AI motion transfer from your own video
Animaker is an AI motion transfer tool: you upload one still photo and one reference video, and the body motion from that video is applied to the person in the photo while their face, hair and clothing are preserved.
The specifics
- Movement comes from
- Your reference video — not a template library.
- Identity comes from
- Your photo. Face, hair and clothing are carried over from the still image.
- What you upload
- One photo (up to 20 MB) and one reference video (1–60 seconds, up to 50 MB, MP4 or MOV).
- What you get
- An MP4, HD up to 720p on the long edge. Typical turnaround is 10–15 minutes.
- Also available
- Character replacement — the same two inputs, but the reference clip supplies the scene and your photo supplies the person inside it.
Motion transfer, character replacement, and templates
Three approaches get sold as if they were the same thing, and they differ in exactly one respect: where the movement comes from. Template libraries ship the movement in a catalogue you choose from. Motion transfer uses movement you supply and applies it to your photo’s subject. Character replacement also uses your clip, but keeps its scene and puts your photo’s subject inside it.
Everything else follows from that difference. Price, upload limits, and what the result looks like are all downstream of who chose the motion. Because the reference clip is the input that decides the outcome, a clean clip — one person in frame, stable camera, no fast cuts — matters more than any setting.
The inputs that fail most often are the same across all three: hands holding objects (the model cannot separate the hand from the object it holds), faces that are small or turned away, and full-body motion requested from a head-and-shoulders crop. Fixing the photo fixes more results than changing tools does.
FAQ
What is AI motion transfer?
It is the process of taking body movement from a video and applying it to the subject of a still photo, so the person in the photo performs the motion while keeping their own appearance.
What is the difference between motion transfer and character replacement?
Motion transfer keeps your photo’s subject and background and copies the movement onto them. Character replacement keeps the reference clip’s scene and places your photo’s subject inside it. Animaker supports both from the same photo-plus-clip inputs.
Do I need a reference video to make a photo move?
With Animaker, yes — the motion always comes from a clip you upload. Tools that move a photo without one are usually limited to subtle effects such as blinking or a head turn rather than full-body motion.
How long does a motion transfer take?
Typically 10–15 minutes per video, and you can leave the page while it runs — the result is stored in your task list.
What photo works best?
A sharp, front-facing photo with a clearly visible face, visible limbs if the motion is full-body, and empty hands. Match the crop to the motion: full-body movement needs a fuller photo.
Can I use motion transfer on pets or illustrations?
It can work, and Animaker is used for pet photos as well as people. Results are more reliable on subjects with a clearly visible body — human or animal — than on stylised illustrations.