Midjourney has quietly added the ability to turn still images into short videos, expanding its AI image generator into basic video creation. The new feature, dubbed V1, is only accessible through the desktop Discord app and requires at least a $10-a-month subscription. Once you’ve generated or uploaded an image, you can hit “Animate” to produce up to four five-second clips, although the company warns that fast motion settings sometimes introduce visual glitches.
There are two main animation modes. The automatic option generates what Midjourney calls a “motion prompt” and applies it without further input, essentially letting the system decide how elements should move. If you’d rather steer the action, the manual mode invites you to write a brief description of the movement—how a subject rotates, how a scene unfolds, and so on—before rendering. Beyond control style, you can choose between low-motion and high-motion variants. Low-motion keeps the camera static and encourages slow, deliberate subject shifts, while high-motion adds camera movement for a more dynamic feel, at the risk of occasional “wonky mistakes.”
Animating images stored outside the platform works similarly: drag your file into Discord, mark it as a “start frame,” and craft a motion prompt. When you find a sequence you like, the “extend” command lets you tack on roughly four more seconds of video at a time, up to four extensions, stretching a single clip to about 20 seconds.
However, this convenience comes at a premium. Video generation consumes eight times the credits of a still image, meaning that your monthly allocation will deplete much more quickly. Midjourney acknowledges that the final pricing may shift as it gathers data on usage and cloud costs, emphasizing the need to balance robust performance with sustainable operations.
These video tools arrive amid legal pressure from major studios. Last week, Universal and Disney filed suit against Midjourney, accusing it of infringing on copyrighted material by drawing from film and television imagery without authorization. Still, the company remains focused on long-term ambitions: a spokesperson hinted that the ultimate aim is to enable real-time, open-world simulations driven by similar AI systems.
For creators weighing their options, Midjourney’s V1 offers a straightforward path to enlivening AI-generated art. While it won’t replace dedicated animation software anytime soon, it provides a taste of motion at minimal friction—provided you’re ready to pay for the privilege and tolerate the occasional visual hiccup.
