Pika Labs just dropped a fresh new feature called PikaTwists, and after playing with it for a while, I can confidently say it’s actually pretty solid.
In the fast-moving space of image-to-video AI tools, I’d say Pika is comfortably in the middle of the pack. It’s definitely better than Runway in many ways, but if you’re comparing realism, tools like Clling or Sora still have the edge.
What is PikaTwists?
PikaTwists is a feature that allows you to modify the first five seconds of any video you upload. You provide a short video, at least 5 seconds long, and add a prompt describing how you want that clip to change.
It doesn’t alter the entire video—just the first 5 seconds. And within that small window, some pretty cool things can happen.
You can use:
- Pika Turbo: More affordable, but lower quality
- Pika Pro: Higher quality, more resolution, and a bit pricier in terms of credit usage
How PikaTwists Works
- Upload a Video
- Must be at least 5 seconds long
- Choose Your Mode
- Pika Turbo or Pika Pro
- Enter a Prompt
- Describe what change you want to see
- Generate and Review
- PikaTwists will modify the first 5 seconds according to your prompt
The platform even provides examples right on the homepage so you can get inspiration from other creators.
Ideas from the Community
The community examples are one of my favorite parts. Here are a few I saw featured on the homepage:
- A person’s head turns into a red balloon and floats away
- A meme-style scene where someone’s sipping coffee while the world burns
- An encyclopedia page of an owl, which suddenly hops off the page
- Classic moon landing footage, altered to make the astronaut run toward the camera
- A bear standing up and walking like a human
- A parrot that transitions from an image to motion smoothly
Some outputs are more polished than others, but a few of them are absolutely impressive.
Pika’s Tools Overview
When you’re inside the Pika dashboard, there are a few tools that stand out:
| Feature | Functionality |
|---|---|
| Pika Frames | Turn an image into a short animated video |
| PikaEffects | Apply stylistic changes to your videos |
| PikaSwaps | Replace part of a 5-second video using an image |
| PikaTwists | Modify part of a 5-second video using only a prompt |
While Pika Swaps also modifies video clips, it requires an additional image to do the swapping. PikaTwists just uses a prompt.
How to use PikaTwists (Step By Step)?
Let me walk you through the exact steps I followed when using PikaTwists.
Step 1: Open Pika.art
Go to the Pika.art platform and log in.
Step 2: Select PikaTwists
From the tools section, click on PikaTwists.
Step 3: Upload Your Video
Upload a video of at least 5 seconds in length.
⚠️ Note: Only the first 5 seconds will be used.
Step 4: Add a Prompt
Here’s where the magic happens. Add a short description of what you want to change. You can:
- Modify a character’s action
- Change the visual style
- Adjust the mood or setting
Example prompts:
- “Make the person’s head turn into a balloon and float away.”
- “Transform the background into a burning forest.”
- “Add a dark hoodie to the person and have them pull it up over their head.”
Step 5: Generate the Twist
Choose between Turbo or Pro, then hit Generate.
Step 6: Review the Output
Watch your modified clip. You’ll usually notice:
- The first 2–3 seconds remain the same
- The last 2–3 seconds reflect the twist
My Testing Experience
I tried several different types of videos and prompts. Some were okay, others didn’t quite work, but a couple were perfect.
Test 1: Adding a Balloon
I started with a dramatic close-up clip made using Clling—lots of emotion and a great starting point.
Prompt: “The person head transforms into a red balloon and float away out of the frame.”
What worked:
- It animated the hands
- The Balloon appears as head
What didn’t:
- The Balloon just popped into existence
- It didn’t drape naturally
- You could still see the background
Test 2: Character Walking Down a Street
This was a pre-rendered walking animation.
Prompt: “Make the character pull up a hood.”
The result:
- The hood appeared, but suddenly the character looked more animated
- Original look and feel were lost mid-video
Rating: About 70% accuracy, not quite polished
Test 3: Fire Scene with Hero Running Away
Original: Character lands heroically with cape motion
Prompt: “Make the character run away from the camera.”
Result:
- First 2–3 seconds unchanged
- Final seconds: Character starts turning and runs away
This was one of the better ones. Motion was decent, though the character changed appearance slightly.
Test 4: Market Scene – Picking an Orange
Original: A model is sitting on a bench with a drink
Prompt: “Make the model grab an orange and peel it.”
What happened:
- The drink was changed into an orange
- The model appeared to peel it
- Some finger glitches (3 fingers at one point)
- Facial expressions were surprisingly natural
Her eye movement, blinking, and overall expressions were super realistic. This one really stood out for its emotion and flow.
Test 5: Taking a Phone Call – The Perfect One
Original: A highly realistic video made with Clling showing a woman smiling
Prompt: “Make her pick up a phone call.”
The outcome:
- Her hand reached out naturally
- Eyes shifted as if she was focusing on something else
- Even the lighting and skin reflection stayed consistent
This video could easily pass as real. Apart from a slightly outdated-looking phone, everything was perfect. From the way her lips curled into a smile to how she raised the phone.
Final Thoughts on PikaTwists
So, here’s my breakdown of PikaTwists after hands-on testing:
What I Liked:
- Fast and intuitive
- Creative flexibility with just a prompt
- Promising results when the source video is strong
- Realistic facial expressions and movement in some clips
- Great for adding subtle variations to existing content
What Could Be Better:
- Occasional visual glitches
- Objects like hoodies didn’t always behave naturally
- Some characters became cartoonish mid-video
- Prompt interpretation isn’t always accurate
Tips for Better Outputs
If you’re planning to try PikaTwists, here are some tips I found useful:
- Use high-quality input videos – The better the base, the better the result.
- Keep prompts simple – Short and clear works best.
- Avoid complex object motion – Twisting fabric or adding items like bags or glasses may not render cleanly.
- Test in Pika Pro for best results – You get better resolution and more detail.
Conclusion
PikaTwists is a creative feature that gives users new ways to reimagine short clips with minimal effort. It’s not flawless, but it’s fun and sometimes shockingly effective. For content creators looking to spice up their existing videos or pitch quick concepts, this is a solid tool in the toolbox.
Just upload a 5-second clip, toss in a prompt, and watch it transform. Some clips may surprise you with how good they are.