A Halcyone Maker field guide
Make a talking character video with your own audio
Start with one short line and one character. You can hear your audio with the moving mascot before deciding whether to export with Plus. The example below was recorded in the Maker with Honey Bear.
Made together in the Maker. Press play to see Honey Bear move and speak in one recorded clip.
Read the transcript
Hello, I am Honey Bear. Let us make something together. We can pause, take a breath, and explain the next idea. Thank you for watching.
1. Prepare a short voice clip
Record one idea in your usual audio tool, or start with Load voice example in the Maker. For a first try, aim for about 10 seconds: an introduction, one point and a closing line.
The Maker uses an audio file you choose; it does not generate speech from a script. The mouth responds to the volume of that audio, rather than matching individual phonemes. Audio stays in your browser and is not stored with the character.
- Use a file your browser can play, such as MP3 or WAV.
- Leave natural pauses and listen for distracting background noise.
- Have permission to use the recording in your project.
2. Open the character and preview the voice
Use Try a speaking character below. For a fresh project, it opens Honey Bear in Animate → Record with a short speaking take. If you already have a saved or recovered character, your work takes priority. Voice input is available for dress-up mascots.
Choose Audio file, or Load voice example. Once the audio length appears, press Preview. Free users can preview up to 20 seconds and replay it. Nothing is recorded or purchased by previewing.
- Watch the mouth during speech and pauses.
- If the gestures end too early, choose Fit speaking gestures to audio.
- That button replaces the current performance. Keep a custom sequence if you prefer your own timing.
3. Frame the whole performance
Choose 1:1 Icon, 9:16 Reels or 16:9 Embed in Video shape. Check the character at its widest gesture, not just the resting pose. Zoom out if the hands leave the frame.
Choose a background for your destination: transparent for an editor that supports WebM alpha, greenback for chroma key, or solid for a self-contained clip. Selecting a shape can also change the background, so check both before recording.
Fitted gestures cover up to two minutes; longer audio continues while the final pose holds. For a longer lesson, separate short takes are easier to check and assemble.
4. Export the voice and character together
Choose WebM video under Save as. GIF has no audio track. On Free, Export with Plus opens the upgrade guide; Plus or Pro unlocks voice-driven recording and microphone input. Basic silent exports remain available on Free.
After upgrading or reopening the page, choose the audio file again. Your character and studio setup can be restored, but the audio itself is not saved. Preview again, then press Record and let the take finish.
Play the downloaded WebM in your destination editor before producing a longer clip. Halcyone Maker does not export MP4 directly. If your publishing platform needs MP4, assemble and convert the finished video in a compatible editor.
5. Reuse the same character for the next video
Save the character with your account to keep its look, performance and studio settings. Free accounts hold up to three characters; see Pricing for larger save limits.
After a voiced export, Make another video with this character clears the current audio so you can choose another file. On a later visit, reopen your saved character, go to Animate → Record and select the new audio. Refit the gestures only if you want to replace the previous performance.
If the first preview is not right
No sound: check the device volume and wait for the audio length to load. Try another browser-playable file if an error appears. Preview starts only after you press it.
Little mouth movement: compare speech with silence in your recording. A very quiet voice or constant background noise gives the volume-driven mouth less contrast to work with.
The end feels too long: check both your audio and performance length. A voice recording lets the longer of the two finish, so shortening only the narration may leave a longer authored performance.
The background looks black after export: the player may not display WebM transparency. Try the transparent-video guide below before changing your character.