Deciding how to choose between multimodal models for content creation requires understanding both the technical architecture and business constraints that shape your technology stack. Content creators and production managers often struggle with model selection because vendor marketing obscures the hard limitations each platform actually faces when processing video files, maintaining text consistency, or generating images at publication quality. This comprehensive analysis contrasts leading options side-by-side, revealing which models excel at video understanding versus image captioning versus integrated workflows, and where each approach falls short under real-world constraints. The article documents specific use cases—from analyzing customer video testimonials to generating synchronized text overlays—with transparent success rates and failure modes.