> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.acestudio.ai/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.acestudio.ai/ai-tools/music-video/creating-a-promo-clip.md).

# Creating a Promo Clip

Turn one section of your song into a short, social-ready clip — for Reels, TikTok, Shorts, and more — at a fraction of the cost of a full video.

A Promo Clip is a short music video made from a single section of your song — built for Instagram Reels, TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and other social posts. It's the same [Director](/ai-tools/music-video.md#your-director) and the same production quality as a full video, but scoped to one section: from 500+ credits instead of 25k+.

## How to Create a Promo Clip

### 1. Start Your Session

Open your project in ACE Studio — a song you produced, or a finished track you imported into an empty project. Click <kbd>Music Video</kbd> in the top-right corner, make sure your music is in place on the [Canvas](/project/arrangement-in-canvas/canvas.md), and click <kbd>Start Session</kbd>. (Same entry as a full production — see [Creating a Music Video](https://docs.acestudio.ai/ai-tools/music-video/pages/0yYqquEvegdsKXWLnzaL#1.-start-your-session) for details.)

### 2. Choose "Promo Clip"

On the "Choose your video style" screen, select **Promo Clip**.

<figure><img src="https://3596338706-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2Fsn71WYzecYYQw3KkF40b%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-49bc5244ae335c3039e91b38243768f6f386f09f%2Fmv-choose-style.png?alt=media" alt=""><figcaption><p>Choose Promo Clip</p></figcaption></figure>

### 3. Choose Your Aspect Ratio

Pick the format that fits where you'll post it:

* **9:16** — Instagram Reels, TikTok, YouTube Shorts
* **16:9** — YouTube, landscape posts
* **1:1** — Instagram feed, X (Twitter)
* **3:4** — Pinterest, some Instagram formats

<figure><img src="https://3596338706-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2Fsn71WYzecYYQw3KkF40b%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-38012385a51cc9ef3b93d41009a6ae910aa4b19c%2Fmv-aspect-ratio.png?alt=media" alt=""><figcaption><p>Choose your aspect ratio</p></figcaption></figure>

### 4. Describe Your Idea

This is where you tell the Director what you want. Two things happen on this screen:

* **Describe your idea** (required) — the style and vibe you're going for. You can also describe a storyline, ask for choreography, or anything else — but always try to include a clear style reference; it makes a big difference in quality.
* **Upload a character** (optional but recommended) — click <kbd>+ Character</kbd> to upload a reference image: your original character, a photo, your pet — any visual you want as the main subject of the clip.

Pairing a style with a scene or mood works especially well, for example:

* "Ghibli-style animation, a cat walking through a rainy town"
* "Tim Burton dark fantasy, gothic castle in the fog"
* "Vaporwave aesthetic with sunset gradients and marble statues"

<figure><img src="https://3596338706-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2Fsn71WYzecYYQw3KkF40b%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-2c2d7d5fc66adcb8437bb2c60078555afac8ff09%2Fmv-idea-input.png?alt=media" alt=""><figcaption><p>Describe your idea — and optionally upload a character</p></figcaption></figure>

### 5. Pick a Song Section

The Director analyzes your music and suggests sections for the clip, each with its time range and a note on how it feels — for example `Intro · 0:00–0:31`, `Verse · 0:31–0:57`, `Buildup · 1:49–2:02`. Pick whichever sounds best as a promo — usually a chorus or another high-energy part.

<figure><img src="https://3596338706-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2Fsn71WYzecYYQw3KkF40b%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-e94dbd9b250de0e3827d6481d116768841fe8a9d%2Fmv-promo-section-selection.png?alt=media" alt=""><figcaption><p>The Director suggests sections; the Sections row on the Canvas shows the analysis</p></figcaption></figure>

{% hint style="warning" %}
Check the auto-segmentation before you choose. Look at the **Sections** row on the Canvas — the analysis might not have split your song perfectly. If the boundaries look off, adjust them directly on the Canvas, then choose **Other** and tell the Director, for example: "I've adjusted the segmentation. Please use Chorus 1 for the clip." See [Fixing Song Sections & Lyric Timing](/ai-tools/music-video/editing-and-iteration.md#how-to-fix-song-sections-and-lyric-timing).
{% endhint %}

### 6. Choose Your Video Model Early

Your model choice affects how the Director scripts the clip — different models allow different maximum shot lengths. If you already know your style, pick the model early; otherwise the default (MiniMax-H3) works great for most cases. See [Choosing a Video Model](/ai-tools/music-video.md#choosing-a-video-model) for the comparison.

You can switch models in the selector below the chat input, or just tell the Director which model to use.

### 7. Refine, Then Generate

From here, the Director guides you through the remaining steps — character design, scenes, storyboards — before generating the video.

One crucial tip: **fix every detail before video generation starts.** If a character design, a scene, or a color palette doesn't look right, say so immediately. Regenerating images at this stage is cheap; redoing video afterwards costs far more time and credits. When the Director shows you several versions of an image, browse them and pick your favorite — see [Browsing & Picking Image Versions](/ai-tools/music-video/editing-and-iteration.md#how-to-browse-and-pick-image-versions).

Once the clip is generated, watch it on the Canvas and export it like any other project — see [Export Files](/project/file-management/export-files.md). Then post it. 🎬


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