Synthesia: Create Professional AI Videos in Minutes

No camera. No studio. No actors. Just type your script, choose an AI avatar, and get a professional video. Synthesia makes video creation as easy as writing a document.

Photo by Jakob Owens on Unsplash

What is Synthesia?

Synthesia creates videos using AI-generated avatars that speak your script. These aren’t robotic text-to-speech videos—they’re realistic humans with natural lip-sync, expressions, and gestures.

Use cases:

• Training and onboarding videos
• Product demos and tutorials
• Marketing and sales content
• Internal communications
• Multilingual content (140+ languages)
• Personalized video messages

Getting Started

1. Create Account

Go to synthesia.io and sign up. You can try with a free demo video.

2. Choose Template or Start Blank

Templates include:

• Corporate training
• Product walkthrough
• How-to tutorial
• Sales pitch
• News update

Or start with a blank canvas.

3. Write Your Script

Type or paste your script. Synthesia will estimate video length (about 150 words = 1 minute).

4. Select Avatar

Choose from 150+ stock avatars or create your own. Avatars vary by:

• Age and appearance
• Professional attire
• Casual/formal style
• Sitting/standing position

5. Generate and Download

Click generate, wait 5-10 minutes, download your video.

Photo by Sticker Mule on Unsplash

Key Features

AI Avatars

Stock Avatars: 150+ diverse options

• Different ethnicities, ages, genders
• Professional and casual looks
• Various backgrounds and settings

Custom Avatars: Create your own

• Film yourself for 15 minutes
• AI creates your digital twin
• Use yourself in all future videos

Express Avatars: Quick custom

• Just webcam recording
• Ready in hours, not days
• Good enough for internal use

Voice Options

AI Voices:

• 140+ languages and accents
• Multiple voice styles per language
• Natural intonation and pacing

Voice Cloning:

• Record your voice sample
• AI replicates your voice
• Scale your voice across videos

Upload Audio:

• Use professional voice recordings
• Avatar lip-syncs to the audio
• Best for important external content

Multilingual Content

One script, many languages:

1. Write script in English
2. Synthesia auto-translates
3. Generate in 140+ languages
4. Same avatar, different language

Perfect for global companies with training content.

Scene Building

Create multi-scene videos:

• Different backgrounds per scene
• Switch avatars mid-video
• Add screen recordings
• Include images and text overlays
• Insert video clips

Brand Kit

Maintain consistency:

• Upload logo
• Set brand colors
• Define fonts
• Save intro/outro templates
• Create branded templates

Practical Workflows

Employee Onboarding

Traditional approach: Film HR person, edit video, reshoot when content changes.

Synthesia approach:

1. Write onboarding script
2. Generate video
3. Policy change? Edit script, regenerate
4. New hire in Germany? Generate German version

Updates take minutes, not weeks.

Product Training

Create a training library:

Module 1: Platform Overview (3 min)
Module 2: Account Setup (5 min)
Module 3: Core Features (8 min)
Module 4: Advanced Tips (6 min)
Module 5: Troubleshooting (4 min)

Each module is a separate Synthesia video. Update any module independently.

Sales Enablement

Personalized outreach at scale:

1. Create base pitch video
2. Use variables for personalization:
   • “Hi {FirstName}”
   • “At {Company}, you might be experiencing…”
3. Generate personalized versions via API
4. Send with email automation

Internal Communications

CEO updates without the production:

1. CEO writes message (or has it written)
2. Generate with CEO’s custom avatar
3. Distribute company-wide
4. Do this weekly/monthly without time cost

Integration & Automation

API Access

Automate video creation:

import requests

response = requests.post(
    "https://api.synthesia.io/v2/videos",
    headers={"Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"},
    json={
        "title": "Welcome Video",
        "input": [{
            "scriptText": "Welcome to our platform, John!",
            "avatar": "anna_costume1_cameraA"
        }]
    }
)

Integrations

• LMS platforms - Import directly to learning systems
• CRM - Personalized sales videos
• Zapier/Make - Workflow automation
• Slack/Teams - Share directly

Pricing (2026)

Enterprise unlocks:

• Custom avatar creation
• Voice cloning
• API access
• SSO and compliance
• Dedicated support

Quality Tips

Writing Better Scripts

For AI avatars specifically:

• Short sentences work better
• Avoid complex pronunciation
• Use natural speech patterns
• Include breathing pauses (periods/commas)
• Don’t use all caps for emphasis

Script structure:

Hook (10 sec): Grab attention
Problem (20 sec): Identify pain point
Solution (30 sec): Present your answer
How it works (60 sec): Explain clearly
CTA (10 sec): What to do next

Visual Best Practices

• Use scene transitions, not one long take
• Add text overlays for key points
• Include screen recordings for software
• Mix avatar positions (wide, close-up)
• Keep videos under 5 minutes when possible

When NOT to Use Synthesia

• Emotional, sensitive topics
• When authentic human presence matters
• External marketing requiring high trust
• Content where personal connection is key

Limitations

Be aware of:

• Uncanny valley - Some viewers notice it’s AI
• Complex emotions - Avatars can’t convey subtlety
• Custom gestures - Limited control over body language
• Real-time - Can’t do live video (yet)
• Accents - Some language/accent combos aren’t perfect

Synthesia vs Alternatives

ROI Calculation

Compare costs:

Traditional video production:

• Script: $500
• Filming: $2,000
• Editing: $1,000
• Revisions: $500
• Total: $4,000 per video

Synthesia:

• Creator plan: $67/month
• 30 videos/month possible
• Cost per video: ~$2.25

At scale, the savings are massive. But remember: some content needs that authentic human touch.

Conclusion

Synthesia democratizes video creation. Training content, internal updates, product tutorials—all become as easy as writing a document.

Start with internal content where AI avatars are fully accepted. Use it for content that changes often. Save traditional video for high-stakes external content.

The best video is one that actually gets made. Synthesia removes the friction.

Your first video is free. What will you create?