Building a Bulk AI Video Generator from Scratch | Path to 100 Paying Users

Hey everyone,

I've never committed myself to finishing a product until it's marketable or makes me any money. So I feel like maybe it's time I put myself out there.

I’m currently working full-time in management, but my goal is to scale my custom desktop AI video generator to 100 recurring subscribers so I can build a 12-month savings runway and transition into full-time software development. Right now it's only good enough for my personal use but working towards monetizing it.

What I'm Building​

A lightweight desktop app designed for batch short-form video creation (TikTok/Reels/Shorts). Instead of spending hours manually editing or paying expensive cloud rendering fees, the app lets users prompt a topic, auto-generates scripts and 6 scroll-stopping hooks, fetches AI visuals, and stitches everything locally with dynamic subtitles and watermarks.

Current Tech Stack:

• Python
• Gradio UI
• FFmpeg (local rendering)
• Gemini 3.5 Flash and 3.1 Flash Lite (for AI script generation)
• Fal.ai (for AI image generation using Flux).

How the Software Evolved (v1 to v5 Log summary)​

• v1 (Core MVP): Built the base script—takes a text topic, generates the script + AI images, and stitches them into a video using local FFmpeg.
• v2 (Formatting & Subtitles): Added customizable prompt parameters and dynamic auto-subtitles. Includes background audio option.
• v3 (Branding & Retention): Added Hormozi-style word highlighting, custom logo overlays, and watermark protection. Removes background audio option because it's probably better to use TikTok audio.
• v4 (Marketing Engine): Integrated social caption generation and built an AI feature that outputs 6 distinct video hooks per script.
• v5 (Current Build): Added the Ken Burns pan/zoom motion effect to give static images a cinematic feel.

Real-World Testing: Real Estate TikTok​

I’ve started running a real estate niche TikTok account using videos generated 100% by this tool.

• Goal: Test production efficiency and hook retention in the wild.
• Current Status: I’m able to generate 6 videos in under 7 minutes (most of the time is basically the video generation). Views are currently sitting at 100–300 per clip while I refine the script prompts, but the key is that zero manual editing time was spent on my end. I was able to spend a few minutes prompting 3 ideas and having 18 video outputs that I've scheduled to post on my account 3 times a day.
• Analytics: I'll be sharing analytics updates as the account grows.

Roadmap & What's Next​

1. Version Plans: Refining the FFmpeg rendering pipeline so the Ken Burns effect runs smoothly across all CPU/GPU setups (currently the output looks literally shaky). Probably speed up video generation as well. The subtitle highlight also doesn't match the voiceover, but that's probably the least of my worries for now.
2. Backend Proxy & Bundled API: Setting up a FastAPI backend server to handle license validation and bundle $5/mo of AI generation tokens into the subscription. I've never gotten this far into building anything so this would probably be the biggest mental hurdle for me.
3. Packaging: Compiling the script into a clean .exe so non-tech users don't need Python installed.
4. Beta Testing: Recruiting a few Windows 10/11 users to stress-test the installer on different hardware specs.

Maybe if I post this I would be more inclined to get out of my comfort zone and push myself to at least try. Either I fail or I don't, at least I could say that I genuinely tried.

Question for the community: For those running faceless TikTok or Shorts channels, which feature matters most to you—fast batch rendering, custom watermarks, or AI hook generation?

Would love to hear your thoughts on this.

The idea is very good bro, but i'd change gemini for deepseek v4, flash or pro. It's many times cheaper, and multiples time more inteligent. I'm building something like this myself, and a breakthrough i had is that you always gotta look for chinese ais, because almost always there's a smarter one that's cheaper. Hope you have success in your jorney!

I'm curious how people are handling the local rendering step — most similar tools I've seen just offload that to a cloud API and eat the cost per render. Doing it through FFmpeg locally is the right call long-term for margins.