Short answer: a music video can feed a release with more than one file. Short vertical loops — like the few-second clips Spotify Canvas plays behind a track — are cheapest to make when they are planned during the main production: the same world, character and palette, framed for 9:16, with a clean point where the end meets the start.
What makes a good loop
- One idea, not a montage. A figure turning, smoke drifting, neon flickering — a moment that can repeat without tiring.
- A seamless loop point. Motion that returns to its first frame, or a cut hidden in darkness or a flash.
- Vertical framing composed for 9:16, not cropped from 16:9 as an afterthought.
- No text or logos inside the loop; the platform shows the artist and title around it.
Check the current specifications
At the time of writing, Spotify describes Canvas as a vertical 9:16 loop of roughly three to eight seconds. Platforms update their requirements, so confirm the current specs in the artist tools before delivery.
Plan it in the shot list
We add loop shots to the main shot list: generated once in vertical framing, in the same session as the related scene, so they match the video exactly. One production then delivers the master, vertical cutdowns and a set of loops.
Beyond Spotify
The same loops work as animated cover art, for pre-save campaigns and as backgrounds for lyric posts. See what a full release package includes on our AI music video production page.
Frequently asked questions
How long is a Spotify Canvas?
Spotify describes Canvas as a short vertical loop, roughly three to eight seconds. Check the current specs in Spotify’s artist tools before delivery.
Can a Canvas be cut from the music video?
It can, but loops planned and generated in vertical framing during production look better and loop more cleanly.
Should a Canvas contain text?
Generally no. Keep it visual; the platform displays the artist and track information.
Related guides
This work at Leopati
Service: AI Music Video Production
