Tony Laughton has worked in broadcast television and video production for 40 years. Today, he brings this experience to MedHeads, a certified health channel on YouTube that makes complex medical subjects easier to understand.
The channel works with practising medical specialists to cover general health, addiction medicine, emerging research, and other topics where accuracy matters. Tony researches and writes scripts before doctors review them for medical accuracy.
However, producing expert-led health videos presented a practical challenge. Doctors are busy, filming takes time, and Tony was spending up to 45 hours a week keeping the channel running alongside his paid work.
‘It became hugely time-consuming and unmanageable. It’s manageable again now, thanks to the tools available,’ Tony said.
HeyGen has become a key part of making that workload manageable.
Creating video without another filming session
MedHeads depends on practising medical specialists, but their demanding schedules make regular filming difficult.
'We've got two specialists on our MedHeads channel, and they're both very busy and difficult to pin down for filming,' Tony said.
The team still film doctors directly when it makes sense, sometimes recording as many as 10 segments in one session. But Tony needed a way to consistently turn their expertise into video without making every piece of content dependent on another filming session.
Using HeyGen, Tony created the AI presenters Annabelle and Elliot to deliver medically reviewed scripts alongside graphics, animations and other visual elements.
For Tony, a broadcast producer and editor with 40 years’ experience, the production quality stood out.
'It looks real,' Tony said. 'I showed my wife and said, "Hey, look at this." She said, "Oh yes, that's much better."'
AI presenters give Tony another way to share expert information with viewers, without requiring doctors to make additional time for filming, multiple takes, lighting and production.
'You can produce excellent content straightaway without any on-camera experience,' Tony said. 'You'll be able to get your message across much more easily and with less stress.'
Ensuring every script is backed by doctors
Using AI presenters doesn't mean handing medical communication over to AI. The expertise still comes from people.
Tony researches topics and writes scripts before sending them to doctors for review. As MedHeads is a certified health channel, the team are particularly careful about the accuracy of medical claims.
‘I write it, and then doctors approve it to ensure the content is accurate,’ Tony said. ‘I carry out all the research and then write the scripts.’
That distinction matters in healthcare, where MedHeads prioritises accuracy even when more sensational topics might attract more views.
Once a script is approved, HeyGen gives Tony another way to present that information without arranging another filming session. The research, writing and medical review remain firmly in human hands.
Automating 90% of the production workflow
Tony has built his own software to bring research, scriptwriting, HeyGen, graphics and editing together in a single workflow.
His system identifies potential topics, organises research and scripts, and adds sources and pronunciation guidance. Once the script is approved, HeyGen generates the presenter video.
Inspired by HeyGen's HyperFrames, Tony also built a system that analyses each script and generates ideas for animated graphics. It determines where those visuals belong and creates an XML file for DaVinci Resolve.
‘I've got 90% of everything ready to go,’ Tony said. ‘It just needs me to edit.’
That speed is particularly valuable when MedHeads need to respond to a topical health story.
‘If I was in a hurry and it was a genuinely urgent topic, I could write the script and produce the finished piece within a couple of hours,’ Tony said. ‘It would be published and fully edited.’
Reducing weekly production time from 45 hours to eight
The most significant benefit is the time Tony gets back.
At its peak, MedHeads took up around 45 hours of Tony's week, despite not being his full-time job. Filming could mean sacrificing weekends because Saturday evening was sometimes the only time a doctor was available.
Today, Tony estimates that the core workload takes about eight hours a week.
'It’s significantly less stressful,' Tony said.
HeyGen gives MedHeads greater flexibility to continue publishing without making every video reliant on another filming session. Doctors can remain focused on the medical information whilst Tony turns their expertise into polished video content.
It also gives Tony more creative flexibility. Instead of organising a new location shoot, he can change an AI presenter's setting to suit the topic.
‘The lighting will look right, the background will look clean, and it will look more professional,’ he said.
After years of traditional video production, Tony now has a workflow that combines medical expertise with AI-powered production. Doctors remain responsible for the information, Tony retains control of the final product, and HeyGen helps bring that expertise to viewers more quickly.
'It makes a significant difference for businesses,' Tony said.
