How I Created an AI Clone of Myself Using HeyGen and ElevenLabs (Step-by-Step for Real Estate Pros)

Can you actually create a realistic AI clone of yourself using your own voice and video?

Short answer: yes. And if you do it the right way, it can save you a massive amount of time creating content. I want to walk you through exactly how I built my own AI clone using HeyGen for video and ElevenLabs for voice. I’ll also share the mistakes I made, what worked, what didn’t, and how I’m actually using this in my real estate and title marketing today.

This is not theory. I went through this process five different times before I got a result I was happy with.

Why I Decided to Create an AI Clone of Myself

As someone who teaches classes, hosts events, records videos, and constantly creates content for real estate agents, time is always the bottleneck.

I still believe authentic video performs best. But I also know I do not need to physically record every single short educational video myself anymore.

My goal with AI cloning was simple:

• Create short-form educational videos faster

• Still sound like me

• Still look like me

• Use my real voice, not a robotic AI voice

• Layer in B-roll, captions, and screen recordings afterward

When done right, the final product is shockingly good.

The Two Tools That Actually Matter

There are a lot of AI avatar tools out there. After testing multiple platforms, here is what I landed on.

HeyGen for Video Cloning

HeyGen handles the visual side. This is where your AI avatar lives.

You upload a training video of yourself, and HeyGen builds a digital avatar that matches your facial expressions, lip movement, and on-screen presence.

You can start with the free plan to test things out. Eventually, if you want to use this seriously, you will need to upgrade to the $29 per month plan.

My advice: start free, learn the system, then upgrade when you hit limits.

ElevenLabs for Voice Cloning

HeyGen’s built-in voices were not good for me. Some people get lucky. I didn’t.

That’s where ElevenLabs comes in. ElevenLabs lets you create a professional-grade clone of your real voice. When you combine this with HeyGen, you get the best of both worlds. Expect another $22 per month once you move into professional voice cloning. Yes, the costs add up. But if this replaces hours of filming and editing every month, it pays for itself fast.

How to Record Your Training Video (This Matters More Than You Think)

This is where most people mess things up.

I tested multiple setups, including a Sony A7S III with a full camera rig. Ironically, the avatar I actually use today was created from an iPhone video.

Here is what mattered most.

Camera Setup

• iPhone on a tripod shooting in 4K worked extremely well

• DSLR is great but not required

• Do not shoot handheld

• Keep your framing consistent

Audio Setup

• Clean audio matters more than perfect video

• I used DJI lav mics, but any quality lav mic works

• Avoid background noise

Body Movement Tips

• Do not move your head too much

• Try to keep your upper body fairly still

• Hand gestures are fine, but less is better

• Look directly into the lens the entire time

  
  

How Long to Record

HeyGen says two minutes minimum.

That is not enough.

I recommend recording at least five minutes of continuous footage. More footage gives the AI more data, which improves realism.

I literally set a timer on my watch and talked for five minutes straight.

The Biggest Mistake I Made Early On

HeyGen instructs you to pause between sentences when recording.

In my experience, that made the avatar look robotic and unnatural.

Once I stopped pausing and just talked like myself, the quality improved dramatically. The goal is not perfection. The goal is realism.

Creating Your Avatar Inside HeyGen

Once you upload your video, HeyGen will:

• Review your footage

• Score it based on quality

• Confirm identity and consent

• Process your avatar

This can take up to an hour.

Pro tip: Sometimes avatars fail to process. I had this happen multiple times. If it does, contact HeyGen support. They were helpful once I reached out. When it works, your avatar will appear in your dashboard and be ready to use.

Why I Don’t Use HeyGen’s Default Voice

This is important. Even if your avatar looks great, a bad voice will ruin everything.

HeyGen’s default voice did not sound like me. It was flat and quiet.

That is why I moved everything over to ElevenLabs.

How I Built My Voice Clone in ElevenLabs

Inside ElevenLabs, you will create a professional voice clone.

Here is what I learned.

How Much Audio You Need

• Minimum required: 30 minutes

• What I recommend: 50 minutes to 2 hours

More audio equals better results.

I extracted audio from existing videos and tutorials I had already recorded. You can do this easily using tools like CapCut.

The key rule: clean audio, no background noise, only your voice.

Fine-Tuning the Voice

Once your voice is created, you can adjust:

• Stability

• Similarity

• Style exaggeration

• Volume and speed

I kept things subtle. I wanted it to sound like me on a normal day, not a dramatic version of me.

Connecting ElevenLabs to HeyGen

This step is technical but simple.

• Generate an API key inside ElevenLabs

• Paste that key into HeyGen

• Import your custom voice

• Select it as your default voice

Once connected, your avatar will speak in your real voice.

This is the moment everything clicks.

How I Create Scripts That Sound Like Me

I do not manually write scripts anymore.

I use ChatGPT with a custom project trained on how I speak, teach, and explain things. I generate short scripts, copy and paste them into HeyGen, and preview the audio before generating video. Always listen to the audio first before generating the full video. Fix pacing and wording early to save credits.

Generating the Final Video

When you are ready:

• Choose 1080p resolution

• 25 frames per second

• MP4 format

• Turn off the watermark

• Submit

Processing takes a few minutes. Once complete, download the file.

At this stage, the video is usable. But I take it one step further.

How I Edit AI Videos to Make Them Look Real

I use CapCut for editing.

Here is my workflow:

• Import the AI video

• Remove the background

• Resize the avatar smaller on screen

• Add screen recordings or B-roll underneath

• Add captions

• Trim awkward pauses

This is where the magic happens.

Once you layer in B-roll, captions, and motion, it becomes very difficult to tell it was AI-generated.

When This Makes Sense for Real Estate Professionals

I want to be clear.

This does not replace authentic, in-person video. It supplements it.

This works extremely well for:

• Educational tips

• Market explanations

• Tool walkthroughs

• Short social videos

• Consistent content without constant filming

If you are already recording long-form videos, this is a force multiplier.

Final Thoughts on AI Cloning in 2025

We are at a point where AI video cloning is good enough when used correctly.

Is it perfect? No.

Is it powerful? Absolutely.

If you follow the steps above, avoid the mistakes I made, and layer in smart editing, you can create content faster without sacrificing your voice or your brand.

Questions? Contact:

If you want more real estate tools, marketing ideas, and AI walkthroughs like this, I share everything I’m testing in real time.

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Questions or want help setting this up?

Jerad Larkin Chicago Title Colorado

📞 303.630.9430

📧 Info@MileHighTitleGuy.com