2025 AI Video Content: Trends and Career Insights from Stacey Kelly
- Kisha Velazquez
- Mar 18
- 5 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
This post is inspired by an Acadium Plus Ask Me Anything session with video content strategist and AI consultant Stacey Kelly, hosted by Kisha Velazquez.
What's in this Post:
From MTV to AI Filmmaking: Stacey Kelly's Career Journey
Stacey Kelly's career path showcases the evolution of video content creation over the past decade. Beginning her journey in traditional film and television, Stacey worked on shows like Law & Order, MTV's Room Raiders, and later on productions like Inception, Grey's Anatomy, and Scandal.
"I started out in my career just wanting to be in film and television," Stacey shared. Working alongside Shonda Rhimes gave her exposure to writer's rooms, production, and post-production processes that would later inform her digital content strategies.
As the digital landscape evolved, Stacey recognized the creative opportunities emerging on platforms like YouTube. "The digital landscape was growing and I was very interested in what was happening there and how content was changing," she explained. This curiosity led her to pivot from traditional television to digital content creation.
Stacey's background at MTV, where she learned to be a "one-man band" by handling shooting, lighting, and editing, gave her a competitive edge in the early digital content space. "It was very easy to get work because I had the TV experience... That definitely translated to the digital side."
Over the years, her work has expanded across numerous platforms including Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok. Today, Stacey specializes in AI filmmaking and advertising, constantly evolving her skillset to stay ahead of industry trends.
Essential Skills for Video Content Creators
When asked about the skills needed to advance in video content creation, Stacey emphasized the value of developing both creative and analytical abilities:
The Four Brain Types
Referencing a concept she learned at Buzzfeed, Stacey explained that professionals typically excel in one of four "brain types":
Visionary/creative
Analytical/spreadsheet-oriented
Practical
Relational
"I always found myself very strong in creative visionary and the spreadsheets," she noted. "What I realized as I was a creative producer is that role really needed both brains."
Recommended Video Editing & Content Tools
For those looking to develop technical proficiency, Stacey recommended:
Editing software: Adobe Premiere Pro for professional work, CapCut for social media content, and InShot as an alternative
Project management tools: Trello, Google Spreadsheets, Monday, and Airtable for organizing content pipelines
AI writing assistants: Claude AI for creative writing support
"If you're working with a team, you have to have a very organized system for content pieces, especially when you're doing reels... you've got to track that," Stacey advised.
Copywriting Skills
Stacey emphasized the enduring value of strong copywriting skills, even in the age of AI:
"What I just realized is a lot of companies still don't even use ChatGPT... They also don't know the right questions to ask it to get the right copy that's actually converting and effective."
Networking and Personal Branding on LinkedIn
One of the most actionable insights Stacey shared was her approach to building a personal brand on LinkedIn. In 2020, she began posting videos of her work every Thursday, building a consistent presence that attracted attention from potential clients.
"I didn't realize I was building my own personal brand this way, but a lot of people started to reach out," she recalled. "Every Thursday I posted my own work as videos and I would give shout outs to the people that worked on it and just explain my own experience."
Stacey's LinkedIn content strategy boils down to three key principles:
Be consistent with your content
Provide value to your audience
Reach out to people you want to work with
Here's Stacey's method for targeted outreach on LinkedIn:
Create a spreadsheet of your top 30 ideal companies
Find hiring managers on LinkedIn in the departments you want to work with
Build up your profile with relevant content
Connect with decision-makers
"There's a billion people on the platform. Less than 5% are making content,"
Stacey revealed, highlighting the opportunity for those willing to create consistent content.
Trends in AI Filmmaking
Stacey shared exciting developments in AI filmmaking, noting how rapidly the technology has evolved in just two years:
Horror Core in AI
"One trend that I'm really enjoying, 'cause I just happen to be a horror fan, is called Horror Core in AI," Stacey explained. This genre leverages the current limitations of AI tools to creative advantage, similar to how classic horror directors worked with limited resources.
Dave Clark's trailer for AI Horror Film The Dismal Swamp
Personalized Interactive Films
"What's coming up soon that everyone's talking about are these personalized films," Stacey predicted. These interactive experiences will allow viewers to make choices that determine the narrative path, with AI enabling faster production of multiple story branches.
AI Filmmaking Tools
Stacey highlighted several tools used in AI filmmaking:
Midjourney for realistic film-like images
Runway for adding motion to still images
Cling, Minimax, and other emerging platforms
She also mentioned techniques like "upscaling" images for higher quality, color grading with lookup tables, and using prompts like "inspired by Steven Spielberg" to achieve specific visual styles.
Creating Impactful Video Content
For those creating commercial content, Stacey recommended a simple framework:
Start with presenting a problem
Offer a solution in a creative way
End with a clear call to action
"The format that I use is usually we start off with what the problem is. We give a solution in a very creative way, and then we end with what's a call to action," she explained.
For aspiring commercial creators, Stacey advised making "spec commercials" (unpaid productions that showcase your abilities) that are 30 seconds long, professionally executed, and upscaled to look pristine.
Final Advice for Video Content Creators
Stacey's parting wisdom emphasized continuous learning and developing a distinctive voice:
"The thing that's gonna make you stand out... it's gonna be your voice. It's gonna be what you like, what you dislike."
She encouraged content creators to:
Never stop learning new tools and techniques
Develop and showcase your unique perspective
Share your work consistently across platforms, especially LinkedIn
Build connections with potential employers by demonstrating value
"Opportunities will always open as long as you're sharing your value first," Stacey concluded.
This article was based on an Acadium Plus AMA session with Stacey Kelly, video content strategist and AI consultant, hosted by Kisha Velazquez.
