You have a good photo and an idea for a short video. What you probably do not have is a shot list, a folder of matching clips, or the patience to write a different prompt for every cut.
A template can handle that planning. You choose the scene, supply the subject, review the cost, and let the workflow build the shots and join them into a vertical film.
Disclosure: I build ModelFold, the product used in this walkthrough. This is a guide to its current workflow, not a comparison based on testing competing tools. The examples are existing template previews; I did not run a new paid generation for this article.
Start with the result you want
Open the AI Short Video tool and look through the template previews. A preview shows the intended scene and style. It is not a prediction of exactly how your photo will turn out.
For a simple first project, try one of these:
- Pet marigold bridge: a quiet, 10-second memorial with two shots, warm mist, petals, and candlelight. The name references the rainbow bridge idea, but the actual scene uses a marigold-covered bridge.
- Pet chef: a playful kitchen scene built around a pet photo.
Choose a scene that suits the photo you already have. A pet template needs a clear pet reference; a portrait effect needs a face the model can actually see.
1. Prepare one clear reference image
Use a JPG, PNG, or WebP file up to 3MB. Prefer one obvious subject, good lighting, and minimal obstruction. If you want the model to preserve a pet's markings, make sure those markings are visible.
Leave a little space around the subject. A tight landscape crop can be awkward to reinterpret as a 9:16 frame. Only upload photos you have permission to use, especially when they show another person.
The same uploaded image serves as the reference for the template's shots. You do not need a separate upload for each scene. That shared reference helps guide consistency, but AI can still change facial features, fur patterns, or proportions.
2. Read the shot list before generating
Open a template and sign in. Upload the image, then read the shots and model settings on the page.
For the memorial template, the first shot has the pet walking toward the camera across the bridge. The second has it pause and look back. Together they make a 10-second vertical video. The configured workflow creates the still frames with Seedream 5.0 Flash and animates them with Wan 2.6 Flash at 720p.
Templates have fixed creative choices. This one does not add a spoken tribute or captions. If you want a name and dates, add them to the downloaded video in an editor.
Read product templates especially carefully. A scene that asks for an unbranded object and no text is a poor choice if your packaging label must stay legible. A visually attractive preview does not establish that a template can preserve a logo.
3. Check the estimate and confirm
Opening the page, watching a preview, and selecting a template do not spend generation credits. Generating your video does.
Check the estimated credits on the page and again in the confirmation dialog. Prices depend on the configured image and video steps, so use the current estimate rather than a number copied from an old tutorial.
The fixed template already includes its shot plan; you do not first pay to generate alternative plans. Each generation step is charged separately. Failed steps are refunded, while successful steps remain charged. Retrying a step is a new generation and can incur another charge.
4. Let the workflow assemble the film
The progress panel lists the still images, video clips, and final joining step. You do not have to download each shot and stitch them together yourself.
Once a result is ready, the player switches from the example to your film. Review the subject carefully before using it: does your pet still look like your pet? Are movement and proportions plausible? Does the scene communicate what you intended?
If only part of a run succeeds, the finished portion may be available and the failed steps refunded. Check the status rather than assuming that a playable result means every shot succeeded.
5. Download, then finish it for your audience
Download the MP4. Signed-in history on the tool page also lets you revisit the run, its steps, and its download.
For a memorial, a simple title may be enough. For a social post, you may want captions or a short opening line. Add those deliberately in your editor rather than relying on generated text inside the image.
ModelFold does not automatically post the file to another platform. Download it, review it, and upload it yourself. Follow the destination platform's rules for disclosing AI-generated content.
What if no template fits?
The same tool has a free-form route. Describe the film, set the duration and shot count if needed, and request plans. For example:
A 15-second vertical video with three shots of a white travel mug: a full view, a close-up of the lid, then the mug on a commuter's desk. Natural light and restrained camera movement.
Review the proposed plans, models, and estimates before executing one. Planning uses a conversation model and has its own charge; generating the images and clips is a separate stage. It gives you more flexibility, with more decisions to make.
For a first attempt, a fixed template keeps those decisions manageable: choose the scene, upload a suitable photo, read the estimate, generate, and inspect the download.
You can browse the examples at ModelFold before deciding whether the workflow fits your project.
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