← Back to blog · 7 min read · Published 2026-03-04 · Updated 2026-04-20 · By Flik AI

Text-to-Video: The Complete AI Generation Guide (2026)

From one written prompt to a finished clip — how text-to-video actually works across Veo 3.1, Kling 3.0 Pro, Seedance 2.0, and Hailuo 2.3.

Text-to-video is the simplest AI video flow: you write a prompt, the model generates a clip. In 2026 every frontier AI video model supports it, but each produces notably different output from the same prompt. Here's the complete guide to the text-to-video flow inside Flik AI and how to get the best result per model.

Step 1: Pick the right model for the shot

Cinematic 4K or multi-shot sequence → Kling 3.0 Pro
Dialogue or native audio needed → Veo 3.1
Multi-image reference-driven style → Seedance 2.0
Kinetic action / sports / dance → Hailuo 2.3
Fast iteration or bulk short-form → Kling 2.6 or Seedance 2.0 Fast

In Agent mode, this routing is automatic. In Manual mode you pick the model directly. See /blog/best-ai-video-generators-2026 for the full model decision tree.

Step 2: Write the prompt with the 6-part formula

The formula that works across every frontier model: subject, context, action, style, camera, lighting. Example:

See /blog/how-to-prompt-ai-video for the full formula and /veo-3-prompts, /kling-prompts, /seedance-prompts, /hailuo-prompts for model-specific prompting tips.

Step 3: Set aspect ratio and duration before generating

Aspect ratio should match your destination — 9:16 for TikTok/Reels, 16:9 for YouTube/web, 1:1 for Meta feed, 4:5 for Meta feed alternative. Duration varies per model: Veo 3.1 caps at ~8s, Kling 3.0 Pro stitches to 60+s, Seedance 2.0 hits 15s per clip, Hailuo 2.3 lands at ~10s.

Step 4: Iterate one variable at a time

First generation rarely lands. Change one thing between iterations — lighting only, camera only, style only — and compare. Flik AI keeps prior takes visible so you can A/B across variables and merge the best choices into a final keeper prompt.

Step 5: Export across aspect ratios

Once the prompt is dialed, generate all aspect ratios from the same project in parallel — you don't need to re-prompt per platform. Flik AI reframes and re-times per target format automatically.

For the text-to-video marketing page, see /text-to-video. For related flows, see /image-to-video and /audio-to-video.

Tags: text-to-video how-to ai video tutorial

Frequently asked questions

What's the best AI model for text-to-video in 2026?

Depends on the shot. Kling 3.0 Pro for 4K cinematic, Veo 3.1 for dialogue, Seedance 2.0 for multimodal reference-driven, Hailuo 2.3 for action. In Agent mode, Flik AI picks per shot automatically.

How long should a text-to-video prompt be?

60–120 words total, structured across the 6-part formula. Longer isn't better — packing 30 adjectives dilutes signal. If style is hard to articulate, use a reference image instead.

Can I generate multiple takes from the same prompt?

Yes. Use the count selector (x1, x2, x3, x4) to generate multiple variants in one submission. Each variant uses the same prompt with a different seed, giving you options without rewriting anything.

How much does a text-to-video generation cost?

Approximately 1,000 credits (~$10) for a typical 10-second clip. Costs vary by model, duration, and resolution — Kling 3.0 Pro 4K is the cheapest per second, Veo 3.1 is the most expensive but includes native audio. See /blog/ai-video-pricing-2026 for the full breakdown.

How to Prompt AI Video: The Complete 2026 Framework — The six-part prompt structure used inside Flik AI — subject, context, action, style, camera, lighting — with real examples across Veo 3.1, Kling 3.0 Pro, Seedance 2.0, and Hailuo 2.3 plus model-specific prompting tips.
How to Animate a Photo into Video with AI (2026) — The complete image-to-video workflow in 2026 — upload a photo, describe the motion, generate a 10-second clip. Works across Veo 3.1, Kling 3.0 Pro, Seedance 2.0, and Hailuo 2.3.
The Best AI Video Generators in 2026: A Practical Buyer's Guide — A practical tier-list of the frontier AI video models in 2026 — when to pick Veo 3.1, when Kling 3.0 Pro is the right answer, how Seedance 2.0 and Hailuo 2.3 fit into real creative workflows, and what to avoid.

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