MiniMax H3 Max First to Last Frame: Animate Two Images

Last verified: October 29, 2026

MiniMax H3 Max takes two images you upload, one for the opening moment of a shot and one for the closing moment, and generates a video that moves from the first to the second. A required text prompt tells it what should happen in between. Because both images are required, MiniMax H3 Max first-to-last-frame work suits shots where the ending is already decided, like a storyboard's closing panel, a product's final hero angle or the after state of a before-and-after.

MiniMax documents H3 Max's image-to-video mode as a prompt plus a first-frame image, a last-frame image or both. It is meant for controlling how a shot starts or ends and for bringing a specific frame naturally to life. In MiniMax's API, a first-and-last-frame request is a text element plus two images, one tagged as the first frame and one as the last frame. Those are the same three inputs Vidofy asks for here.

On Vidofy, the opening image goes in First Frame, the closing image goes in Last Frame, and the Prompt describes the action between them. Two settings shape the result: Video Duration sets how long that action has to unfold, and Resolution sets how much detail the finished clip carries. When the run finishes, you download the clip and drop it into your edit.

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Capability Snapshot

MiniMax H3 Max keyframe settings at a glance

This generator's inputs, clip lengths, resolutions and output, all in one view.

Input

First Frame (JPG, JPEG, PNG or WEBP, up to 10 MB) + Last Frame (JPG, JPEG, PNG or WEBP, up to 10 MB) + a text prompt of up to 7,000 characters

Video Duration

5 to 15 seconds

Resolution

480P, 768P or 1080P

Output

1 video per run

Getting cleaner transitions from MiniMax H3 Max

Write the path, not the pictures

In MiniMax's API, the two frames go in as images tagged for the first and the last frame, and the text travels alongside them as its own part of the request. Since the uploads already fix how the shot looks at its first and last moment, use the prompt to describe the journey. Say what moves, in what order, where the camera travels and how the light changes on the way to the closing image. Describing the two images again in detail spends words on what is already decided and leaves the middle of the clip vague. Write the action as a sequence (it starts, develops and arrives) and name the camera move once.

Draft fast, change one thing per run

MiniMax describes H3 Max as optimized for high-speed generation, which fits how keyframe shots get made: in several short passes. Keep both frames fixed and draft at the lowest Resolution, because at this stage you are judging motion, not fine detail. Change only the prompt wording between runs until the movement reads right. Then adjust Video Duration if the pacing is off, and render the final version at the Resolution you plan to deliver. Changing one thing at a time shows you which edit actually fixed the clip.

How do I make a video from a first and last frame?

Six steps take you from the two uploads to the downloaded clip.

Which keyframe workflow fits your shot?

Two-frame generation with H3 Max compared with two other ways to get a similar shot.

Control over the closing shot The Last Frame upload fills the role MiniMax documents for the ending frame, so the closing composition is chosen before you generate. Single-image animation with H3 Max takes a prompt plus one first-frame image, as MiniMax documents it, so no uploaded image fixes the ending. Use two frames when the shot has to land on a specific pose, angle or layout, and a single first frame when only the opening needs to be exact.
Turnaround between drafts MiniMax describes H3 Max as optimized for high-speed generation and faster than MiniMax H3. MiniMax H3 is the variant MiniMax positions for high-quality video creation, and it also accepts a first and a last frame. Pick H3 Max when a transition will take several passes to get right, and consider MiniMax H3 when you want the variant MiniMax aims at high-quality creation and can accept slower runs.
Highest output resolution The Resolution control here goes up to full HD. MiniMax H3 is documented by MiniMax with 768P and 2K output. Stay with H3 Max here when you deliver in full HD or lower, and look at MiniMax H3 when the delivery spec calls for 2K.
For a shot that has to land on a planned final frame and will take a few quick passes, use H3 Max with both frames. If the ending can stay open, animate from one image. For 2K delivery, MiniMax H3 is the documented option.

Fixing common first-to-last-frame problems

The problems that most often stop or spoil a run, and how to fix each one.

My image won't upload to First Frame or Last Frame

Each slot checks the file type, the file size and the image's minimum dimensions, and turns away any file that fails one of those checks. Convert the image to one of the accepted formats, re-export a large file with more compression, or replace a thumbnail or small crop with a larger original. The exact limits are in the FAQ about uploads. Then upload again; nothing else in the form needs to change.

My prompt won't fit in the box

The Prompt box has a character cap, and long prompts usually hit it because they describe everything the two images already show. Cut the descriptions of the frames themselves and keep the motion: the action, its order, the camera move and any change in light. Paste in the shorter version and generate. If you would rather build it up from a few words, write a short idea and let Enhance Prompt suggest fuller wordings.

I need a scene longer than one clip

A single run can't go past the longest option in Video Duration, so a longer scene has to be built from several clips. Plan it as connected shots. For the second run, upload the image you used as Last Frame in the first run as the new First Frame, add the next target image as Last Frame, and repeat for each shot after that. Join the clips in your editor. Each pair of neighbouring clips shares an image, which gives every cut a common frame to meet on.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need both a first and a last frame to generate?

Yes. On Vidofy, First Frame, Last Frame and Prompt are all required, so this generator always works toward an ending you chose. If you only know how the shot should open, pick or create the closing image before you start. That second image is what turns the clip into a planned transition rather than an open-ended animation.

Which image files can I upload, and how big can they be?

Each slot takes one image in JPG, JPEG, PNG or WEBP format. It can be up to 10 MB and must be at least 300×300 pixels. Every run uses two files: one in First Frame and one in Last Frame. Where you can, use originals well above the minimum size, so the details you care about are in the frame from the start.

How many videos does one run produce?

One. Each click of Generate returns a single video. To get alternatives, run the same pair of frames again with a reworded prompt, and download each take before the next run so you can compare them side by side.

What makes one generation cost more than another?

The credit cost of a run is calculated from the options you choose and shown above the Generate button once you are signed in. Two settings change it: Video Duration and Resolution. Adjusting either one changes the figure you see before you click. Enhance Prompt doesn't use credits.

References

Sources and citations used to support the content provided above.

Updated: 2026-10-29 21:15:47 2 Sources

platform.minimax.io

Source Link
https://platform.minimax.io/docs/guides/video-generation

platform.minimax.io

Source Link
https://platform.minimax.io/docs/api-reference/video-generation-v2-create