To make a short drama with AI you don’t need a camera or a cast — you need a script, a scene generator, a consistent character, voices, subtitles, an editor and a cover. Here’s a 7-step workflow you can run solo, with a tool for each step. For the full picking guide, see the best AI tools for making short dramas.

1. Write the script

Start from a logline or a novel and let AI break it into episodes and beats. Pick from the AI script generators for short drama. Keep episodes short and end each on a cliffhanger — that structure is what the format rewards.

2. Generate the scenes

Turn each beat into a shot with an AI video generator. Use a reference image to keep your lead on-model across cuts, and render vertical 9:16 from the start so you’re not cropping later.

3. Lock a consistent character

If your story follows one lead, cast an AI actor or reuse the same reference across scenes. Consistency of face and outfit is what makes a series feel real rather than a slideshow of clips.

4. Add the voices

Give each character a voice and, if you’re localizing, clone the lead. The AI dubbing tools handle multilingual voice and lip-sync. Match voice energy to the melodrama — short drama leans loud.

5. Subtitle (and go global)

Burn readable captions, then — if you’re taking a Chinese title overseas — translate and remove the original hard-subtitles with a translate & subtitle tool. This one step multiplies your addressable market.

6. Cut it to a vertical episode

Assemble the shots, tighten the pacing, and export 9:16 with an AI editor. Then auto-cut a few highlight teasers for social — the teaser is what sells the unlock.

7. Design a cover and publish

A cover with a legible title drives the click; use a poster & cover tool. Then publish to a vertical short-drama platform.

The shortcut: do it all in one place

If seven tools feels like a lot, an all-in-one studio runs the whole chain from a single prompt — the fastest way to a faceless short drama.

Ready to build your stack? Browse the full directory or read the tool-by-tool guide.