5 Best Text-to-Video Generators for Filmmakers in 2024

What is the Best Text-to-Video Generator in 2024?

Overall, Sora is by far the best text to video generator in 2024 due to it’s extreme high-quality generations up to 60 seconds in length, and it’s adherence to user prompts and instructions. The main drawback is that it isn’t available to the public just yet!

See the video below that compares Sora to the other runner ups using an identical prompt.

When ranking the best text-to-video generators, I considered the following key factors:

• Generation Length: The maximum duration a video can be generated from a single prompt.
• Adherence to Prompt: How closely the generated video follows the given instructions.
• Realism: The authenticity and believability of the generated video.
• Range of Generative Tools: Availability of tools for creating audio, images, and videos.
• Quality Improvement: How the tool’s quality has enhanced over different releases.
• Flexible Pricing Plans: Availability of various pricing options to suit different needs.
• Consistency: Ability to maintain consistent appearance and dynamic camera movements throughout the video.

At the end of the day, the quality of the video generation had the biggest impact on my decision. Let’s check out the best AI text to video generators!

1. Sora

Well, OpenAI have changed the game again with Sora. It is hands down the best AI text to video generator I’ve ever seen.

Unfortunately, Sora isn’t available to us consumers just yet.

Either way, Sora lands itself in the number 1 spot – just take a look at some of the incredible AI generated video it can produce. 👇

Sora’s ability to generate AI video content based on simple text instructions is nothing short of magic.

Compared to the tools I’ve been using for the last 12 months, Sora is on another level.

The AI generated videos maintain a cohesive visual style and adhere closely to the prompt, allowing for a degree of creativity and specificity hasn’t been seen before in AI video generator tools.

Of course, Sora isn’t without its limitations.

Creating videos with precise physical interactions or highly specific cause-and-effect scenarios might trip Sora up a bit, as you can see below.

But considering the vast possibilities it opens up for non-technical users to create videos, short films, even features length films is nothing short of amazing.

Key Features

• Generation Length: It’s said that Sora can generate 60 second videos from a single prompt, which is significantly longer than the 4 seconds most of the other tools are capable of.
• Adherence: Sora’s deep understanding of language ensures it closely follows your prompt instructions.
• Realism: These are the most realistic text to video generations I’ve seen so far from any company.

Drawbacks

• Access: Sora hasn’t been opened up for public access just yet!

2. Runway Gen-2

Runway’s Gen-2 is quite literally a text-to-video tool where you can enter a text prompt and get an AI-generated output in seconds.

The quality of Gen-2 isn’t quite indistinguishable from real footage just yet, but with every release, the quality is improving.

Alongside Gen-2’s text-to-video functionality is a range of other generative AI audio, image, and video tools, making it a great all round tool for aspiring filmmakers.

In fact, the company responsible for Gen-2, RunwayML, have regular short film competitions for creators using their platform. Some of the films are incredible!

Gen-2 is perfect for creators looking to make fully custom breakaway scenes or visuals for short stories and films. It’s the next best thing for creators who can’t just yet access Sora.

Key Features

• Text-to-Video: Gen-2’s text-to-video functionality allows for the visualization of some incredibly creative stories.
• Generative Tools Range: Along with text-to-video, Gen-2 includes a variety of generative AI tools for audio, image, and video creation.
• Improving Quality: With each release, Gen-2’s output quality is continually improving, approaching the quality real footage.
• Flexible Pricing: Runway offers different pricing plans, including a free plan to explore the product, ensuring accessibility to different users.

Drawbacks

• Length: The initial clips are limited to 4 seconds with a maximum of 16 seconds.
• Quality: Text-to-video generations are not as good as what we’ve seen Sora can do

3. Leonardo

Leonardo has recently released an AI video generator to complement their powerful image generation capabilities.

I was surprised with how good Leonardo’s AI generated video was straight out of the box.

Unlike the other text to video generators here, Leonardo requires you to generate an image first which you can then turn into a short animation.

It’s honestly not the worst way of making short AI generated video as you can see a still frame before you wait for the AI to generate your clip.

