What is an Avatar?
An Avatar is a reusable, on-brand presenter that Blaze uses to generate lifelike "talking presenter" videos delivering a script about a customer's brand.
Two things worth knowing:
Avatars are set up once and reused. They live on the workspace's Brand Kit, so any avatar a workspace creates is available across all their content.
"AI Avatar Video" is its own content type — alongside images, carousels, and standard videos. It can be added to a content plan or created as a one-off post.
Think of it in two phases: create the avatar once, then use it to make videos as often as needed.
Where to create an Avatar
Go to Content Preferences → Avatars tab. Existing avatars appear in a grid, along with an Add avatar button.
Customers may also land here from other prompts:
Trying to make an avatar video with no eligible avatar triggers a Create avatar prompt.
New customers often meet the feature via an onboarding pop-up: "Turn your topics into lifelike avatar videos."
Note: The Avatars tab only shows up for workspaces with the feature enabled — see Availability, plans & credits below.
Creating an Avatar: two paths
When a customer clicks Add avatar, they choose one of two starting points.
Option 1: Choose from our catalog (recommended, fastest)
Blaze ships with ~9 ready-made avatars — a mix of ages, ethnicities, and genders, each with a suggested personality and voice.
Browse the gallery and preview voices.
Pick one — the form arrives pre-filled with name, personality, age, ethnicity, voice, and photo.
Tweak details to fit the brand, then save.
Option 2: Start blank — upload a photo
The user uploads their own photo and fills in the details:
Photo — JPG or PNG. This is the face used in every video.
Name
Persona — tone in a phrase (e.g. "Quiet craftsman, Austin trades roots").
Age & Ethnicity — dropdowns.
Voice — see Voice options below.
Include in content rotation — toggle.
Key rule: Catalog avatars are auto-approved — their photo skips verification since we provided it. It's the smoothest path, and the one to steer uncertain customers toward. Custom photos must pass a verification check first (see below).
During onboarding, Blaze also recommends the 3 catalog avatars that best match the customer's brand.
Voice options
Every avatar needs a voice. Customers pick one of three modes:
Mode | What it is | Requirements |
Preset voice | Choose from ~12 built-in studio voices (male & female). Preview any before selecting. | None — just pick one. |
Upload sample | Upload an audio file of a voice. | MP3 only. |
Record | Record directly from the mic in the browser. | 4–30 seconds. ~10–20s of natural speech works best. |
Recording tips:
Customers will be asked to allow microphone access. If blocked, they'll see: "Microphone access was blocked. Allow it in your browser, or use Upload sample instead."
If the recording is too short: "Record at least 4 seconds."
After recording or uploading, a preview play button and a Re-record / Replace option are available.
Photo verification (custom avatars only)
When a customer uploads their own photo, Blaze checks it before the avatar can be used. This guardrail confirms the photo shows a real person, isn't a public figure, and is usable for video generation.
Status | What it means |
Verifying | Check in progress (usually quick). Avatar can't be used yet. |
Verified | Passed — usable, as long as it's also in rotation. |
Needs new photo | Failed — customer must upload a different photo. |
If verification fails, the customer sees one of these reasons:
Not a real person — "We couldn't detect a real person in this photo. Upload a clear photo of a real person."
Public figure / celebrity — "This photo appears to show a public figure. Please upload your own photo instead." (Celebrity likenesses aren't allowed.)
Unsuitable photo — "This photo may not work well for video generation. Upload a clear, well-lit photo of one person facing the camera."
Something went wrong — "Something went wrong while verifying this photo. Try uploading it again."
Tip: The #1 fix for verification failures is a clear, well-lit photo of one real person facing the camera — not a group photo, a logo, or a public figure. Catalog avatars sidestep this entirely.
Editing a custom avatar's photo re-triggers verification and resets its status to "Verifying." Editing other fields (name, voice, persona) does not.
Why an Avatar might not show up (the rotation rule)
An avatar is only usable in video generation when all three are true:
It is not deleted
"Include in content rotation" is ON — when off, the avatar is skipped during generation
It is Verified (catalog avatars always are; custom photos must pass the check)
Using an Avatar to make videos
Once a workspace has at least one eligible avatar, "AI Avatar Video" behaves like any other content type. There are two ways to generate videos:
A. Recurring / scheduled content
Add AI avatar videos to the content plan (e.g. 1 per week), with optional crossposting to YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram Reels. Blaze auto-picks a suitable avatar and writes a script for each scheduled video. We recommend starting with 1 per week.
B. One-off post
From the New Post flow, select AI Avatar Video, open Script & Settings, and generate a single video on demand.
The Script & Settings screen
For each avatar video, customers control:
Angle — the type of video:
Testimonial — avatar shares a customer's success story.
Recommendation — avatar recommends the product or service.
Product reaction — avatar reacts to a product (requires attaching a product image).
Topic — "What should this video be about?"
Script — an editable, auto-generated draft with a "Regenerate script" button. Scripts stay short to fit the ~15-second video, so there's a recommended max word count.
Avatar — which avatar stars (swappable), with a voice preview.
Captions — on/off, with a caption style.
Videos generate in 9:16 vertical format, up to ~15 seconds, with audio.
Availability, plans & credits
Feature flag: AI Avatar Videos rolls out per workspace. No Avatars tab or content type usually means it isn't enabled yet.
Also requires the workspace to have content strategies set up, and to not be in "strict brand control" mode.
Credits: Each avatar video costs 40 credits to generate (same as a standard AI video). Cost is shown before generating.
Troubleshooting FAQ
I don't see Avatars / AI Avatar Video anywhere.
The feature isn't enabled for your workspace, or content strategies aren't set up yet. Confirm plan and rollout status with your CS contact.
My avatar says "Needs new photo."
The uploaded photo failed verification. Upload a clear, well-lit photo of a single real person facing the camera — not a group, logo, or public figure. Or use a catalog avatar instead (auto-approved).
My avatar isn't offered when I try to make a video.
Check the three rotation conditions: not deleted, rotation toggle ON, and Verified.
The microphone won't record my voice.
Browser mic permission is likely blocked. Allow it in your browser settings, or use Upload sample (MP3) or a Preset voice instead.
My voice upload was rejected.
Uploads must be MP3. Recordings must be 4–30 seconds.
Can I use a photo of a celebrity or famous person?
No — verification blocks public figures. Use your own photo or a catalog avatar.
How long are the videos?
Vertical (9:16), up to about 15 seconds, with narration and optional captions.