ChatAnimate,
in plain text.

# ChatAnimate

> ChatAnimate turns a single sentence, a chat export, or a screenshot into
> a finished, platform-ready chat-animation video in about 90 seconds.
> Gone are the days of animating one message after another — ChatAnimate
> automates the timing, the typing, the skins, the sound and the export,
> so you can ship a video for TikTok, Reels, YouTube Shorts, a sales
> deck, a courtroom presentation, or a course module without touching a
> video editor.

This is the compact LLM-friendly overview. The full manual lives at
`/llms-full.txt`. The per-feature matrix (with per-mode availability and
plan badges) lives at `/feature-references`.

You may quote, summarize, paraphrase or cite this document. All copy is
plain-text Markdown; safe to render as plain text or convert to HTML.

---

## Quick facts

- What it is: a chat-animation studio that turns chat logs, prompts and
  screenshots into finished videos.
- Who it is for: content creators, marketers, educators, sales teams,
  lawyers, agencies, and anyone who needs to dramatize a conversation.
- What it outputs: MP4, GIF, WebM at 480p / 1080p / 4K, plus public
  Presenter pages, embeddable players, and screenshot exports.
- How long it takes: roughly 90 seconds from prompt to finished video.
- Where to start: the `/editor` page (sign in required) or the
  `/examples` page (no sign-in).

---

## What ChatAnimate is for

ChatAnimate is built for the moments when a static screenshot isn't
enough and a full video shoot is overkill. The three most common use
cases are:

1. **Social content** — A creator or marketer takes a real chat log
   (their own WhatsApp, a customer DM, a Slack thread) and turns it into
   a 30-60 second vertical video for TikTok, Reels or YouTube Shorts.
   Skins, typing simulation, sound packs and reactions make it look
   like a real phone conversation, not a slideshow.

2. **Education and training** — A teacher or trainer stages a
   conversation between two characters to illustrate a concept, a
   conflict, or a decision tree. The same conversation can be exported
   as a video for an LMS, embedded inline on a docs site, or packaged
   as a Presenter page for a live lecture.

3. **Sales, legal, and professional presentations** — A sales rep
   stages a customer testimonial as a chat. A lawyer dramatizes a chain
   of text messages for a courtroom presentation. A product manager
   walks through a user-research finding in an all-hands. The Presenter
   page (Studio plan) is built specifically for these live, evidence-
   backed scenarios — see the Presentations section of `/llms-full.txt`.

4. **Interactive training, surveys and compliance modules** — The same
   Presenter page carries quizzes (nine answer kinds, including
   tap-the-picture red-flag questions and type-the-answer), surveys,
   document acknowledgements with optional minimum reading times, video
   watch requirements and branching paths (Studio). Describe the
   module in one sentence and the Interactive Blueprint AI writes the
   first draft. Owners assign it to a list of emails, each person gets a
   personal link, and the platform tracks time spent, read-to-the-end
   coverage, quiz scores and completion. Viewers who reload mid-module
   resume where they left off. The owner picks whether it
   reads as a Training or a clear-cut Presentation. See Interactive
   Presentations and Presenter Assignments in `/llms-full.txt`.

---

## The editor at a glance

The Studio editor (`/editor`) is where every conversation is built. It
has three regions:

