Short vertical video rewards clarity. Viewers decide in the first second whether to keep watching, and most of them watch without sound. That shapes everything below: a striking first shot, captions that carry the message, and no wasted frames.
1. Pick one idea
Every reel should say one thing. “Rainy Sunday in the city”, “three ways to wear a denim jacket”, “a day at our café”. If you can’t say it in a few words, it will feel muddled on screen.
2. Plan three or four scenes
Write one line per scene, in the order they’ll appear. A structure that works for almost anything:
- Hook: the most eye-catching shot. Movement toward the camera, a face, a bold color.
- Middle: one or two shots that show the idea. Keep one action per shot.
- Close: a calmer shot where your call to action can sit in the caption.
For example: “A woman opens a café shutter at sunrise” → “Close-up of espresso pouring into a cup” → “Friends laughing at a window table” → “The café sign glowing at dusk”.
3. Write captions people can read in a second
Captions should be short — under eight words — and placed in the upper-middle of the frame, away from the buttons and descriptions each app lays over the bottom and right edge. Use the caption to add what the picture can’t: a feeling, a number, a question.
4. Generate the clips in 9:16
Open the AI reels maker, paste your scenes and captions, and press generate. Each scene renders as a vertical clip of about three to five seconds. If one scene misses, regenerate just that scene — every render uses a new seed. You can also start a scene from a photo, which is great for products or for a character you made in the character generator.
5. Add music you’re allowed to use
Pick a track you own or have licensed. The reels maker mixes it into the export inside your browser. Alternatively, export without music and add a track from the app’s own licensed library when you post — that also helps the platform recommend your video alongside the trend.
6. Export and post
Export the reel and download it. Instagram, YouTube Shorts, TikTok and Facebook all accept vertical video up to at least 60 seconds, so a 12–20 second AI reel fits everywhere. Write a first line in the description that repeats your hook, add three or four relevant hashtags, and post when your audience is active.
Common mistakes
- Too many people or actions in one scene — keep it simple so the AI renders it cleanly.
- Long captions — if you need a sentence, split it across two scenes.
- Horizontal clips cropped to vertical — always generate in 9:16 from the start.
- Presenting AI footage as real events — label realistic AI content; most platforms require it.
