AI Video Production
From Concept to Commercial in Hours
Discover how AE Studio helped an early-stage stealth startup transform a fragmented, multi-tool video ad workflow into a single AI-powered platform, making professional TV advertising accessible to small businesses in hours instead of days.
The first commercial I made in September 2023 was about 15 hours of work. Last weekend, I did one end-to-end in 40 minutes — we hit our 50-commercials-a-week goal with 10 days to spare.
Michael, Vica
The Challenge
The problem.
Television advertising has historically been out of reach for small businesses. The cost of producing a professional commercial, traditionally ranging from $10,000 and up, puts broadcast advertising firmly in the territory of large brands with dedicated marketing budgets. Local businesses, from flower shops to auto mechanics to clothing boutiques, compete for attention without access to the same creative tools.
The local advertising market in the United States is valued at $162 billion, but only 4.2% of that spend goes to video. The barriers are not a lack of interest from small businesses; they are a lack of affordable production options and the complexity of placing media effectively. Generative AI is beginning to change what is possible, but the tools exist in isolation.
The client needed to unify their workflow into a platform that could grow with their business, reduce production time, maintain creative quality, and support a self-service model.
The Solution
What we built.
Auditing the Existing Workflow
Before building anything, AE Studio mapped the client's existing video ad creation process end to end. The audit revealed bottlenecks not in any single tool but in the gaps between them. Research outputs had to be manually formatted before feeding into the storytelling step. By prioritizing integrations, AE Studio could unlock significant time savings and quality improvements.
Automated Brand Research and Data Gathering
AE Studio replaced manual brand research with an automated engine that gathers structured data about any SMB client, using Perplexity and Tavily for AI-powered web research and API integrations with Instagram and Yelp.
AI-Powered Storytelling and Script Generation
With structured brand data, the platform generates advertising narratives automatically. It produces scripts that are brand-aligned and structured for handoff to voiceover without reformatting.
Streamlined Voiceover Creation with Eleven Labs
AE Studio integrated the Eleven Labs API into the platform, enabling automatically generated scripts to move directly into voiceover production with checks for timing and length requirements.
Optimized Prompt Generation for Visual Assets
AE Studio built a prompt generation system that automatically selects camera angles, shot types, and visual styles based on the brand profile and narrative previously generated.
Unified Platform with End-to-End Workflow Automation
All components are connected through a centralized database, managing everything through a single interface. The platform replaces the previous combination of disconnected tools with a unified system designed for scalability.
How It Works
Mapping the Workflow Before Building Anything
AE Studio mapped the existing video production process to identify where bottlenecks occurred, ensuring the biggest impact during automation.
Automated Brand Research From a Business Name and URL
The automated research engine gathers structured data about the brand, making consistent inputs available for every workflow step.
AI-Generated Scripts Ready for Voice Synthesis
With structured data, the platform generates advertising narratives automatically, producing brand-aligned scripts for quick handoff to voice synthesis.
Voiceover Built Into the Same Pipeline
Voice synthesis integration allows approved scripts to transition seamlessly into voice production, maintaining checks for quality.
Visual Prompts Generated From the Brand Profile
Prompt generation for visual assets is now automated, selecting appropriate styles and parameters based on the brand profile.
Five Steps, One Platform, No Manual Handoffs
The entire process is integrated, allowing data to flow between stages without manual effort, improving efficiency and usability.
Outcomes
- ~230 minutes removed from the end-to-end ad production workflow.
- Production time reduced from ~4.5 hours to under 3 hours per video ad.
- Foundation established for a self-service model targeting the $162B local ad market.
Key Takeaways
- Workflow unification unlocks scale, improving efficiency.
- Auditing existing workflows reveals critical gaps for targeted improvements.
- Collaborating with designers to automate prompts preserves quality.
- API integrations enhance reliability and reduce manual workloads.
- Future-proofing the platform accommodates self-service and managed service values.
In Summary
By consolidating the workflow into a unified platform, AE Studio reduced production time significantly and created the foundation for a scalable service model, opening opportunities for small businesses in the local advertising market.