p-video-animate

SKILL.md

---
name: p-video-animate
description: Use when the user wants to animate a still using motion from another video, motion-transfer remixes, or performance variations from a template clip—not replacing someone inside existing footage.
license: MIT
metadata:
  version: "1.0.1"
  pruna_model: p-video-animate
---

# p-video-animate (Pruna)

**P-Video-Animate** animates a single image using the motion, timing, and camera movement from a given video.

**User question this answers:** *How can I animate this picture with some motion?*

Given a reference input image and video, the model generates a new video using **(1)** the style of the reference image, and **(2)** preserving the original motion, acting, timing, camera movement, and scene structure of the reference video.

Also on Replicate: [prunaai/p-video-animate](https://replicate.com/prunaai/p-video-animate). Full P-API parameters: [p-video-animate model docs](https://docs.api.pruna.ai/guides/models/p-video-animate) · operational guide (Runware host): [animating images from video](https://runware.ai/docs/models/prunaai-p-video-animate/guides/animating-images-from-video)

Shared HTTP patterns: [pruna-api.md](./references/pruna-api.md)

## p-video-animate vs p-video-replace

| | **p-video-animate** (this skill) | **p-video-replace** |
|---|----------------------------------|---------------------|
| **User question** | *How can I animate this picture with some motion?* | *How can I replace this person in this video?* |
| **Inputs** | One **`image`** + motion-template **`video`** | Source **`video`** + **`images`** (1–4 identity refs in **one** call) |
| **Job** | Still performs using copied motion | People in footage swapped for reference identities |

**Use [p-video-replace](https://github.com/PrunaAI/pruna-skills/tree/main/plugins/p-video-replace/skills/p-video-replace/SKILL.md)** for in-place identity swap on real clips. **Use this skill** for motion-transfer showcases, persona variants, and slider before/after demos.

## Key features

- Top visual quality
- Most efficient inference
  - Speed: **5.24s generation time per 1s video**
  - Price: **$0.03 and $0.06 per 1s of 720p and 1080p video**

## Key examples

- **UGC ad variations** — Reuse winning video motions with different creator, customer, or persona images at large scale.
- **Viral meme remixes** — Turn trending clips into new animated image-based meme formats quickly.
- **Movie scene recasting** — Animate user-uploaded avatars, selfies, or character images using reusable motion templates.
- **Game cinematic variations** — Animate user-uploaded avatars, selfies, or character images using reusable motion templates.

## Before generating

1. **[Generation diversity](./references/generation-diversity.md)** — ritual seed + axis rotation; pass as `seed` when set.
2. Confirm with the user:

- **`video`** URL — motion/audio source (upload `.mp4` to `/v1/files` first)
- **`image`** URL — subject to animate (upload jpg/jpeg/png/webp first)
- **`resolution`**: `720p` or `1080p`
- **`target_fps`**: `original`, `24`, or `48`
- Optional **`instruction_prompt`** — how the reference subject should follow the source motion
- Optional **`save_audio`**, **`seed`**, **`disable_safety_checker`**

Run [p-video-animate-quality-checklist.md](./references/p-video-animate-quality-checklist.md) on inputs and outputs.

**Batch runs:** when several image+video pairs are independent, create **all** predictions in one parallel async batch, then batch-poll. See [parallel-execution.md](./references/parallel-execution.md).

## Making motion transfer work

**Appearance from image, motion from video.** The largest quality factor is how well the reference image matches the **first frame** of the source video. Ask before every pair:

1. **Framing** — same body region (head-and-shoulders, medium, full body)?
2. **Pose** — subject facing and limb position roughly aligned?
3. **Visibility** — same body parts visible; no extra crop or occlusion the video lacks?

When all three line up, motion transfers cleanly — including secondary cues (camera drift, hair movement, shadow shift). Mismatched pairs lose those.

| Factor | Guidance |
|--------|----------|
| Shot size | Match close-up / medium / full between image and template |
| Facing | Front-facing still + profile motion → head/shoulder artifacts |
| Limbs | If template waves arms, still must show arms |
| Proportions | Human full-body motion on chibi/mascot subjects often breaks legs and gait |
| Speaking templates | When source video has dialogue, persona mouth must be clear and large enough |

**When pairing fails:** head-and-shoulders still + full-body dance → the model **does not hallucinate limbs**; the head drifts subtly and **most choreography is lost**. Generate a full-body reference or pick a closer template.

**Before generate:** repose with **`p-image-edit`** when framing or pose is close but not exact. Upscale reference stills for identity detail.

**Long clips:** ~**5 s compute per 1 s** of video — split the source and animate segments separately for long templates.

**Wrong tool:** not for object removal, background replacement, scene rewriting, or frame-exact pixel edits — use **`p-image-edit`**, **`p-video-replace`**, or inpainting workflows instead.

