Make your first video with Kino

Start with an idea or a photo. Check your settings and price, send your request, and follow your video as it is made.

Two ways to create

Open Create. Kino Agent turns your message and added resources into a video. Use it when you want help with the story, camera and timing. Manual lets you choose the starting mode and settings directly. You can use either without learning filmmaking terms.

Kino Agent: describe, check the price, send

Describe what should happen, who is there and what we hear. Add your photos, audio or video before sending. Your message keeps the attached resources beside it so you can check what was sent.

For a photo you want to animate, describe the next movement. For example: “She makes swimming movements with her arms and legs.” You do not need to describe the room again.
Say which person speaks each line and put their exact words in quotation marks. Make any changes to your prompt and references before sending. Your original message stays in the conversation.
A long idea still becomes one video within the supported duration; it does not automatically make several videos. Keep actions and dialogue short enough for the selected length.
Select Standard or Studio, check your attached resources, duration and credit quote, then send. If Kino asks you to confirm a duration or updated price, review it before continuing.
After you send, Kino prepares the scene and starts rendering automatically. You do not need to approve another plan. Follow the progress card; you can leave the page and return. Credits are reserved while the video renders and charged on success. A failed video releases its reserved credits.

Manual: choose the starting point

The starting point determines what your photo means. You choose it directly in Manual.

Animate photo: start from the photo itself. Keep the people, clothes and setting, and describe what moves next. This is the usual choice for a photo plus a simple action.
Character: use a person’s photo as a reference for a new scene. Name the new location and any different clothes. The photo identifies the person; its background should not become the new setting.
Text only: describe a scene without a starting photo. Include the subject, main action and location.

Choose the duration and format, then check the quote before generating. A different setting or outfit calls for a different approach than simply animating a photo.

Your cast

Save people in Cast with a clear photo and a useful name. Attach the intended person in the Agent and check the portrait before sending, especially when two characters appear together. A reference helps keep someone recognizable, but results can still vary. If a photo already shows the scene you want to animate, you do not need to turn it into a new character scene.

Follow your video

After you send a video to render, its waiting tile appears in Library → Creations. Waiting and rendering are different stages: a queued video has not started yet. Where standard and priority queues are enabled, the tile shows your queue and a standard-queue notice links to subscriptions. Priority helps with queue order; it does not promise an instant start or change image quality. Open Jobs to inspect progress or stop a job. Stopping a video charges only the work already completed; a failed video returns the reserved credits.

Creations: watch and download

Open a finished tile to play the whole video. Check the action, faces, speech and ending before deciding what to change. To try a different result, bring the video into Kino Agent, revise your request and check the new quote before sending. Each new generation is separate from downloading the saved result. On desktop, choose Download. On mobile, Share opens the sharing options. Active subscribers automatically download images and videos without a watermark, even if the app preview shows one.

Find an idea in Explore

Open an example in Explore to see its prompt. Try this on Kino brings the idea into your own creation flow. Replace the subject or action, then review your settings and price before sending. An example is a starting point, not a promise of an identical result.

Credits and subscriptions

Check the current quote before starting a generation or paid edit. Your balance can include subscription credits and purchased packs. Buying a credit pack does not make the account an active subscriber. An active subscription includes clean downloads; where priority rendering is enabled, it also determines the priority queue. See the account’s Plans and Credits pages for current benefits and prices.

Make the workspace comfortable

Choose Light, Dark or System in the appearance controls. On a computer, use the theme button in the left rail. On your phone, look under Profile. If voice input is available, tap the microphone, speak your idea, stop, and review the text. Add to prompt puts the words into your draft; it does not send the message for you.

Prompts that are easy to direct

A prompt is simply your description of the video. Start with one clear action. Add details that matter to you and check your references and settings before sending.

Keep the important details clear

For a short action such as a jump, wave or turn, keep the movement continuous. Kino can choose one continuous shot automatically for a simple short idea. Explicit camera cuts are still respected.
Describe the physical starting point. “She jumps from the dry pool deck into the water” is clearer than “She goes into the pool.”
When using a photo, say whether you want that same scene animated or the person placed somewhere new. If clothes must change, describe them.
For dialogue, name the speaker before each complete quoted line. Mention silence, laughter or music when it matters. Natural medium framing is a useful starting point for a conversation.
For several actions or a long speech, check the duration warning and simplify if the pace matters. A short video cannot give every event unlimited time.
If the result misses your intent, change one thing in the next prompt. Keep the original words and resources handy so you can compare.

Optional camera directions

You can leave the camera to Kino. If you have a specific view in mind, describe it in plain words.

Keep it steady
The camera stays in place as she jumps from the pool deck into the water. One continuous shot.
Move closer
The camera slowly moves closer to the product while it stays still.
Follow the action
The camera follows beside him as he walks along the pavement.
Change the view
After she finishes speaking, cut to the other person’s reaction in the same studio.