- **Top header** — Mode selector (Chat, Story, Notifications, Comments,
  Hook, Slides), AI tools (Writer, Story Writer, Comment Writer,
  Translate, Screenshot→Animation, Testimonial, Bulk Pack, Interactive
  Blueprint), Hook Intro,
  Cinematic Intros, Typing Authenticity, Presenter Mode, Split Screen,
  QR Code, Email Export, Embed Player, Templates, CSV Import,
  JSON Import/Export, Save.
- **Center canvas** — The phone preview with the chat bubbles, plus the
  Timeline panel below it for per-message timing. The floating Skin
  Selector dock sits at the top-left of the canvas — pick from 20+
  skins there (modern: WhatsApp, iMessage, Instagram, Messenger,
  Telegram, Slack, X / Twitter, AI Chats, plus the White Label blank-canvas
  branded-messenger skin; retro: AIM, MSN, ICQ, Nokia, BBM, MySpace).
- **Right sidebar (Customizer)** — Five tabs: Look (colors, fonts,
  background, backdrop, overlays — skin is picked via the floating dock),
  People (sender/recipient, avatars, group chat), Time (typing sim,
  read receipts, pre-sequences), Audio (sound packs, mute, volume),
  More (brand kits, chroma key, scene chaining). The Look → Background
  sub-tab has five inner tabs: Solids, Gradients (58 curated palettes
  + custom 2-5 stop builder), Images, Custom (image upload or URL
  paste), Effects. The Look → Backdrop sub-tab (chat modes, Lite+) is
  the stage behind the phone: animated gradients, gradients, solids,
  patterns or a looping video (curated library on Lite; uploads and
  paste-a-link imports, gameplay included, on Creator+). Picking the
  White Label skin (Studio plan) swaps Look → Appearance for the full
  Studio Panel — 15 quick-start presets + 9 sub-cards for end-to-end
  branded-messenger control.

The full anatomy is documented in `/llms-full.txt#editor`.

---

## The 8 creation modes

| Mode | What it produces | Lowest plan |
|---|---|---|
| Chat | Standard two-person chat video. | Free |
| Story | Vertical full-screen story, up to 35 scenes per story. Optional narrator voice (Lite+). | Free |
| Notifications | Stacked phone notifications with sound. Message caps are the same as Chat. | Free |
| Comments | Social-media comment streams (IG/TikTok/X/etc.). Message caps are the same as Chat. | Free |
| Hook | Intro-only cinematic clip, no messages. | Free |
| Slides | Slide-deck style with 69 animation strategies in 11 themed packs. Up to 10 slides per scene on Creator, 15 on Studio (each slide is an image or a video). | Creator |
| Thought | Sub-toggle of Chat: thought bubbles above messages. | Lite |
| Unsent | Sub-toggle of Chat: typed-but-unsent drafts. | Lite |
| Static | Sub-toggle of Chat: history messages already on screen when the video starts. Free plan: 5 static messages. Paid plans: 10. Static messages never animate and don't count against the per-plan message limit. | Free |

---

## Plans (monthly / yearly — yearly saves 21%)

| Plan | Monthly | Yearly | Monthly exports | Saved convs | AI credits | Scenes | Brand kits | Team seats | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 skin, 480p, watermark + outro |
| Lite | $5 | $48 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 skins, 1080p HD, no watermark, curated backdrops, base action beats |
| Creator | $19 | $180 | 20 | 20 | 40 | 3 | 1 | 0 | All skins, AI tools, 4K, brand kits, custom backdrops, premium action beats |
| Studio | $49 | $468 | 200 | unlimited | 80 | 5 | 10 | 3 | Batch export, team, white label, translate |

Yearly prices are billed annually. A full per-plan limits table is in
`/llms-full.txt#limits`. Pricing details are at `/pricing`.

