AI Video Generation: Complete Guide to Models & Modes

AI video generation creates a finished clip from a text prompt or photo without a camera or actors. Leading models offer selectable resolutions and durations, optional sound, motion transfer, and multi-scene workflows. On Clipia.ai, the current estimate is shown before generation.

AI Video in 2026: A Production Tool, Not an Experiment

AI video generation has moved beyond the lab. Commercial spots in an hour instead of a week. Character animation without actors or studios. Storyboard visualization before the first day of shooting. Brands are cutting production budgets 5-10x. Content creators are closing monthly plans in a day.

In 2026, AI video generators deliver up to 2K resolution, create native audio, sync lips in 8 languages, transfer motion from video references, and shoot multi-camera stories across multiple scenes. The question is no longer "does it work" but which model to choose for your specific task.

This guide covers 10 models, each with a video demo, prompt, and price. Copy the prompts, watch the results, pick your model.

How Does AI Video Generation Work? The 5 Modes

Text-to-Video (T2V)

Describe a scene in text — the AI creates a video from scratch. The most universal mode. Great for ad concepts, idea visualization, background videos, social media content.

Image-to-Video (I2V)

Upload a photo, describe the motion — the model animates it. A portrait starts blinking. A landscape comes alive with waves. A product rotates on a table. Great for portrait animation, product marketing, landing pages.

Motion Control

Upload a video with the motion pattern you want — the model transfers it to new content. Choreography, gesture transfer, camera movement replication. Available in Kling 2.6 and Kling 3.0.

Lip Sync

Character photo plus an audio track can create video with lip animation for localization, virtual speakers, and avatars. Use a dedicated lip-sync mode whose current language support is shown in the generator.

Multi-Shot — Multi-Scene Stories

New mode in Kling 3.0. Describe multiple scenes with separate prompts and durations — the model generates a cohesive video with transitions. Perfect for short films, narrative ads, storytelling.

The 10 Best AI Video Models in 2026

Kling 3.0 — Flagship with AI Director and Multi-Shot

Kling 3.0 supports 720p and 1080p, selectable 3, 5, 8, 10, or 15-second durations, Motion Control, Multi-Shot, and optional sound.

Price: the current estimate is shown before generation and depends on duration, resolution, and optional sound.

Best for: cinema, advertising, connected Multi-Shot stories, and controlled motion.

Veo 3.1 (Google) — Realistic Physics in Two Modes

Two modes — Fast for prototyping and Quality for maximum detail. Realistic physics: water, fire, fabric, smoke, glass. Native sound. 8 seconds. Veo runs on Google's own AI Pro/Ultra plans — a benchmark reference here, not part of the Clipia catalog.

Best for: natural scenes, realistic physics, budget-friendly quality video.

Seedance 2.0 — Multimodal Record-Holder

Accepts text + up to 9 images + video + audio simultaneously. 2K, up to 15 seconds. Lip sync in 8+ languages. Unique @image1–@image9 syntax for referencing uploaded images directly in prompts.

Price: from 28 credits (4 sec) to 102 (15 sec); a 5-second clip is 34 credits, 10 seconds — 68.

Best for: complex projects with references, multilingual content, music videos.

Kling 2.6 — Camera Effects and Predictability

A reliable workhorse. 8 camera modes: pan, zoom, orbit, tilt and their combinations. 1080p, 5-10 seconds. Excellent result predictability. I2V and Motion Control.

Price: from 20 credits (5 sec) to 40 (10 sec). Sound adds 20-80 credits.

Best for: camera effects, predictable results, commercial content.

Seedance 1.5 Pro — Sound and Lip Sync at Minimum Cost

The most affordable model with sound on the platform. Native audio and lip sync. 480p-720p, 4-12 seconds. T2V and I2V. At 480p — just 3 credits for 4 seconds of video.

Price: from 3 credits (4 sec, 480p) to 17 (12 sec, 720p). Sound is a paid add-on (+3–17 credits): a 4-second clip with audio starts at 6 credits.

Best for: budget video content with sound, social media, bulk generation, idea testing.

Hailuo — Three Models for Different Budgets

Three options: Hailuo 02 Standard — most affordable (from 7 credits, 512p). Hailuo 2.3 Fast — balance of price and quality (from 11 credits, 1080p). Hailuo 2.3 Pro — maximum stylization quality (from 17 credits, 1080p). I2V in all variants.

