Is there a platform where I can automate creating multiple versions of an explainer video?

Question

I work for a company that connects various software to each other. We want to create an explainer video for each software we connect to. The videos will be almost identical with the only difference being different logos shown in the video (corresponding to the software for that video).

The problem is we connect to dozens of different software, and down the line no doubt we'll want to make changes to the video e.g. when we build a new feature. We don't want to have to manually create dozens of videos, never lone go through editing each one every time we add a new feature.

So ideally we want to find a platform that easily produces multiple versions of the same video with small variations. Is this possible?

Many thanks, Bryce

Answer 1

As Noah suggests, using project templates in editing software is probably the most common, and most accessible solution to your question.

The downside is that it still requires manual input, which can grow more cumbersome as your catalogue expands. For a more hands-off approach, look into automation via scripting. DaVinci Resolve is a full NLE which supports scripting via Lua, Python2 and Python3. Likewise, Adobe's Premiere Pro supports scripting via ExtendScript, an offshoot of JavaScript.

Of course, the disadvantage of a hands-off approach, is that there's less human oversight, and mistakes are less likely to get caught. YMMV.

Here's an example of how you might script Resolve to create Instagram-formatted videos from YouTube-formatted videos: TonyTeachesTech. The same process works in Premiere.

It's also possible to ditch the GUI altogether and automate video creation with the command line. For this, FFMPEG is usually central, and other elements are added based on your specific requirements.

Answer 2

Most video editing programs will allow you to duplicate a project. Then you can just swap out the old logo image for the new logo image in the timeline, check/fix the scaling, and export it. You can keep all the projects so that if you need to make other changes, you can keep those changes in the project as well.