I Found A Way To Make These AI Animations For $0 (No Subscription)

Summary

Jad demonstrates a workflow for creating short, faceless animated videos using a free open model through OpenCode. His example is a 28-second stick-figure video with narration, animation, and sound, rendered in both horizontal and vertical formats.

Jad says OpenCode reported a total cost of $0. The voice, drawings, sound effects, and rendering run on the creator’s computer, while the AI model supplies the “brain.”

Workflow and Tools

1. Write the story and shot list first. Use the free version of ChatGPT or Claude—or write them yourself—to create a roughly 30-second “What if…?” story of about 60 words, with short sentences and around 15 shots. Jad recommends doing this outside the free model so its usage can be saved for building the video. Keep the story and shot list for later.

2. Set up OpenCode. Install it from the terminal, then launch it without signing in. For Windows, Jad points viewers to OpenCode’s WSL instructions. Select a free model through OpenCode’s model search and set its reasoning level to “high.”

3. Install the video-making skill. Jad says the skill is essential because it packages guidance on visual style, character behavior, voice, sound, narration, and checking frames. His shared download contains five styles; he recommends starting with stick figures. Setup installs the required voice and tools, which take about 1 GB of space.

4. Build and revise the video. Start a new task, provide the story and shot list, and request a 30-second stick-figure video in both horizontal and vertical formats. Review the result and give specific editing notes. Jad’s first version needed changes; he says roughly 11 notes took about 11 minutes to process.

Practical Tips and Caveats

• Start with a 30-second video and make one video at a time. Running multiple jobs can hit the free-usage limit.
• Provide the complete story and shot list, not just a brief idea.
• Give revision notes with timestamps, and watch the finished video yourself rather than relying only on the model’s self-check.
• The free model’s usage limit is not clearly documented and may change. Jad reports hitting the limit after running two videos at once and advises against relying on the free option for an established channel.
• As a paid alternative, he mentions OpenCode Go at $10 per month and estimates pay-as-you-go generation at about $0.60 per video. These are his stated figures.
• In the Q&A, Jad says the workflow requires a computer, not a phone. A particularly powerful computer is unnecessary, but storage space is important.
• He has not tested alternatives such as “codecs” or “anti-gravity.”
• He says custom stylesheets may be made using an image service’s API, with payment per image.

Main Speakers and Sources

• Jad M.H. — Presenter and creator of the workflow and video-making skill.
• Community members — Their example videos are shown, and their comments inform the Q&A.
• Tools discussed: ChatGPT or Claude for story drafting; OpenCode and a free open model for video creation.