Note: The article was first published on TechNode China written by Steven Lee and translated by Zinan Zhang.
Ever wondered how AI could help create a one to two minute short film? Chinese software maker Meitu recently launched a short video creation tool, MOKI, that provides users with exactly that option. The tool has been developed to simplify the process of creating short and engaging videos. Users of MOKI can craft a range of content from simple animated clips to web dramas, illustrated storybooks for kids, or romantic videos for loved ones.
MOKI’s intuitive user interface means this is software that requires no professional expertise. A robust library of templates and material makes it possible for users to select and customize elements. MOKI also offers comprehensive tutorials and information to troubleshoot any issues encountered in the creative journey.
Pre-production
With just a simple text description, MOKI can automatically generate a storyboard and visuals. We gave MOKI the following story to test its powers:
“In a small town, a young librarian named Ike stumbles upon an ancient magic book containing a forgotten spell. As he reads it, time in the town freezes, leaving Ike the only one unaffected. To restore time, he embarks on a thrilling adventure filled with danger and riddles. In the end, Ike not only breaks the spell but also discovers his true courage and mission, becoming the town’s protector.”
MOKI’s storyboard is ready in about 30 seconds. Then it’s up to the user to select a video style (such as Chinese cartoon or 3D animation), the tone of narration, and the screen ratio before proceeding to preview the pre-generated content.
Narration styles offered by MOKI range from youthful and energetic to warm and gentle. Your narrator could be a wise elder or a cute young boy. Your film could be produced in landscape (16:9) or portrait (9:16).
Content generation
During this stage, the story can be refined with details of each scene tweaked and characters assigned to every frame. In addition to AI-generated characters, MOKI allows for custom characters if users upload a frontal image as a reference. AI-powered customization is also available for adjusting characters’ clothing, hairstyles, and other visual elements.
Post-production
At the final stage, MOKI’s interface mimics a simplified video editing tool, complete with a timeline for both image and audio tracks. It excels in AI-powered dubbing, offering a variety of voice styles to enhance the final video. Users can also choose background music from a wide selection of moods such as grand, cute, sentimental, intense, eerie, or futuristic electronic.
For visual effects, users can adjust camera movements, adding simple transitions like horizontal shifts or zoom-ins, similar to PowerPoint effects. Text inputs can also be used to generate additional content with AI.
Generating the final video took our test team around 3 minutes. However, we were bemused that the tool didn’t accurately reflect key elements of our script, such as the key moment when “time in the small town seems to stop,” a major plot point. For what it’s worth, you can view the final video here： https://weibo.com/1878726905/OC5awr91L
Conclusion
Overall, MOKI is a promising AI tool that lowers the barrier to entry for video creation, making the fun pursuit accessible to more users. While it’s a great option for those looking for speed and simplicity, there’s room for improvement. We hope to see better image quality, more style options, and support for longer videos in future updates. Additionally, integrating MOKI with other creative tools would give users a more comprehensive solution to their video-making needs. And it would be great if MOKI could stick to the script.
Pros
• Simple, fast, and user-friendly
• Highly customizable with a range of options
Cons
• Details like facial expressions and actions can appear blurry or inaccurate
• Lacks support for importing custom background music during post-production
• Currently only available on the web
• Limited sharing options for finished videos