Motion Swap: Use Your Own Clip to Make a Photo Perform It
Dance & Moves gives you a gallery of moves. Motion Swap is for when you have your own: a dance you filmed, a gesture, a bit of acting. You upload that clip and a photo, and the person in the photo performs the clip’s moves, timing and expressions. Here is how it works, what it needs and what it costs.
- Upload a reference clip (MP4, MOV or WEBM, up to 30 seconds and 50MB) and a photo (JPG or PNG).
- It costs 1 credit per 2 seconds, up to 15 credits for 30 seconds.
- The result keeps the clip’s sound by default.
- It is a beta. Results vary, and you must have the rights to both files.
What Motion Swap Does
Motion Swap uses a motion-control model. It reads the movements in your reference video and applies them to the person in your photo. The photo sets the look and the background; the clip supplies the motion, the timing and the expressions. If the clip has sound, the sound is kept.
What You Need
| File | Accepts | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Reference clip | MP4, MOV, WEBM, up to 30 seconds and 50MB | One person, head and body in view, still camera works best |
| Photo | JPG or PNG | One person, upper or full body, arms visible |
Always: only use a photo you have the right to use, and only of a person who has agreed. You confirm both before every generation, and our content policy applies.
Step by Step
The tool normalizes the format of your clip for you, so a phone recording in MOV works as it is.
A 6-second clip costs 3 credits.
What It Costs
| Clip length | Credits | At Starter |
|---|---|---|
| 6 seconds | 3 | $1.56 |
| 10 seconds | 5 | $2.60 |
| 20 seconds | 10 | $5.20 |
| 30 seconds | 15 | $7.80 |
Cost is based on the length of the finished video, at 1 credit per 2 seconds. See Dance & Moves pricing.
Good Uses
- Your own choreography that is not in the move gallery.
- A gesture or bit of acting you filmed, applied to a different person with their consent.
- Longer videos, up to 30 seconds.
- Keeping a clip’s sound, such as a spoken line, if you have the rights.
Example Uses, Step by Step
| Goal | Reference clip | Photo | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| A birthday greeting | You waving and laughing for 6 seconds | A friend’s full-body photo (with permission) | Your friend waves and laughs |
| A choreography demo | You doing your routine, 10 seconds | A photo of a model or character you have rights to | The model performs your routine |
| A short comedy bit | A filmed gesture with a spoken line | Your own photo | You perform the bit, with the clip’s sound |
In each case the photo gives the person and the place, and the clip gives the motion. If the first try is not right, change the clip or the photo, not both.
Limits and Honest Expectations
- It is in beta. It works, but results vary and we are still tuning it.
- Fast spins and occlusions are hard. Keep movement within the frame and the body visible.
- The photo’s background is used, not the clip’s.
- Faces can drift on large movements.
Rights, Again
You are responsible for both files. Do not upload someone else’s video, a film clip or a copyrighted performance without permission. See consent and rules for AI dance videos and our guide to choosing and filming a reference clip.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Motion Swap?
A beta tool where you upload a reference clip and a photo, and the person in the photo performs the clip’s moves, timing and expressions.
What files does Motion Swap accept?
A reference clip in MP4, MOV or WEBM, up to 30 seconds and 50MB, and a photo in JPG or PNG showing one person.
How much does Motion Swap cost?
1 credit per 2 seconds of finished video, up to 15 credits for 30 seconds.
Does Motion Swap keep my clip’s sound?
Yes, the reference clip’s sound is kept by default.
Can I use any video I find online?
No. Only upload clips you filmed, own or have a licence to use, and use photos only of people who have agreed.
Related Articles
- Motion Swap vs Dance & Moves: Which Should You Use?
- How to Make an AI Dance Video From One Photo (2026)
- The Best Photo for an AI Dance Video: A Checklist
- How Much Does an AI Dance Video Cost? Dance & Moves Pricing
- AI Dance Video Looks Wrong? 9 Fixes for Motion Transfer
Try It on Your Own Project
Buy a small amount of credits with no subscription, or subscribe from $47/mo. New customers get 20% off their first card payment.
⚡ Get Started →20% off first card payment automatically · Plans from $47/mo · Or pay-per-use, no subscription