Guide · Tools
AI video tools 2026: what actually runs.
The tool stack behind four fully generative concept films, sorted by job: visual worlds, animation, voice, edit. Plus the uncomfortable truth that the tool question matters least.
Last updated: July 2026
Not an affiliate list, not a “top 10 generators” ranking: these are the tools our concept films and spec spots were actually made with, sorted by job. As of July 2026, and in this field statements age in months, not years.
Visual worlds and scene stills
Nano Banana Pro / Nano Banana 2 are our standard for stills: scene images, reference frames and consistent sets. The workflow matters more than the tool: the visual world is built as a series of stills first, then animated. Generating video directly burns iterations in the most expensive step.
Animation and video
Kling 2.6 and 3.0 are our workhorse for image-to-video: the Manner spot was animated entirely with it, the Porch parody with Kling 3.0. Strengths: motion quality and controllability via start frames. Seedance 2 powered the IKEA film, where longer, emotional shots were needed. Runway we use for individual editing features, and because its contest ecosystem (our Pippin spot ran in the Big Ad Contest) is a good barometer for the state of the art.
For context on the big names: Google Veo 3 showed with the viral Kalshi NBA Finals spot what the vignette style can do, and Sora opened the debate with the 2024 Toys’R’Us brand film. Both examples with sources are on the examples page.
Sound, voice, music
Artlist covers voice-over, music licensing and sound design for us. One trick from practice: in the IKEA film the astronaut’s voice drifted between shots. The fix was Artlist’s speech-to-speech generator: export the dialogue, run it through, drop it back into the edit. Voice consistency remains one of the real bottlenecks.
Script and edit
ChatGPT is a sparring partner for concept and script, but replaces no idea. Editing, mixing and finishing happen classically in Premiere Pro: cutting rhythm, sound design and color are craft no generator ships with.
What no tool solves
After four fully generative films the ranking is clear: the idea beats every model update. Brand consistency is built in systems (locked-off camera perspectives, reference stills, start and end frames), not in prompts. Rights and licensing remain project work. And taste cannot be subscribed to. Which is exactly why the tool question is the least important question in an AI film production: if you want to know what a production costs, the answer is in the cost guide.