# Answers > Direct answers to the questions people ask about making AI dramas, films and ads. Each page answers first, then shows the numbers, with a date and a source for every outside fact. URL: https://arc.katechon.technology/answers Updated: 2026-10-18 These questions come from what people type into search engines and ask AI assistants, collected with free autocomplete data and refreshed over time. Answers use our own production records from the [films we made with Katechon Arc](https://arc.katechon.technology/films), list prices from the [AI video price index](https://arc.katechon.technology/ai-video-price-index), and other companies' own pages, cited and dated. Where another tool fits better, the answer says so. ## Costs and prices What AI video costs per second, per episode and per film, from dated list prices and our own production spend. - [How much does it cost to make an AI short drama?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/how-much-does-it-cost-to-make-an-ai-short-drama): Rendering a 30-episode AI short drama costs roughly $302 in video at list prices on a budget model, and we measured… - [How much does it cost to make a feature-length AI movie?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/how-much-does-it-cost-to-make-an-ai-movie): Our 42-minute feature The Fall of Kalak cost $113 in video for 427 shots, and would have cost about $59 on the budget… - [How much does AI video cost per second?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/how-much-does-ai-video-cost-per-second): On 2026-10-17, list prices for text-to-video ran from $0.050 per second (Veo 3.1 Lite) to $0.400 per second (Veo 3.1)… - [How much does Seedance 2.0 cost?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/how-much-does-seedance-2-0-cost): Seedance 2.0 listed at $0.243/s at 720p and $0.547/s at 1080p on 2026-10-17, so a 10-second 720p clip is about $2.43. - [How much does Veo 3.1 cost?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/how-much-does-veo-3-1-cost): Google lists Veo 3.1 at $0.40 per second with audio at 720p and 1080p on the Gemini API, Veo 3.1 Fast at $0.10 (720p)… - [Is Kling 3.0 free, and what does it cost per second?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/is-kling-3-free): Kling 3.0 is not free through APIs: on 2026-10-17 Kling 3.0 Pro listed at $0.168/s with sound and $0.112/s without,… - [Is Wan free to use?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/is-wan-free): Some Wan models are free to download: Wan 2.2 is released with open weights under the Apache 2.0 license, so you can… - [Is Sora 2 still available, and what are the alternatives?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/is-sora-2-still-available): No. OpenAI shut down the Sora 2 models and the Videos API on September 24, 2026 and says there is no one-to-one… - [What is the cheapest AI video generator?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/what-is-the-cheapest-ai-video-generator): By list price per second, the cheapest model we track is Veo 3.1 Lite at $0.050 per second at 720p (2026-10-17),… - [How much does an AI video ad cost to make?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/how-much-does-an-ai-video-ad-cost): The video for a 30-second AI ad costs about $20.50 at list price on Seedance 2.0 at 1080p with one retake in four, and… - [How much does one finished minute of AI video cost?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/how-much-does-a-minute-of-ai-video-cost): One finished minute cost us $2.26 in video on average across 195 episodes, mostly on Seedance 2.0 Mini and Fast at… - [Which AI video generators have a free plan?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/which-ai-video-generators-have-a-free-plan): Some do, with small one-time allowances: Runway's free plan includes 125 one-time credits, LTX Studio's 800 one-time… ## Video models compared Seedance, Kling, Veo, Wan and the rest: prices, limits and what we have seen them do. - [Seedance 2.0 vs Kling 3.0: which is better for dialogue scenes?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/seedance-2-0-vs-kling-3-for-dialogue-scenes): For dialogue we have only produced on the Seedance 2.0 family, which speaks the line inside the clip at no extra cost,… - [Seedance 2.0 vs Kling 3.0 vs Veo 3.1: which should you use?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/seedance-2-0-vs-kling-3-0-vs-veo-3-1): For long series on a budget, Seedance 2.0 and its cheaper Fast and Mini tiers, which rendered every film we have… - [Seedance 2.0 vs Seedance 2.0 Mini vs Fast: what is the difference?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/seedance-2-0-vs-seedance-2-0-mini-vs-fast): They are three tiers of the same model: Seedance 2.0 is the full model and the only one at 1080p, Fast is cheaper and… - [Seedance 2.0 vs Seedance 2.5: is the upgrade worth the price?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/seedance-2-0-vs-seedance-2-5): Seedance 2.5 is ByteDance's newer model, released on July 31, 2026, and on 2026-10-17 it listed at $0.377/s at 720p… - [Veo 3.1 vs Veo 3.1 Fast vs Veo 3.1 Lite: which tier should you use?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/veo-3-1-vs-veo-3-1-fast-vs-lite): On Google's Gemini API, Veo 3.1 costs $0.40 per second with audio at 720p and 1080p, Veo 3.1 Fast $0.10 at 720p and Veo… - [Kling 3.0 Standard vs Pro vs Turbo: what is the difference?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/kling-3-standard-vs-pro-vs-turbo): They are price tiers of Kling 3.0: on 2026-10-17 Pro listed at $0.168/s with sound, Standard at $0.126/s and Turbo at… - [Wan 3.0 vs Seedance 2.5: how do they compare?