The Best AI Tools for Filmmakers
In this article, we’re going to share the best AI tools for filmmakers.
Filmmaking has transformed rapidly over the last several years because of so many wild advancements in technology. Of course, the film industry is no stranger to this kind of change.
Many years ago, the switch from analog to digital was a big shift that affected every job in the production pipeline. Today, AI is having a similar effect.
If you’re an independent filmmaker, AI tools can make your life a whole lot easier. These tools can save you time, money, and resources. The trick is knowing which ones to use, how to implement them effectively, and when to balance them with your human creativity!
After all, an original story will always require a human-driven narrative. :)
In this article, we’ll show you 8 AI tools for filmmakers that can totally transform your workflow.
The Best AI Tools for Filmmakers | The Ultimate List
Let’s take a look at the Best AI Tools for Filmmakers. Here we go!
1. Runway
RunwayML is an AI-powered platform that lets you generate (and edit) images, videos and audio using text prompts and built-in controls. Most people typically think of Runway’s AI Video Generator whenever talking about this company, but there is so much more they have to offer!
If you’re going to try out any AI product, this is definitely one of the most diverse tools you could possibly use as a filmmaker.
Here are some features you can use with Runway:
Image generation (Frames)
Style transfers
Inpainting and outpainting
Background remover (images or video)
Performance capture (Act One)
Motion tracking
Creating subtitles
Runway offers a whole suite of features and tools that are worth any filmmaker’s time exploring. We recommend checking it out.
In particular, if you’re on a budget and you’re looking for a platform or tool with a lot of bang for your buck, Runway is a great choice for you!
Pricing: The cost of a Runway subscription runs from $12 per month for the Standard plan (a limited number of credits) to $76 per month for the Unlimited plan.
2. Midjourney
MidJourney is a popular image generator that filmmakers can use for pretty much anything. From making pre-visualization materials, creating establishing shots and b-roll, storyboarding, and creating pitch decks, Midjourney is definitely a powerful tool for you as a storyteller.
And the good news is, it’s affordable and super user-friendly! You can use it on Discord, but we recommend trying the web version of the app.
Even if you’re not sure about incorporating AI into your film, Midjourney is one of the best tools to visually showcase the world you want to build.
Midjourney Features:
Cinematic Quality Outputs
Tons of Advanced features including character consistency, style reference, image reference, and more.
Advanced Editing Features (for annual plan holders)
Pricing: The basic plan for Midjourney is just $8 per month for the Basic Plan, all the way up to $120 per month for the Mega plan. If you’re just getting started, we recommend getting yourself something in between, such as the Standard plan for $30 or Pro plan for $60. This will give you enough to experiment with the tool without running out of GPU time.
Image created with Midjourney.
Free Midjourney Style Guide
If you want to learn more about how to use Midjourney, fill out this form below to access our free Midjourney style guide. This has everything from style ideas to cinematography terms, and even practical prompting tips that will help you get the best image possible from the tool. :)
3. AI Video Generators
As to be expected, you need to have at least one AI Video Generator in your tool kit, and of course, we have a few fantastic recommendations worth checking out.
In our opinion, Google Veo 2, Kling and Minimax/Hailuo can give you the most realistic results when it comes to creating AI generated videos.
Here’s a super quick comparison of the models, depending on what you’re looking for.
Google Veo 2 is one of the most cinematic AI video generators yet. It creates realistic videos, responds well to camera controls and supports generations up to 4K.
Pricing: Veo 2 is not yet available to the public, but you can get a sneak peek by going to the website and signing in with your Google account! You can also try it out if you have a subscription to Freepik, a great platform that lets you pay to try multiple AI generators.
Video generated with Veo 2 using text to video.
Kling excels at realistic human expressions and emotions, and it’s great for achieving camera control too. With Kling “Elements” you can upload multiple images containing backgrounds, objects or clothing you want included in your videos, and Kling will add them in for you!
Pricing: To use Kling, there are Standard ($6.99/month), Pro ($25.99/month) and Premier ($64/month) plans available. Technically there isn’t an “unlimited” tier but the Premier option gives you 8000 credits which should be more than enough!
Video created with Kling using image to video.
Minimax/Hailuo excels at camera control, subject reference (character consistency) and generates fast movement fairly accurately. They recently added a new Director model that lets you control the camera with pre-set or descriptive prompts. The quality is really impressive!
Pricing: The Standard plan runs at $9.99 per month and the Pro plan is $34.99 per month. Since the Standard plan is pretty limited, we recommend the Pro plan if you can try it!
Video created with Minimax using image to video.
One thing to remember about using these video generators is they’re still super useful even if you’re working with live action images taken in real life. For example, if you have pictures from a location scout, you can upload those into any video generator with “image to video” features.
If you try out different video generators, let us know which one you think is the best. :)
6. Topaz Labs
A really important tool you should know about as a filmmaker is Topaz Labs. Topaz will improve the quality of any film project you have. Upscaling your videos (no matter how well they were shot) can elevate your films and give them a very professional look.
You can also use their most recent feature, Project Starlight, to improve the quality of older or damaged video footage.
Here’s what you can do with Topaz Labs:
Upscale all video footage
Upscale images (Gigapixel)
Upscale old footage (Project Starlight)
Pricing: An annual subscription for Topaz Video AI is $299 (well worth the price in our opinion!). And their Gigapixel image upscaler is $99. The price might seem high, but investing in Topaz will definitely be worth your money as a filmmaker.
7. Elevenlabs
AI voice over tools can be really useful, and the best one on the market is definitely Elevenlabs. But Elevenlabs is much more than just a VO generator.
Here are different things you can use the platform for:
Voice cloning
Voice changer
Text to SFX
Voice isolator (for cleaning up audio)
Voice design (creating a custom voice model)
Dubbing
Transcribing
Pricing: There’s a huge range in pricing for Elevenlabs, and it depends on how you want to use it. A Starter plan for $5 per month, Creator plan for $11 per month or the Pro plan for $99 per month.
8. Suno
If you need to create music or soundscapes for your film project, you’ll probably have a lot of fun using Suno. Generating original tracks can be super helpful. And who knows, you might feel inspired to create your very own AI music video. :)
Here’s what you can do with it:
Generate songs from text prompts
Use a huge range of genres and styles
Listen to the Suno library
Create remixes
Edit lyrics manually or generate them
Explore tracks from other users
Pricing: The Basic plan is FREE and lets you generate up to 10 songs, and for just $10/month the Pro plan lets you create up to 500 songs.
Conclusion
As a filmmaker, getting access to these tools will totally change your workflow. Make sure you know what are the best AI tools for your filmmaking workflow and how best to utilize them.
If you haven’t tried them already, we hope you feel inspired to check them out. There has never been a better time for independent creators to design and produce original stories.
We love bringing you the latest and most relevant updates on AI tools. That’s why we create AI Film News episodes for anyone to follow. Check it out!
Learn AI Filmmaking
If you are interested in learning the latest ways to utilize the best AI tools for filmmakers in your workflow, we would highly recommend you check out our AI Filmmaking course.
Whatever you’re interested in learning, chances are we have a course that can help you on your creative journey! We offer courses for Advertising to Filmmaking, Animation, and even Documentary. We would love to have you become a part of our global community.
Feel free to check out the courses, and let us know if you have any questions at all! :)