AI Video Editing Automation Guide

1) Recommended Stack (Pick & Mix)

AI Editors

• Runway — text-to-edit, captions, quick cuts
• Pictory — script → video, b-roll & auto captions
• OpusClip — long-form → shorts repurposing

Audio & Captions

• Whisper (local or cloud) — highest speech-to-text accuracy
• RX Elements — de-noise, de-plosive, cleanup

Automation Layer

• Zapier — plug-and-play automation
• Make (Integromat) — deeper routing logic
• Google Drive / Dropbox — shared “file bus”

Tip: If you value simplicity, stick with one editor. Strict folder naming matters more than the tool you pick.

2) Folder & Naming Schema

Automations rely on predictable paths. Use a top-level VideoBus/ with rigid subfolders and safe filenames.

File Naming

YYYYMMDD__proj-key__platform__v001.mp4
YYYYMMDD__proj-key__captions__v001.srt
YYYYMMDD__proj-key__thumb__v001.png

Use 3-digit version numbers so automations can increment safely.

3) Workflow Blueprint (A → E)

Stage A — Intake

• Ideas saved to /INBOX/ideas
• Raw media dropped into /INBOX/media
• Trigger: new media → auto-caption

Stage B — Script & Prep

• Script saved as proj-key__script.md
• Optional: auto b-roll list generation

Stage C — Edit & Captions

• Apply editor template
• Create SRT via Whisper or native tool
• QC automation: profanity, typos, timing

Stage D — Export & Versioning

• Export 4K/1080p + vertical
• Loudness normalize
• Move to /RENDERS
• QC → /PUBLISH

Stage E — Publish & Analytics

• Metadata JSON drives uploads
• Fan-out to YouTube, TikTok, Reels
• Auto-pull analytics at 24h/72h

4) Templates & Presets

Metadata JSON

{
"title": "How to Batch Edit Shorts with Runway",
"description": "Timestamps, tools, and workflow...",
"tags": ["shorts", "captioning", "runway"],
"chapters": [
{"t": "00:00", "label": "Hook"},
{"t": "00:08", "label": "Step 1"}
],
"thumb": "YYYYMMDD__proj-key__thumb__v001.png"
}

QC Checklist

• Audio: −14 ±2 LUFS, peak ≤ −1 dBTP
• Captions: line length ≤ 42 chars
• Visual: crop-safe for 9:16 + 1:1
• Thumbnail legible at 25% scale
• Metadata validated

5) Automation Recipes

Recipe A — Auto-Caption & QC (Zapier)

1. Trigger: new file in /INBOX/media
2. Sanitize filename → Whisper
3. Save .srt
4. QC captions
5. Move to /EDIT

// Zapier Code (JS)
const clean = inputData.name
.toLowerCase()
.replace(/[^a-z0-9._-]+/g,'-')
.replace(/--+/g,'-');
return { safe_name: clean };

Recipe B — Render Watch → Publish Packet (Make)

1. Watch /RENDERS
2. Route vertical vs. landscape
3. Assemble publish packet (MP4 + JSON + thumbnail)
4. Upload to platforms
5. Log results

Recipe C — Long-Form → Clips (AI Tools)

1. Drop long-form into /INBOX/media
2. Create clip jobs (hooks, captions off)
3. Autoname → /RENDERS
4. Create thumbnails
5. Publish packets

Recipe D — Analytics Pullback

1. Run at 24h/72h
2. Append data to sheet
3. A/B thumbnails or titles automatically

6) Quality Control Gates

• Audio: normalize, no clipping
• Captions: timed correctly, no doubles
• Visual: crop-safe framing
• Thumbnail: 1280×720 minimum
• Metadata: SEO-safe title + hook

7) Multi-Platform Publishing

8) Cost & Tool Comparison

• Runway: fast templates, strong captions — Runway vs Pictory →
• Pictory: script → video, simple workflow — Full review →
• OpusClip: excellent hook detection — Full review →

9) FAQs