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/wan-3-0-vs-seedance-2-5): On price they are far apart: on 2026-10-17 Wan 3.0 listed at $0.100/s at 720p and Seedance 2.5 at $0.377/s, 3.8 times… - [What is Seedance 2.0, and what is it good for?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/what-is-seedance-2-0): Seedance 2.0 is ByteDance's video model that generates picture and sound together from text, image, audio and video… - [What is Veo 3.1, and how do you use it?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/what-is-veo-3-1): Veo 3.1 is Google's video model that generates 8-second clips at 720p, 1080p or 4K with native audio, guided by text… - [What is Kling 3.0, and what is it good for?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/what-is-kling-3): Kling 3.0 is Kuaishou's video model for cinematic, talking clips of up to 15 seconds with native audio, multi-shot… - [Which AI video model is best for short dramas?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/best-ai-video-model-for-short-dramas): From our own productions, Seedance 2.0 Mini at 720p: it rendered most of the 195 episodes of our first five series at… ## Short dramas and series Planning, writing and producing vertical and episodic AI dramas. - [How do you make an AI short drama?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/how-to-make-an-ai-short-drama): Write a simple serialized story, break it into one-minute episodes that each open on a hook and end on a cliffhanger,… - [How do you make a ReelShort-style series with AI?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/how-to-make-a-reelshort-style-series-with-ai): Copy the format, not a show: a 9:16 serialized melodrama of about a minute per episode, a hook in the first seconds, a… - [What is an AI micro drama?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/what-is-an-ai-micro-drama): An AI micro drama is a serialized story of very short episodes, usually 9:16 vertical and about a minute each, whose… - [How long should an AI short drama episode be?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/how-long-should-a-short-drama-episode-be): Aim for 60 to 70 seconds, built from about 6 shots of 12 seconds, with a hook at the start and a cliffhanger at the… - [How many episodes should an AI short drama have?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/how-many-episodes-should-an-ai-short-drama-have): At least 30. That was the minimum TikTok's Drama Center required before it would accept a series when we submitted in… - [How do you write a short drama script for AI video?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/how-to-write-a-short-drama-script-for-ai): Write for the model as well as the viewer: a simple plot, about 5 recurring characters and a handful of sets, episodes… - [Should an AI drama be vertical (9:16) or horizontal (16:9)?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/vertical-or-horizontal-for-ai-drama): Vertical 9:16 for short dramas watched in phone feeds and short-drama apps; horizontal 16:9 for films and long-form… - [How do you make an AI animated or anime series?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/how-to-make-an-ai-animated-series): Choose one animation look and apply it to characters and backgrounds alike, build a reference sheet per character and… ## Films, trailers and formats Feature-length films, short films, trailers and music videos made with AI. - [How do you make an AI movie?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/how-to-make-an-ai-movie): You make an AI movie the way you make any film, but every shot is generated: write the script, fix the look and the… - [How long does it take to make an AI movie?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/how-long-does-it-take-to-make-an-ai-movie): Rendering is quick: all 427 shots of our 42-minute feature The Fall of Kalak rendered in 1 day. - [How do you make an AI short film?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/how-to-make-an-ai-short-film): Write a short script with one clear arc, fix the look and cast as reference images, storyboard 40 to 400 shots, render… - [How many AI clips does a film need?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/how-many-clips-does-an-ai-film-need): Roughly 6 to 12 clips per finished minute, plus retakes. - [How do you make a movie trailer with AI?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/how-to-make-an-ai-trailer): Lock the look and the cast first, build every location as a set of camera angles, write each shot as one action with a… - [How do you make an AI music video?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/how-to-make-an-ai-music-video): Start from a finished song, plan shots to its sections, keep the performer consistent with a reference sheet, generate… ## From book or script to video Turning existing writing into shots, and how text-to-video works underneath. - [How do you turn a book into a movie with AI?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/how-to-turn-a-book-into-a-movie-with-ai): Adapt it in stages: condense the book into a series bible and an episode plan, write each episode as a script of shots,… - [How do you turn a script into a video with AI?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/how-to-turn-a-script-into-a-video-with-ai): Break the script into shots, give every character and location a reference image, storyboard each shot, generate one… - [How does text-to-video AI work?