Vidmento: Creating Video Stories Through Context-Aware Expansion With Generative Video

TL;DR

Vidmento is a tool that helps video creators expand their stories by integrating generative media that blends seamlessly with existing footage, enhancing creative possibilities and narrative completeness.

Contribution

The paper introduces Vidmento, a novel system for context-aware integration of generative video into storytelling workflows, based on user insights and filmmaking principles.

Findings

Vidmento supports narrative development by expanding initial media with generated content.

Creators find blending generative media with real footage valuable for storytelling.

The system enables expressive, style-consistent video augmentation.

Abstract

Video storytelling is often constrained by available material, limiting creative expression and leaving undesired narrative gaps. Generative video offers a new way to address these limitations by augmenting captured media with tailored visuals. To explore this potential, we interviewed eight video creators to identify opportunities and challenges in integrating generative video into their workflows. Building on these insights and established filmmaking principles, we developed Vidmento, a tool for authoring hybrid video stories that combine captured and generated media through context-aware expansion. Vidmento surfaces opportunities for story development, generates clips that blend stylistically and narratively with surrounding media, and provides controls for refinement. In a study with 12 creators, Vidmento supported narrative development and exploration by systematically expanding initial materials with generative media, enabling expressive video storytelling aligned with creative intent. We highlight how creators bridge story gaps with generative content and where they find this blending capability most valuable.