How to Create AI Videos with Google Flow: Beginner's Guide (2026)

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Illustration of an AI video creation workflow with Google Flow, showing video prompts, scene previews, and editing options.

Illustrative graphic showing an AI video creation workflow. Not an actual Google Flow interface screenshot.



Updated October 23, 2026. Your first AI video doesn't need an elaborate story. In fact, it's easier to learn Google Flow by making one short shot, seeing what works, and improving it before you build anything longer.

In this guide, you'll create a short video from a text prompt, learn what the main settings do, and plan a three-shot mini-film. I'll also show you how to check credit costs before you click Generate. The examples are designed for beginners; they aren't presented as footage we've personally tested.

What is Google Flow?

Google Flow is Google's AI video creation workspace. You can describe a scene in words and generate a video clip, or use an image or reference material to guide the result. It also includes tools for editing footage and putting clips together.

Think of it as a place to create individual shots, not a magic button that turns an entire script into a finished film. You still need to decide what the camera should show, check the results, and choose which clips belong in the final sequence.

For the fullest set of editing tools, Google recommends Flow on a desktop computer with a Chromium-based browser such as Chrome. A Flow app is also available for creating on the go; some functions differ between web and mobile, and availability depends on your account and region. See Google's getting-started guide for current requirements.

How to create your first Google Flow video

1. Start a project

Open Flow and sign in. Create a new project or open an existing one. Give it a name you'll recognize later; for this exercise, try Blue Paper Airplane.

Keeping early experiments in one project makes it easier to compare your prompts and save the clips worth keeping.

2. Select Video

In the standard prompt box, click the current model name and select Video. Flow may open with an image model selected, so check this before typing a long video prompt.

You'll then be able to choose a video model and the available generation options. Google's video creation instructions show the current controls. Their placement may look a little different in the mobile app.

3. Keep the first settings simple

Before generating, check four things:

  • Aspect ratio: horizontal for a standard widescreen video; vertical if the clip is intended for a phone-first format.
  • Length: begin with a short shot. The durations available depend on the model.
  • Outputs: start with one. Asking for several versions can multiply the credits used.
  • Model and credit cost: choose a model you can access, then read the current cost shown in Flow.

You don't need the highest-quality setting to find out whether your idea works. A low-cost draft can answer basic questions about framing and movement before you commit more credits to a polished version.

4. Write a prompt that describes what happens

Let's make a video of a blue paper airplane flying over a miniature paper city. It is a useful practice subject because there's one main object, a clear action, and an uncomplicated setting.

Copy-ready example prompt:

A small cobalt-blue paper airplane glides slowly above a miniature city made of folded white paper on a wooden desk. The camera follows it in a smooth side-tracking shot. Soft morning light comes from a nearby window, casting gentle shadows. Keep the airplane clearly visible and the handmade paper texture consistent. Cinematic, natural movement, no text on screen.

Notice what this prompt tells the model: what the subject is, what it does, where it is, and how we want to see it. That is more useful than asking for “an amazing cinematic video” and leaving everything else to chance.

5. Generate, then watch closely

Click Generate and review the clip when it's ready. Don't immediately ask for another version. First, look for the specific things that matter:

  • Does the airplane stay recognizable, or does it change shape?
  • Is its direction of travel easy to follow?
  • Does the camera movement help the shot, or make it confusing?
  • Is the clip framed well enough for the video you want to make?

If something goes wrong, make one clear adjustment. For example, a static wide shot may be easier for the model to interpret than a moving camera that has to follow a tiny object. Changing one instruction at a time also makes it easier to understand why the next result looks different.

A small project worth trying: a three-shot mini-film

Once you have one usable clip, try making a beginning, middle, and end. Here's a simple plan that doesn't require dialogue, complicated characters, or multiple locations.

Shot 1: Introduce the scene

Wide establishing shot of a miniature city made from folded white paper on a wooden desk. A small cobalt-blue paper airplane rests beside a paper building. Warm morning sunlight, gentle depth of field, handcrafted texture, calm cinematic composition. No people or on-screen text.

This shot tells viewers where they are. Keep the airplane still so the scene has a clear starting point.

Shot 2: Give the airplane something to do

In the same miniature white-paper city, the cobalt-blue paper airplane lifts off and flies slowly between the folded-paper buildings. Side-tracking camera at the airplane's height. Preserve the blue color, paper texture, warm morning light, and miniature scale. One smooth flight path. No on-screen text.

This is your action shot. The phrase one smooth flight path is intentional: a short clip doesn't need several turns, dives, and camera changes.

