Thinking In Public – Issue #12 | I Tested NotebookLM’s Video Overview With My Startup Playbooks - Here’s What Happened
A hands-on test of Google’s AI-powered video feature using real startup content. A simple way to turn your documents into narrated video presentations.
Over the past few weeks, I’ve mentioned NotebookLM a few times in Thinking In Public. In fact, I use its Audio Overview feature to turn each issue into a podcast hosted by two AI voices, for those who prefer listening over reading.
This time, I tested a completely different feature of NotebookLM: Video Overview.
With this new feature, you can now generate AI-powered presentation videos from your uploaded documents. Think of it like this: you have a report, training content, or notes. NotebookLM scans it, turns it into slides, adds a narrated voiceover, and gives you a watchable, shareable video presentation.
To test this, I used a set of content I already had ready: 16-Week Practice.
🎯 What Is 16-Week Practice?
In short, it's a product I offer under the Start Practice brand. It's a 16-week hands-on system I created for people who want to take a real step into entrepreneurship.
Each week includes a playbook. These playbooks aren’t just about giving information. They’re written to spark mindset shifts. In addition, each week comes with multiple canvases, along with guides and example-filled versions for each canvas.
It’s not a passive "read and move on" format. It’s fully action-oriented and helps you build a business step by step.
Right now, you can join the program for free.
🎥 What Did I Do with NotebookLM’s Video Overview?
I uploaded the first 3 weekly playbooks from 16-Week Practice into NotebookLM, one by one. I generated a separate video for each.
Here’s what I did:
I logged into NotebookLM
I created a new notebook and uploaded the Week 1 playbook
I clicked the “Video Overview” button
The system automatically created slides and added a voiceover narration
Optionally, I could customize the video by adding a short prompt (for example: "present this like a pitch to investors" or "wrap up with key action items")
Google even included a helpful prompt guide in the interface 👇🏻
And right below, you’ll find the Week 1 video overview created directly from the playbook.
Once you see the format, you’ll see its potential immediately:
🔍 What Did I Observe?
Overall, it’s very promising. The format feels like a real presentation. Each slide is short and clear, and the AI voice is surprisingly smooth.
Are there any downsides? A few.
→ Slide transitions can sometimes feel a bit fast
→ Some parts that deserve emphasis might come off a little flat
But stepping back, we now have a tool that can generate presentation videos from your own content, without needing to build videos from scratch.
That alone is incredibly valuable.
💡 So How Can You Use It?
Some practical scenarios that could help you apply this feature:
Pitching an MVP: Turn your early product or idea into a short presentation video to share with investors or team members
Turning training content into video: If you’re an educator or trainer, you can upload your PDFs or slides and get a narrated video instantly
Workshop recaps: Upload documentation from a past workshop or talk and generate a summary presentation in minutes
Accelerating your own learning: Upload a report or notes and watch the AI presentation version to reinforce your understanding
Personal brand content: Turn a concept you want to post on LinkedIn into a mini presentation with narration using this feature
🧭 Quick Guide: How to Get Started
Go to NotebookLM → https://notebooklm.google.com
Sign in with your Gmail account
Click “Create new notebook” to open a new page
Upload your PDF, Google Doc or any file you have
Switch to the “Studio” panel on the right → click “Video Overview”
If you want to customize, add a prompt (example: “Start like a pitch to investors, wrap up with next steps”)
Wait for the video to be generated. You can either copy a share link or download it as an MP4
🎁 A Quick Note
I tested this tool using content from 16-Week Practice, but its potential use cases go far beyond that.
Maybe you’ve tried to explain an idea before, but didn’t have time to make a proper video or presentation. This tool fills that gap. And it looks like it might soon become the new normal in content creation.
If you give it a try, let me know. I’d love to hear how it worked for you.
See you in the next one.
Hope this gave you a few ideas to try.
If you have any thoughts, feedback, or questions, I’d love to hear from you! You can always reach out to me on X (Twitter) or LinkedIn.
– Alperen