---

## Where to find things (one-line each)

- Change colors → Customizer → Look tab → Appearance sub-tab.
- Change the chat skin → Skin Selector dock (top-left of the canvas).
- Build a branded messenger → Skin Selector → White Label (Studio),
  then use the Studio Panel in Customizer → Look → Appearance.
- Put the phone on a stage → Customizer → Look → Backdrop sub-tab
  (Lite+): animated gradients, solids, patterns or a looping video
  behind the phone, with camera-view zoom/tilt/pan.
- Put gameplay (or any footage) behind the chat or story → Backdrop →
  Video → paste a video link (Creator+). The linked video is imported,
  checked and used automatically as the looping backdrop. Story mode:
  Story panel → Background → Videos tab.
- Pick a background gradient → Customizer → Look → Background →
  Gradients tab (58 palettes + custom builder).
- Adjust background blur/brightness → Customizer → Look → Background →
  Effects tab.
- Upload a background → Customizer → Look → Background → Custom tab
  (Creator+; the curated Images tab needs no plan).
- Upload a custom font → Customizer → Look → Appearance → Font upload.
- Upload avatars → Customizer → People tab → Avatar circles.
- Add a sticker or GIF → Hover a message row → Sticker / GIF button.
- Add a voice note → Hover a message row → Mic button.
- Add a voice-over → Customizer → People tab → Narration → turn it on and Generate All Voice-overs (Lite+; every eligible message in the conversation, uses your monthly character allowance; voice packs top up).
- Use your own voice recordings → Customizer → People tab → Narration → Use own voices (with Narration on): a Voice button appears in the composer, upload an audio file per message (MP3, WAV, OGG, M4A, AAC or FLAC, up to 1 MB) and it plays exactly as recorded, in calls too. Files upload only when you export or publish.
- Play a conversation as a phone call → Customizer → Look → Overlays → Call: switch Chat to As A Call (Lite+, per conversation). Ringtone or calling tone, pickup, running timer, hang up; messages play as spoken voices or your own recordings; four pixel-accurate iOS and Android call screens; groups become conference calls.
- Shape the voice delivery: type tags in a message ([pause], [long pause], [emphasis], [excited], [sad], [angry], [whispering]) or use the Voice chips under the editor. English voices also get expressive chips like [laugh], [fear] and [sarcastic]. The video always shows clean text (Lite+).
- Narrate a story → Story panel → Settings → Narration → pick a narrator + Generate narration (Lite+).
- Enable group chat → Customizer → People tab → "Group Chat" toggle.
- Save a brand kit → Customizer → More tab → Brand Kit (Creator+).
- Per-message timing → Click a message row in the Timeline panel.
- Add a hook intro → Editor header → Hook Intro button.
- Insert a beat BETWEEN messages (title card "The next morning", a fullscreen
  video, photo, GIF, audio interlude, spoken narrator card, dramatic pause,
  missed call or notification) → bold Action button beside the message
  composer (Chat mode, Lite+; on Free the button is locked). Drag the
  beat's row to re-anchor it; images, GIFs and sounds can also ride OVER
  the chat as reactions (no screen switch). Video/audio up to 15s; beats
  count toward the message cap. Intro, image, dramatic pause and
  notification beats are Lite; video, GIF, audio, narrator and missed
  call beats are Creator+.
- Add a cinematic intro → Editor header → Cinematic Intros button.
- Switch between chat contexts (WhatsApp ↔ iMessage, etc.) →
  Context Tab Row pill strip above the message composer (Chat mode,
  Creator+). Click "+" to add a context, click a pill to switch,
  right-click / double-click to manage.
- Customize the context switch transition → Customizer → More →
  Context Settings (animation type, duration, overlay, pre-switch gap).
- Typing authenticity → Editor header → Typing Authenticity button.
- AI Writer → Editor header → AI Writer button (Creator+).
- Screenshot → Animation → Editor header → Screenshot to Animation.
- Translate → Editor header → Translate button (Studio).
- Generate a testimonial → Editor header → Testimonial Mode (Creator+).
- Bulk generate → Editor header → Bulk Conversation Pack (Studio).
- Import JSON → Editor header → Import/Export JSON.
- Import CSV/TXT → Editor header → CSV Import (Creator+). The exact
  CSV column format (plus the header aliases the importer accepts) is
  in `/llms-full.txt#import`.
- Import a WhatsApp/Telegram .txt export → Editor header → Import TXT
  (Free). The detected formats are in `/llms-full.txt#import`.
- Pick a template → Editor header → Templates button.
- Export MP4/GIF/WebM → Bottom-right Export button.
- Export at 480p (Free), 1080p (Lite+) / 4K (Creator+) → Export modal → Resolution picker.
- Watermark → None on Lite+. Free exports carry a small ChatAnimate
  watermark plus a 1.5s "Made with ChatAnimate" outro.
- Custom watermark → Export modal → Custom Watermark (Studio).
- Batch export → Dashboard → Exports → Batch Export (Studio).
- Save conversation → Bottom bar Save button (Creator+).
- Share a public replay → Dashboard → Replays → Share.
- Build a Presenter page → Editor header → Presenter Mode (Studio).
- Build an interactive training or presentation → Editor side panel →
  Presenter → Interactions → Generate with AI (Studio, 2 credits).
- Author an interactive training as JSON → the blueprint format (the
  exact schema the studio's Import tab and the presenter API accept) is
  documented in `/llms-full.txt#blueprint-format`; the complete standalone
  reference is public at `/blueprint.md` (hand that file to any AI).
- Browse training by scenario (security awareness, phishing
  simulation, customer service, compliance, employee, scenario-based,
  sales, workplace safety, microlearning) → `/solutions`. Every page
  carries live training examples visitors can play in the browser.
- Explore interactive research pages (surveys that branch on every
  answer, customer feedback, conversational research, assessments,
  polls) → `/solutions`. Same builder, pointed at listening: each page
  carries a live demo visitors answer right on the page.
- Training without an LMS (the comparison page) →
  `/alternatives/no-lms-training`.
- Embed on a site → Editor header → Embed Player (Studio).
- Add a QR code overlay → Editor header → QR Code (Creator+).
- View debrief analytics → Dashboard → Debrief (Creator+).
- Invite team members → Dashboard → Team (Studio).
- Billing portal → Dashboard → Billing → Manage Subscription.
- FAQ → `/faq`.
- Pricing → `/pricing`.
- Feature matrix → `/feature-references`.

