Guide
How to Make an AI Short Drama, Step by Step
Updated September 12, 2026
Before you start: three decisions
- Source material. Web novels and serialized scripts work best because they are already written in cliffhanger rhythm. 8,000–60,000 characters is a comfortable range; longer books are analyzed in stages.
- Format. Vertical 9:16, 60–120 seconds per episode, one hook per episode. This is what ReelShort, DramaBox and the Chinese platforms monetize; 16:9 is available if you are cutting for YouTube.
- Visual style and market. Choose one rendering style (realistic, 2D, 3D CG…) and one target region — Western, East Asian, Southeast Asian or Latin American — before generating anything. Changing either later means regenerating the cast.
The six steps
1. Upload and analyze the script
Paste the text or upload .txt / .docx / .md. One analysis pass extracts characters, scenes, props and an episode-by-episode outline, each with a conflict arc and an end-of-episode hook. On SceneMixer this costs 4 credits per 3,333 characters and includes the first reference images; it takes minutes.
2. Lock the cast
Review the generated character sheets before you make any video. Fix faces, ages and signature looks now — every later shot is generated against these references. Extra reference images are 10 credits each; uploading your own art is allowed.
3. Localize for the market
Pick the target region and the pipeline adapts names, casting, scenery and on-screen text. One Chinese web novel can ship as a Western-cast English series and a Southeast Asian one from the same analysis.
4. Write and edit the storyboards
Each episode is broken into 4–15 second shots with shot language, dialogue and duration. Storyboards are billed per episode at 1 credits per 333 characters of that episode's script; editing the text afterwards is free, and regenerating a storyboard costs the same as the first pass.
5. Generate the shots
Video is billed from 10 credits per second (≈ $0.06/s at the lowest credit price) at the cheapest tier (Seedance 2.0 family; higher tiers multiply the rate). Generate, watch, and regenerate only the shots that fail — every segment keeps a version history, and the rest of the episode stays untouched.
6. Composite and publish
One click merges the segments into a finished episode at 1 credit per second. Download it and publish to TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Reels or a short-drama platform; keep the AIGC label on where the platform requires disclosure.
Worked example: a 10-episode vertical series
Assume a 30,000-character novel, ten 90-second episodes, about 3,000 characters of script per episode, default video tier, no regenerations.
| Line item | Rate | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Script analysis (30,000 characters) | 4 per 3,333 characters | 120 |
| Storyboards (10 episodes × 3,000 characters) | 1 per 333 characters | 300 |
| Video (10 × 90 s = 900 s) | from 10 per second (cheapest tier) | 9,000 |
| Episode compositing (900 s) | 1 per second | 900 |
| Total | ≈ 10,320 |
At the lowest credit price (largest pack or annual membership, bonus included) that is roughly $64. Budget 20–40% extra for regenerated shots on a first series. Full rates are on the pricing page; the 500 free sign-up credits cover an analysis plus the first few shots.
Mistakes that break a series
- Generating video before the cast is locked. Every face change later costs a regeneration; fix reference sheets first.
- Too many locations per episode. Hits use 3–4 physical sets per episode; more sets means more scene art and more continuity risk.
- Long single shots. Keep shots at 4–15 seconds with one action each; models drift on long, multi-action shots.
- Crowds and choreographed fights. Current video models render two-person dialogue and single-character emotion well and large crowds badly. Write around it.
- No hook. Serialized retention lives on the last five seconds of every episode. If the outline's hook is weak, rewrite it before storyboarding.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to make an AI short drama?
On SceneMixer, a 10-episode series of 90-second vertical episodes from a 30,000-character novel comes to roughly 10,320 credits: about 120 for script analysis, 300 for storyboards, 9,000 for video at the cheapest tier and 900 for compositing — around $64 at the lowest credit price. Regenerated shots add to that; editing storyboard text is free.
How many episodes should a first AI short drama have?
Plan the whole arc but produce the first 3–5 episodes first. They tell you whether the cast reads consistently and whether the hooks land before you spend on 40 more. Serialized platforms expect 40–80 episodes of 60–120 seconds, so the cast library has to hold up for the full run.
How do I keep the same face across every episode?
Use a tool that stores a persistent character identity, not a per-prompt one. SceneMixer generates a full-body reference sheet per character during analysis and injects face and body crops into every segment featuring that character, so episode 40 matches episode 1.
Can I use my own novel or script?
Yes — paste text or upload .txt, .docx or .md in Chinese or English. If you only have a premise, the built-in AI writer can draft a serialized script from a one-line idea, and you can still edit every storyboard by hand for free.
Do I need video-editing skills?
No. The unit of editing is the storyboard script: change the text of a shot and regenerate only that segment. When all segments are ready, full-episode compositing is one click, billed at 1 credit per second.
Do I have to label the video as AI-generated?
Many platforms and jurisdictions now require AI-generated content to be disclosed. SceneMixer has an optional AIGC watermark toggle in settings; check the rules of the platform you publish on and keep the label on where it is required.
Make episode one today
Upload a script or novel and let the pipeline build the series.
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