An AI video ad is a sequence with a job to do. It must introduce an idea, make that idea understandable and leave the viewer with a clear next step. The production challenge is connecting generated material into a coherent film while keeping the brand, product and message accurate.
This workflow is useful whether you produce a commercial internally or brief an external studio. It focuses on the decisions that affect the finished ad, rather than a particular model or subscription.
1. Write the shortest complete version of the story
Describe the ad in three beats: the reason to pay attention, the product or service’s role, and the closing action. Each beat should be understandable in plain language before it becomes a shot.
For an illustrative refillable-bottle ad, the opening might introduce a busy morning, the middle show the actual refill mechanism and the ending present the product with a clear offer. The bottle and mechanism need verified reference material. The surrounding environment may allow more creative freedom. This is a planning example, not a Dept5 client case or a performance claim.
Write the intended voiceover and on-screen copy alongside the beats. Reading the script aloud exposes overloaded sentences and missing transitions before production becomes expensive to revise.
2. Separate fixed details from creative choices
Create a reference sheet for each recurring subject. Record appearance, wardrobe, product proportions, color, environment, light direction and screen direction where relevant. Identify details that must stay fixed and changes that are part of the story.
Then write a shot list. Each entry should say what the shot communicates, where it begins, how it ends and what it must match. A shot of a hand picking up a product needs continuity with both the product’s earlier position and the next shot’s grip. A consistent reference image helps, but does not replace checking the resulting motion.
3. Approve still frames before extending motion
Review representative frames for product accuracy, composition and visual tone. Approving a frame is not approving the entire sequence: the object can change shape later, a logo can drift or a character can move in an unintended way.
Evaluate motion at its original speed, then inspect key frames for artifacts. If a shot is too long for the cut, select a shorter usable segment or revise the shot plan. Do not solve every duration problem by stretching or speeding up motion. Preserve deliberate timing and believable movement.
4. Build the edit around meaning
Select shots because they advance the idea. Similar-looking shots can still create a confusing sequence if the action, gaze or geography changes unexpectedly. Use transitions, sound and graphic elements to clarify the relationship between scenes.
Keep exact type, logos, prices and legal copy in the finishing workflow where they can be controlled and checked. Review captions against the final audio. Watch once without sound to evaluate whether the visual message is understandable, and once with sound to review voice, music, effects and the final mix.
5. Plan each placement as an actual composition
An aspect-ratio change can alter what the audience understands. Recompose text and important subjects for the intended frame instead of assuming a center crop will work. Check the current publisher specifications and placement overlays before exporting.
Dept5’s Somvee portfolio includes launch films and 4:5 editions. Its published description explains how text, chat and interface layouts were rebuilt for the narrower frame. That is a useful example of adaptation as a layout task, beyond changing an export setting.
6. Hand off versions that people can identify
Use a delivery matrix with one row per output. Include duration, ratio, language, offer, end card, approval status and filename. Separate a creative revision from a technical export so the team can tell whether the content changed.
The campaign versioning matrix is a starting point. For each final file, verify its runtime, dimensions, first and last frames, audio, captions and the approved copy. Review the actual encoded file rather than relying on the editing timeline.
Questions to resolve before launch
Do all AI video ads require the same disclosure?
Requirements depend on the destination, content and jurisdiction. For example, YouTube requires disclosure for realistic generated or meaningfully altered content in specified circumstances. Check the current YouTube AI disclosure guidance and the rules for each actual destination during delivery.
How many versions should a campaign have?
Start with the media plan and a clear testing question. A large export count is not useful if nobody can identify what each version tests. Read the AI ecommerce ad planning guide for an example matrix, or send Dept5 a production brief.