Amazon's New AI Can Create 2-Minute Videos From Text

The new model offers two distinct approaches. Users can either write a single prompt for the entire video or direct each shot individually - think of it as choosing between being a hands-off executive producer or a detail-obsessed director.

For the creatively ambitious, Nova Reel 1.1 accepts prompts up to 4,000 characters in automated mode. That's enough space to describe an epic journey from Norwegian fjords to Hawaiian volcanoes, with a few bioluminescent beaches thrown in for good measure.

The manual mode lets users micromanage up to 20 individual shots, with 512 characters of description per shot. It's perfect for those who believe their inner Spielberg deserves more creative control.

Quality improvements don't stop at length. The model maintains consistent style across shots, eliminating the jarring transitions that plagued earlier versions. It's like finally hiring a competent editor who understands the concept of visual continuity.

The technical requirements are straightforward. Videos render at 1280x720 resolution at 24 frames per second - the same frame rate used in most movies, though probably not the next Avatar sequel.

For those wondering about implementation, Amazon provides comprehensive code examples. The model integrates with Amazon Bedrock, their AI service platform, accessible through their console, SDK, or command-line interface. Users can test drive it in the playground section, where "playground" means "sophisticated video generation interface" in Amazon-speak.

Reference images are optional but must match the output resolution. The system automatically delivers completed videos to your specified S3 bucket, saving you from refreshing your browser every five seconds to check if it's done.

Sample prompts showcase the system's versatility. One example transforms simple geometric shapes into a mathematical dance routine - perfect for those times when you need to make triangles and squares perform a waltz. Another creates explosions of colored powder against a black background, presumably for when your actual color run event gets rained out.

Currently, Nova Reel 1.1 is available only in Amazon's US East (N. Virginia) region. Pricing follows the pay-as-you-go model, which is Amazon's way of saying "only pay for what you use, but you'll probably use more than you think."

Why this matters:

• What once required a film crew, expensive equipment, and perfect weather conditions can now be accomplished with a well-crafted prompt and some patience. Though professional videographers needn't worry - there's still no AI for handling demanding directors or making coffee runs.
• The ability to generate two-minute videos opens up new possibilities for marketing, education, and entertainment. Just remember: with great power comes great responsibility to not flood the internet with AI-generated videos of geometric shapes dancing to unheard music.

Read on, my dear:

• AWS Blog: Amazon Nova Reel 1.1: Featuring up to 2-minutes multi-shot videos