Text to video
Text to video AI: make a clip from words
Write the shot and the model makes it. No image needed. Here are 13 of the video models Root runs that make a clip from a prompt alone, all from one account. The cheapest clip in the table below is $0.25, with Kling 2.5 Turbo.
Updated
First month free on the Beginner plan, with 650 credits to try any model.
AI video made in Root
Text to video models, by length and price
What one clip costs on Root, in dollars: a short clip, and the longest clip the model makes in one run at the same size. 100 credits is $1.
| Model | Sound | A short clip | Short clip price | Longest clip | Longest clip price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seedance 2.5 | On or off | 5 s, 720p, no sound | $1.99 | 30 s | $11.81 |
| Seedance 2.0 | On or off | 5 s, 720p, no sound | $1.30 | 15 s | $3.87 |
| Seedance 2.0 Fast | On or off | 5 s, 720p, no sound | $1.04 | 15 s | $3.10 |
| Seedance 2.0 Mini | On or off | 5 s, 720p, no sound | $0.65 | 15 s | $1.94 |
| Kling 3.0 | On or off | 5 s, 720p, no sound | $0.49 | 10 s | $0.97 |
| Kling 3.0 Omni | On or off | 5 s, 720p, no sound | $0.49 | 15 s | $1.45 |
| Kling 2.6 | On or off | 5 s, 720p, with sound | $0.81 | 10 s | In the app |
| Kling 2.5 Turbo | No | 5 s, 720p | $0.25 | 10 s | In the app |
| Veo 3.1 | Always | 4 s, 720p, with sound | $1.84 | 8 s | $3.68 |
| Runway Gen-4.5 | No | 5 s | $0.69 | 10 s | $1.38 |
| Luma Ray 3.2 | No | 5 s, 720p | $0.35 | 10 s | $1.04 |
| FLUX 3 Video | On or off | 5 s, HD, no sound | $0.98 | 20 s | $3.91 |
| MiniMax H3 (Hailuo 3.0) | On or off | 5 s, 1080p, no sound | about $2.39 | 15 s | about $7.16 |
“In the app” means the model makes that clip and the app shows its price before you run it. Prices marked “about” are for work that runs on Root's own machines: the price shown before the run is an estimate, and the bill is set by how long the run really takes.
When to start from text
- When you are still finding the shot. A prompt is quick to change, so you can try many versions of an idea before you settle on one.
- When the model's own choices are fine. With text alone the model decides how the people and places look, so they change from take to take.
- Not when a character or product has to look the same in every shot. Then start from an image or reference images.
- When you want sound with it. The models marked “On or off” or “Always” in the table make the sound from the same prompt.
What to put in a text to video prompt
Write it like a line in a shot list. Say what the camera sees, in this order:
- The shot: wide, medium or close-up, and the lens if it matters.
- The subject: who or what, and what they look like.
- The action: one thing that happens, from start to end.
- The camera: still, a slow push in, a pan, handheld.
- The light and the place: night rain, low sun, a lit shop window.
- The sound, on a model that makes it: a line of dialogue, footsteps, traffic.
How to make a video from text in Root
- Choose a model from the table. Open a project, add a Video Gen node and pick a model by how long a clip it makes and what it costs.
- Write the prompt and wire in no image. Follow the order in the list above: the shot, the subject, the action, the camera, the light and the place, then the sound. Leave the image inputs empty and the model works from your words alone.
- Make a few takes. The price updates as you change the length, size and sound. With text alone the look changes from take to take, so make a few, keep the best and cut the shots together on the timeline.
Text to video by API
A prompt is all the request needs. This asks Kling 2.5 Turbo for a 5-second clip:
curl https://root.film/api/v1/generations \
-H "Authorization: Bearer rfk_your_key" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"model":"kling-v2-5-turbo","project_id":"YOUR_PROJECT_ID",
"input":{"prompt":"a night bus pulls away from an empty stop in the rain, slow push in",
"duration_seconds":5,
"resolution":"720p"}}'- Make an API key in Root under Settings, then API, and choose a daily spending limit for it.
- The finished file is saved to the project you name, so your team sees it in the app too.
- Send an Idempotency-Key header and a retry never charges twice.
Related guides
Text to video questions
How much does text to video AI cost?
On Root, the cheapest clip from a prompt in the table above is $0.25 (Kling 2.5 Turbo, 5 s, 720p). Longer clips, larger sizes and sound cost more; the table gives each model's price for a short clip and for its longest one. The price shows before every run.
Do I need an image to make an AI video?
No. All 13 models in the table above can make a clip from a prompt alone. An image helps when you need the shot to start on a frame you choose, or a character to look the same from shot to shot.
How long can a text to video clip be?
Of the models in the table above, Seedance 2.5 makes the longest: up to 30 seconds in one run. The table gives each model's longest clip. For a longer scene, make several clips and cut them together on Root's timeline.
How do I get sound in a text to video clip?
Pick a model marked “On or off” or “Always” in the table above, and write the sound into the prompt: the line of dialogue in quotes with who says it, then the sounds around it, such as rain or traffic. Our guide to the best AI video generator lists which models make sound.
Can text to video make 4K?
Yes, with Seedance 2.0, Kling 3.0, Kling 3.0 Omni and Veo 3.1. A 4K clip costs more than the same clip at 720p, and the price shows before you run it.
Can I make text to video from ChatGPT or Claude?
Yes. Connect Root to ChatGPT or Claude and describe the shot in the chat. The clip is priced and saved to your project the same way as in the app. MiniMax H3 (Hailuo 3.0) runs in the Root app only.
Can I try text to video for free?
For a month, yes. The first month of Root's Beginner plan is free and comes with 650 credits, enough for 26 Kling 2.5 Turbo clips (5 s, 720p). After that the plan is $9 a month, and you can cancel whenever you like.
Try Root free for a month
The first month of the Beginner plan is free and comes with 650 credits to spend on any model. After that it's $9 a month, and you can cancel whenever you like.