# Make one video together with friends who live far away

> How to put friends from different cities or countries into one shared video with AI, using just a photo from each of them and no meeting or filming.

Source: https://vswp.app/guides/video-with-friends-who-live-far-away/ · Updated 2026-10-21

You can make one video with friends who live far away without meeting or filming anything: pick a scene with the right number of people, ask each friend for one clear photo, and AI swaps them into the scene while the moves, camera, lighting and sound stay as in the original. In [vswp](/) one person collects the photos and makes the video, up to 6 friends can be in it, and the others only need to send a photo from wherever they are.

## Why make a video together when you can't meet?

Friend groups scatter: someone moves for work, someone studies abroad, someone lives in another time zone. Video calls are fine for talking, but they don't give you something to keep or share. A short scene where all of you dance, sing or act together does:

- **It puts everyone in one frame.** Friends from three cities end up in the same club, car or kitchen.
- **Nobody has to film.** A photo is enough, so it works for the friend who hates being on camera and the one with no free evening.
- **It gives the group chat something new.** A finished clip starts more conversation than another "we should meet up".
- **It marks a moment.** A birthday, a reunion you are planning, or a year since someone moved away.

## Which scenes work for a long-distance group?

Choose a scene with as many people as you have friends to cast, up to six. Good starting points:

| Scene | People | Why it works from afar |
|---|---|---|
| A dance trend for two to four | A small group | Looks like you rehearsed it together |
| A music video with a band | Three to five | Everyone gets a role and the song carries it |
| A party or club scene | Two to six | Feels like the night out you can't have |
| A car ride with friends | Two to four | Close faces, a shared joke |
| A famous movie gang scene | Three to six | A group you all recognize |

The quickest start is [Trends](/trend/): popular videos with the people already found. You can also upload your own clip, 1 to 120 seconds and up to 150 MB, if you have the right to use it. For more ideas, see [funny video ideas with friends](/guides/funny-video-ideas-with-friends/).

Before you commit, check the scene the same way you would for any group: every person you replace should be reasonably large, mostly facing the camera and not hidden behind the others. [How to swap a whole group of friends into one video](/guides/swap-a-group-of-friends/) covers this in detail.

## How do you collect photos from friends far away?

This is the part that takes the longest, so give people a few days. Send one message to the group chat with everything they need:

1. **Say what it's for** and which scene, so everyone can agree or opt out.
2. **Ask for one photo of each person alone**, sharp, in good light, with the face clearly visible and no sunglasses.
3. **Ask them to send it as a file**, not as a compressed photo, if your messenger offers that. Many chat apps shrink pictures, and a sharper original helps.
4. **Ask for a full-body photo** if you plan to turn off "Keep the original look", since a portrait can't show clothing it doesn't contain.
5. **Set a deadline** that works across time zones, for example "by Sunday evening your time".

Matching photos help the result look like one group: similar light, similar distance from the camera, one person per shot. The full checklist is in [which photos work best for an AI video swap](/guides/best-photos-for-ai-video-swap/).

## How to make the video, step by step

1. **Sign in** at [vswp.app](/) with Telegram. Only you need an account; your friends just send photos.
2. **Pick the scene** from Trends or upload your own video. For an upload, the person search runs on the first 30 seconds automatically, usually in a couple of minutes, and it's free. In a longer video you can choose another part of up to 30 seconds.
3. **Match photos to people.** Main people come first; people seen briefly or far away are grouped as the background. Leave a card empty for anyone who should stay as in the original.
4. **Choose the look.** With "Keep the original look" on, clothes stay as in the video and only faces and hair change, which is easiest when photos come from different places. With it off, each friend's clothes and hair come from their photo.
5. **Test with the free preview.** Every new user gets one: about 5 seconds of the video at 480p, from where the people with photos are on screen, with a small vswp.app mark.
6. **Make the full video.** Choose 480p or 720p, check the estimated time and the price, and press "Create the full video". Paid videos have no mark.

If one friend doesn't look quite like themselves, try a sharper photo of them first. Pressing "Create video" again makes a new take, which is a new render.

## How do you share it with everyone?

You get an MP4 of the processed part, up to 30 seconds, with the original sound. On a phone you can share it straight to Telegram, stories and other apps, or download the file and post it in your group chat. Send it at a time when most of the group is awake, or schedule the message if your messenger allows it.

Before anyone posts it publicly, ask the whole group. Someone who was happy to be in a private clip may not want it on their feed. Rules differ by country, and this is not legal advice; in the EU, the AI Act's disclosure rule for deepfakes applies from August 2026, so label the video as AI-made if you publish it. More in [face swap consent and safety](/guides/face-swap-consent-and-safety/).

## How much does it cost?

The free preview costs nothing; the number of free previews per day is limited, and the app says when the next one frees up. The full video is paid in Telegram Stars (⭐). The price depends on the length, the quality and the number of people you replace, and the exact price is shown before you start. Stars are taken when a render starts and returned automatically if it fails or is canceled.

If a friend wants to make the next video themselves, send them your invite link from the account menu ("Invite a friend") or with /invite in the bot. When they top up for the first time, you both get bonus Stars.

## FAQ

### Do my friends need a vswp account?

No. Only the person making the video signs in with Telegram. Friends just send a photo and agree to its use.

### Can friends in different countries be in the same video?

Yes. Location doesn't matter: each person is added from a photo, so friends anywhere can share one scene.

### What if we are more than six?

One video can use up to 6 different photos. For a bigger group, make two short videos with different scenes and post them together.

### A friend only has a blurry or group photo. Will it work?

It may, but a sharp photo of that person alone gives a better likeness. Ask them to take a quick selfie in daylight and send it as a file.

### Can we watch the video together on a call?

Yes. It's an ordinary MP4, so one person can share the screen and play it with the sound on.