# Turn an image into a video with AI

> In Tella's editor, attach the image in the Tella Agent chat and ask for a video clip that starts from it, saying what should move and how the camera goes. Before it generates, the agent shows a card with the model and clip length; click Generate clip to start. It then places the clip in your video as b-roll or an overlay. To do it yourself, add the image as a reference in Generate at the top of the Media Library and choose Video.

Page: https://www.tella.com/agent/image-to-video-ai · Part of Tella Agent (https://www.tella.com/agent)

## How do I turn an image into a video with AI?

In Tella's editor, attach the image in the [Tella Agent](https://www.tella.com/agent) chat and ask for a video clip that starts from it, saying what should move and how the camera goes. Before it generates, the agent shows a card with the model and clip length; click Generate clip to start. It then places the clip in your video as b-roll or an overlay. To do it yourself, add the image as a reference in Generate at the top of the [Media Library](https://www.tella.com/help/editing/use-media) and choose Video.

## Prompt to start from

```text
I've attached a photo of our Tallyfern ceramic mug on a wooden table. Turn it into a five-second video clip with steam rising from the mug and a slow push-in, in warm morning light. Place it as b-roll over the part where I talk about the new range.
```

## More prompts

### Product hero shot

```text
Use the Quillhaven backpack image in this video's media library as the first frame of a 10-second clip. Orbit the camera slowly around the backpack on a plain studio background and keep the image's aspect ratio. Put it over my opening line.
```

### Landscape intro

```text
Animate the attached photo of a mountain lake for my intro: clouds drifting, small ripples on the water and a gentle pan to the right. Use Seedance 2.0 Fast for a first draft and show it as b-roll for the first five seconds.
```

## How to do it in Tella

1. Open your video in the Tella editor and open the Tella Agent chat (Shift + S if the sidebar is hidden).
2. Click Add (+) → Attach… and pick the image, or name an image already in the video's media library.
3. Describe the motion, the camera move, the style, the length and where the clip goes.
4. Check the AI video clip card and click Generate clip.
5. Preview the clip and ask the agent to move, trim or regenerate it.

## Good to know

- Needs a paid plan or the 7-day trial. Messages use your workspace's credits.
- Your image becomes the clip's first frame. Seedance 2.5 keeps the image's aspect ratio; the Seedance 2.0 models crop it to 16:9.
- Video generation refuses an image that shows a person, real or AI-generated, so start from a product, place or object.
- Clips are 5 seconds unless you ask for longer: up to 30 seconds on Seedance 2.5 or 15 seconds on the Seedance 2.0 models.

## Questions people ask

### Which AI model turns my image into a video?

Tella uses Seedance 2.5 at 1080p by default. Seedance 2.0 Fast and Seedance 2.0 Mini are 720p options that use fewer credits. To pick one, name it in your message to the Tella Agent.

### Can ChatGPT or Claude turn an image into a video in Tella?

[ChatGPT](https://chatgpt.com/plugins/plugin_asdk_app_6a7026f78434819186579d93d20ab38b?open_in_app) can. Connected to Tella's [MCP server](https://www.tella.com/mcp), it passes an image from your Tella library to the generate_video tool as the clip's first frame, then places the clip in your video. [Claude](https://claude.ai/directory/tella), [Cursor](https://www.tella.tv/settings/connections) and other MCP clients don't list the generation tools, so use the Tella Agent in the editor instead.

### Can I start from an AI-generated image?

Yes. Ask the Tella Agent to generate the image first, then to turn it into a video clip. Leave people out of the image, or the video step is refused.

## Related

- [Generate b-roll for the parts you talk over](https://www.tella.com/agent/ai-b-roll-generator.md): Clips and images for the parts you talk over
- [Add an image on top of your video](https://www.tella.com/agent/add-image-to-video.md): Put a picture, logo or screenshot on top of your recording.
- [The Ken Burns effect on any photo, by asking](https://www.tella.com/motion/ken-burns-effect.md): Slow pans and zooms that bring still photos to life.
- [Generate media with AI](https://www.tella.com/help/editing/use-media#generate-media-with-ai)
- [AI video clip cards](https://www.tella.com/help/editing/edit-with-the-tella-agent#ai-video-clip-cards)
- [Attach files to the Tella Agent](https://www.tella.com/help/editing/edit-with-the-tella-agent#attach-files-videos-and-playlists)
- [All of Tella's AI features](https://www.tella.com/ai.md)