Key Features

• Consistency: Leonardo has the ability to maintain consistency in appearance and dynamic camera movements.
• Quality: Given how new Leonardo’s video generator is, the quality is very impressive when compared to other tools that have been on the market for a longer time.

Drawbacks

• Restrictions: Leonardo’s AI video generator can only generate videos from images created on their platform.

4. Pika Labs

Pika Labs is another great AI video generator that can create videos in just a few clicks with nothing but an image or text input.

The AI generated video is great for creators looking at add unique or abstract visuals to their content with little to no video editing skills.

Pika Labs is very similar to Runway’s Gen-2 and Leonardo as it generates reasonable quality videos around 4 seconds in length at a time.

One feature I do like about Pika is the “Modify Region” function which is similar to generative fill functionality seen in AI image tools. It allows you to modify specific areas of your video with a text prompts.

Alongside this, Pika Labs also allows you to change or expand the aspect ratio of your video creation with its “Expand Canvas” functionality.

Overall, Pika Labs has definitely earned it’s place on my list of best text to video generators due to it’s ability to convert text to video, and the capability to modify existing video to generate professional videos.

Key Features

• Quality: Although it can be up to personal preference, many people say Pika Labs has the best AI text to video quality available (after Sora of course).
• Customization: The modify region and and expand canvas features allow for a higher level of customization then some other tools I tried.

Drawbacks

• Duration: Generating clips 3 to 4 seconds at a time make long form content creation difficult with Pika.

5. Morph Studio

Morph Studio earns it’s place on the list due to its high quality videos and the ease of video creation in their Discord.

Like the other tools here, Morph Studio creates stunning videos and short clips from a text and image input.

Morph Studio can be used to create AI generated videos with just a few clicks and it’s certainly worth a try if you’re having difficulty with any of the other tools list here.

The app has some interesting features too like sketch transform and a text to video model that is seeing frequent upgrades.

Overall, Morph Studio is on par with the other projects listed here, the main downside is the absence of a web app. For now, the AI video maker must be used in Discord.

Key Features

• Quality: The quality of Morph Studio is on point with the other previous 3 tool listed here. It’s always worth having a go if the other tools arne’t generating as you want!
• Price: Morph Studio is free to use in their Discord. A great way to dip your toes if you haven’t used an AI video generator before.

Drawbacks

• Discord Only: Morph Studio doesn’t have a web-app just yet.

Tips For Getting Started with Text to Video

Starting your journey into the world of text to video conversion can initially seem daunting, so here’s some tips to ease the transition:

• Choose the Right Tool: Begin by choosing an AI video creator that aligns with your expertise and creative aspirations. Whether it’s Sora (soon) for its high-quality output or Gen-2 for its diverse AI tools, the right platform can make a significant difference.
• Grasp Basic Video Editing Concepts: Even though AI does a lot of the heavy lifting, understanding fundamental video editing principles can enhance the quality of your projects. Especially if you’re looking to start on some short films.
• Start with Simple Prompts: Use straightforward text prompts to see how your chosen text to video generator interprets instructions and converts them into video content. This practice will help you refine your prompts for better outcomes.
• Experiment and Customize: Don’t hesitate to experiment with the customization options available.
• Be Patient and Learn: The technology behind converting text to engaging videos is advanced and requires a little bit of a learning curve. Take your time to understand the nuances of your AI tool and be patient.
• Leverage the Community: Many AI video creators have robust communities and support forums, usually on Discord and X. Engage with these resources for tips, inspiration, and troubleshooting advice.

By following these pointers, you can fast-track your text-to-video journey with a solid foundation and a curiosity to explore the expansive potential of AI video generation. 🎞️

Final Thoughts

The evolution of AI text to video creators has significantly lowered the barrier for producing engaging videos, enabling both seasoned filmmakers and novices alike to convert text to video with surprising ease and sophistication.

Tools like Sora, Gen-2, and others mentioned here are not just revolutionizing the way we think about video creation but are also opening up endless possibilities for personalized and creative content generation.

Despite some limitations, such as video duration and specific content creation restrictions, the benefits and potential of these AI video generators are beyond impressive.

As these technologies continue to develop, we can anticipate even more advanced capabilities, making the creation of professional-quality videos accessible to a broader audience with minimal video editing skills.