Video from Photos: Overview
The Video from Photos step turns the still photos captured in a session into a short MP4 clip. It is the step behind the moving version of the photo strip that guests get alongside their print.
The step was previously called GIF from Photos. It is the same step; the name changed when the output moved to MP4.
What Is the Video from Photos Step?
From the workflow's point of view, Video from Photos:
- Collects the photos captured so far in the session
- Plays them in sequence to produce a single MP4
- Saves that file as session media, so later steps can preview, share, and upload it
- Runs in the background: the workflow moves on immediately rather than waiting for the file to finish
From the guest's point of view, nothing happens on screen. Guests see the result later, in Preview or in whatever they receive.
Settings
Playback speed is the one control on the step, and it is a percentage from 50% to 150%. 100% plays the frames at the standard rate. Lower is slower and more deliberate, higher is snappier and more comic.
That is the whole configuration. The output format is fixed to MP4 — smaller files than a GIF, better colour, and it plays properly on every phone and social platform.
Because generation runs in the background, the file may not exist the instant the next step starts. Give it a step or two before anything that needs the finished clip: a Preview or a short animation between the capture and your sharing steps is usually enough.
When Should You Use Video from Photos?
Use it whenever you are capturing more than one photo and want a second, shareable output alongside the print.
Typical reasons:
- A photo-strip event where guests should also get something to post
- Burst or "make three faces" flows, where the sequence is funnier than any single frame
- Adding motion content to an event without the complexity of actual video recording
- Giving the client social-ready assets from a booth that is primarily about prints
You usually do not need it for:
- Single-photo workflows, where there is no sequence to animate
- Events that already use Record Video, which produces real video from the camera
- Flipbook or lenticular workflows, which have their own dedicated steps
How Video from Photos Fits in the Workflow
Place it after all the Take Photo steps and before the steps that will show or send the result:
- Live View (Start)
- Countdown → Take Photo, repeated for each shot
- Live View (Stop)
- Video from Photos
- Save Final Photo
- Preview
- Print Copies, and sharing steps with the video media type selected
The generated clip is separate media from the Final Photo. If you want guests to receive it, remember to include the right media type in your sharing steps:
- In an Email or SMS step, add Final Video to the media list
- In a QR Code step, point at the cloud media page or at the specific media type
- In Preview, the clip appears alongside the photos so guests can see it before sharing
The composition uses the same layout assets as the rest of the workflow, so overlays and branding carry through to the animated output.
Why Video from Photos Is Useful
For event operators:
- Doubles the output of a booth with no extra hardware and no extra guest time
- Motion content dramatically outperforms stills on social, which is usually what the client is measuring
- Small files that upload quickly, even on venue Wi-Fi
For guests:
- Something they can actually post, not just a photo to print and forget
- The sequence captures the moment better than a single frame: the laugh, the reaction, the reveal
Common Mistakes
Only one Take Photo step in the workflow. With a single frame there is no animation. Capture at least three photos before the step.
The step placed before the last Take Photo. Only the photos captured up to that point are included. Put it after the whole capture sequence.
Forgetting to add the media type to the sharing step. The clip is generated but never leaves the booth. Add Final Video to the Email, SMS, or QR Code step.
Sharing immediately after the step. Generation runs in the background, so a share step placed directly after Video from Photos can fire before the file exists. Put a Preview or a short animation in between.
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