Key takeaways
- A 12-second faceless reel cost 148 credits; drafting the clips at 360p kept the video cost to 72.
- Making a still first and then animating it gave control over each shot before paying for motion.
- Captions came straight from the voiceover’s word timings, so they match exactly.
- Check the facts in your script: these three are true, and that’s on you, not the model.
The kit, made in Claude
Extreme close-up of an octopus resting on a rock in clear blue water, its skin texture and suction cups visible, documentary underwater photography, 9:16
Nano Banana 2.1 · 16 credits
A glowing blue octopus drifting through dark deep-sea water, bioluminescent particles around it, cinematic underwater photography, 9:16
Nano Banana 2.1 · 16 credits
An octopus arm curling around a seashell on the sand, suckers touching it, shallow depth of field, underwater macro photography, 9:16
Nano Banana 2.1 · 16 credits
An octopus has three hearts. Its blood is blue, not red. And each arm can taste what it touches.
ElevenLabs v4, voice George · 2 credits
Ambient underwater instrumental bed for a short documentary reel: soft synth pads, slow and curious, no drums. (Instrumental.)
Lyria 3.5 · 20 credits
Animate each still: very slow camera drift, gentle water movement and floating particles, calm underwater ambience, no music, no voice (4 s each, 360p). Join them, replace the sound with the music, mix the voiceover on top, and add clean captions from the voiceover’s word timings.
3 × Gemini Omni Flash 360p, 4 s + assembly · 78 credits
Total: 148 credits for 6 outputs.
How to do it
- Write a short script with three facts, one per shot. Check each fact.
- Make one still per fact, all 9:16.
- Animate each still as a cheap 360p clip.
- Make the voiceover and a quiet music bed.
- Join the clips, lay the music, mix the voice on top, then caption from the word timings.
What to ask Claude
PromptWrite a 10-second faceless reel script: three surprising, true octopus facts, one sentence each.
PromptMake a 9:16 underwater still for each fact.
PromptAnimate each still for 4 seconds at 360p with a slow drift, then join them.
PromptAdd a calm British narrator, a soft ambient music bed and clean captions.
What it cost
| Piece | Model or tool | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Three stills | Nano Banana 2.1 | 48 |
| Three 4-second clips, 360p | Gemini Omni Flash | 72 |
| Voiceover | ElevenLabs v4 | 2 |
| Music bed | Lyria 3.5 | 20 |
| Join, mix and caption | Merge media ×2, Add captions | 6 |
| Total | 148 |
What we’d do differently
- The narration is about 8 seconds on a 12-second reel, so the last shot plays with music only. Write a slightly longer script, or use 3-second clips.
- 360p is fine on a phone for a draft; render the version you post at 720p (about 2.8 times the video cost).
More on this: faceless reels with AI and AI voice over.
Frequently asked questions
Can Claude make faceless reels?
Yes, with Typeshoot connected: Claude writes the script, makes the visuals and voiceover, and assembles and captions the reel in the same chat.
How much does a faceless reel cost?
This 12-second reel cost 148 credits ($1.48): 48 for three stills, 72 for three 360p clips, 22 for voice and music, and 6 to assemble and caption.
Do I have to label AI content?
YouTube, TikTok and Instagram ask you to disclose realistic AI-generated content. Use their labels.
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