The video tile is one of the most effective ways to reinforce ideas, increase engagement, and give your lessons a human touch. Whether you're guiding new hires through onboarding, demonstrating a new workflow, or breaking down a challenging concept, video can help learners absorb and retain information more effectively.
There are four ways to add video to your Mindsmith lessons:
Upload existing video files or embed URLs
Record your screen and camera directly in the browser
Generate videos instantly with AI
Build your own scenes from scratch, with AI assistance
Each gives you a different level of flexibility, depending on how fast you need to move or how tailored you want the content to be.
This guide walks through how each method works, what you can customize, and how to integrate video into your lessons for maximum impact.
Uploading or Embedding an Existing Video
If you already have a reliable video, such as a polished training segment, a recorded presentation, or a hosted clip, you can add it directly to your lesson.
To upload or embed a video:
In the Editor, click to add a Video tile, or select an existing empty video tile.
Choose your input method:
Upload: Drag and drop a video file from your computer, or click to browse.
Embed: Paste a public video URL (such as YouTube or Vimeo) or an iframe snippet.
After adding the video, click on the video tile to open the side menu. From here, you can manage playback settings, trim the video, and add accessibility features.
Adjusting Playback Settings
Embedding is helpful when combining established content with contextual elements. You can pair a product demo video with settings that ensure learners actually watch it.
In the side menu, you can toggle:
Video must be completed: Requires learners to finish the entire video before continuing the lesson.
Learners can skip ahead: When toggled off, learners cannot scrub forward on the timeline.
Note: If you have a large uploaded video and want to ensure smooth playback across different connection speeds, you can click Send to Mux in the side menu to optimize it for adaptive streaming.
Trimming Your Video
You don't need external editing software to cut out dead air at the beginning or end of your video.
Select your video tile to open the side menu.
Locate the timeline at the bottom of the video preview.
Click and drag the handles on the left and right to adjust the start and end points.
Alternatively, type exact timestamps into the Start and End fields.
Adding Transcripts and Captions
Providing transcripts and captions makes your content accessible and helps learners who prefer reading.
Select the video tile and locate the Captions or Transcript sections in the side menu.
Click the + icon to open the accessibility options.
Choose how you want to add text:
Upload a .VTT file: Select a caption file directly from your computer.
Manual Entry: Type or paste a transcript into the text box.
Generate with AI (Business+ Plan): Click Generate Captions & Transcript to have the AI automatically transcribe the audio and apply synced VTT captions.
Recording Your Screen and Camera
Mindsmith features a built-in recorder, allowing you to capture software walkthroughs, welcome messages, or presentations without leaving your browser. Recordings can be up to 15 minutes long.
To record directly in Mindsmith:
Select an empty video tile and click Record Video.
Choose your recording mode: Screen only, Camera only, or Screen and camera.
Use the dropdown menus to select your preferred microphone and camera inputs. You can test your microphone levels on this screen.
Click Continue to see a live preview.
When you are ready, click the red Record button. A 3-second countdown will start before recording begins.
While recording, you can pause and resume at any time. When you are finished, click the Stop button. You will be taken to a preview screen where you can trim the video before clicking Save to process and upload it to your lesson.
Generating a Video with AI
When you don’t have video assets on hand, Mindsmith’s AI can create one for you from a simple prompt. This tool builds a full video with a virtual presenter, relevant imagery, and spoken narration—all based on the instructions you provide.
To generate a video:
Click the Video tile in the bottom toolbar.
Select Blank Video.
In the Create Video panel:
Enter a prompt or script (see below for guidance).
Choose the video length: Short (1–2 min), Medium (2–4 min), or Long (4–6 min).
Choose an image source: AI generated, stock, web-sourced, or none.
Pick a virtual character to narrate the video.
Click Generate Video.
The system will generate your video in about 5–10 minutes. It will include narration, visuals, and a character delivering your script.
This method is useful when you want a quick way to personalize content, introduce new topics, or share thought leadership without needing camera equipment or editing tools. It can also serve as a starting point you refine later.
Prompting Tips
If you’re not sure how to write an effective prompt for the AI video generator, try starting with a clear instructional goal and a few specifics. The more detail you give, the more tailored your video output will be. Here are a few examples:
“Create a 2-minute video introducing the fundamentals of inclusive leadership. Start with a definition, then explain why it matters in today’s workplace, and finish with a short story about a manager who modeled these principles.”