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/how-does-text-to-video-ai-work): A text-to-video model is trained on huge numbers of video clips paired with descriptions, and learns to turn random… - [Text-to-video, image-to-video or reference-to-video: which should you use for a film?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/text-to-video-vs-image-to-video-vs-reference-to-video): For a film with recurring characters, use reference-to-video or image-to-video, not plain text-to-video. - [How do you write good prompts for AI video?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/how-to-write-prompts-for-ai-video): Describe one shot as a camera would see it: who is in frame, one action, the setting, a concrete light source and the… ## Storyboards AI storyboards, grid boards and going from board to video. - [What is the best AI storyboard generator?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/what-is-the-best-ai-storyboard-generator): It depends on what the board is for. For pitching, LTX Studio exports animated storyboards and decks; for planning a… - [How do you make a storyboard from a script with AI?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/how-to-make-a-storyboard-from-a-script-with-ai): Break the script into shots, make a reference image for each character and location, then generate one frame per shot… - [Can AI turn a storyboard into a video?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/can-ai-turn-a-storyboard-into-a-video): Yes. Each storyboard frame can be used as the first frame of an image-to-video generation, so the clip starts from the… - [What is a grid storyboard in AI video?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/what-is-a-grid-storyboard): A grid storyboard is one generated image divided into cells, each cell the frame for one shot, so several consecutive… ## Consistency Keeping faces, places, costumes and props the same across shots and episodes. - [How do you keep the same character across AI video clips?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/how-to-keep-the-same-character-in-ai-video): Give the model the same visual evidence every time: one approved reference image per character, attached to every shot… - [Which AI video generator is best for consistent characters?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/which-ai-video-generator-is-best-for-consistent-characters): The tools differ in how they hold identity: Higgsfield builds a persistent Soul ID from 20 or more photos, Runway's… - [How do you keep locations consistent in AI video?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/how-to-keep-locations-consistent-in-ai-video): Treat each location like a character: give it its own reference, and for scenes with several camera angles, build it as… - [How do you keep costumes and props consistent in AI video?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/how-to-keep-costumes-and-props-consistent-in-ai-video): Write the state of every costume and prop into every shot (helmet on or off, sword in hand or sheathed), give each… ## Video ads Product videos and ads made with AI, and what they cost. - [How do you make a video ad with AI?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/how-to-make-an-ai-video-ad): Start from a brief and real product photos, write a hook-first script of five to eight shots, lock product references… - [What is the best AI video ad generator?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/what-is-the-best-ai-video-ad-generator): It depends on the ad: for e-commerce ads from a product link with avatars, a tool built for that wins; for storyboarded… - [Do AI UGC ads work?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/do-ai-ugc-ads-work): They can, but only your own tests will tell you: we have no campaign data of our own, and published success claims… - [How do you make an AI product video from product photos?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/how-to-make-an-ai-product-video-from-photos): Use the photos as reference images, not as the first frame only: shoot the product on a plain background from three or… ## Publishing and monetization Platform rules for AI video and how AI dramas reach an audience. - [Can you monetize AI-generated videos on YouTube?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/can-you-monetize-ai-videos-on-youtube): Yes, if the content is original: YouTube's monetization policies allow AI use that reflects your own creative voice,… - [Do you have to disclose AI-generated video on YouTube?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/do-you-have-to-disclose-ai-generated-video-on-youtube): Only when it looks realistic: YouTube requires creators to disclose AI-generated or altered content that seems… - [How do you publish an AI short drama on TikTok?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/how-to-publish-an-ai-short-drama-on-tiktok): Two routes: post episodes or trailers to your own account, or submit the whole series to TikTok's short-drama… - [What is TikTok Minis?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/what-is-tiktok-minis): TikTok Minis is TikTok's framework for third-party mini apps that run inside the TikTok app; one use is letting viewers… - [How do you start an AI YouTube channel?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/how-to-start-an-ai-youtube-channel): Pick one kind of original story you can make repeatedly, produce it with a consistent cast and look, publish on a… ## Tools and alternatives Which tool fits which job, with a source for every claim about another product. - [What is the best AI video generator for short dramas?