Synthesia.io Review: Narrating My Post with AI Avatars

Synthesia.io

Synthesia Studio is trailblazing the domain of AI-driven video creation, positioning itself as a standout text to video AI platform. Making professional-grade video production accessible straight from your browser, it acts as a potent ai video content creator. Known for its cutting-edge AI technology and easy-to-navigate interface, Synthesia Studio effectively works as a text to video generator, converting text into dynamic video presentations. This is an asset for content creators and marketers who might not have a background in video production. In this review, we’ll also look into Synthesia Studio’s pricing and position in the bustling AI video creation tools market. To see how it stacks up against the competition, check our article on the best text-to-video AI tools.

How I Created My First Video With Synthesia

In today’s fast-paced world, video content is king. Ever imagined crafting professional-quality videos without the need for advanced editing skills or a blockbuster budget? Meet Synthesia – an AI-powered tool revolutionizing the video content arena. This tutorial offers a step-by-step walkthrough on how to produce a standout video with Synthesia’s capabilities. Whether you’re an experienced content maven or a newbie taking the plunge, this guide paves the way for seamless and top-notch video creation. Eager to kick things off? Dive right in!

Step 1: Set Up Your Synthesia Account

Before proceeding, ensure you have an active Synthesia account. If not, visit Synthesia’s official website, sign up, and then continue with this guide.

Step 2: Log In

Once you’re in, look for the “New Video” button and click it.

Step 3: Choose Video Type

Pick “Blank Video” to make your own or choose from Synthesia’s ready-to-use templates.

Step 4: Give It a Name

After making a blank video, see “Untitled” at the top left? 

Click the pencil beside it to name your video.

Step 5: Pick an Avatar

I chose “Jack V3”. He looks cool and techy.

Step 6: Move Your Avatar

 I wanted Jack on the left side. So, I moved him there.

Step 7: Set a Background

On the right, find “background media”. It shows you many background choices.

This pulls up a menu of stock footage that you can use for the background.

I picked the gray color from the “Synthesia Content” option.

Step 8: More Slides?

Right-click your first slide. Keep choosing “duplicate” until you have enough slides.

Step 9: Write on Slides

Add titles or paragraphs to slides. Click “Text” at the top and pick what you like. Change styling, font, size and more with the text menu at this point too. 

Step 10: Add Videos or Pictures

Click “media” at the top. Pick “Library” on the left. This is where I added my video clips.

Step 11: Put Media on Slides

Drag and drop media from the library to your slides.

Step 11: Make It Move

 I made my last slide zoom in with the “Fade Scale in” option over 5 seconds.

Step 12: What Will Jack Say?

Write what you want Jack to say on each slide.

Step 13: Add pauses if needed

On my last slide, I added a tiny break before the “thank you”. Look for “pause” on the menu and put it where you want.

Step 14: Listen to Jack

Click the play button on the script box’s top right. It lets you hear Jack before making the video. This helps in checking if he sounds okay.

Step 15: Help Jack Speak

Jack said “GetIMG” wrong. So, I clicked on it and told him how to say it right.

Step 16: Finish Up

Ready? Click “generate” at the top right. They’ll make your video and tell you when it’s ready. It’s usually faster than they say!

Step 17: Get Notified

Wait for Synthesia to send you a notification, either via email or on the platform, letting you know that your video is ready for viewing.

Step 18: View Video

Log back into your Synthesia account, and on your dashboard, you’ll see the video you just created listed. Click on it to view.

Step 19: Check & Review

Go through your video to make sure everything looks and sounds as you envisioned. The beauty of Synthesia is the ease of editing. If something’s off, you can always tweak and regenerate your video until it’s perfect.

The End Product: Jack’s tutorial of GetIMG

Tips and Tricks for Using Synthesia

• Use Templates: Especially if you’re new to Synthesia, consider starting with a template to understand the software’s capabilities and structure.
• Play with Avatars: Try different avatars for various contexts. Different avatars may fit different scenarios or messages.
• Quality Check: Always double-check your text and media before finalizing your video. A simple spelling mistake or mismatched media can detract from your message.
• Custom Pronunciations: If you’ve got any unique terms, acronyms, or industry-specific jargon, ensure to teach Jack (or any other avatar) the correct pronunciation.
• Short and Sweet: Keep your messages concise. It’s often more engaging for viewers and ensures the avatar doesn’t drone on.
• Utilize Pauses: Strategic pauses can give your video a more natural feel and provide emphasis where needed.
• Keep Iterating: As with any tool, practice makes perfect. Regularly using Synthesia will help you understand its nuances and get better results over time.

Video Creation Capabilities

Stepping into the future of video production, Synthesia’s AI-powered platform has made a mark, redefining traditional methods. It’s not just a simple ai video maker, but a comprehensive ai video generation platform. The platform allowed me to either add my choice of background music or pick one from Shutterstock’s collection. Furthermore, with Synthesia, it’s easy to make AI videos that are strikingly lifelike, providing a viable substitute for human presenters.