Best for: stylization, product videos, commercial clips with high detail.

Wan 2.5 — Instant Prototyping

Fast model for iterations. 720p-1080p, 5-10 seconds. Two variants: standard and Fast. I2V supported.

Price: from 20 credits (5 sec, 720p) to 65 (10 sec, 1080p).

Best for: quick prompt testing, drafts, iterations before final generation on a premium model.

Grok Video (xAI) — A Different Visual Voice

T2V and I2V. 6-10 seconds. A distinct visual style — useful for A/B testing and experiments. One of the most affordable I2V options on the platform.

Price: from 10 credits (6 sec) to 15 (10 sec) — same rate for T2V and I2V.

Best for: style experiments, A/B testing, budget I2V animation.

Kling 3.0 Multi-Shot — Multi-Scene Stories

Price: see the current estimate in the generator before launch.

Best for: narrative ads, trailers, short films.

Higgsfield DoP — Cinematic Depth

A specialized I2V model for turning photos into cinematic videos with depth effect. Three quality modes: Lite (10 credits), Turbo (30), Preview (41). Creates a "camera effect" from a static image.

Price: from 10 credits (Lite) to 41 (Preview).

Best for: photo animation with 3D effect, social media content, live wallpapers.

AI Video Models: Full Comparison Table

Model | Max Duration | Max Resolution | Sound | I2V | Motion Control | Lip Sync | Credits from
Kling 3.0 | 15 sec | 1080p | Yes (+) | Yes | Yes | 5 languages | 22
Veo 3.1 Fast (Google) | 8 sec | 1080p | Yes | No | No | No | —
Veo 3.1 Quality (Google) | 8 sec | 1080p | Yes | No | No | No | —
Seedance 2.0 | 15 sec | 2K | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8+ languages | 28
Kling 2.6 | 10 sec | 1080p | Yes (+) | Yes | Yes | No | 20
Seedance 1.5 Pro | 12 sec | 720p | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | 3
Hailuo 2.3 Pro | 6-10 sec | 1080p | No | Yes | No | No | 17
Hailuo 2.3 Fast | 6-10 sec | 1080p | No | Yes | No | No | 11
Hailuo 02 Standard | 6-10 sec | 768p | No | Yes | No | No | 7
Wan 2.5 | 10 sec | 1080p | No | Yes | No | No | 20
Grok Video | 10 sec | 720p | No | Yes | No | No | 10
Kling 3 Multi-Shot | multi-scene | 720p/1080p | Optional | No | No | No | See generator
Higgsfield DoP | 5 sec | 1080p | No | Yes (I2V) | No | No | 10

"Yes (+)" — sound available as a paid add-on. Prices shown for the minimum configuration on Clipia.ai. Current prices at pricing.

Which AI Video Model Should You Use?

Maximum Quality

Kling 3.0 — AI Director, Motion Control, Multi-Shot. Covers 90% of professional tasks.

Limited Budget

Seedance 1.5 Pro — from 3 credits (with sound — from 6). Grok Video — from 10 credits. Hailuo 02 Standard — from 7.

Need Sound

Seedance 1.5 Pro — from 6 credits with the audio add-on. Veo 3.1 — native sound. Kling 3 and 2.6 — sound as a paid add-on.

Animate a Photo

Higgsfield DoP — cinematic depth from 10 credits. Kling 3 I2V — maximum quality. Grok I2V — budget option (from 10).

Lip Sync / Voice-over

For voice-over and lip animation, choose a dedicated lip-sync mode and check its current language support in the generator.

Multi-Scene Video

Kling 3 Multi-Shot creates connected scenes from separate prompts in one workflow. Check the live estimate before generation.

Social Media Content

Seedance 1.5 Pro (from 3) or Hailuo 02 Standard (from 7) — maximum content for minimum credits. Use 9:16 format for Reels/TikTok.

How Do You Write a Good Video Prompt?

Effective Prompt Structure

A good video prompt describes four things: what happens, how the camera moves, what lighting/style, and what mood.