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/best-ai-video-generator-for-short-dramas): There is no single best one: pick by how you work. - [What is the best AI movie maker?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/best-ai-movie-maker): The best AI movie maker depends on the film: long, story-driven films need a project that holds hundreds of shots with… - [What is the best AI video generator for TikTok and YouTube Shorts?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/best-ai-video-generator-for-tiktok-and-youtube-shorts): Choose one that composes natively in 9:16 rather than cropping a widescreen render, keeps your characters consistent… - [How long can an AI video be?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/how-long-can-an-ai-video-be): A single generation is usually short: Veo 3.1 makes 8-second clips, Kling 3.0 up to 15 seconds and Arc 4–15 seconds,… - [What are the best Higgsfield alternatives?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/higgsfield-alternatives): Runway, LTX Studio, Topview, Hedra and Showrunner are the closest alternatives to Higgsfield, each stronger at a… - [What are the best Runway alternatives?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/runway-alternatives): The closest Runway alternatives are Higgsfield for many models in one place, LTX Studio for script-to-storyboard… - [What are the best LTX Studio alternatives?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/ltx-studio-alternatives): Runway and Higgsfield are the closest LTX Studio alternatives for general AI filmmaking, Topview and Showrunner for… - [What are the best Hedra alternatives?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/hedra-alternatives): For talking-character video, Hedra's closest alternatives are general platforms with lip sync such as Runway and… - [What are the best Showrunner alternatives?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/showrunner-alternatives): If you want to own and export your series rather than publish inside a network, Showrunner's alternatives are Arc and… - [How do you make an AI video from photos?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/how-to-make-an-ai-video-from-photos): Upload a photo to an image-to-video model and describe the motion you want; the photo becomes the first frame or a… ## Sound, captions and finishing Voice, music, captions, upscaling and the failures you will meet. - [How do you upscale AI video to 4K?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/how-to-upscale-ai-video-to-4k): Render at 720p, edit the cut, then upscale only the finished master with a dedicated video upscaler. - [How do you add voice and dialogue to AI video?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/how-to-add-voice-and-dialogue-to-ai-video): Let the video model speak the lines that are on screen and add narration separately with text-to-speech. - [Why does AI video add voices or lines you did not write?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/why-does-ai-video-add-random-voices): Native-audio video models fill silence: given a near-empty shot, they sometimes invent a voice-over or a stray line. - [How do you add accurate captions to AI video?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/how-to-add-captions-to-ai-video): Transcribe the final mix with speech recognition, then correct it against the script, especially invented names. - [How do you add music to an AI drama?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/how-to-add-music-to-an-ai-drama): Score in the edit, not in the video model: generate or license music separately, place it under the episode and mix to… - [How do you make AI video look less like AI?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/how-to-make-ai-video-look-less-ai): Pick one visual language and hold it everywhere, keep faces and places consistent with references, and put colour and… - [What goes wrong when you make an AI series?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/what-goes-wrong-when-making-an-ai-series): Mostly waste and drift, not catastrophe: across our first five series 15% of video spend went to re-renders, we logged… - [Why do AI video generations fail or get blocked?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/why-do-ai-video-generations-fail-or-get-blocked): Three different things look like a failure: transient job errors that pass on retry, content moderation that blocks an… - [What is a video token, and why does AI video cost so much?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/what-is-a-video-token): A video token is the unit some models, including Seedance, bill by: roughly a patch of pixels across a few frames, so… ## Agents and MCP Driving AI video production from Claude, ChatGPT and other agents. - [Which AI video tools have an MCP server?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/which-ai-video-tools-have-an-mcp-server): Arc, Higgsfield, Runway, Topview and Hedra publish MCP servers that let an AI assistant such as Claude drive video… - [What is an MCP server, and what does it do for AI video?](https://arc.katechon.technology/answers/what-is-an-mcp-server-for-ai-video): MCP (Model Context Protocol) is an open standard that lets an AI assistant call tools on another service: the server… Also useful: the free [AI video cost calculator](https://arc.katechon.technology/tools/ai-video-cost-calculator), the [comparisons](https://arc.katechon.technology/compare) and the [guides](https://arc.katechon.technology/guides).