Moreover, the platform’s library of over 90 avatars was remarkable, all of which could be customized and used to deliver content in more than 120 languages and dialects. One of the platform’s features that caught my eye was its screen recording capability, which was instrumental in crafting detailed tutorials. The AI-fuelled videos that Synthesia churned out were strikingly lifelike, providing a viable substitute for human presenters.

Synthesia’s integration with popular platforms like PowerPoint, Monday, and YouTube makes it a versatile tool for video production. For a demo of how the tool fared with the powerpoint integration, see my review here. However, it isn’t without its shortcomings. The limitations of the free trial, the somewhat limited in-platform content options, and occasional pronunciation issues did cause minor inconveniences. Furthermore, the potential for videos to lose their originality due to the use of common avatars, and the constraints of the $30 per month personal plan, may be restrictive for some users.

Synthesia’s integration with popular platforms like PowerPoint, Monday, and YouTube makes it a versatile tool for video production, aligning with its capabilities as a video AI platform. For a demo of how the tool fared with the PowerPoint integration, see my review here. However, its potential limitations can’t be overlooked. The constraints of the $30 per month personal plan, combined with the lack of a free ai video generation platform, might be restrictive for some users.

Ease of Use and Interface

Navigating through Synthesia.io was a breeze, thanks to its intuitive, user-friendly interface. What really won me over was its text-to-speech feature, which made studios and actors obsolete. The vast library of AI avatars, customizable templates, and multilingual support made the video production process even smoother.

However, the experience wasn’t completely flawless. The limit on the number of videos I could generate each month and the lack of collaborative features did somewhat dampen the appeal. Nevertheless, the convenience of use, top-notch AI videos, and customization options solidify Synthesia’s position in the video creation space.

Versatility

The versatility of Synthesia’s AI-enabled platform is noteworthy. It allows for extensive control over the video production process, from selecting avatars to defining narration styles and word pronunciations. While certain limitations exist, such as the character limit in the free trial, Synthesia stands out as a versatile, economical solution for professional video production.

AI Features and Functionality

Synthesia.io leverages AI to simplify the video creation process. With its impressive feature set, including background music addition, screen recording, and slide inclusion, it’s an efficient tool for generating captivating videos in over 120 languages. While there are certain limitations, like the video cap and lack of a completely free version, the platform’s exceptional customer support adds to its appeal.

What We Like

• User-friendly interface
• Multilingual support
• A wide variety of avatars and templates
• Unique customization features
• Integrated screen recording
• Ability to add additional text, images, shapes, and videos
• MP4 download capability
• Free trial demo
• Excellent customer support
• Professional-grade video creation without high-end equipment
• Access to media assets from Unsplash and Shutterstock
• Ability to create custom avatars

What We Don’t like

• Premium avatars are only accessible with the business package
• No completely free version
• Monthly video generation cap
• Absence of collaboration options
• Limited pricing plans
• Ten slides per video maximum in the Personal Plan
• Additional fee for custom avatars

Competition

Despite stiff competition in the AI video production market, Synthesia stands out. Its AI powered video creator platform, launched in 2017 by AI researchers and entrepreneurs, revolutionizes video production. However, Synthesia faces competition from platforms like DeepBrain AI, Colossyan, Hour One, Yepic Studio, Elai, and Narakeet, which offer similar services.

With its wide range of features, including 90+ AI avatars, support for over 120 languages and voices, an AI script assistant, a built-in screen recorder, and customizable scenes and music, Synthesia proves itself to be a leader in the space. While users have reported concerns about video uniqueness and mechanical voice issues, Synthesia’s user-friendly interface, high-speed output, and top-quality videos solidify its standing in the AI video platform landscape.

FAQs

Is Synthesia suitable for all types of videos?

While my experiment focused on training videos, the platform has a diverse array of templates that can be applied to other types, like advertisements, introductions, and more.

Does Synthesia require prior video editing experience?

Not at all. The platform is intuitive enough for even beginners to pick up and use effectively.

Are there limitations to AI-generated content?

While AI tools like ChatGPT are impressive, there will always be some nuances and human touches that they might not capture fully. They’re fantastic for generating content quickly, but for topics requiring depth and expertise, a human touch can still be invaluable.

How does Synthesia handle visuals for imaginary products?

As demonstrated with “Fludder,” Synthesia is capable, especially when paired with other AI tools. However, the more defined and specific your prompts are, the better the visual output will likely be.

How does the PowerPoint import feature in Synthesia work?

 When you upload a PowerPoint to Synthesia, it processes each slide, turning them into scenes for a video. It’s not a mere upload but includes a transformation where each slide becomes a background for the video.

Who is “Jack”?

Jack is one of the AI avatars available in Synthesia, known for his youthful tonality.

How long does it usually take for the video to be generated?

While Synthesia provides an estimate, actual time can vary based on video length and server loads. It’s often faster than the estimate.

What if the avatar mispronounces a word that’s not in English?

Synthesia allows you to guide the pronunciation of challenging words, whether they’re in English or any other language.