The AI tools behind 130 AI films and series: what creators really use in 2026

Rankings usually compare features. This one counts what creators actually credit on finished work: 130 titles, from fantasy series to sci-fi shorts, and the workflows behind them.

2026-11-01

Where the numbers come from

Every title on DeepStories shows the AI tools its creator credited. We counted them across the 130 films, series and short films currently online. These are tools creators chose to credit, not a market survey, but they show what independent AI filmmakers really use to finish something.

One note: a title whose creator did not name any tool shows Claude by default on DeepStories. To keep the count honest we leave language assistants out of the table and only compare video, image, voice and music tools.

• Credits across 130 DeepStories titles
• Video
• Voice and music
• Image
• Seedance alone is credited on about half of the catalog.

Video: Seedance leads the catalog

About half of the titles credit a version of Seedance, ByteDance's video model, which was released in its 2.0 version in February 2026. Creators mention the same reasons again and again: a cinematic look and scenes that hold together across several shots.

Kling comes next for motion and fight scenes, and Higgsfield is often credited as the place where several video models are used side by side. Google Veo is credited on fewer titles but stands out for realism.

• Your key frame
• Camera slowly pushes in, wind in her hair
• Video model
• 5–10 second clip
• Into your edit

Sound: music and voice are the quiet standard

More than one title in five credits an AI music tool and almost as many credit an AI voice. Suno and ElevenLabs are not the flashiest tools, but they are what turns a silent set of clips into something that feels like a film. If you only upgrade one thing after your first episode, upgrade the sound.

• Dialogue
• Music
• Sound effects
• Ambience
• Final mix

Three workflows that come back again and again

Behind the numbers, three ways of working come back across the catalog. Pick the one closest to your project and copy its order, not necessarily its exact tools.

• The anime or fantasy series: characters and key frames in an image tool (Midjourney, Gemini or ChatGPT Image), animation in Seedance or Kling, voices in ElevenLabs, a theme in Suno, editing in CapCut. The image step is what keeps the characters recognizable from one episode to the next.
• The realistic short film: reference images first, then a video model chosen for realism and lip-sync, such as Veo or Seedance, and a lot of selection, with many generated shots for every one kept. Sound design (wind, footsteps, rooms) does the rest.
• The music-driven film: the song comes first, made in Suno, and the images are generated and cut on the beat. It is the fastest way to finish a first project, because the music sets the rhythm and the length.

Whatever the workflow, make one 30-second test scene before the whole episode. In one evening it tells you whether the look holds.

A starter kit and a realistic monthly budget

You do not need every tool in this ranking. A complete starter kit is one image tool, one video model, one voice tool and one music tool, plus a free editor. Here is what that costs in a typical month:

• A monthly toolkit for one creator
• Writing · ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini
• $0–20
• Key images · Gemini or Midjourney
• $0–10
• Video · Kling, Hailuo or Seedance
• $10–40
• Voices · ElevenLabs
• $0–6
• Music · Suno
• $0–10
• Editing · CapCut or DaVinci Resolve
• $0
• Total per month
• about $10 to $85

What this means if you are starting

• Pick one video model and learn it well. Switching tools every week is the fastest way to lose your characters' look.
• Add one tool for the voice and one for the music. They cost little and change how professional the result feels.
• Use images first: a strong reference image, then animation. Most credited workflows start in an image tool.
• Read the commercial terms of the plan you use before you earn money from a film. Free plans are often limited.

Our guide to comparing AI video generators covers prices and strengths side by side. This article shows what finished creators actually chose.

A credit line you can paste

On YouTube or social networks, the same credits help viewers and search engines. This format works in any description:

Made with AI by {your name}
Video: Seedance · Images: Midjourney · Voices: ElevenLabs · Music: Suno · Editing: CapCut
Story and direction: {your name}

How to credit your tools on DeepStories

• Open your creator space and choose New submission, or the + button.
• Fill in the title, the story and the artwork.
• In the AI tools field, tick every tool you used: video, image, voice, music, writing.
• Submit. The tools appear on your title page in all 10 languages.

FAQ

Which AI video model is most used by AI filmmakers?

On DeepStories, Seedance is the most credited video model: about 60 credits across 130 titles, followed by Higgsfield, Kling and Mage Space. These are credits chosen by the creators themselves.

Do creators use more than one tool?

Yes. Most finished titles combine a video model with a voice tool and a music tool, and many add an image tool for artwork and character references.

Are these numbers a complete picture of the market?

No. They count the tools credited on the titles published on DeepStories at the time of writing, and they change as new films arrive.

Where can I compare prices of AI video generators?

See the DeepStories Magazine guide on the best AI video generators compared, which covers prices, strengths and limits of each model.

What is the cheapest way to start an AI series?

Use the free credits of one image tool and one video model, a free editor such as CapCut or DaVinci Resolve, and add a voice tool and a music tool once your first scene works.

Should I use one tool or several?

One per job: one for images, one for video, one for voices, one for music. Learn each one well before adding more: changing tools in the middle of a season is the main reason characters change look.