An AI Santa video is a talking photo with a short personal message. You need a Santa image you can use, a few lines that include the child's name, and a voice to read them.
I write for Protoface's blog, and these steps use Protoface's talking photo tool.
What you need for a Santa video
You only need three things to make a personal Santa message: an image, a script, and a voice. An AI talking photo generator puts them together, so have them ready before you start.
A Santa image you can use
Use a Santa photo you have the right to use, such as one you took of a performer who agreed to this use. A licensed photo works only if its license or model release covers making the person talk. Choose one face looking straight at the camera, in sharp focus and even light, with the mouth closed or relaxed. That gives the generator a clear face to animate.
Don't use a store-visit photo of a mall Santa unless you have the performer's permission as well as the right to use the photo. If you upload a photo of any real person, use only an image you have the right to use and the person's consent to use. A close-up works better than a group holiday shot because the video is built around one face.
Keep the Santa's face unobstructed. A hat and beard are part of the character, but a hand over the mouth, dark sunglasses, or a busy crowd can make the photo harder to read. If the first video changes small details such as the eyes, teeth, or hair, switch to a clearer photo before you make the final version.
The live avatar form asks for a script or audio alongside the avatar image.
The OmniHuman 2.0 Avatar form asks for script or audio and an avatar image.
A short script with the child's name
Write a message with the child's name, a detail from their life, and a warm closing. A name alone sounds like a mail merge. A bike or a science project sounds like Santa knows them.
Start with a greeting, add that familiar detail, then finish with a wish or reminder. Keep the wording easy to say aloud, and read it once before you generate.
Before you write the whole message, make a first test with a greeting and the child's name. Keep it to a few seconds, then listen for the name and look at the Santa's mouth as it says it. Once that feels right, add the personal detail and closing. This saves you from reworking a full message around one awkward word.
A voice: record one or type the words
You can record a voice track or type the script and turn it into speech. If you type the words, a text to speech voice can read the script with a selected voice.
Choose the voice before you polish every line. A calm, friendly delivery suits a bedtime-style message, while a brighter delivery can fit a lively younger-child greeting. Listen to the voice say the child's name before you generate the full video. Match the voice to the words: a quiet script read at top speed still sounds off.
I'd start by typing the script. It's easier to revise a name or a word than to record the whole message again.
Make the video step by step
With your image, script, and voice ready:
Open the talking photo generator.
Upload the clear, front-facing Santa image.
Add your voice track, or type the script and turn it into speech.
Generate the video. A current talking avatar model can use a portrait with script or audio.
Play it all the way through and check the name before you send it. Watch the mouth on fast words. If something looks off, try slower speech or a clearer photo. If a line sounds crowded, shorten it and generate again.
Save the version you want to share, along with the script in case you want a version for a sibling.
Script ideas for different ages
For a younger child, keep the message gentle and familiar. You might write: "Hello, Maya. I heard you have been singing your favorite songs at home. Keep being kind to your family, and I will see you soon."
For a school-age child, give Santa a detail they will recognize. Try: "Hello, Jordan. I heard you worked hard on the school play and kept practicing your soccer skills. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas."
For an older child, avoid talking down to them. A short note about a hobby, a goal, or something thoughtful they did can land better than a long list of praise. Write the exact line first, then, if the model offers a text prompt, use a presenter prompt to describe who is speaking and how they should come across.
Eleven v3's text-to-speech form includes a field for the written script.
Watermark, length and sharing
Free-credit videos are watermarked and for evaluation only until your first payment, so use them to check the script, name, and voice, then make the gift version after you pay. New Protoface accounts get 50 free credits, with no credit card needed.
Your voice track sets the video's length. Start short, check the result, then make it longer once you like the look.
If you post the video, label it as AI-generated. Don't present it as a recording of a real Santa visit, and keep the child's personal details limited to what you're comfortable sharing. If the image includes a real person, make sure you have their consent before you upload or share it.
Start free and test your Santa script with one short line first.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make an AI Santa video for free?
Yes, to try it. You get 50 free credits with no credit card, but those videos are watermarked and for evaluation only until your first payment, so pay before you make the gift version.
Can Santa say my child's name?
Yes. Put your child's name near the beginning, then listen to the finished video to make sure it sounds right.
Can I use a photo of a real Santa from a store visit?
Only if you have the right to use the photo and the performer's consent. If you don't, use a photo of a performer who agreed, or a licensed photo whose terms cover this kind of use. The same consent rule applies whenever you upload a photo of a real person.
How long can the Santa message be?
The video lasts as long as the voice track, so a longer script makes a longer video. Start with a few seconds, check the result, then lengthen it. A greeting, the child's name, one familiar detail, and a warm closing is plenty.
