How Berlitz creates language training videos 70% faster

We interviewed Nicolas Potel, Director of Learning Experience, and Trent Hoy, Learning Experience Manager, on their use of Synthesia to create over 1700 short AI-videos for their online French courses.

The Challenge

Berlitz grappled with the issue of effectively scaling their video production for online language courses. The initial approach of instructor-led videos was burdensome and resource-intensive. A few significant obstacles included:

• Flexibility: Updating studio-shot videos is difficult and time-consuming, often requiring additional resources to recreate them.
• Cost: The expenses involved in gathering a diverse range of talents were enormous.
• Scalability: Due to the high number of required videos, the live filming model was not feasible.

We used to film videos by flying instructors from all over the world to one location, which was time-consuming and expensive. - Nicolas Potel, Director of Learning Experience

The Solution

With Synthesia, Berlitz now enjoys a robust, scalable video creation process.

The team starts by scripting and recording lines with an instructor. These voice recordings are then uploaded to Synthesia, paired with a custom-made brand template, an Avatar and transformed into a finished video.

This is what a final video course experience looks like 👇

Here's what the team values most:

• Flexibility: Once created, a video can be easily updated at any time, without having to start from the beginning.
• Diversity and inclusion: A diverse range of 140+ avatars with new ones being introduced on a weekly basis.
• Voice upload: Along with the large set of AI voices available, the ability to upload audio is a crucial feature for the team's specific use case.

Using Synthesia to save production time allows us to focus on creating a better learning product. - Trent Hoy, Learning Experience Manager

The Results

The transformation has been nothing short of phenomenal. Here are some impressive results achieved:

• Time savings: Production time for 1700 (!) micro videos was reduced by 70% from 3-4 months to just 6 weeks.
• Improved workflows: Resource allocation went from a full-time team of 6 down to only 2 members.
• Cost savings: Using Synthesia reduced the production cost by a factor of 3.

Synthesia helps establish a human connection in the absence of a real person, motivating learners throughout the learning process. - Trent Hoy, Learning Experience Manager

As Berlitz moves forward, they're excited about the potential of AI video in further diversifying and scaling their digital learning experiences.

‍