Choose a Video Workflow: Record, Edit or Generate
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Choose a video workflow by the evidence and control the final video needs. A product demonstration, a recorded interview and an imagined scene require different source material and different checks.
This guide helps you choose a production route. It does not rank editors or models by unsupported speed claims. For the final review and export, use the video handoff checklist.
Identify what must be real
Ask which parts of the video need to establish a fact. A software tutorial should show the actual interface and steps. A product performance demonstration should show a valid test of the actual item. An imagined background can be a creative element, provided it does not imply evidence that was never collected.
Separate these requirements in the brief:
| Need | Starting workflow | First thing to verify |
|---|---|---|
Demonstrate a real interface | Screen recording and editing | The recorded steps work in the stated version |
Preserve an interview | Recording, transcription and timeline editing | Meaning, speaker identity and audio remain accurate |
Explain with approved text and diagrams | Scripted slides or motion graphics | Figures, labels and source citations |
Create an imagined scene | AI generation with a defined visual brief | Consistency and whether the scene could mislead |
Show a real product accurately | Approved photos or footage, with controlled supporting visuals | SKU, shape, features and claims match the item |
A hybrid approach is often appropriate. Record the part that proves the workflow, then use generated visuals only where they support the explanation without changing its meaning.
Turn the useful parts into next steps
Vife Agent can convert this guide into a prioritized workflow with tasks, risks, and reusable prompts.
Check your inputs before choosing a tool
List the assets you already own or have permission to use: recordings, photographs, script, logo, voiceover and supporting sources. Note what is missing and what must be obtained.
A text-to-video model does not replace an unavailable product reference. A transcript editor cannot restore a word that was never recorded clearly. A browser editor may meet a simple delivery brief, while a complex project may need precise timeline, audio or color controls.
Evaluate the specific controls offered by the tool and account you will use. Do not assume a feature from a provider's API documentation is exposed in every product that uses that model.
Run a small pilot with explicit acceptance criteria
Before producing a full campaign, choose one representative scene. Use the same inputs and requirements when comparing options. Record the model or tool version, selected settings, actual credit quote, elapsed time and any manual correction.
Here is a reproducible pilot brief, not a report of a completed Vife test:
Make a short explanation of one approved product feature using the supplied image and fact sheet. Keep the product unchanged. Include one readable caption and a clear ending. Return the proposed shot list first. Flag missing inputs and any requirement the selected tool cannot meet. Do not claim to have verified physical product performance.
Decide the pass conditions before judging the result:
| Criterion | Example pass condition | What to record if it fails |
|---|---|---|
Factual accuracy | Only approved product facts appear | Unsupported or altered claim |
Visual continuity | The same item and markings persist | Timestamp and visible change |
Readability | Essential text can be read at the intended size | Clipped, wrong or unreadable text |
Audio | Speech is complete and understandable | Missing words, clipping or sync issue |
Delivery | The exported file meets the destination brief | Actual format, duration or playback problem |
Record failed attempts and correction time as part of the pilot. Comparing only the best output hides the cost of reaching an acceptable result.
Compare the cost of an accepted result
Count generation attempts, paid assets and the review work required to deliver one accepted video. Keep monetary spend, Vife credits and human time as separate columns unless you explicitly define a conversion.
For example, three rejected clips followed by one usable clip are four generation attempts. A low price per attempt may still require more effort than another workflow. This observation is a measurement rule, not a claim that one model is always cheaper.
Consult the current Vife pricing and the quote shown for the selected generation. Plan allowances, model settings and input requirements can affect what you can produce.
Match the selected workflow to the destination
Check the required aspect ratio, resolution, duration, captions and playback environment before scaling the pilot. Reframing a wide shot for a vertical placement can hide the subject or remove essential labels.
YouTube's upload encoding guidance is one destination-specific reference. Other publishing and advertising systems can have different requirements, so test the actual exported file in the destination preview.
Vife's AI video maker is a starting point for supported generation workflows. For a product URL and approved reference images, use the product video workflow. Retain the pilot brief, outputs and review notes so that a later model or setting change can be evaluated on the same task.
Official delivery guidance reviewed on September 8, 2026. The pilot is a method you can run; this article reports no comparative model benchmark.