Once Upon Us
An anniversary video, drawn from your photos
One year or twenty, the story is already in your camera roll. Once Upon Us is an AI anniversary video maker for couples: add photos of the two of you, pick a style, and every photo is redrawn and brought to life as a 5-second moving scene, opened with your names and the date it all began.
Example frames in three of the six styles. Your film is drawn from your own photos.
Your story, in order
Once Upon Us reads the date each photo was taken and lays your years out from the first photo to today, so the film plays back your story as it happened.
Opens with your names
The first frame reads "A film about" with your names and the month and year you got together, so it plays like the opening of a movie made about the two of you.
For one year or twenty
A first anniversary fits in a 1-minute film of 12 scenes. Ten years together fill 5 minutes: 60 photos, about six a year.
How it works
Add your photos
Add 3 to 60 photos of the two of you, from the first date to today. Once Upon Us reads the date each photo was taken and puts your memories in order.
Pick a style and your characters
3D animated, hand-drawn, anime, cartoon, claymation or comic book. We draw the two of you in that style three ways; you pick the pair that looks most like you, and we draw your first scene with them free, before you pay. They star in every scene of your film.
Make it yours
Your names open the film in the look you pick. Add words on screen, choose one of four songs and write your closing line. Then look over your storyboard, pick your film's length and pay once.
Pay once, by length
One-time payment, no subscription. Every scene can be redrawn 3 times.
Made with you, scene by scene. Add your photos, pick your characters and see your first scene free before you pay, then check each scene before it comes to life.
Start our filmQuestions
What's a good anniversary video idea?
A short film of your story in order: the first photo together, the years since and a closing line for the years ahead, drawn in a style you both love. Once Upon Us builds exactly that from your photos.
How many photos do I need for an anniversary video?
12 photos make a 1-minute film, 36 make 3 minutes and 60 make 5 minutes. With fewer, your film is shorter; add more photos any time.
What music does it use?
Pick the feel (romantic, warm, cinematic or nostalgic) and the music is timed to the length of your film.
How does Once Upon Us work?
Add 3 to 60 photos of the two of you and pick a style. We draw the two of you as characters in that style, redraw each photo with them and bring it to life as a 5-second moving scene, put in order by date, with an opening that carries your names, words on screen where you want them, the music you pick and your closing line.
What styles can I pick?
3D animated, hand-drawn, anime, cartoon, claymation and comic book. The whole film is drawn in the style you pick.
Will it look like us?
After you pick a style, we draw the two of you as characters three ways and you choose the one that looks most like you. That pair stars in every scene, so you look the same from start to finish. You check every scene before it comes to life, and if one misses, you redraw it for free.
More ideas
Gift guides
Styles
Updated November 6, 2026