Formula: Subject + Action + Camera movement + Lighting/style + Mood

Camera Movement

slow zoom in — creates intimacy

camera orbits 180 degrees — reveals the form of the subject

drone aerial shot descending through fog — drone descending through fog

tracking shot following the subject — camera follows the character

vertical dolly drop — vertical camera drop (action)

pull back to reveal — pull back revealing scale

Physics and Materials

water droplets splitting into tiny prisms — droplets refract light

sparks flying with each breath — sparks with each exhale

fine red dust particles floating — fine particles floating in air

fabric rippling in the wind — cloth waving in the wind

golden spores and luminous particles — glowing particles (atmosphere)

Cinematic Style

cinematic color grading — professional color correction

anamorphic lens flares — cinema-style lens flares

shallow depth of field, f/1.4 bokeh — shallow DOF

documentary cinematography — documentary style

Marvel meets Akira cinematography — mixing styles (creates unique results)

Tips

Start with 5 seconds — shorter videos are cheaper and faster for prompt testing

Write prompts in English — all models are trained on English data

Describe specific actions: "blinks slowly and turns head to the right" instead of "movement"

Specify camera style — models, especially Kling 3, follow camera instructions well

Use Clipia's "Enhance prompt" feature — it automatically adds cinematic details

Test on budget models (Seedance 1.5, Grok), finalize on Kling 3 or Veo 3.1

Generation Parameters

Duration — Kling 3 offers 3, 5, 8, 10, or 15 seconds. Choose a shorter duration for iteration and confirm the live estimate before generation.

Resolution — 720p for social media and prototypes. 1080p — the universal choice and the ceiling for most models; Seedance 2.0 goes up to 2K. Upgrading from 720p to 1080p adds roughly 20-65% to the cost depending on the model.

Format — 16:9 for YouTube and horizontal video. 9:16 for Reels, TikTok, Stories. 1:1 for Instagram feed. Most models support all three formats.

Sound — native audio (Veo 3.1, Seedance) or paid add-on (Kling). Lip sync requires uploading an audio file.

Summary

For first experiments — Seedance 1.5 Pro (from 3 credits) or Grok I2V (from 10). For serious work — Kling 3.0 (AI Director, all modes). For maximum realism and 2K detail — Seedance 2.0.

Clipia.ai brings video models and generation modes into one account; compare the live estimate for the selected settings before launch.

Start creating video →

More on AI Video Generation

3 Best AI Video Generators 2026: Seedance 2.0 vs Kling 3.0 vs Veo 3.1 (Tested)

How to Create Video from Photo with AI: 5 Best Methods in 2026

10 Prompts for AI Video Generation That Deliver Cinematic Results

Frequently Asked Questions

What is AI video generation?

AI video generation creates video from a text description or photo. The model interprets the prompt and renders motion, lighting, and physics; available sound settings and the current estimate are shown in the generator.

How much does video generation cost?

Generation cost depends on the model and settings. For Kling 3 and Multi-Shot, use the live estimate shown before launch.

What is the maximum resolution?

Up to 2K — Seedance 2.0, the highest on Clipia.ai. Kling 3.0 and most other models — 1080p. For social media 720p is enough, for advertising 1080p is standard.

Which models generate video with sound?

Native sound (included): Veo 3.1 and Seedance 2.0. Paid add-on: Kling 3.0, Kling 2.6, and Seedance 1.5 Pro (from +3 credits). For lip sync: Kling 3 (5 languages), Seedance 2.0 (8+ languages), Seedance 1.5 Pro.

How long does generation take?

From 30 seconds to 5 minutes. Fast models (Wan 2.5 Fast, Veo 3.1 Fast) — 30-90 seconds. Heavy tasks in Kling 3 at 1080p or Multi-Shot — up to 5-10 minutes. Seedance 2.0 — up to 15-25 minutes (complex multimodal requests).

How do I animate a photo?

Use Image-to-Video (I2V) mode. Upload a photo and describe the motion specifically: "blinks slowly and turns head to the right" instead of just "movement". Best I2V models: Kling 3 (quality), Higgsfield DoP (depth), Grok I2V (price — from 10 credits).

Can I create multi-scene videos?

Yes. Kling 3 Multi-Shot lets you describe multiple scenes with separate prompts and creates a cohesive video with transitions. The current estimate is shown before generation.

What language should I write prompts in?

English. All models are primarily trained on English data and understand English prompts better. Clipia has an "Enhance prompt" feature that automatically expands and translates your prompt for better results.

Which model for commercial video?

Kling 3.0 — for camera effects and maximum quality. Veo 3.1 Quality — for realistic scenes with physics. For bulk content (social media) — Seedance 1.5 Pro for the best price/quality ratio.