the game!
Mode: Opt for Auto mode for quick, no-fuss video generation—perfect for beginners or experimentation. Upgrade to Stable mode (available with a Standard subscription) for enhanced consistency and control, ideal for professional-grade projects.
AI Video vs. AI Drama: Stick with the AI Video feature for most projects, but if you’re dreaming of a multi-scene masterpiece, explore AI Drama.
Pro Tip: Not sure where to start? Test Auto mode with a 5-second, 9:16 clip to get comfortable, then scale up as your confidence grows.
Once you’ve locked in your format, it’s time to bring your content to life.
Step 2. Prompts for Your Video
Great videos start with great prompts.
For complex or multi-clip projects, a single prompt won’t cut it—you’ll need a series of well-crafted hints. SkyReels uses the structure “Main Subject + Motion + Scene + Environmental Details + Artistic Style/Medium” to guide the AI.
Let’s level it up with some creativity and precision.
Be Specific: Vague prompts get vague results. Swap “a dog running” for “a playful dog running through a sunny park.”
Paint the Picture: Add sensory details to make it vivid. Think “a playful dog running through a sunny park, with colorful flowers blooming around it, the bright sun casting warm light.”
Style It Up: Define the vibe with an artistic twist, like “The scene is captured in a vibrant, cinematic style with smooth tracking shots and vivid colors.”
Here is an example of a correctly composed prompt:
“A playful dog (main subject) running (motion) through a sunny park (scene), with colorful flowers blooming around it, the bright sun casting warm light. (environmental details) The scene is captured in a vibrant, cinematic style with smooth tracking shots and vivid colors. (artistic style)”Here's the video you can get with the prompt above. Looks cool, right?
Tip: Use ChatGPT to brainstorm prompts. Feed it the structure and your video’s theme, then tweak the results to perfection.
Here's the one I used (you can edit your prompt further):
Create five prompts to generate videos using SkyReels. It should be for a short promotional video dedicated to a newsletter about AI tools for creators and entrepreneurs.
The layout of the prompts is as follows:
“Main Subject + Motion + Scene + Environmental Details + Artistic Style/Medium”Creators’ AI could be a valuable gift for your friend, colleague, or family member. Gifting books is bright, but giving an AI newsletter is a superb move 😎
Step 3. Video Creation
Now it’s time to bring your prompts to life with SkyReels’ Storyboard mode, the key to smooth, consistent clips.
How It Works: Enter your first prompt, tweak your settings (aspect ratio, duration, mode), hit “Create”, and watch the magic happen. For the next clip, click “Add a new video”, and SkyReels will use the last frame of the previous clip as the starting point for continuity.
Build Your Story: Repeat this process, prompt by prompt, until your full video takes shape. It’s like assembling a puzzle where each piece fits perfectly.
Stay Flexible: If a clip doesn’t vibe with your vision, regenerate it with a slightly adjusted prompt—small changes can yield big improvements.
Pro Tip: If your prompt is too large, Skyreels will suggest breaking it up into several smaller sections. It will make the transitions smoother.
Step 4. Adding Audio
A video without sound is like a cake without frosting—let’s make it delicious with SkyReels’ audio tools.
Voiceover: Write a short, punchy script, then use the text-to-speech tool to turn it into a natural-sounding voice. Play with pacing and tone for that human touch.
Lip Sync: Got characters? Apply the lip sync tool to match their mouth movements to the voiceover. It’s a must for human-centric scenes.
Sound Effects: Use the AI Sound Effects tool to add flair without worrying about licenses. Describe exactly what you want, like “the clatter of a keyboard in a quiet office” or “a soft whoosh of holographic screens activating.”
Music: The Music Generator crafts custom tracks to match your vibe. Enter up to 200 characters, like “an upbeat electronic beat with a futuristic synth melody” for the video, or upload a reference track to nail the mood.
You can also upload reference music so that the model can better understand the result you want to achieve.
Step 5. Editing and Finalizing
The finish line is in sight. Editing tools let you polish your video into a shareable gem.
Combine Everything: Merge your video clips, voiceover, lip sync, sound effects, and music. Use trimming and splitting to tighten the timing, cropping to focus the frame, and rotating if the orientation needs a tweak.
Polish the Flow: Add simple transitions (like fades) between clips for smoothness, and compress the file if it’s headed to a platform with size limits.
Final Check: Watch it start to finish. Does it hook you in the first 2 seconds? Does the message land? Tweak as needed—perfection is worth it.
Then, just export for sharing or storage.
If at any stage, you are having difficulties. You can use the SkyReels wiki to help you through the video creation process.
Tables for Clarity
And to make it a little easier for you to digest all the steps in creating a video, below is a summary of key features, tools, and steps:
As for running it locally, this approach is more demanding on technical skills. However, in my opinion, even the least trained users can handle it.
Here is a link to an easy to understand guide.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, creating videos with SkyReels simplifies the process of transforming ideas into visual narratives. The platform offers a clear pathway from initial planning to final export. This is what separates gimmicks from truly useful tools.
Leveraging its AI features can elevate video production while meeting the high standards of the digital landscape. And I encourage you to embrace SkyReels as an asset in your toolkit and explore its potential to enhance your content delivery.
Other than that, I really enjoyed this tool.
Such platforms give you the opportunity to dive into even an unfamiliar topic, but create something of real quality. And that's a great feeling.
Let SkyReels bring your story to life.