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This guide shows you how to create videos from text with professional AI-generated voice-over narration. Transform written content into narrated videos perfect for social media, YouTube, educational content, or marketing materials.

What You’ll Learn

AI Voice-Over

Add natural-sounding narration to your videos

Multiple Voices

Choose from various AI voice speakers

Auto-Sync

Voice automatically syncs with video scenes

Voice Customization

Control speed and volume for perfect delivery

Before You Begin

Make sure you have:
  • A Pictory API key
  • Node.js or Python installed on your machine
  • Text content ready for video conversion
  • Basic understanding of voice-over concepts

How Text-to-Video with Voice-Over Works

When you create a video with AI voice-over:
  1. Text Processing - Your text content is analyzed and prepared
  2. Scene Generation - Text is split into logical video scenes
  3. Visual Selection - AI selects appropriate stock visuals for each scene
  4. Voice Generation - Professional AI narration is created from your text
  5. Synchronization - Voice-over is automatically synchronized with video timing
  6. Caption Creation - Subtitles are generated to match the narration
  7. Video Rendering - Final video is assembled with all elements combined
The AI voice-over is automatically synchronized with your video scenes. The narration timing adjusts based on text length, voice speed, and scene duration for natural pacing.

Complete Example

Understanding the Parameters

Voice-Over Configuration

Scene Configuration

Voice Speed Reference

Amplification Level Reference

Volume Considerations: Very high amplification levels (0.7-1.0) may cause audio distortion. Test your settings and use moderation for professional results.

Choosing Your AI Voice

The Pictory API supports various AI voice speakers with different characteristics:
To get a complete list of available voices programmatically, use the Get Voiceover Tracks API endpoint. This returns all available AI voices with their names, languages, and characteristics.
ElevenLabs Auto-Discovery: You can pass any ElevenLabs voice ID directly as the speaker value. If the voice is not already in your library, it will be automatically discovered and added from the ElevenLabs catalog. No manual setup required. See the ElevenLabs Voices Guide for details.

Common Use Cases

Educational Content

Result: Clear, paced narration perfect for learning materials.

Marketing and Sales

Result: Dynamic, engaging narration for promotional content.

Social Media Content

Result: Energetic narration for short-form social videos.

Technical Tutorials

Result: Measured, clear narration for complex topics.

Best Practices

Match voice characteristics to your content:
  • Professional Content: Use Brian, Matthew, or Joanna
  • Casual/Friendly: Use Emma, Amy, or Joey
  • Educational: Choose clear voices like Emma or Brian
  • Brand Consistency: Use the same voice across all your videos
  • Test Options: Try different voices to find the best fit
Adjust speed based on content type:
  • Complex Content: Use 80-95 for technical or educational material
  • Standard Content: Use 95-105 for most narration
  • Social Media: Use 110-120 for energetic, engaging delivery
  • Urgent Content: Use 120-150 for quick updates
  • Test Pacing: Always preview to ensure speed feels natural
Apply volume strategically:
  • Subtle Emphasis: Use 0.1-0.3 for gentle highlighting
  • Normal Content: Keep at 0 for most narration
  • Strong Emphasis: Use 0.4-0.6 for key messages
  • Avoid Extremes: Don’t exceed 0.7 to prevent distortion
  • Consistency: Maintain similar levels across similar content
Prepare text that sounds natural when spoken:
  • Conversational Tone: Write as you would speak, not formal writing
  • Short Sentences: Keep sentences concise for better pacing
  • Clear Pronunciation: Spell out acronyms and difficult terms
  • Proper Punctuation: Use periods and commas for natural pauses
  • Test by Reading: Read your text aloud before converting
Structure scenes for effective narration:
  • Logical Breaks: Split at natural pauses in your content
  • Scene Length: Aim for 5-15 seconds per scene (30-100 words)
  • Visual Match: Ensure each scene’s visuals match the narration
  • Pacing: Use scene breaks to control video rhythm
  • Test Flow: Review to ensure smooth transitions

Troubleshooting

Problem: The AI narration does not sound natural.Solution:
  • Try a different AI voice speaker
  • Adjust speed to 95-105 for more natural cadence
  • Ensure your text has proper punctuation
  • Avoid using all caps or unusual formatting
  • Write in a conversational tone, not formal writing
  • Use the Get Voiceover Tracks API to explore voice options
Problem: Voice-over pacing does not match your expectations.Solution:
  • Adjust the speed parameter:
    • Decrease to 80-90 for slower narration
    • Increase to 110-120 for faster delivery
  • Test different speeds to find the sweet spot
  • Consider your audience - educational content needs slower pacing
  • Very complex content may need speeds as low as 75
Problem: Narration timing seems off compared to visuals.Solution:
  • The API automatically syncs voice to video duration
  • Adjust scene breaks (createSceneOnNewLine, createSceneOnEndOfSentence)
  • Keep scenes to reasonable lengths (5-15 seconds each)
  • If using manual scenes, ensure text length matches desired scene duration
  • Review the completed video - timing may feel different than expected
Problem: Voice-over sounds muffled, distorted, or has audio artifacts.Solution:
  • Reduce amplificationLevel to 0 or below
  • Avoid levels above 0.7 which can cause clipping
  • Try a different AI voice - some have better audio quality
  • Check for unusual characters or formatting in source text
  • Ensure text does not have excessive special characters
Problem: None of the voices seem right for your content.Solution:
  • Use the Get Voiceover Tracks API to see all options
  • Test multiple voices with the same content
  • Consider the voice characteristics table above for guidance
  • Try adjusting speed and amplification with different voices
  • Some voices work better for specific content types

Next Steps

Enhance your voice-over videos with these features:

Multi-Level Voice-Over

Use different voices or settings for different scenes

Background Music

Add music to complement voice-over narration

Custom Captions

Add translated or custom subtitles to your videos

Basic Text to Video

Create videos without voice-over

API Reference

For complete technical details, see:

Get Voiceover Tracks

List all available AI voices

Render Storyboard Video

Direct video rendering with voice-over

Create Storyboard Preview

Create preview before rendering

Get Storyboard Preview Job

Monitor storyboard creation progress