# Freeze frames, slow motion and speed ramps by asking

> In Tella, add a Tella Motion clip, attach your footage in the Tella Agent chat, and say where to freeze and for how long. Tella Motion holds that frame, then lets the clip play on. The same chat handles slow motion down to 0.05x, fast motion up to 20x, and speed ramps that ease from one speed to another.

Page: https://www.tella.com/motion/freeze-frame-effect · Part of Tella Motion (https://www.tella.com/help/editing/tella-motion)

## How do I freeze frame a video or add slow motion to a clip?

In Tella, add a [Tella Motion](https://www.tella.com/help/editing/tella-motion) clip, attach your footage in the [Tella Agent](https://www.tella.com/agent) chat, and say where to freeze and for how long. Tella Motion holds that frame, then lets the clip play on. The same chat handles slow motion down to 0.05x, fast motion up to 20x, and speed ramps that ease from one speed to another.

## Prompt to start from

```text
Place the clip I attached in this Tella Motion clip. Freeze it at 0:04 for 2 seconds, then let it play on at normal speed.
```

## More prompts

### Sports coach

```text
Use the attached match clip of the Tallyfern Hawks. Play it at normal speed until 0:06, slow it to quarter speed for the pass, then freeze on the shot at 0:09 for 1.5 seconds with 'Watch the left foot' in bold white.
```

### App launch

```text
Put the attached Quillhaven app clip in this Tella Motion clip. Ramp up to 3x through the setup, ease back to normal speed at 0:05 when the dashboard loads, and freeze the last frame for 2 seconds.
```

## How to do it in Tella

1. Open your video in the Tella editor and choose [Add clip → New Tella Motion clip](https://www.tella.com/help/editing/tella-motion#add-a-tella-motion-clip).
2. In the Tella Agent chat, click + → Attach… and add your footage.
3. Say where to freeze and for how long, or which part to slow down or speed up.
4. Play the preview and ask for changes, like "hold it longer" or "ease into the slow motion."

## Good to know

- Available to everyone: through the Tella Agent on a paid plan or the 7-day trial, or through Claude or ChatGPT on any plan.
- Footage in Tella Motion plays forward only, so it can't play a clip in reverse.
- A video overlay's Trim menu speeds it up to 4×. Freeze frames and slow motion need Tella Motion.

## Questions people ask

### Can I freeze a moment of my own recording?

Yes. The Tella Agent can place footage from one of your recordings in a Tella Motion clip and freeze or slow it there. To speed up the whole video instead, set the speed when you download it.

### Can I add text or an arrow over the frozen frame?

Yes. Ask for it in the same chat, like "add 'Watch the left foot' in bold white while it's frozen." It's a Tella Motion title, so you can change its font, color and timing later.

### Can Claude or ChatGPT do this?

Yes. [Claude](https://claude.ai/directory/tella) or [ChatGPT](https://chatgpt.com/plugins/plugin_asdk_app_6a7026f78434819186579d93d20ab38b?open_in_app) connected to Tella's [MCP server](https://www.tella.com/mcp) can use the same Tella Motion commands, including freeze frames, speed changes and speed ramps, on videos in your Tella workspace.

## Related

- [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.
- [Point viewers to the right button on cue](https://www.tella.com/motion/add-animated-arrows-to-video.md): Arrows that draw on toward the button you name.
- [Animate graphics by describing the motion](https://www.tella.com/motion/keyframe-animation-with-ai.md): Describe the motion. The AI sets keys and easing.
- [Create motion graphics with Tella Motion](https://www.tella.com/help/editing/tella-motion)
- [Attach files, videos and playlists](https://www.tella.com/help/editing/edit-with-the-tella-agent#attach-files-videos-and-playlists)
- [Speed up a video overlay](https://www.tella.com/help/editing/media-overlays#speed-up-a-video-overlay)
- [All of Tella's AI features](https://www.tella.com/ai.md)