The output follows the reference action and its overall timing closely.
Creative Templates · 3 min read
How to make an AI basketball dunk video from a photo
Put yourself, your pet or your mascot in a packed-arena slam without touching a basketball — one photo is the only input.
Use the Tomahawk Dunk templateUpdated 2026-09-04
Selected template
Recreated output
The short answer
Open the Tomahawk Dunk template, upload one photo of the subject you want dunking, and generate. The jump, the arena, the crowd and the camera push are all driven by the reference — what changes is who is in the air. It is a 6-second, 9:16 result at 8,100 credits, which makes it a cheap way to produce a share-ready clip.
Step by step
- Open the Tomahawk Dunk template
It is the first template in the Recreate gallery. The reference is a full-draw slam in a packed arena with a camera push — a whole-body action, which is why it works for people, pets and mascots alike.
- Upload a full-body or upper-body photo
A whole-body action needs a readable silhouette. Chest-up works; full body works better. One subject, clear of other people, with even light so the arena lighting can land on them instead of fighting shadows already in the photo.
- Generate and share
Keep the original sound for the crowd and impact audio, or mute it if you plan to add music. 8,100 credits, vertical 9:16 — the aspect ratio short-form platforms want, so it can go straight out without reframing.
What the reference controls
Framing and camera movement are driven by the reference clip, not re-invented.
The output duration follows the reference duration, and key beats are designed to stay aligned.
With “Keep the original sound” selected, the reference audio is carried into the result.
Burned-in captions and stickers are generally preserved with the reference, but generative output can vary — review the final result before publishing.
UI, product shots and price badges are designed to stay in place. Small text and fine detail are worth checking on the result.
What actually makes a difference
This reference is an athletic whole-body move. A tight headshot gives the model less to work with than a photo where the limbs are visible.
Both work, but they land differently. A dog dunking is a joke; a person dunking is aspirational. Pick according to what you want the clip to do.
The reference has crowd and impact audio. If you plan to lay music over it in an editor, generate silent and save yourself a de-mix.
The result is 9:16 at 768P. Do not reframe it for Shorts or Reels — it is already the right shape.
Questions
Do I need any basketball footage of my own?
No. The template supplies the performance. You supply one photo.
Will it work with my dog?
Yes. The motion is a whole-body jump, so anything with a clear silhouette transfers — people, pets and mascots included.
How long is the result and what does it cost?
Six seconds, matching the reference, at 8,100 credits. Recreate is billed per second of output.
Can I use a photo of a professional player?
No. Do not upload a real person you have no permission to depict, and do not imply that anyone endorses your clip.
Related tutorials
Ready to try it?
Put yourself, your pet or your mascot in a packed-arena slam without touching a basketball — one photo is the only input.
Use the Tomahawk Dunk template