Give your photos some added flair or turn your plain photos into something exciting and share-worthy with an eye-catching video collage. We’ve put together a tutorial showing you how to make a video collage, along with some best practices that’ll make sure your collage looks its best.
TLDR: The quickest way to create a collage from your photos and videos is with Animoto. Just sign up for a free account, import your media seamlessly, pick a collage layout, and drag and drop. It only takes a few minutes!
So what’s a video collage anyway?
A video collage is a dynamic visual asset that arranges multiple photos and video clips into a single moving frame. Unlike a static photo album, a video collage allows you to:
- Show multiple moments or concepts simultaneously.
- Shorten total runtime for better social media engagement.
- Create a professional, high-energy narrative for your audience.
In Animoto, you can create a photo collage using our layouts and media frames. You can use this feature whether you’re using a template or starting from scratch.
How to make a video collage in Animoto
Step 1: Log in to Animoto
First things first, log in to Animoto's free online video collage maker. If you don’t have an account yet, register for free right here. Once you’ve registered, click the Create button in the upper-right-hand corner to begin your video.
Step 2: Choose a template or start from scratch
Select a pre-built template or browse the Slideshow category. Using a template like the Happy Birthday Slideshow provides a structured starting point for your collage.
Step 3: Add images and video clips
Once you’ve decided on a layout for your collage, you can drag and drop images and photos from your Media Library on the right. Upload your own images and video clips or use our Getty Images library of stock.
To upload photos from your phone, simply go to your media library, click the phone icon, scan the QR code, and refresh your library to see the images appear.
To gather media from clients, colleagues, or friends, simply send them a custom link; they can then upload their photos and videos directly to your project.
Step 4: Choose or create a layout
All of our templates are pre-loaded with dynamic collage layouts, but you don’t have to stop there!
To add more photos and layouts to your video, click the plus sign in the lower-left corner of your workspace. This is the Add a Block icon, and it’ll open a pop-up window, showing you all of the layouts you can use in your video. Many of these layouts feature collages, where you can mix multiple images or videos in one frame. Click the one you prefer, and the collage layout you selected will be added to your project.
Looking for something even more customizable? You need media frames! Media frames come in a variety of shapes and styles. Unlike layouts, you can drag, drop, and scale these frames to display your videos and photos wherever you want. Then, you can use your timeline to control when they appear and disappear.
Here are some examples to get you started!
Pro-tip: Try a "Photo burst block" to show a large number of photos in quick succession.
Step 5: Edit your video collage
Click any image to reveal the scale slider and rotation tools. You can change your entire collage style mid-project by clicking the Layout icon on the upper-left side of your block.
You can further customize your collage by adding text and elements or changing the length of time the collage appears on screen with our timing tools.
Pro tip: Animoto offers multiple video styles, and these styles can give your collage a different look. If you change your video style in the middle of your project, you may need to adjust your collages slightly.
Step 6: Add music
Music can help you to create different moods and inspire actions in your collage videos! It will help tell the story of your photos without taking attention away from them.
Browse our library of licensed music tracks and sort by tempo, mood, genre, and more to find the perfect match for your collage.
Step 7: Share and enjoy!
Once finished, download your video or share it directly via email or social media. Video collages are perfect for graduations, memorials, and holiday recaps.
Expert tips for professional video collages
To ensure your video looks polished and cohesive, use these three design principles:
- Thematic consistency: Group photos by color, texture, or subject to create a unified story.
- Negative space: Leave room around subjects so the collage doesn't feel cluttered or overwhelming.
- Bold typography: Use sans serif fonts (like Roboto) with backgrounds to make text readable against busy images.
Video collage templates
Choose any of these free video collage templates to make your own collage video in minutes! Or, start from scratch and create a one-of-a-kind video.
Digital Album
Vacation Recap
Album Preview
Anniversary Celebration
Video collage FAQs
Try Animoto’s free video collage maker
Now that you know how to make a video collage, you can create them for any occasion! From birthdays to anniversaries, event recaps, and more, you can create a video collage to relive the moment. Sign up for free and give it a try!
