What usually causes the change
| Feature | What can happen | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Teeth | A closed-mouth photo gains a smile with teeth that are not theirs | The photo never showed them, so they are invented. |
| Eyes | Shape or gaze shifts as the eyes move | Small or soft eyes give the model little to follow. |
| Profile | A head turn shows a nose or jaw that looks unfamiliar | The side of the face was never photographed. |
| Glasses | Frames bend or reflections flicker | Transparent and reflective surfaces are hard to keep consistent. |
| Expression | A smile changes the cheeks and eyes into someone else’s smile | The model draws on how people in general smile. |
Familiarity is personal
Someone who knew the person will notice changes a stranger never would: the way one eye crinkled more than the other, or a lopsided smile. Our review catches obvious identity changes and unnatural features, but a reviewer did not know your relative. That is why we cannot promise a likeness, and why our terms describe every film as an interpretation.
How to reduce the risk
- Choose a sharp photo with the face turned toward the camera.
- If you would like a smile, start from a photo where they are already smiling. The model then has less to invent.
- Avoid heavy restoration or beauty filters before animating. They change the face before the animation begins.
- Prefer small movements. A slight glance changes less of the face than a large head turn.
- Pick a photo without a hand, cup, or shadow across the face.
If you notice it after delivery
Watch the film once more on a larger screen and compare it with the original. If it does not feel like them, read what to do when a result looks wrong, which covers the retry and refund requests. Sometimes the still photograph is simply the better keepsake, and that is a fair outcome too.
Need help choosing? Contact us before ordering.