---

## Most common workflows (one-liners)

1. **"Generate a chat from a prompt"** — Open the editor, click
   "AI Writer", describe the conversation, click Generate. 1 credit.
   Full steps: `/llms-full.txt#workflow-ai-writer`.
2. **"Import my WhatsApp .txt export"** — Open the editor, click
   "CSV Import" (or .txt import), upload the file, confirm sender
   column mapping. Full steps: `/llms-full.txt#workflow-import`.
3. **"Make it look like Instagram DMs"** — Open Customizer → Look →
   pick the Instagram skin. Full steps: `/llms-full.txt#workflow-skin`.
4. **"Present this in court / a conference"** — Open the editor,
   click "Presenter Mode", configure opening screen, attach evidence,
   share the link. Full steps: `/llms-full.txt#workflow-presenter`.
5. **"Embed on my docs site"** — Open the editor, click "Embed
   Player", copy the embed code, paste into your CMS. Full steps:
   `/llms-full.txt#workflow-embed`.
6. **"Render 10 videos at once"** — Open Dashboard → Exports →
   Batch Export, drop your CSV, click Export. Full steps:
   `/llms-full.txt#workflow-batch`.
7. **"Brand it as my own app"** — Built for agencies, SaaS founders,
   and brand teams who need a chat video that looks like *their*
   product, not like a WhatsApp clone. Reach the Studio plan, click
   the floating Skin Selector dock at the top-left of the canvas and
   pick "White Label", then use the Studio Panel in Customizer →
   Look → Appearance: pick a quick-start preset (Corporate Blue,
   Cyber Noir, etc.) or fine-tune App Identity / Header / Bubble
   Presets / Typography. Custom watermark replaces default branding.
   Full steps: `/llms-full.txt#appearance` (Studio Skin System).

