Quick Guide: How to Use Character Motion Swap in PowerDirector

Four steps from a photo and a reference clip to a generated video.

Updated Oct. 16, 2026 · 1 min read

Steps

1Load your two files

Click or drop a still of your character into Character Image, then click or drop the clip you want the movement from into Reference Video.

The figure in the photo should be in shot from head to feet, and the person in the clip should stay in frame while they move. The clip can run from 3 to 30 seconds.

Character Motion Swap panel with the loaded Character Image and Reference Video areas both highlighted

2Pick a background, then Generate

Under Method, choose Keep photo background to animate the character where the photo was taken. Or choose Keep video background to move them into the reference clip's location. Then click Generate.

Method options Keep photo background and Keep video background highlighted, with an arrow leading down to the highlighted Generate button

3Find the clip in My Creations

Click My Creations at the top right of the window to find the finished clip.

Image to Video window on the Character Motion Swap tab with the My Creations button highlighted at the top right

4Add the clip to the timeline

Open My GenAI Creations at the top right of the main window, choose AI Video Generator, and click View. Then click Add to Timeline or Download.

The Character Motion Swap clip in the My GenAI Creations viewer, with Add to Timeline, Re-Generate, and Download boxed. — Add to Timeline or Download.

The two Methods give noticeably different clips, so run the same files both ways if you want to compare them.

Keep photo background

Keep video background

We tested these steps in PowerDirector 365 version 25.0.7 on Windows.

Want more detail on each step?Read the full tutorial →