Keep it steady	The camera stays in place as she jumps from the pool deck into the water. One continuous shot.
Move closer	The camera slowly moves closer to the product while it stays still.
Follow the action	The camera follows beside him as he walks along the pavement.
Change the view	After she finishes speaking, cut to the other person’s reaction in the same studio.

Try these prompts

Use your own photo for the photo example. Copy a prompt, then change the details you care about.

Text to video

A paper boat drifts through a shallow puddle after the rain. The camera follows close to the water. Soft rain taps the pavement. No speech.

One subject, one action and a clear soundscape give the scene a simple direction.

Animate a photo

She turns toward the camera and smiles, with a small wave. Keep the scene and her clothes from the photo. One continuous shot.

The photo supplies the starting scene; the words describe the movement.

Make the starting action clear

Vague

She goes into the pool.

Specific

Starting on the dry pool deck, she pushes off with both feet and jumps into the water. The camera keeps her in view in one continuous shot. A splash, then quiet pool ambience.

The second version explains where she starts and how she enters the water. It gives the movement a clear sequence without adding a scene change.

Choose a video to subtitle

On a computer, open Tools and choose Subtitles Creator. Import a new video or choose a rendered video from your account.
Check the project name on each thumbnail. Use Load more videos to find older videos, including work from other projects.
Use Refresh to check for recent generations and edits. If loading more fails, the videos already shown remain available; Try again retries the next page.
Select the thumbnail you want. Kino creates a new subtitle project with that version of the video and opens the editor. Choosing the source does not start transcription.

If refreshing fails, the previous list stays visible. Try refreshing again before looking for a version that just finished.

Organize your videos with labels

Use labels to track which takes you approve and what needs another look.

Open Library and Creations and find a video. Select the tag icon beside its three-dot menu.
Check a label such as Approved, To review or Remake. Apply several without closing the selector. Changes save automatically.
To create a label, choose a name and color, then Create and apply.
Use the label filter above your videos. Clear filter returns to the full list.
Reopen the selector and uncheck a label to remove it from that video.

Manage labels lets you rename or recolor a label everywhere it is used. Deleting a label keeps your videos.

Remake is a note: it does not start generation or spend credits. Your labels are private and do not appear on public project shares.

Edit picture and sound independently

On a computer, open your video in Kino Editor. The episode introduces the editor; the steps below explain the fade controls added since it was recorded.

Save changes to the arrangement of parts and wait for imports or generations to finish.
On the Video track, open its tools button and choose Fades.
Choose Fade in or Fade out, then set Start (s) and End (s) in seconds from the beginning of the video.
Check Save as a new video if you want a separate copy. Then choose Apply and wait for the result.
For sound, open the tools on the appropriate track, such as Main audio or Aux audio, then choose Fades, set its times and apply.
Play the whole transition. Click a ramp on the timeline to adjust its timing or choose Remove fade.

In a 12-second video, picture could fade from 8 to 10 seconds and sound from 10 to 12. A picture fade keeps the duration; sound can continue while the picture is black. Each track keeps its own fade.

Change a part with the pencil

With the selection tool, drag across the desired range on the video track. Click the Edit this part pencil inside the selection.
Describe the change, check the allowed range and price before generating. This creates a new version of the picture in that range; it is different from simply trimming or rearranging parts.

Add music

Place the playhead where the music should begin. In the Aux audio tools, choose Generate music.
Describe the mood, instruments and tempo, choose Length (s) and check the price before generating. Wait for the music, adjust its position and volume, and save your edit.

Understand the Studio badge after editing

Simple trims, fades and audio changes to Studio footage keep the Studio badge. Each saved video version has its own badge; check the version you are viewing.

When you choose Extend this video, the initial mode follows the video's displayed badge. You can change the mode before reviewing the price and sending.

The badge identifies the video's mode, not its resolution. Imported videos or videos combining footage from different modes may show Standard.

Guide the scene, choose a voice and resume an actor

Give Studio a clear scene

Enrich my story appears in the main chat options, outside Advanced, and is enabled by default in Studio. It develops your idea while preserving your details. Turn it off to use the story as written, without adding events or dialogue.

Describe who is present, where they stand, what happens and their exact words. For example: a woman reads beside a café window, recognizes a friend approaching from the front, smiles and taps the glass. He stops, surprised, then waves.
Attach the right cast and resources, check the duration and price, then send when ready. Review the result before generating another take.

Choose a voice and its delivery

In the audio library, choose Voice Studio. Open Your voices on mobile or use the voice panel on desktop. Choose Add voice from library, listen to samples and save a voice. Listening to catalog samples uses no credits.
In the voice settings, choose Expressive (recommended) for directions such as [laughing] or [whispering]. Saving an edit preserves earlier versions.
In the Agent, open the voice control and choose your saved voice. One voice is selected per scene; choosing another replaces it.
Put spoken dialogue in quotation marks, with the speaker named and the direction inside the quotes. For example: Mara says: "[whispering] I think they can hear us." Check the duration and price before sending.

