Documents, slides and scripts
Turn a PDF, slide deck or script into a narrated video.
Upload a PDF, Word file or PowerPoint, or paste your script. KolaVid explains it on a whiteboard, drawn and narrated, in a few minutes.
- Turn my 20-page report into a two-minute summary video
- Make a video from my lecture slides
- Narrate this script as a whiteboard explainer
The files you already have
PDF, Word, PowerPoint, text and Markdown files, or a link to a web page.
Scripts read word for word
A pasted script is narrated exactly as written, with the drawings to match.
Long reads made short
A long document becomes a short video of its key ideas, one idea a board.
How to turn a document into a video
- Upload a PDF, Word, PowerPoint or text file, paste your script or notes, or add a link to a web page.
- Say who the video is for and what it should cover, then choose the length, frame, voice and language.
- KolaVid reads the file, explains its key ideas on a whiteboard and narrates them. Download the MP4 or share a link.
Why turn a document into a video
Most people will not read a twenty-page report, but many will watch a three-minute video about it. A whiteboard video takes the document's main points in order and draws each one as the narrator explains it.
The video works alongside the file. Send the video first so people know what the document says, then share the document for the detail.
What you can turn into a video
- PDF reports, research papers, guides and handbooks.
- Word documents such as policies, procedures and proposals.
- PowerPoint decks: the video explains what the slides say.
- Text and Markdown files, including scripts and notes.
- A link to a web page, such as a help article or a blog post.
- A pasted script, narrated word for word.
Tips for a good document video
- Say who is watching, such as new staff, customers or a class.
- Name the sections that matter most if the document is long.
- For a long handbook, make one video a chapter instead of one video for everything.
- Paste your own script when the exact wording matters, such as safety or legal text.
- Watch the finished video before you share it, as you would check any summary.
Who uses it
Trainers turn procedures into onboarding videos. Teachers and students turn notes and readings into lessons and revision. Researchers explain a paper in two minutes. Businesses turn a product sheet or a help page into a video customers will watch.
Related guides
- PDF to video
- PDF to whiteboard video
- Document to whiteboard video: a guide
- Google Docs to whiteboard video
- Turn a script into a whiteboard video
- Turn an SOP into a training video
- Turn notes into an explainer video
- KolaVid for training teams
- KolaVid for students
Which files can I upload?
PDF, Word (.docx), PowerPoint (.pptx), text and Markdown files up to 25 MB, or a link to a web page.
Does it keep my slide designs?
No. It explains what your slides say on a hand-drawn whiteboard, rather than copying their design.
Will it read my script exactly?
Yes. A pasted script is narrated word for word.
How long can a video be?
Free videos run up to 2 minutes; paid plans make videos up to 5 minutes.
Can I use a link instead of a file?
Yes. Paste the address of a web page and KolaVid reads the page and explains it.
Does a long document fit in a short video?
Yes. KolaVid picks out the main ideas and explains them in order, one idea a board. Say which parts matter most if you want them covered.
Can the video be in another language?
Yes. Choose the narration language before you make the video, and the explanation is narrated in that language.
Is it free to try?
Yes. A new account's 120 free credits make one two-minute video, with no card needed.
What does it cost after that?
Whiteboard videos use one credit a second. Starter is $19.99 a month for 5,000 credits, about 40 two-minute videos.