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Tiny Desk AI
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How to make the Tiny Desk AI video

To make the Tiny Desk AI video, open the studio on tiny-desk-ai.net, choose how many people are in your band (1 to 5), add one photo each or one group photo, tick the permission box and press the button. In about 4 to 15 minutes you get a 15-second vertical MP4 with the original "Outstanding" sound and a silent copy. It costs 10 credits at 480p (the $9.99 Single pack).

Updated

By the Tiny Desk AI teamAll guides

Video studio

15 s · 9:16 · 1 to 5 people · original sound

1How many in your band?

2Quality

The free preview is 480p. When you unlock it, you choose 480p or HD 720p.

Why we ask

Putting someone’s face in a video without their OK can break privacy and image-rights laws, and that responsibility is yours. So you confirm three things: you are the person or have their OK, they are adults, and none of them is a celebrity or a politician. We keep the time you confirmed with the request.

First 2 s free (480p, watermarked, to watch here). Like it? Unlock all 15 s for $9.99.

  • Free 2 s preview
  • Unlock the full 15 s
  • The original song
  • A failed preview is given back

The effect

Add your photos and press the button. It usually takes 4 to 15 minutes; finished videos stay in My videos.

AI demo made here from 3 photos
Shots from the first post, by @theburnerfromhe11

What you need for a Tiny Desk AI video

  • Photos of 1 to 5 people: one each, or a single group photo with everyone in one row.
  • Their OK: everyone must be an adult who agreed. No celebrities or politicians.
  • A Google account to sign in to Tiny Desk AI. No app, no CapCut, no prompt and no editing.

Make the Tiny Desk AI video in five steps

  1. 1

    Open the studio on the Tiny Desk AI home page and pick the band size: Just me, 2, 3, 4 or 5.

  2. 2

    Choose "One photo each" or "One group photo".

  3. 3

    Add the photos. Photo 1 is the person who laughs in the close-up; photo 2 plays the keys and sings; photo 3 takes the sax; photos 4 and 5 sing backup.

  4. 4

    Tick the permission box and press the button. The Tiny Desk AI studio draws a full portrait of each person, then rebuilds the four shots with them.

  5. 5

    Download the Tiny Desk AI video with sound, or the silent copy if your app mutes the song, and post it.

Who plays which part in your Tiny Desk AI band

With a group photo the order is left to right. "Strangers" are made-up extras, never the faces from the original post.

PeopleThe laughKeys and leadSaxBackup
1Photo 1Photo 1Photo 1strangers
2Photo 1Photo 2Photo 1strangers
3Photo 1Photo 2Photo 3strangers
4Photo 1Photo 2Photo 3Photo 4 + a stranger
5Photo 1Photo 2Photo 3Photos 4 and 5

Photo tips for the Tiny Desk AI band

  • Faces to the camera, eyes open, nothing covering them.
  • Daylight or a bright room; avoid heavy beauty filters.
  • For a group photo: everyone in one row, about the same size, nobody half hidden.
  • Use a different photo for each person: the same picture twice is refused.
  • Put your funniest friend first: photo 1 gets the laugh and the free preview.

How long a Tiny Desk AI video takes and what it costs

A Tiny Desk AI video usually takes 4 to 15 minutes. You can close the tab; it waits in My videos. The price does not change with the number of people: 10 credits at 480p or 22 at 720p. Each Google account can first make one free 2-second preview. If a render fails, the credits come back on their own. All prices.

TikTok
A family puts itself in the bandCredit: @mdawnhou
TikTok
The Players Ball versionCredit: @jaron.ma3

Other ways to make a Tiny Desk AI video

Many creators use a CapCut template, which is free but usually changes faces in a fixed clip and works best for one or two people (templates compared). Tutorials on TikTok also show AI video apps such as Kling with a written prompt; those take more tries to match the four shots.

Your band is on

Start my band

FAQ

Questions and answers

Can I make a Tiny Desk AI video with one photo?

Yes. Choose "Just me" and you play the laugh, the keyboard and the sax.

Can I use a group photo?

Yes, with 2 to 5 people. Choose the number, then "One group photo". The order is left to right.

Does the Tiny Desk AI video have the real song?

Yes. The original "Outstanding" audio from the trend is laid back on after the render, and you also get a silent copy.

Can I make a Tiny Desk AI video on my phone?

Yes. Tiny Desk AI runs in the browser on iPhone, Android and computers.

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