How to make videos in Claude
Short answer: Claude cannot make a video by itself, because it has no video model. It can ask a video service to make one through a connector. Add the service's address once under Customize > Connectors, sign in, and ask for the video in a chat. Claude gives you a link to the file. This guide uses Dora's connector, because we can show what it really did and what it cost. The video is paid for with Dora coins, not with your Claude plan.
The connector in Claude, asked for an image. A video works the same way but comes back as a link, not inside the chat.
What you need
- A Claude plan with custom connectors. Anthropic lists Free, Pro, Max, Ultra, Team and Enterprise. Free is limited to one custom connector.
- A Dora account with coins. You can create the account when Claude asks you to sign in. Coins come from a plan or a pack; see pricing.
Add the connector
On Pro or Max, these are the steps in Anthropic's help center:
- Go to Customize > Connectors.
- Click + Add, then Add custom connector.
- Name it Dora and enter https://doravideo.com/mcp, then continue.
- Leave the sign-in settings Claude detected as they are and click Add.
- Sign in to Dora with Apple, Google or email. If you already use Dora, use the same account.
On Team and Enterprise, an Owner adds it under Organization settings > Connectors. Each member then finds it under Customize > Connectors and clicks Connect.
In a chat, click + at the lower left, choose Connectors and check that Dora is switched on. The Claude page has a button that opens the form for you.
Make your first video
Describe the video in normal words:
"Make a video of steam rising from a coffee mug by a window."
Unless you say otherwise, Dora uses Seedance 2 Mini, vertical 9:16, 8 seconds and 480p, with sound. That costs 31 coins. Claude starts it straight away, so if you want to approve the cost first, say so:
"Tell me the cost first and wait for my confirmation."
You can also ask for a shape (9:16, 16:9 or 1:1), a length, a higher resolution, no sound or another model. "Which models can you use and what do they cost?" makes Claude read the current list. On November 2, 2026 it returned 13 models, from 15 coins for the cheapest listed video and 1 coin for the cheapest image.
Two prompts we really ran
We ran these through Dora's connector on November 1, 2026, each in two steps: an image from a reference photo, then a video from that image. The reference person was also generated with Dora, not a real photo. The test ran in Claude Code using the connector, not in the Claude chat window; the connector and its tools are the same.
1. A painting that comes to life
Image prompt (nano_banana_2, 9:16, 1K):
Turn the person in the reference photo into a classical oil painting with visible brushwork: same face, elegant red dress with a modest neckline, dark painted background, in a gold frame hanging on a plain white museum wall, the whole frame and some wall visible, soft gallery light, vertical, no text
Video prompt (seedance_2_mini, 9:16, 4 seconds, 480p, no sound):
The woman in the oil painting comes to life: she opens her fan and looks around with a smile while the brushstroke texture stays visible, the gold frame and white wall stay perfectly still, fixed camera
2. An awards speech
Image prompt (same settings):
Turn the person in the reference photo into a real photo on an awards stage: same face, elegant long-sleeved sequin gown, holding a gold statuette that is not any real award, at a microphone, deep red curtains behind, warm stage light, moved happy expression, vertical, no text, no logos
Video prompt (same settings):
She wipes a happy tear, lifts the gold statuette and speaks into the microphone, the audience in the foreground starts clapping, warm stage light, fixed camera
What they cost and how long they took
| Step | Model and settings | Coins | Time per the job record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Painting, image | nano_banana_2, 9:16, 1K | 8 | 1 min 13 s |
| Painting, video | seedance_2_mini, 4 s, 480p, no sound | 16 | 2 min 55 s |
| Speech, image | nano_banana_2, 9:16, 1K | 8 | 1 min 31 s |
| Speech, video | seedance_2_mini, 4 s, 480p, no sound | 16 | 4 min 39 s |
So 24 coins per finished clip, plus the reference image if you generate one instead of using your own. Both videos are H.264 MP4 files of 496 × 864 pixels and about 4 seconds.
How we got this: coins, settings and times come from Dora's job records, from when the job was saved to when it was marked complete. Claude only saw each result at its next check, so waiting felt about 3 to 5 minutes for these videos. It is two clips on one afternoon, not an average: an earlier run took 30 seconds for the same settings.
Using your own photo
Give Claude a public https link that opens the image. That is what we tested. Dora downloads the image from that address, and if it cannot, it answers that it could not download the image.
We have not tested attaching a photo directly to a Claude chat, so we cannot say it works. If it fails, use a link. For images of people, the result depends on the photo: one clear face and good light work best.
If you run out of coins
Nothing is generated and nothing is charged. Claude tells you there are not enough coins and gives you doravideo.com/get-coins. Sign in with the same account, get coins, go back to the chat and ask again. That is what the connector's code does; we read it on November 2, 2026 rather than running out on purpose.
Three other things can stop a video:
- Too many at once. An account can have 20 generations running. Nothing is charged; try again when one finishes.
- A failed generation. Your coins are refunded and you can try again.
- An expired session. Reconnect Dora under Customize > Connectors.
Limits worth knowing
- Nothing is posted for you. You get a link to the file; download it and upload it yourself.
- Results stay in your Dora account. Use the same sign-in at doravideo.com or in the iPhone app.
- Other connectors exist. Runway and HeyGen also work with Claude; see the best video connectors for Claude.
Frequently asked questions
Can Claude make videos?
Not by itself: Claude has no video model. With a video connector, it asks that service to make the video and gives you a link to the file. You add the connector once under Customize > Connectors.
How much does a video in Claude cost?
Your Claude plan does not pay for it; the video service does the work and charges its own credits. With Dora, the default video (Seedance 2 Mini, 8 seconds, 480p) costs 31 coins and a 4-second one costs 16.
Does the free Claude plan work?
Anthropic lists custom connectors on Free, limited to one. You still need coins in your Dora account to generate.
What happens if I have no Dora coins?
Nothing is generated and nothing is charged. Claude tells you and gives you doravideo.com/get-coins. Get coins, go back to the chat and ask again.
Can I attach a photo to the chat?
We have only tested a public https link to the image, which works. We have not tested a photo attached to a Claude chat, so use a link if it fails.
How long does it take?
In our two tests on November 1, 2026, a 4-second 480p video took about 3 to 5 minutes. An earlier test with the same settings took 30 seconds, so it varies.
Sources
- Get started with custom connectors using remote MCP, Claude Help Center, checked November 2, 2026
- Dora MCP server specification, Dora, November 2, 2026