Shot 3: Give it an ending

Close-up of the same cobalt-blue paper airplane descending gently onto the wooden desk beyond the miniature paper city. It comes to rest in the warm morning sunlight. Quiet cinematic ending, soft background blur, handmade paper texture. No on-screen text.

You now have a story with a recognizable start, movement, and finish. The three prompts are original examples for practice, not verified output samples; the generated clips may differ from the descriptions.

What if the airplane looks different in every shot?

That's a common challenge when AI creates separate clips. Describing the same object three times helps, but words alone don't guarantee visual consistency.

Flow offers two approaches worth knowing:

  • Ingredients: supply an image that acts as a visual reference for an object, character, or style. A clean image of the blue airplane against a simple background gives the model a clearer reference.
  • Frames: supply a starting frame and, where supported, an ending frame to guide a clip's composition or transition.

For this exercise, you could save a useful frame from your first clip and use it as a reference for the next one. Model support varies, so check the available features before generating. Google's guide to Ingredients and Frames explains how they work.

One caution: a reference image can improve your instructions, but it isn't a promise of perfect continuity. Expect to make creative choices and, sometimes, a second attempt.

How much will this exercise cost in credits?

Flow doesn't charge the same amount for every video. The model, clip duration, resolution, and number of outputs matter. Google's rates are listed per generation, not necessarily per button press.

For example, Google's credit guide lists the following rates as of October 23, 2026:

  • Gemini Omni Flash, 8 seconds at 360p: 6 credits per generation.
  • Gemini Omni Flash, 8 seconds at 720p: 12 credits per generation.
  • Veo 3.1 Lite: 10 credits per generation for non-Ultra subscribers.
  • Veo 3.1 Fast: 20 credits per generation for non-Ultra subscribers.
  • Veo 3.1 Quality: 100 credits per generation.

So, if you made the three paper-airplane shots as separate 8-second Omni Flash 360p drafts, the published rate would put that at 18 credits (3 × 6). Make three 720p generations instead and the total would be 36 credits (3 × 12). These examples assume exactly one generation per shot and exclude any additional edits or retries.

For Google AI Pro subscribers, Google also documents an option to upscale supported Omni 360p generations to 720p without additional credits. Check the available controls and current price in your account rather than assuming every model offers the same upgrade.

We've explained the allowances and more detailed costs in our Google Flow credits guide. For the latest rates, refer directly to Google's credit documentation.

Putting the clips together

When you're happy with the three shots, you can turn them into a short sequence. On desktop, Flow's Scenebuilder lets you add clips, change their order, trim the beginning and end, preview the sequence, and download it.

In a project, open a clip's More menu and choose Add to Scene. Add your other clips, then arrange them as opening shot, flight shot, and landing shot. If a clip feels slow, trimming it may be better than generating a completely new one.

Individual clips can also be downloaded from the asset menu. Google documents the steps in its guides to Scenebuilder and downloading projects and videos.

Five mistakes that waste beginners' time

  1. Trying to make an entire film in one prompt. Start with one shot and one main action.
  2. Using vague directions. Name the subject, movement, camera angle, setting, and light.
  3. Generating multiple outputs without checking the cost. Review the output count and model before each request.
  4. Changing too many things at once. If a shot fails, simplify one part of the prompt and compare.
  5. Assuming every tool works with every model. Frames, Ingredients, editing options, and clip lengths vary across models and devices.

Quick questions about Google Flow

Can I use Google Flow on an iPhone?

Google offers Flow for mobile creation, including iPhone and iPad. Some advanced editing tools work best, or only, on desktop. Check the version and features available in your region.

Can I animate a still image?

Yes. Flow supports using images and frames to guide video creation. The exact options depend on your chosen model.

Is there a watermark?

Google says videos generated with its Flow models include an invisible SynthID watermark. A visible watermark may also apply, depending on the account and region. See the current Flow guidance.

Do I need to buy a plan before trying Flow?

Access and generation limits depend on your account, region, and the current Google plans. Google documents a daily credit allowance, but availability and restrictions can change. Check the credit page and your account before starting.

What to try next

Make just the opening shot first. Watch it, note what you'd improve, and save the prompt alongside the clip. Then build the flight and landing shots using the same visual details.

It's a small project, but it teaches the skill that matters most with AI video: directing one clear scene at a time rather than spending credits hoping a complicated prompt gets everything right.

Official sources

Editorial disclosure: This article is based on Google's published documentation. The paper-airplane prompts are original examples provided for learning purposes; they are not presented as results of independent hands-on testing. Features, availability, and credit costs may change.