Hey Dev.to fam! 👋
I recently built Veo3.im — a tool that turns text prompts into 1080p AI-generated videos supporting vertical, horizontal, and square formats. It’s designed for content creators who want to make quick videos for TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Instagram, and more — without the usual headache of video editing.
In this post, I’ll share what I learned building Veo3.im as a solo developer: the tech stack, prompt engineering challenges, content moderation, and how I tackled monetization. Hopefully, this helps you if you’re thinking about building something similar or diving into generative AI.
Why Build Veo3.im?
Video content is exploding, but creating high-quality videos is still time-consuming and requires tools most creators struggle with. Existing AI video platforms are often slow, expensive, or limited in features.
I wanted to build a fast, flexible, and affordable video generation tool that lowers the barrier for creators — especially solo entrepreneurs and indie devs.
Tech Stack at a Glance
Frontend: Next.js + TailwindCSS for fast and responsive UI
Backend: Node.js with WebSockets to manage async rendering feedback
Video Rendering: Distributed FFmpeg workers
AI Layer: Custom prompt engineering combined with APIs like Dreamina, Pika Labs, RunwayML
Storage & CDN: Supabase + Cloudflare R2 for cost-effective delivery
Payments: Stripe with pay-as-you-go and membership options
Key Challenges & What I Learned
Prompt Engineering is Crucial
Calling AI APIs isn’t enough. I spent tons of time refining prompts to ensure smooth scene transitions, consistent character appearance, and natural animations.Users Want Results, Not Tech Jargon
Early on, I focused on explaining the AI tech — but users just wanted to see what the tool could do. Now, demos and examples lead the site.Content Moderation is Non-Negotiable
Generative platforms attract edge cases. I built automated NSFW filtering and copyright checks to keep the platform safe and compliant.Balancing Quality and Cost
Rendering a 15-second 1080p video costs GPU time and bandwidth. I introduced a $9.90 trial pack to let users experiment without overspending.
What Makes Veo3.im Different?
Supports multiple aspect ratios: vertical (9:16), horizontal (16:9), and square (1:1)
Allows users to upload a reference image to guide video generation
Fast video generation (typically 2–5 minutes)
Commercial use license, perfect for freelancers and brands
What’s Next?
Building a template library for common video types (ads, intros, effects)
Adding community features for sharing prompts and video templates
Improving UI with timeline previews and editing tools
Final Thoughts
If you’re building AI or content tools, remember: the tech is only half the battle. User experience, moderation, and pricing models make or break the product.
You can try Veo3.im here 👉 https://veo3.im — I’d love to hear your feedback or any tips if you’re working on something similar!
Feel free to ask questions or share your own experiences with AI video or generative tools below. Thanks for reading!
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