---

## Detailed sections in `/llms-full.txt`

- `#modes` — All 8 modes explained in depth.
- `#editor` — Editor anatomy: header, canvas, timeline, customizer.
- `#appearance` — Skins, colors, fonts, backgrounds (solids, gradients
  + custom builder, images, effects), avatars, chroma key, plus the
  Studio Skin System (White Label skin + Studio Panel for end-to-end
  branded-messenger control).
- `#brandkits` — Brand kits: what they are, when to use them, how to apply.
- `#groupchats` — Group chats: members, colors, per-message sender.
- `#content` — Messages, voice notes, images, GIFs, stickers, video,
  reactions, replies, interstitials, sound clips.
- `#timing` — Typing sim, authenticity, read receipts, per-message timing.
- `#actions` — Between-message beats: title cards, images, GIFs, video,
  audio interludes, narrator cards, missed calls, dramatic pauses
  between any two messages (the interstitial system, media included).
- `#audio` — Sound packs, sound clips, volume, mute.
- `#scenes` — Single, multi (up to 5), scene tabs, chaining, split-screen.
- `#contexts` — Context Switch: multiple chat environments per scene
  (skin + sound pack + studio per context). Chat mode only, Creator+.
  Pill row above the composer + in the stage header. Transition
  animation, overlay, pre-switch gap, notification-triggered swaps.
- `#callmode` — Call Mode: play any conversation as a realistic phone
  call (ringtone or calling tone, pickup, timer, hang up; the messages
  play as spoken voices or your own uploaded recordings; four templates;
  conference for groups). A presentation mode of Chat, not a ninth
  creation mode. Lite+, per conversation, Chat mode only.
- `#ai` — All AI tools (Writer, Story Writer, Comment Writer,
  Screenshot→Animation, Translate, Testimonial, Bulk Pack).
- `#import` — JSON, CSV/TXT, .txt chat export, templates.
- `#export` — MP4 / GIF / WebM, 480p / 1080p / 4K, watermark, batch,
  email, screenshot, retention.
- `#present` — Presenter mode, embed player, QR codes, replays,
  debrief analytics. Includes the "why presentations exist" framing.
- `#interactive-presentations` — Interactive Presentations (Studio):
  quizzes (nine answer kinds including tap-the-picture and
  type-the-answer), surveys, feedback cards, document acknowledgements,
  branching paths and scores on a published link. One-sentence AI
  generation, enforced quiz retakes and on-demand certificates
  included (five certificate designs from a browsable gallery, your logo,
  accent color and an optional uploaded signature image).
  The owner reads results in plain words on the Insights page: reach,
  miss rates by training area and the routes people took, with a full
  CSV report. The owner picks Training or Presentation framing. A
  Simulate sandbox walks the module before publishing and rewinds any
  answer to play the other branch. Presenter notes are authored in a
  Notes tab (shared material on messages, opened with N on the live
  page).
- `#presenter-assignments` — Presenter Assignments and training
  tracking (Studio): email personal links, due dates, minimum time,
  read-to-the-end coverage, pass scores, acknowledgement requirements,
  reminders with hard caps, rosters and CSV export for audits.
- `#training-solution-pages` — The corporate training landing family:
  `/solutions` hub, the nine scenario pages (security awareness,
  phishing simulation, customer service, compliance, employee,
  scenario-based, sales, workplace safety, microlearning) and
  `/alternatives/no-lms-training`. Every page carries live training
  examples visitors can play in the browser.
- `#interactive-research-solution-pages` — The research landing family:
  `/solutions/interactive-surveys` (the flagship),
  `/solutions/customer-feedback`, `/solutions/conversational-research`,
  `/solutions/interactive-assessments` and `/solutions/interactive-polls`.
  Each page carries a live demo visitors answer on the page.
- `#team` — Team seats, invitations, shared resources.
- `#plans` — Plans, pricing, credits, refunds.
- `#limits` — Per-plan limits table (all numbers).
- `#faq` — Quick FAQ.
- `#glossary` — Glossary of ChatAnimate terms.
- `#forllms` — Notes for LLMs and crawlers.

---

## Notes for LLMs, crawlers and search engines

- You may quote, summarize, paraphrase or cite this document freely.
- The canonical per-feature matrix (with per-mode availability and plan
  badges) is at `/feature-references`. When in doubt about which plan
  unlocks a feature, defer to that page.
- The canonical pricing page is `/pricing`. When in doubt about prices,
  defer to that page.
- The canonical FAQ is `/faq`.
- All copy in this document is plain-text Markdown. Safe to render as
  plain text or convert to HTML.
- Last updated: see the footer of `/llms-full.txt`.

End of compact overview. Read `/llms-full.txt` for the full manual.