Gain Greater Control with VisionStory’s New “Preview Audio” and “Pause” Features
Jan 12, 2025
Creating high-quality video content often depends on the finer details—like the way a word is pronounced or the timing of a pause for dramatic effect. We’re delighted to introduce two new features on VisionStory—Preview Audio and Pause—designed to give you more precision and flexibility before you use your credits to generate a full talking video.
Why Use Preview Audio?
Preview Audio is a breakthrough for anyone who wants to ensure their text-to-speech (TTS) narration sounds just right before spending credits on video generation. Previously, you would go straight from writing your script to creating the final video. While this was convenient, it left little room for fine-tuning—and if you spotted a small error, your credits were already used. With Preview Audio, you can:
- Check Pronunciation & Tone
Listen to the entire audio generated from your script and confirm it matches your intended style. - Save Credits
Spotting an error in the audio before generating the video helps you avoid unnecessary credit usage. - Avoid Streaming Artifacts
When audio is generated live to sync with video (a “streaming pipeline”), some AI voices may have slight volume inconsistencies at the start or end. By using Preview Audio first, you can avoid these issues and achieve a more polished result.
Common Challenges & Text Tips: While TTS technology is advanced, some complexities can still cause issues. Pay special attention to:
- Specialised or Technical Terms: Medical, legal, or scientific words may need extra punctuation or spelling tweaks.
- Abbreviations: Make sure TTS expands or pronounces them correctly.
- Currencies & Numbers: The narrator might read numbers in an unexpected way or skip currency symbols.
- Heavy Punctuation: Full stops, commas, and colons can affect intonation and pacing.
If you notice any issues, simply edit your text, run Preview Audio again, and confirm it’s perfect before clicking “Generate Talking Video.”
Introducing the Pause Feature
Sometimes you want to slow down for dramatic effect, highlight a phrase, or handle tricky words with care. Our new Pause feature—accessible via the “⏱ +0.5” icon—lets you insert a short pause anywhere in your script. For a longer pause, just add multiple pause icons. This manual pause can:
- Improve Clarity: Break up long sentences so your audience can easily follow each part.
- Enhance Emphasis: Build anticipation before a key statement or punchline.
- Override Default TTS Pausing: If the TTS engine doesn’t pause where you want—or adds an unwanted break—manually adding pauses ensures your narration flows as you intend.
Important Tips
Preview Audio uses a character-based quota, which resets monthly according to your subscription plan. As a general guide, 1 minute of speech is about 1,000 characters:
- Free: 500 characters (~0.5 min of audio)
- Lite: 1,000 characters (~1 min of audio)
- Pro: 10,000 characters (~10 min of audio)
- Advanced: 50,000 characters (~50 min of audio)
- Ultra: 100,000 characters (~100 min of audio)
Tips for Using the Stopwatch (Pause) Feature:
- Each stopwatch icon adds a 0.5-second pause. You can use them consecutively for longer pauses, up to a maximum of 3 seconds.
- Note: Avoid using more than two consecutive pauses in a single text segment, as this may cause the AI to produce unexpected sounds or artefacts.
Use Cases & Real-World Benefits
- Marketing & Advertising
Marketers can create curiosity with short, impactful lines—often followed by a well-timed pause. Now you can perfect your brand messaging and preview different deliveries without wasting credits. - E-Learning & Instructional Videos
Complex terms or acronyms are common in educational content. Quickly preview how they’re pronounced, insert the right pauses, and ensure learners can easily follow along. - Storytelling & Narration
Dramatic voiceovers rely on precise pacing. A well-placed pause can add suspense or emotion—something auto-generated TTS pacing may not always achieve. - Professional Presentations
When you need to make a point—such as in financial reviews or business pitches—mispronounced names or numbers can affect your credibility. Previewing and adding pauses helps ensure a smooth, professional narration.
