Plan and publish one short video

Move from a brief or script to one short video with a clear audience, verified claims, and an export that fits its destination.

Start with the brief

Write down who the video is for, what one question it answers, where it may appear, the intended duration and aspect ratio, and the action a viewer can take next. Keep the promise narrow enough to support with sources. If the topic depends on current facts, collect primary references before drafting and mark anything you cannot verify.

Decide what you already have. Existing presenter footage points toward transcript-led editing. A script that needs stock scenes and narration points toward script-to-video assembly. A narration-led timeline with generated voice, music, or effects may fit an audio-and-video studio. See the Descript profile, Pictory profile, and ElevenLabs profile for vendor-described workflows and plan constraints.

Draft and check the script

Use a short structure: opening that names the viewer’s problem, a few supported points, and a next step. Read each factual sentence against its source. Remove unsupported numbers, endorsements, and performance claims. A generated draft still needs a human to check wording, accuracy, tone, and suitability.

Choose the production tool after the script is clear. A tool’s feature list does not establish that it will produce the right result for this video. Check whether the needed voice, captions, resolution, export minutes, and commercial rights are included in the current plan.

Assemble, edit, and caption

Bring in only footage, images, music, text, and voices that you created or have permission to use. If using a person’s likeness or cloned voice, get the required consent before generation. Keep a simple asset note with the source and any use conditions.

Review the result from beginning to end. Check that the visuals match the narration, names and pronunciation are right, transitions do not change the meaning, and captions match the audio. Use readable captions with enough contrast and keep essential text away from edges where platform controls may cover it.

Check before publishing

Confirm the export format, resolution, aspect ratio, duration, watermark, and plan limits. Recheck the license for every included stock asset and any special music-clearing steps. For example, Pictory currently instructs users to add a single-use clearance code to YouTube descriptions for uploads from 1 September 2026 onward when Melodie music is included; see its current instructions.

Export a private draft and check it on a device and platform format you actually intend to use. Only publish after final fact, rights, captions, and export checks. The linked tool profiles summarize vendor descriptions; the software has not been hands-on tested in these guides.

Continue with the workflow

Follow the short-video workflow for the ordered production checklist. Read how SOSAITools checks tools to understand source dates and evidence labels.