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How to make a Tiny Desk AI video with one photo
One photo per person, five seats, fifteen seconds. This walks the whole flow: which photo to use, how to cast the band, what the render costs, and what to do when a face comes out wrong.
What you need
- One clear, front-facing photo of each person you want at the desk — up to five, one per seat.
- A free account (Google sign-in). Nothing else: no editing app, no template file, no prompt to write.
- 4 credits per video. A pack is a one-time payment and the credits never expire.
Step 1 — choose the photos
Use a photo where the face is large, evenly lit and looking towards the camera. Shoulders-up is ideal. Avoid sunglasses, masks, hands or hair over the face, group shots and heavy beauty filters: every one of those gives the model less to work with, and the result is a face that drifts between shots.
Step 2 — fill the seats
The stage has five seats in the order the clip cuts between them: lead vocals, saxophone, keys, backing left and backing right. Lead vocals is the only one you must fill. Seats you leave empty are played by our own band, so a solo clip costs the same as a full one — 4 credits, whatever you fill.
Step 3 — generate and download
Press make and give it a few minutes. You can close the tab; the render continues and the finished MP4 waits in My videos. The file is vertical 9:16, with sound and no watermark.
Step 4 — publish it honestly
Label the clip as AI-generated on TikTok, Reels or Shorts. Do not present it as real footage of anyone performing. Everyone in a photo must be 18 or older and must have agreed to appear.
If it does not come out right
Most problems start with the photo. Read why your video looks wrong before spending another credit, and remember that a render that fails returns its credits automatically.
Read next: Tiny Desk AI video generator pricing · what the generator actually does.