Google launches Flow AI tool for filmmakers and video creators
Google has introduced Flow, a new AI-driven filmmaking tool, positioning it as "a new AI filmmaking tool built with creatives for the next wave of storytelling." Flow is designed specifically for Google's latest artificial intelligence models: "custom-designed for Google's most advanced models - Veo, Imagen and Gemini."
Announced on the official Google Blog, Flow aims to streamline the process of generating and editing short cinematic clips using generative AI. "Flow can help storytellers explore their ideas without bounds and create cinematic clips and scenes for their stories, but it's early days," the company notes.
Integration with Google's AI suite
At the core of Flow is tight integration with Google's video and image AI models. "Flow is powered by our most advanced video model yet, Veo, which sets a new standard for prompt adherence and cinematic output." Flow also brings together Gemini, Google's multimodal AI language model, and Imagen 3, its latest text-to-image system. The blog post explains, "Gemini's language capabilities make prompting in Flow intuitive, allowing you to describe your vision in everyday language." For filmmakers seeking bespoke visuals, "You can bring your own assets to create characters, or use Flow to make your own ingredients with Imagen's text-to-image capabilities."
This combination allows creators to generate unique images for use in video scenes or incorporate their own existing assets. "With Flow, you can create and organise your own ingredients library - from characters to settings and props - making it easy to build consistent stories across scenes."
Tools for creative control
Flow features a set of filmmaking tools intended to replicate aspects of a traditional film set. "You can master your shot with direct control over camera motion, angles and perspectives." The platform offers what it calls 'Scenebuilder', allowing users to "seamlessly extend your scene, revealing more of the action or transitioning to what happens next with continuous motion and consistent characters."
Asset management is built in, with Flow allowing users to catalogue, reuse, and refine their creations. "With a built-in library to manage your assets, you can keep everything for your project in one place - from the clips you generate to the prompts you use and the visuals you create."
To aid inspiration, Flow includes a gallery of AI-generated videos. "We've built a living gallery in Flow, called Flow TV, where you can watch clips generated by Veo and Flow, and see the exact prompts and techniques used for clips you like - so you can learn from others and apply new ideas to your own work."
Rollout and availability
Flow builds on Google's previous experiments with AI video, including last year's VideoFX in Labs. "Starting today, Flow is available to subscribers of our Google AI Pro and Google AI Ultra plans." The Google AI Pro plan provides access to key Flow features and up to 100 video generations per month. Subscribers to the higher-tier Google AI Ultra plan get "early access to the new Veo model with native audio generation," which "bring[s] environmental sounds and character dialogue directly into video creation."
Filmmakers
Google has prioritised feedback from professional creatives in shaping Flow's development. "As with any groundbreaking technology, we're still understanding the full potential of AI in filmmaking. We see the emergence of these tools as an enabler, helping a new wave of filmmakers more easily tell their stories." The team adds, "We offered early access to Flow to a group of independent filmmakers so we could better understand how our technology could best support and integrate into their creative workflows - and we've woven their insights into Flow."
Among the early adopters is filmmaker Dave Clark, who "recently created a sci-fi short, 'Freelancers', using Flow." The platform also assisted director Henry Daubrez, whose next project, "Electric Pink," is being realised with Flow's support. Another creative, Junie Lau, is using Flow for her upcoming film "Dear Stranger."
Early days
While Google acknowledges that "it's still early," the company views Flow as part of a wider transformation in filmmaking. "AI is ushering in a new chapter of creativity and filmmaking, and while it's still early, we see so much potential for tools like Flow to unlock new voices and creations."
For further context on Google's text-to-video advancements, readers are encouraged to review our two prior articles on the Veo 3 model, which provide additional technical and creative insights into the evolution of AI video tools.