“Generate a short video to teach how to run an effective 1:1 meeting. Include three key dos and don’ts, and a quick scenario showing a manager adjusting their approach after feedback.”
“Build a 4-minute video explaining how to prioritize tasks using the Eisenhower Matrix. Use visuals to show each quadrant, and walk through a real-world example from project management.”
Want more guidance on prompting AI in the Mindsmith editor? Read our article on AI Prompting Tips
Build Your Own Scenes from Scratch, with AI Assistance
If you want to design a video exactly the way you imagine it, scene by scene, Mindsmith gives you full creative control. This "Build From Scratch" option opens a blank canvas where you can shape the flow, visuals, narration, and structure in detail.
To start building your video from scratch:
Click the Video tile at the bottom of the screen.
In the Create Video modal, skip the prompt section and click Start from scratch to create a blank slate video tile.
Your video will populate on-page. From there, select Edit (located on the tile) to open the video editor.
Once inside the editor, you’ll see a timeline interface where you can:
Add new scenes using the Add Scene button.
Duplicate, reorder, or delete scenes using the timeline toolbar.
Within each scene, drag and drop the following content elements:
Speaker: Choose a virtual character to deliver spoken narration.
Text: Add written content like labels, titles, or onscreen guidance.
Image: Upload your own visuals or search from AI, stock, or web sources.
Video: Insert pre-recorded video files to layer in demonstration footage or B-roll.
Customize each scene’s appearance:
Change background colors or upload a custom background image.
Apply fade, slide, or zoom animations to content elements.
Set timing and duration for each scene to control pacing.
You can preview your video at any time using the play button. When you're happy with a scene, simply move on to the next.
Using the AI Assistant When Building from Scratch
If you prefer more control over structure and tone, you can still use AI to support you while you build your scenes manually. The Assistant helps you fill in specific pieces—scripts, images, layouts—so you don’t have to start each scene from scratch.
When you're in the scene-based video editor, the AI Assistant appears as a prompt bar at the bottom of the screen. This is where you can type in instructions for what you’d like help with.
To use the Assistant:
Click the Assistant prompt bar at the bottom of the video editor.
Write a clear instruction. This can be for a new sequence of scenes, or a single element like speaker text or an image.
(Optional) Attach source links, adjust tone, or choose image types.
Submit the prompt. The results will auto-populate into your timeline, where you can continue editing.
Examples of helpful prompts:
"Create a 3-slide sequence introducing a new performance review framework. Slide one should define the framework, slide two should show an example of how it works in practice, and slide three should include a speaker summarizing key takeaways."
"Build a scene that introduces our company's new remote work policy. Include a professional background image, a speaker with a confident tone, and highlight two important changes in text."
"Write a closing scene for a lesson on giving constructive feedback. It should summarize the three-step feedback model, display the model visually, and feature a narrator wrapping up with encouragement to apply it in the next 1:1 meeting."
You can also fine-tune how the AI generates content by adjusting:
Sources: Add reference links for accurate or branded responses.
Image preferences: Choose from AI generated, stock, web, or none.
Speaker voice and language: Click the Voice option next to a speaker tile to change voice type or switch languages.
Using the Assistant speeds up production without taking away control. You’re still the one building the scenes, but AI is helping you accelerate the repetitive or heavy-lift parts.
💡 Note: AI-generated videos will need to be rendered, which typically takes around 10 minutes. During this time, your video is processed and finalized.
If your video includes Speaker tiles, you won’t see any speech during preview mode. Once rendered, the full narration and visuals will appear.
Blending Video Methods in a Single Lesson
These video tools aren’t mutually exclusive. You can use them together to shape a learning experience that fits your audience and content.
For example:
Use AI to create a welcome message that introduces a module.
Embed a recorded video with subject matter expertise.
Record a quick screen-share walkthrough natively.
Build a custom final video to summarize key points.
Blending methods lets you align production effort with instructional goals. Use quick generation when you're short on time, and switch to manual controls when the details really matter.
Related Articles:
Editable Video — AI-generated video with custom avatars and scenes
AI Prompting Tips — getting better results from AI generation
Media Tiles — all image, audio, embed, and video tile options