Kino prepares speech with the selected voice to guide the video's audio. Start with a short line and listen to the result. Classic may read bracket directions aloud.

Resume an unfinished actor

If you generated an image and refreshed before saving, return to Cast and open Add in the same account and browser.
Review the restored details and image. If the image has not appeared, check the generated photo or choose its result from Creations; you do not need to generate it again.
Choose Save to add the actor to your cast. A restored draft still needs to be saved.

If the browser cannot keep a draft, Kino shows a warning: save the actor before leaving. Generated photos remain in Creations.

Continue a scene and choose its sound

In Creations, open the video and choose Extend this video to continue the take, or Add a new scene to start a new scene from it.
Describe what should happen next. Check the destination project, mode and duration before sending.
Below the continuation request, use Actor, Prop or Scenery to add saved resources. Check the displayed version and photos. The source video and its existing references stay in place.
To create or edit a resource, use Create or manage in Library and return to the continuation in the same tab and account. Kino restores the draft; check your selections before sending.
Wait for the updated price after changing your request, references or settings. Send authorizes generation within the displayed amount, without another plan approval screen.
If a refused request offers Continue in Create, use it in chat or Creations to recover the original text and settings. Review the fresh price and send when ready. If the source video changed, copy your text before closing the request and select the intended video again.

Changing the current version in Library does not replace an already selected reference. Remove the added reference and select it again to use another version. If an addition conflicts with an inherited reference, remove the indicated addition and check the price again.

Natural sound or complete silence

In a Studio continuation, find Generate sound below duration and mode. For a new Agent request, find it under Advanced. It is on by default.
For natural sounds without music or speech, keep it on and describe that in your request. Asking for “no music” does not mean complete silence.
For a completely silent new scene, turn Generate sound off. This excludes speech, music, ambience and sound effects from the new part. The original part keeps its sound in the assembled extension.
If you selected a voice or audio reference, resolve the indicated conflict: keep sound on or explicitly remove that selection. Check the new price before sending.

Fully silent output requires Studio. If a service refuses generated audio, Kino shows the reason; it does not remove sound or resubmit the request automatically.

Keep versions of actors, props and scenery

In Props or Scenery, click a thumbnail to view the full photo. Use the zoom controls to inspect details and Fit to screen to reset. Close, Escape or Back returns to the library without changing the resource.
In Library, open an actor, prop or scenery item's actions and choose Manage versions. In the editor, this button also appears beside the current-version indicator.
Use Add new version to copy the current version and edit the new one. It becomes current; closing its editor without saving does not undo creation of that version.
In a version's menu, use Rename for a label such as “Winter coat”, or Edit to change its description and photos. The actor, prop or scenery item's name is shared across versions.
Use Set current to choose the version offered for future selections. Editing another version does not make it current. Finished videos and already selected references keep their original appearance.
Use Remove to remove a version from the choices. If it is current, check the indicated replacement before confirming. You must keep at least one version.

To reuse an earlier appearance, open Earlier edits in the version's menu and choose Make a version from this. History is read-only; this creates a new editable choice without changing existing videos. Voices and audio keep their own history.

Edit an AI-generated photo

In Creations, open the generated photo and choose Edit this photo. Its actions menu also offers editing with the price in credits.
Describe one specific change, such as thin round glasses while keeping the same face, hair and outfit. Editing uses the original photo as a reference; generating again from text can change the identity.
Check the price before sending and wait for the new photo in Creations. The result is a separate item; the original remains available.
To try the photo on an actor, open Manage versions, create a new version and select the generated image from your media. Save and compare both appearances before choosing which is current.

When you switch the current version, an unchanged form follows your choice. If you have already started editing, Kino preserves your draft: save or cancel those changes before reopening the actor.

Recover a completed 2K or 4K version

Sometimes a high-resolution version finishes rendering but its delivery does not complete. If Kino still has that result, you can recover it without generating or paying again, even after closing the error message.

Open the video in Creations. On a computer, open Super resolution; on mobile, check the actions below the video.
If Recover completed 4K · Free or the corresponding 2K option appears, select it. This retrieves the result that already finished.
Wait for delivery and play the result. If Check completed version again appears, use it to refresh availability. Then choose the free recovery action again if it is offered.

Recovery only appears when a completed result is available. Generate 2K version and Generate 4K version start new generations and require reviewing the price before confirming.

If the source is still being prepared or the video cannot be verified, follow the displayed message. A generation failure does not guarantee there is a result to recover.

Looking for a specific setting? Read the documentation