**`instruction_prompt`** — optional; overrides **behavior**, not who is on screen. Leave blank when the source motion is already right.

Useful (one specific beat on top of source motion):

```text
At the very end of the clip, just after her last gesture, she gives a clear thumbs-up toward the camera. Keep the source motion otherwise.
```

Less useful (repeats what the image already shows):

```text
A confident woman in a charcoal blazer speaks to the camera in a modern office.
```

**Style variety:** photoreal, cartoon, 3D, and mascot stills can share one motion template when framing aligns — the reference image's rendering style carries through.

Runware field map: `referenceImages[0]` → `image`, `referenceVideos[0]` → `video`, `positivePrompt` → `instruction_prompt`, `settings.preserveAudio` → `save_audio`.

Mixed-reel context (motion templates, sliders, avatar CTA): [animate-beats.md](https://github.com/PrunaAI/pruna-skills/tree/main/workflows/core/avatar-multi-scene/animate-beats.md).

## Required input

- `video` (string URL): source RGB video (`.mp4`); motion and audio source
- `image` (string URL): reference subject to animate

## Common optional fields

- `resolution`: `720p` (default) or `1080p`
- `target_fps`: `original` (default), `24`, or `48`
- `instruction_prompt` (string): extra guidance on how the subject should follow source motion
- `save_audio` (boolean, default `true`)
- `seed` (integer)
- `disable_safety_checker` (boolean, default `false`)

## Example: upload source assets

```bash
curl -X POST "https://api.pruna.ai/v1/files" \
  -H "apikey: ${PRUNA_API_KEY}" \
  -F "content=@/path/to/source-video.mp4"

curl -X POST "https://api.pruna.ai/v1/files" \
  -H "apikey: ${PRUNA_API_KEY}" \
  -F "content=@/path/to/reference-image.png"
```

Use each response `urls.get` (or `https://api.pruna.ai/v1/files/{id}`) in `input.video` and `input.image`.

## Example: async (recommended)

Omit `Try-Sync`. Output duration follows the source video.

```bash
curl -X POST 'https://api.pruna.ai/v1/predictions' \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -H "apikey: ${PRUNA_API_KEY}" \
  -H 'Model: p-video-animate' \
  -d '{
    "input": {
      "video": "https://api.pruna.ai/v1/files/source-video-abc123",
      "image": "https://api.pruna.ai/v1/files/reference-image-def456",
      "resolution": "720p",
      "target_fps": "original",
      "instruction_prompt": "Animate the reference subject using the motion from the source video."
    }
  }'
```

Poll and download: [pruna-api.md](./references/pruna-api.md#poll).

## Example: sync (single quick test only)

```bash
curl -X POST 'https://api.pruna.ai/v1/predictions' \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -H "apikey: ${PRUNA_API_KEY}" \
  -H 'Model: p-video-animate' \
  -H 'Try-Sync: true' \
  -d '{
    "input": {
      "video": "https://api.pruna.ai/v1/files/source-video-abc123",
      "image": "https://api.pruna.ai/v1/files/reference-image-def456"
    }
  }'
```

## Typical next steps

- Generate or edit reference subjects: [p-image](https://github.com/PrunaAI/pruna-skills/tree/main/plugins/p-image/skills/p-image/SKILL.md), [p-image-edit](https://github.com/PrunaAI/pruna-skills/tree/main/plugins/p-image-edit/skills/p-image-edit/SKILL.md)
- Replace people in existing footage (not motion transfer): [p-video-replace](https://github.com/PrunaAI/pruna-skills/tree/main/plugins/p-video-replace/skills/p-video-replace/SKILL.md)
- Talking-head clips (script-driven, not motion transfer): [p-video-avatar](https://github.com/PrunaAI/pruna-skills/tree/main/plugins/p-video-avatar/skills/p-video-avatar/SKILL.md)
- Pipeline hub: [pruna-generative-pipeline](https://github.com/PrunaAI/pruna-skills/tree/main/plugins/pruna-generative-pipeline/skills/pruna-generative-pipeline/SKILL.md)
- Multi-scene motion transfer + slider demos: [avatar-multi-scene](https://github.com/PrunaAI/pruna-skills/tree/main/plugins/avatar-multi-scene/skills/avatar-multi-scene/SKILL.md) (`animate` rows)

## Related workflow

Animate slider reels: [`generate_video_comparison.py`](https://github.com/PrunaAI/pruna-skills/tree/main/workflows/_shared/scripts/generate_video_comparison.py) + [avatar-multi-scene](https://github.com/PrunaAI/pruna-skills/tree/main/plugins/avatar-multi-scene/skills/avatar-multi-scene/SKILL.md) `animate` rows.