Lights, Camera, Learn: Volume 5

"It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop." — Confucius. This quote embodies my AI journey up to this point, especially when it comes to AI image & video generation. The models and features released over the past 6 months have been groundbreaking, leading to a new wave of creative possibilities. And for me, this was exciting and timely, as I thought building visuals and marketing videos for Neural Gains Weekly would be an easy win. I quickly realized that I entered into another realm of AI education, one filled with failures, hidden costs, unique context, and educational opportunities. 

The principle of slow and steady progress applies to AI, affirming that consistent, patient effort will lead to growth and quality over time. I’m very much working to better understand how to maximize efficiency and output of AI tools to help grow my audience. I’m currently using 3 tools to build video content and images used on the website and social media: HeyGen, Veo (inside Gemini), and NanoBanana. Through trial and error, I’m starting to learn how to interact with these tools to create better content. And I want to share a few lessons with you in real time as I continue to iterate and build. 

Lesson 1: Costs & caps shape creativity

I hit the ceiling fast. HeyGen’s free plan gives you 3 videos per month, perfect for a taste test, but not rapid iteration. Inside Gemini, I kept hitting Veo's daily caps (typically ~3–5 clips depending on mode/plan), which meant I had to get the output perfect in one or two tries. These limits don’t just slow output; they fragment learning. It’s difficult to refine your skills when the ability to tweak small aspects of the output is taken away.   

Takeaway: Treat free credits like film stock—plan your shots, batch your tries, and use them where learning compounds fastest.

Lesson 2: Video/image prompts aren’t chat prompts

I’m used to using AI as a strategic partner and interacting in a structured, conversational manner. Video and image prompts are different and require a nuanced approach to bring your vision to life. I’ve struggled to bridge that gap and deliver useful content to help market Neural Gains Weekly, as only about 10% of my videos have actually made it to social media. 

The failure is teaching me what I need to learn next: video/image models don’t want paragraphs, they want a director. They need detailed information and context to build the scene. Sounds easy, but take it from me, this process takes time to master. 

Here’s a few concepts I’m working to incorporate into content creation journey:

• Story first, one beat at a time: define one subject + one action for 5–8 seconds.
• Name the shot & camera: wide/medium/close-up, tripod or slow dolly.
• Lock the look: 3–5 words I’ll reuse (e.g., “soft daylight, shallow depth”).
• Add constraints: what must not change (no text overlays, tripod, centered subject).
• Iterate on one variable: if a take is close, tweak only camera or lighting—not both.

Takeaway: Treat prompts like stage directions—specify shot, one beat, look, and a constraint, then iterate one variable at a time so your learning compounds fast.

Lesson 3: Power needs pre-visualization

The models are intuitive, but they can’t read my mind. I kept expecting the model to “see” what I saw. It didn’t. Without a clearly named look in my head, the results drifted—skin tones shifted, framing wandered, and every retry felt unrelated to the last. That failure taught me the third lesson, pre-visualization is part of the work. I had to take ownership and start articulating the look I was chasing in a way the model could understand. This was and continues to be a difficult shift since I have no background in producing, editing or filming videos. It’s essentially learning a new language with outputs as the main measurement of progress. I’m still practicing, but the learning is clear: the model follows the visual story I’m able to describe consistently.

Takeaway: Name the look you’re chasing, then keep naming it—so each attempt teaches you whether you’re getting closer, not just different.

What’s Next:

I’m keeping experiments simple and repeatable: storyboard first, draft short, refine with the style kit, while focusing on the vision. Keep an eye out on my Socials to see progress as I continue to iterate and learn on the fly. 

Goals & Milestones:

Follow us on social media and share Neural Gains Weekly with your network to help grow our community of ‘AI doers’. You can also contact me directly at admin@mindovermoney.ai or connect with me on LinkedIn.