How to Edit AI Videos Like a Pro Using Descript or Runway

Part of đŸ§‘â€đŸ’» MODULE 4: Editing, Branding & Enhancing (Articles 14–17) in Crash Course: Starting an AI Video Generation Business from Scratch

Or: How to Clean Up Your Digital Mess Without Losing Your Mind

Let me paint you a picture: You’ve just generated your first AI video. The script is on point, the visuals are cool enough, and the voiceover sounds like Morgan Freeman’s second cousin (kind of). You press play
 and oh no.

There’s an awkward pause at the start. A weird robotic voice mispronounces “entrepreneur” (why is that word cursed?). There’s a glitchy cut halfway through that makes it look like your avatar just blinked sideways.

Been there? Welcome to the club.

But here’s the good news: editing is where the magic happens. It’s where your “meh” AI video becomes something that people actually want to watch. And trust me—you don’t need to be some Final Cut wizard to pull it off.

Let’s talk Descript and Runway—two superpowered tools that are perfect for beginners who want to edit like pros without spending 42 hours stuck in a YouTube tutorial spiral.

🧠 First, Why Edit AI Videos At All?

I know what you’re thinking.

“But isn’t the point of using AI to skip the editing?”

Yes
 and no.

See, AI tools are amazing at giving you a head start. But AI isn’t you. It doesn’t know your tone, your vibe, your inside jokes, or the fact that you hate awkward silences more than soggy cereal.

Editing is where you humanize the content. Where you clean up the clunky bits and inject a little ✹you✹ into the final product.

✂ Option 1: Editing with Descript

đŸ€” What’s Descript?

Imagine if Google Docs and a video editor had a genius baby that could transcribe, cut, trim, and even clone your voice. That’s Descript.

It’s not just a video editor—it’s a word processor for video. If you can delete a sentence from a doc, you can edit a video in Descript. Seriously.

đŸ› ïž How to Edit in Descript Like a Chill Boss

  1. Import Your Video

Drag and drop your AI-generated video (or audio). Descript will automatically transcribe it—like magic. No need to sit there typing like it’s 1999.

  1. Edit the Words, Not the Timeline

Want to cut out filler words? Just highlight and delete them from the transcript. Poof—they’re gone from the video too.

Bonus: You can tell Descript to remove ALL “ums”, “likes”, and awkward pauses with one click. Chef’s kiss.

  1. Overdub (AKA: Cloning Your Voice)

Mess up a word in your voiceover? Instead of rerecording the whole thing, you can use Overdub to type the fix, and your cloned voice says it as if nothing happened. Kind of creepy. Very cool.

  1. Add Captions & Subtitles

Automatically generated, easily styled. Now your viewers can watch your content silently at 2 a.m. without waking up their toddler.

  1. Fancy Extras:
  • Screen recordings? Easy.
  • Music or sound effects? Drag ‘em in.
  • Zoom-style animations between cuts? Yep, Descript does that too.

🧃 Real Talk: Why I Love Descript

I once edited an entire podcast episode while eating chips in one hand and deleting “uhhs” with the other. That’s power. That’s freedom. That’s Descript.

🎹 Option 2: Editing with Runway

đŸŽ„ What’s Runway?

Runway is like Descript’s artsy cousin who went to film school but still vibes with TikTok culture. It’s got a sleek interface and an AI-first mindset—perfect for visual magic like green screen effects, motion tracking, and turning bland footage into “Whoa, did you MAKE that?” moments.

Think: Hollywood tools without the Hollywood attitude.

đŸ’„ How to Edit in Runway Without Losing Your Cool

  1. Use Gen-2 for Visual Tweaks

Runway’s Gen-2 is great if you want to take basic visuals and turn them into cinematic shots, transitions, or completely AI-generated video b-roll.

  1. Magic Cut for Speedy Edits

Hate scrubbing through footage to cut the dead air? Use Magic Cut. It finds all the good parts and trims the rest. It’s like having a tiny editor in your computer doing all the boring stuff.

  1. Remove Backgrounds (No Green Screen Needed)

One click. That’s all it takes. Perfect for when your living room setup includes laundry and an old pizza box.

  1. Text-to-Video Tools

Want to add some flair? Type what you want—Runway turns it into motion graphics or visual enhancements. It’s like Canva but on AI steroids.

🧃 Quick Comparison: Descript vs Runway

FeatureDescriptRunway
Transcript Editing✅❌
Voice Cloning✅❌
Cinematic Visuals❌✅
Background Removal❌✅
Podcast Editing✅❌
Text-to-Video❌✅
Ease of UseSuper intuitiveSlight learning curve
VibeWriter/editor-friendlyVisual artist-friendly

đŸ«  But Wait
 What If You Suck at Editing?

Good. That means you’re learning.

Editing is messy at first. You’ll make weird cuts, delete things you didn’t mean to, and spend a whole afternoon trying to line up audio with mouth movements that refuse to cooperate. That’s all part of the process.

Give yourself grace. Rewatch your stuff. Cringe a little. Then fix it.

You don’t have to get it perfect. You just have to get it done.

💡 Pro Tips From the Digital Trenches

  1. Use Keyboard Shortcuts — Descript has loads of them. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll fly through edits like a caffeinated ninja.
  2. Don’t Over-Edit — People like authenticity. Leave a little imperfection in—it makes you relatable.
  3. Music = Mood — Use soft music under your voiceovers to mask imperfections and add warmth.
  4. Watch It On Your Phone — If it plays well on mobile, it’ll play well anywhere.
  5. Take Breaks — Seriously. Come back with fresh eyes. You’ll spot mistakes and genius tweaks you missed before.

🧡 Final Thoughts: Editing Is Where You Find Your Voice

Look, AI can write scripts, generate voices, and build videos from thin air. That’s all awesome.

But editing? That’s yours. That’s the part where you decide what stays, what goes, what gets emphasized, and what makes people feel something.

Whether you choose Descript for its writer-friendly editing or Runway for its visual wizardry, just remember this:

Done is better than perfect. And authentic beats polished every time.

Now go on—edit that AI video like you mean it.

🎬 You’ve got this.

 

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