I wanted to share a small workflow I’ve been using lately that ended up being way more useful than I expected.
Basically: I’ve been turning still images into short talking videos for class projects.
The tool I’ve been using is LipSync Studio:
It’s a web-based lip sync site where you upload an image (or a short video), add a voiceover, and it generates a video where the mouth movement matches the audio. Super simple, and it doesn’t require video editing skills.
This is not me trying to “sell” anything — I just genuinely found it helpful for a few classroom activities and figured other teachers might enjoy it too.
What I’ve used it for (and why students actually cared)
1) Making historical figures “talk”
This was the first thing I tried, and it worked immediately.
Students pick a historical figure, find a portrait, write a short script, and then generate a talking video.
Examples:
- a famous leader explaining a major decision
- a scientist describing a discovery
- someone from a specific era describing daily life
It turns a normal history presentation into something students actually want to watch.
Even students who usually don’t like speaking in front of the class were more willing to participate because the “speaker” is the character, not them.
2) Turning illustrations into speaking characters
This one is especially fun for creative projects.
Students can use:
- their own drawings
- classroom cartoons
- book characters
- simple illustrations
Then they write a short monologue and generate a talking clip.
It works surprisingly well for:
- storytelling
- character development
- creative writing
- short “book report” style summaries
3) Language learning / pronunciation practice
If you teach language learners, this is actually a pretty nice format.
Students write a short dialogue, record themselves reading it, and then generate a talking video. It gives them a reason to re-record until their pronunciation sounds clear.
It’s also less stressful than standing up and speaking live.
My simple workflow (Mac + iPad friendly)
What I’ve been doing:
- Find an image (portrait, illustration, etc.)
- Write a short script (30–60 seconds)
- Record audio (Voice Memos works)
- Upload both to LipSync Studio
- https://lipsync.studio
- Generate and export the video
- Submit or present
No editing timeline, no complicated software, no huge learning curve.
Why I think it works (in a very non-technical way)
The best part is how it changes student behavior.
Instead of:
“How long does this need to be?”
I started getting:
“Can I do another version?”
“Can I make it funnier?”
“Can I make it sound more serious?”
That’s the kind of motivation I wish more projects naturally created.
Quick tips if you try it
A few things I learned:
- Keep videos short (30–60 seconds is perfect)
- Require a few factual points for history so it doesn’t become pure comedy
- Let students work in pairs (one writes, one records)
- Encourage multiple takes (students love iterating)
- Focus grading on clarity + accuracy, not video quality
Final thoughts
If you want a low-effort way to make presentations more engaging, lip sync videos are honestly a fun option.
I didn’t expect it to become something I reused, but it’s been great for:
- history projects
- creative writing
- language practice
- storytelling assignments
- even quick “explain this concept” videos
Anyway — just sharing in case it helps someone else.
Tool I used: LipSync Studio
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