AI Animate & Replace: Change People or Objects in a Video

VdoBloom's Animate & Replace tool changes the subject or an object in a video while keeping the original motion. You give it the source clip and what should appear instead, and it re-renders the footage. It costs 63 credits for a 720p 5-second clip and 125 credits for 10 seconds.

Disclosure: VdoBloom is our platform.

What it does

Instead of generating a new video from scratch, it works on footage you already have: the movement stays, and a chosen element is replaced. That is useful when the motion is the hard part — a dance, a gesture, a specific camera move — and you only want to change what is on screen.

Generating believable motion from nothing is the hard part of AI video. Here the motion already exists, in your clip, so the model does not have to invent it. It only has to swap what is moving. That is why the result tends to hold together: the physics, the timing and the camera work are yours, and the model fills in the new element on top.

Motion preserved: the original movement stays intact.
Element replaced: the subject or a chosen object changes.
Your footage: it turns a clip you already have into a different clip.

When to reach for it

The motion is right but the subject is not: keep the take, change who or what is in it.
Dance and gesture clips: the movement is the point, and it stays.
Product swaps: replace an object while the camera move stays the same.
Restyling a real take: change a detail without reshooting.
Concept tests: try a different look on footage you already shot, before committing to a shoot.

How to do it on VdoBloom

Open the Animate & Replace tool.
Upload the source clip.
Describe what should replace the subject or object, and confirm you have the rights to the footage.
Generate.

Describing the replacement

The clearer your description, the closer the result lands. You are telling the tool what should be on screen instead, so treat it like a short costume and props note.

Name the replacement: who or what should appear.
Describe how it looks: clothing, colour, material, expression.
Match the setting: the new element should belong in the scene's light and style, so mention them if the default does not fit.
Keep it to one change per run: asking for several swaps at once makes each one less reliable.

Getting a cleaner result

Start from a clean clip. Good lighting, a steady subject and a simple background give the model less to guess about.
Avoid heavy clutter. Lots of overlapping movement makes any replacement harder to hold.
Keep the camera move modest. Big, fast motion is impressive but leaves less room for a clean swap.
Expect to run it more than once. Each run costs one clip at the rates below, so budget for a couple of tries.

Where it fits in a shoot

The tool is most valuable when the expensive part is already done. If you have a take with the right performance, the right timing or the right camera move, re-shooting it just to change one element wastes the part that was hard to get.

Saved takes: rescue footage where the action was perfect but a detail was wrong.
Concept testing: swap a subject or object to preview a direction before committing a crew and a budget.
Iteration: run the same clip with a few different descriptions and keep the version that lands.
Localisation and variants: produce alternate versions of one take for different audiences.

Planning around a 5 or 10 second clip

Because the length is fixed at the options below, it helps to cut your shot list with that in mind. Short clips are the natural home for this tool: a single movement, one clear subject, one thing to change.

Trim before you upload. Give it the exact 5 or 10 seconds you want, not a longer clip with dead air at the ends.
Lead with the action. A clip that is already moving when it starts uses the short runtime better.
One change per clip. If you need two swaps, plan two clips rather than crowding one.

What it costs

Clip	Price
720p, 5 seconds	63 credits
720p, 10 seconds	125 credits

Credits are one-time and never expire. New accounts get 10 free credits.

Preparing the source clip

Because the tool builds on the clip you give it, a little preparation pays off more than any wording tweak. The cleaner the source, the less the model has to interpret.

Trim to the moment. Cut the clip down to the exact seconds you are pricing, so you are not paying for dead air.
Pick a clean take. Sharp focus and steady light give the replacement a firmer base.
Keep one subject. Clips with a single clear subject and a simple background are the easiest to work with.
Check the frame edges. If the subject moves a lot, make sure nothing important leaves the frame mid-clip.

Realistic limits

It preserves motion, not perfection: edges, reflections and fine detail in busy clips can wobble.
Length is fixed at the options above, so plan your edit around a 5 or 10 second clip.
The source quality matters: a sharp, well-lit clip gives a better swap than a soft or shaky one.
It works on what is already there: the camera move and framing come from your clip and stay as they are.

Ideas you can try

Swap a prop: change the object someone is holding while the hand movement stays.
Change a wardrobe detail: the same performance in a different outfit.
Rework a background element: replace what sits behind the subject without touching the subject.
Turn a clip into a character: replace a person with a figure or a mascot and keep their move.
Refresh an old take: give a clip you shot months ago a new look without re-shooting.

Use it responsibly

This is the kind of tool that can be misused with real people's footage, so two rules matter. Only use clips you have the right to use, and only replace a person with their agreement — swapping someone into footage they did not consent to is exactly what the tool's rights confirmation is there to prevent. Keep it to your own footage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does it keep the original motion?

Yes — it changes the subject or object and preserves the movement in the clip.

How long can the clip be?

5 or 10 seconds at 720p, priced accordingly.

Can I replace a person?

Only with their permission and with footage you have the rights to use.

What kind of clip works best?

A sharp, well-lit clip with one clear subject and a steady camera gives the cleanest replacement.

Can I replace more than one thing at a time?

You can describe a scene, but one clear change per run tends to be more reliable. The more you ask for at once, the harder each swap is to hold.

Do I need to own the footage?

Yes. Only upload clips you have the right to use, and only replace a person with their agreement.

Questions people ask about this

Can I replace a person in a video, or does it only work on objects?

It handles both. You can change the subject or a chosen object in the clip, so a person, a prop or a background element are all fair game. The motion in your footage stays intact either way.

Can I replace an actor with an avatar while keeping the original shot?

Yes — that is the core idea. The camera move and framing come from your clip and stay as they are, so you keep the shot you already have and only the element on screen changes. Describe the figure or mascot you want in place of the person, and confirm you have the rights to the footage.

Can I change just one object, like the colour of something in the clip?

You can describe a single change, and one clear change per run tends to be the most reliable. Name the object and describe how it should look — colour, material, finish — and keep the rest of the description quiet so the tool is not pulled in several directions. If you need more than one change, plan separate runs rather than crowding one.

Can I remove a person or an object from a video?

This tool replaces an element rather than deleting it, so the practical route is to describe what should appear in its place instead. If you want something gone, think about what should fill that space and describe that. Busy clips with lots of overlapping movement are harder to hold, so a clean take helps.

Do I need more than one reference image to swap someone in?

The tool works from the source clip plus your written description of the replacement, so the wording carries the detail. Name who or what should appear and describe how it looks — clothing, colour, material, expression. The clearer that note, the closer the result lands.

What kind of clip gives the cleanest character swap?

A sharp, well-lit clip with one clear subject and a simple background gives the model less to guess about. Keep the camera move modest and avoid heavy clutter, since big fast motion leaves less room for a clean swap. Expect to run it more than once and budget for a couple of tries.

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