Image-to-Video
Animate still images into motion by uploading an image and describing the movement you want. Perfect for bringing static artwork, photos, or designs to life.
How It Works
Enable Generate Media - Toggle the Generate Media button in the composer
Attach an image - Upload or drag & drop a single image
Select video model - Choose a model that supports image-to-video (Veo, Grok, Kling, Sora)
Describe the motion - Write a prompt describing how the image should move
Configure settings - Set aspect ratio, duration, and resolution
Generate - Click send to animate your image
Supported Models
Not all models support image-to-video. Here are the models that do:
Veo 3.1
4-8s
✅
Dialogue, character animation
Veo 3.1 Fast
4-8s
✅
Quick iterations
Grok I2V
4-15s
❌
Fast generation, mobile formats
Kling 3.0 Pro
3-15s
✅
Highest quality with audio
Kling 3.0 Standard
3-15s
✅
Fast generation with audio
Sora 2
4-12s
❌
Longest clips, cinematic quality
Hailuo 2.3
4-8s
❌
Action and dynamic movement
WAN 2.6
5-15s
❌
Longest duration, new aspect ratios
Writing Motion Prompts
What to Describe
Focus on movement and action, not static details (the image already provides those):
Camera movement - How the camera moves relative to the scene
Subject movement - How objects or people move
Environmental motion - Wind, water, particles, etc.
Transitions - How the scene evolves over time
Good Motion Prompts
✅ Camera Movement:
✅ Subject Animation:
✅ Environmental Motion:
✅ Combined Motion:
Bad Motion Prompts
❌ Too Static:
(Describes the image, not the motion)
❌ Vague Movement:
(Not specific enough)
❌ No Motion:
(Missing movement description)
Aspect Ratio Considerations
Matching Image Aspect Ratio
Best practice: Match the video aspect ratio to your source image
Portrait image (9:16) → Use 9:16 for video
Landscape image (16:9) → Use 16:9 for video
Square image (1:1) → Use 1:1 for video
Why this matters:
Prevents cropping important parts of your image
Maintains composition and framing
Ensures the starting frame matches your image exactly
Aspect Ratio Mismatch
If you use a different aspect ratio:
The image may be cropped to fit
Important elements might be cut off
The starting frame may not match your uploaded image
Use Cases
Animating Artwork
Example:
Upload a digital painting
Prompt: "Slow zoom in on the artwork, with subtle camera shake and gentle focus pull, revealing texture and brushstrokes."
Result: Cinematic animation of your artwork
Bringing Photos to Life
Example:
Upload a landscape photo
Prompt: "Gentle camera pan across the scene, with clouds drifting, water flowing, and grass swaying in the breeze."
Result: Dynamic landscape video
Product Showcases
Example:
Upload a product photo
Prompt: "360-degree orbit around the product, with soft studio lighting and clean background"
Result: Professional product animation
Character Animation
Example:
Upload a character illustration
Prompt: "Character walks forward with confident stride, hair and clothing flowing naturally, background elements moving subtly."
Result: Animated character video
Tips for Best Results
Start with high-quality images - Better source = better animation
Be specific about motion - "Slow push-in" is better than "move camera."
Describe camera movement - This is often the most important element
Match aspect ratios - Use the same aspect ratio as your source image
Keep motion natural - Avoid extreme or unrealistic movements
Consider duration - Longer videos allow for more complex motion
Use appropriate models - Veo for dialogue, Kling for complex moves, Sora for length
Common Workflows
Quick Animation
Upload image
Select Veo 3.1 Fast
Simple prompt: "Slow push-in with gentle camera movement."
Generate (4-8 seconds)
Cinematic Animation
Upload a high-quality image
Select Sora 2 or Kling 3.0 Pro
Detailed prompt with camera movement, environmental motion, and style
Generate (up to 12 seconds with Sora)
Character Animation
Upload character image
Select Veo 3.1 (for dialogue) or Kling (for movement)
Describe character movement and actions
Enable audio if using Veo
Generate
Extended Duration with WAN 2.6
Upload image
Select WAN 2.6 (supports image-to-video)
Describe motion (supports 15-second clips)
Choose unique aspect ratios if needed (4:3 or 3:4)
Generate (up to 15 seconds)
WAN 2.6 Benefits for Image-to-Video:
15-second duration - Longest of any image-to-video model
Unique aspect ratios - 4:3 and 3:4 not available elsewhere
Multi-shot support - Can generate coherent scene progressions
Prompt expansion - AI enhances short prompts automatically
Fast Mobile Content with Grok
Upload image
Select Grok (auto-switches to I2V mode)
Describe motion with simple, direct prompts
Choose mobile-specific aspect ratios if needed (19.5:9, 9:19.5, 20:9, 9:20)
Generate (up to 15 seconds)
Grok Benefits for Image-to-Video:
Fast generation - Quick turnaround for iterations
Mobile aspect ratios - Perfect for TikTok, Instagram Reels
Panoramic formats - 2:1 for ultra-wide content
15-second duration - Matches longest models
Troubleshooting
"Image doesn't animate."
Solutions:
Check that your model supports image-to-video
Ensure you've attached exactly one image
Make sure your prompt describes motion, not just the scene
Try a different model (Veo, Kling, or Sora)
"Wrong aspect ratio"
Solutions:
Match the video aspect ratio to your source image
Check image dimensions before uploading
Use "auto" aspect ratio if available (some models)
"Motion is too subtle or too extreme."
Solutions:
Adjust your prompt to be more or less specific
Try different camera movements (push-in vs. dolly vs. orbit)
Experiment with different models (Kling for complex moves)
Adjust duration (longer = more time for motion)
"Model doesn't support image-to-video.o
Solutions:
Switch to Veo 3.1, Kling, or Sora 2
Check model capabilities in Supported Video Models
Some models (Hailuo, WAN) may not support image-to-video
Next: Learn about Transition Mode for creating smooth transitions between two images.
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