Animate Your Images: A Guide to Midjourney's New Video Model

Midjourney just released its first video model. This creation really brings back the excitement felt when Midjourney V2 was the image model many years ago. It lets you bring your still images to life, whether they are images you made in Midjourney or photos and drawings from outside the platform.

When you create a video, you get four 5-second clips back. This is great, as many expected just one clip. The motion in these videos looks good, and your original style and details stay true throughout the clip. This is a big deal because other tools often make Midjourney's unique style disappear into a generic look. You can also make your videos longer by adding 4 seconds up to four times. The transitions between these longer parts are very smooth.

What's impressive is the cost. Other video tools often do not give enough room to experiment without spending a lot. Midjourney’s new video model is truly affordable. It is a first step for Midjourney as they move towards more detailed generation models. This first video model is a very strong start. While it lacks some fancy controls and the resolution is lower than other options right now, these things will change in the future. We are all learning this new model together! Let's look at how it works, important details, and some prompt tips.

Getting Started With Midjourney Video

Video creation currently works only on the Midjourney website. Here’s how you can start.

Choosing Your Image

It is best to pick a non-upscaled image to animate. Upscaled images must be made smaller before animation. This can cause unwanted marks or blur.

• You can find all your non-upscaled images by filtering your page to "grids."

• Use the search bar to find images based on their original text.

• If you have an upscaled image in mind, open it and hover over "upscale." It will show the original grid image it came from. Click that highlighted image to work with the smaller, original version.

Animation Modes: Auto vs. Manual

You have two ways to animate: Auto and Manual. You can get to these by clicking on your image or by using the buttons at the bottom of the page.

[LI][B]Manual Mode:[/B] This gives you more control. You can change the prompt here. Think of it like how "vary" and "remix" work for images. Click "low" or "high" and then describe the motion or events you want. The original image prompt probably did not include any motion ideas. You can also leave the prompt blank and let Midjourney decide the best motion for your image. Midjourney uses a smart system that tries to make your prompt better before it creates the video. This is helpful for new users or anyone unsure how to write video prompts. A small issue is you don't see the exact prompt it uses, which can make it hard to learn what prompts work best.[/LI>

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Improving Prompt Adherence with `--raw`

There is a way to get better control over your prompt. Just like with image jobs, adding `--raw` to your video prompt can help Midjourney follow your exact words more closely. This can sometimes help bypass some of that automatic prompt improvement. I have seen good results with this. Sometimes, the automatic improvement works better, but `--raw` gives you another option to test.

My Current Workflow

My typical way to work right now is using Manual mode with low motion. I write a clear and direct prompt that tells what motion or events I want. Then, I submit two jobs: one with `--raw` and one without it. I then compare the videos to see which result is better. If I know I want a lot of motion, I will use Manual mode with high motion. But most times, I start with low motion.

Animating External Images

You can animate your own pictures, such as pet photos or drawings you have made. Just put your image into the starting frame box in the prompt bar, or click to upload new images. Then, type your prompt describing the motion, or leave it empty for Midjourney to decide. This will be in Manual mode with low motion by default. If you want more dramatic movement, add `--motion high` to your prompt. For better prompt control, also include `--raw`.

Making Your Clips Longer

Once you get a video you like, you can make it longer. You can add 4 seconds up to four times, turning a 5-second clip into a 21-second video. To do this, click "extend auto" or "extend manual" from the create page, or open the clip and use the extend buttons.

I suggest using manual mode for extending. This lets you decide what happens next. Maybe the camera pulls back, or a character changes their expression. Remember, low motion is the default here. If you want manual mode with high motion, click "extend manual" and add `--motion high` to your prompt.

Technical Specs and Cost

Let's quickly look at some technical details.

Video Resolution

Video resolution is currently 480p. This is lower than some other tools. However, many details in Midjourney's 480p videos still look good. Midjourney is making a video upscaler, which should be out soon. They also plan to offer higher resolution options. This is their first video model, and they are working to find the best balance between quality, price, and server use. Expect things to change as they learn more about how people use it.

If you are looking for an external video upscaler, Topaz Video AI is one option. It can be quite demanding on your computer's power, so it might not be for every video. We are all waiting to see how Midjourney's own upscaler compares when it comes out.

Cost to Create Videos

Each video creation task costs about eight times more than an image job. This is about eight fast GPU minutes. Currently, here is an idea of how many video generation tasks you can run with each Midjourney plan:

[LI]Mega Plan: Around 740-800 video jobs (with Relax mode for unlimited generations)[/LI>

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Each job gives you four videos, so you can multiply these numbers by four for the total video count. These costs may change, likely getting lower. But even now, it is very affordable compared to other tools. If you use up your fast hours, you can upgrade your plan or buy more hours. Pro and Mega users can also use Relax mode for video, which means endless creations without using up fast hours.

Downloading Your Videos

You have a few ways to download your videos:

• A simple "download" option will give you the raw video file. This is good if you plan to use an external program for scaling or editing.

• Use "download for social" if you are posting to social media. Videos often get too small when uploaded to social media. This option tries to fix that problem.

• There is also a new choice to download your video as a GIF.

Tips for Effective Video Prompting

Writing prompts for video with Midjourney feels a bit like learning a new language. Here are some things I have learned:

Think About the Order of Events

Video prompts are different from image prompts. They need to describe how things happen over time. Use words like "first," "then," "next," or "while" to help set the order of events. Remember, your first clip is only 5 seconds, so do not try to put too many things in it. You do not need to repeat details. If your starting image has one character, you can just say "he," "she," "the character," or "the person" and then describe their action.

Avoid Callbacks

In image prompts, repeating a word can help make sure details are included. But using callbacks in video prompts might make the repeated item appear multiple times when you do not want it to.

Animate What's Already There

The video model often works best by moving things that are already in your picture. If you want something new to appear, it can sometimes struggle to make it look right and match the existing style. Keep this in mind when you make your first image.

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Camera Motion Can Be Tricky

It is hard to find many reliable phrases for camera motion. "Zooming in and out" and "panning" work most of the time. Sometimes, if the subject is already somewhat close in the starting image, the video model does not want to change that distance much. I have had some luck with "camera slowly pans right" or "turns left." I have also seen success with the camera moving around an object or an object spinning in place. Camera angles are difficult right now. This should get much better once Midjourney releases its 3D model, which will give us more control over camera angles. If you find phrases that work well, please share them in the comments, and say if you use `--raw` or not.

Transformations and Expressions

Changing things like clothes or faces can also be hard. For example, getting characters to take off helmets and keep them off can be a challenge. Sometimes, they come off and go right back on. To fix this, describing the new state, like describing their hair or lack of it, has worked best. Changing face expressions can also be difficult to get right on the first try, especially if you start with an image that has a very strong expression. It can be hard to change that initial look.

Organization Tips

It is harder to pick out videos you like quickly just by looking at them compared to images. I suggest making a folder for all your favorite videos or clicking the like button. This will add them to your liked images and videos on your organize page. Also, you can move your mouse left and right over the video grids on the create page while holding the control key to quickly look through the video clips.

Ready to Create?

These are some of my own observations so far. The most important thing right now is to have fun and try things out. This new video model is a first step for Midjourney as they move towards more ways to create whole experiences. The Midjourney Automation Suite from TitanXT is an excellent companion tool to boost your productivity. Visit their site to see how it can help you get the most from your Midjourney experience. Happy creating!