How to Start a Movie Project: Title, Quality, Resolution and Aspect Ratio
Before you create your Movie
Starting a Movie takes a minute, but a few of the choices you make are locked in once it's created. This guide walks through each one so you set up your AI movie project correctly the first time.
Step by step
- Open the Movies section and choose to create a new Movie.
- Give it a title. Titles can be up to 80 characters. Pick something you'll recognize in a list later.
- Choose a quality tier. Budget, Standard or Premium. Each shot in the Movie will use it. See Budget vs. Standard vs. Premium video quality.
- Choose a resolution. Higher resolutions look sharper and cost more per second.
- Choose an aspect ratio if the options for your resolution offer a choice, for example a wide or a tall frame.
- Set your budget cap. This is the most you're willing to spend on the Movie. See setting your Movie's budget cap.
- Check the preview, then create the Movie.
Use the budget preview
Before you create the Movie, the screen can show roughly how many shots your budget buys at the quality and resolution you picked. It's worth checking. A tight budget combined with Premium quality and a high resolution can leave you unable to afford even one shot. It's better to find that out before you create the Movie than after.
The preview counts shots rather than seconds because every clip has a minimum length. Your budget buys whole clips, not loose seconds.
What you can't change later
Quality, resolution, aspect ratio and the budget cap are set when you create the Movie and apply to every shot. The reason is practical: the finished video is made by joining your shots together, and that only works cleanly when they all match. See why every shot shares the same settings.
If you realize you want different settings, start a new Movie. You can archive the old one.
Limits to know about
- Your account can have a limited number of active Movies at once. Archive one you're done with to free a slot.
- A Movie can't be archived while one of its shots is generating.
- There's a maximum budget you can set per Movie.
The current limits show in the Studio.
Choosing sensible settings
- Drafting an idea? Start with Budget quality and a lower resolution. You can make a second Movie at higher quality once the concept works.
- Posting to a phone feed? A tall aspect ratio, if available, fits better.
- Planning a finished piece? Choose your final quality from the start, with a budget cap that leaves room for a retry or two.
What comes next
Once your Movie exists, optionally add reference photos, then add your first shot. Make sure your wallet has funds first. If you're unsure, see what happens when your balance runs low.
Try it yourself: create a small Budget-tier Movie and use the preview to see what a few shots would cost.