AI commercial production: process, timeline and cost

What does “an AI commercial” actually mean?

In a traditional commercial the picture is shot on camera: a set is built, cast and crew are booked, location permits are secured, and everyone waits on the weather and the schedule. In an AI-made commercial the picture, motion and sound are created with generative models. There is no camera, but direction, script, edit and quality control are still human work.

The real difference is not that “a machine makes the film”. It’s that the shoot days disappear. If you don’t like a scene, there’s no reshoot and no new budget; that frame is simply changed.

AI is a tool. Aesthetics, logic and storytelling pass through the hands of experienced designers and editors.

From brief to delivery: four steps

At Cinela a commercial moves in this order. No step goes ahead without your approval.

The commercial package includes two revision rounds; with revisions, delivery is 7 business days. The clock starts with the approved brief.

Compared with a traditional shoot

Figures for traditional shoots are industry-wide and not a quote; they vary by project.

What drives the price?

Cinela’s starting prices (excl. VAT):

The main things that move the price up or down:

• Length. A 15-second social video and a 60-second brand film are not the same job.
• Number of formats. Three cuts are included in the commercial package; extra formats or extra length are quoted in writing beforehand.
• Characters and cast. You can use your own actor or brand face: you provide a photo or a video, and the same face returns in every scene. You must hold the usage rights.
• Language and dubbing. Dubbing into another language or 4K output is quoted separately.
• Revisions. The number of rounds in the package is in writing; anything beyond is agreed in advance.

The final price is given in writing after the brief. No approval, no spend. Full package details are on our AI commercials page.

Which industries is it right for?

The five sample films on our site show how the same method works across industries. They are not client work; they are Cinela’s own studies.

• Automotive, “Night”: In Istanbul just after the rain, an unbadged car makes a single night drive from Galata to the Bosphorus.
• Fashion and beauty, “The Window”: At midnight the window mannequins of a boutique come alive and stage their own runway show in the new collection.
• Hotels and travel, “The Same Table”: A small hotel on the Aegean; a couple who have come back to the same table for years celebrate their anniversary there.
• Real estate, “Moving Day”: A chaotic moving morning; every mishap turns into a calm moment in the new home over the Bosphorus.
• Food and drink, “Fire”: A Turkish grill house after midnight; the master handles the fire like the hero of an action film.

All five start from a one-sentence idea. Watch the films on the home page.

A checklist before you start

Whichever studio you work with, a brand commissioning an AI commercial should ask these six questions:

1. Is the film labelled? It should state clearly that it was made with AI. The major social platforms also ask for labels on realistic AI content.
2. Who holds the rights? Faces, voices and brand assets should be used only with their owner’s permission, and full usage rights to the delivered film should pass to you in writing.
3. Are the approval points clear? At minimum: separate approvals for the script, the frames and the final cut.
4. Is the price in writing? Before production, together with the number of revisions.
5. What happens to your data? Your brief and uploads should never be used to train models, and should be deleted when the project ends.
6. Which formats are delivered? 16:9 (YouTube, TV, web), 9:16 (Reels, TikTok, Shorts), 1:1 (feed). Asking for separate edits later means extra cost.

At Cinela all six are standard; read how we work and what we promise on the home page.

Common questions

Can I use my own actor?

Yes. You provide a photo or a video; the same face returns in every scene. You must hold the usage rights.

How does payment work?

Half after the script is approved, the rest on delivery.

How do I receive the output?

A vertical or horizontal master and a subtitle file; 4K and dubbing into another language on request.