PDF to video with DistilBook
Last updated
To convert a PDF into a narrated video with DistilBook, upload the file, select the page range you want converted, choose a visual style, review the AI narration script, and render. DistilBook extracts the text and structure of the PDF, writes a spoken script section by section, generates animated scenes, and narrates them in your chosen language. The first narrated slide plays in about 3 minutes, and a typical 8 to 10 slide video finishes in under 25 minutes. Signup grants 30 credits with no credit card, and a slide costs 10 credits, so a complete 3 slide video is free.
What do you need before you start?
- A text-based PDF. Scanned image-only PDFs need OCR first.
- A DistilBook account with at least 10 credits. Signup grants 30.
- A browser. Nothing to install.
How do you do it, step by step?
- 1
Upload the PDF
Open distilbook.com, choose Create, and drop the file in. Reports, guides, manuals, textbook chapters, and deck exports all work.
- 2
Select the page range
Choose the pages to convert. Only the selected range consumes credits, so you control both length and cost here rather than converting a whole document you do not need.
- 3
Tell it what the video is for
Pick the audience and purpose. This changes how the script is written, so a training video and a marketing explainer from the same PDF read differently.
- 4
Pick a style and branding
Hand-drawn whiteboard or one of 14 motion-graphics presets. Brand colors and logo are applied once and used on every scene.
- 5
Review and edit the narration
The job pauses at the script. Read it out loud, cut anything a narrator would not say, edit lines directly, then approve. Nothing renders until you do.
- 6
Render, then share or download
About 30 seconds per slide for motion graphics. You get a shareable link, and an MP4 without a watermark on a paid plan.
What are the limits?
The honest list, so you know before you start rather than after.
- Image-only or scanned PDFs produce nothing useful. Run OCR first so the text layer exists.
- Very long documents are not converted whole. Use the page range; the free tier is capped around 1.5 minutes of video.
- Complex tables and multi-column academic layouts can be read out of order. Check the script at the review step, which is exactly what it is for.
- The free tier renders with a watermark. Watermark-free MP4 export starts at $15 per month.
Common questions
What kinds of PDF work best?
Documents with a clear heading structure and real text: reports, guides, SOPs, onboarding docs, textbook chapters, and slide exports. The clearer the headings, the better the slide breakdown.
Does it work on a scanned PDF?
Not directly. A scanned PDF is images with no text layer, so there is nothing to read. Run it through OCR first, then upload.
How many slides will my document become?
Roughly one slide per major section or idea, and you control it with the page range. A 12 page guide commonly becomes 6 to 8 slides.
Can I edit the video after it renders?
You can edit narration, slide images, titles, and reveals before rendering. After rendering you re-render rather than editing the MP4.
Is there a free way to try this?
Yes. Signup grants 30 credits with no credit card. A slide costs 10 credits, so you can produce and watch a complete 3 slide narrated video before deciding.