How to Make the Bad Times AI Video (Arguing With the Camera, 2026)

Bad Times is a lip-sync bit. Someone looks into the camera and pretends to argue with it. A Bad Times AI video puts you in that bit from one photo. You get a 15-second vertical clip with the template's music.

What You Get

• The scene. One person facing the camera, in a pretend fight with it.
• The action. Pointing, a raised hand, and a lean toward the lens at the end.
• The performance. Mouth movement follows the performance but will not match every word.
• The cast. The person in your photo, or your pet.
• The spec. 15 seconds, 9:16 vertical, MP4, with the template's music, labelled AI generated.

What the Trend Is

Bad Times is a lip-sync bit tied to one song. The fun is in the timing and the faces. People do it alone, with a pet, or as a joke about a bad day. It asks for very little: one person, one camera and a big reaction.

We cannot point to a single first post. Our read of public search data is that searches for "Bad Times AI" picked up in late September 2026. That is not a claim about who started it. The What Is Bad Times AI page has the full explainer.

What to Prepare

One photo of you or your pet.

• A clear, front-facing photo with the whole face visible and even light.
• One person only. Crop out the rest of a group photo.
• No sunglasses, masks or heavy filters.
• Only you or people who agreed to appear.

More in How to Pick Photos.

Steps

Orders are open. Here is how it works.

1. Open the Bad Times page.
2. Pick a quality: 480p, 720p or 1080p.
3. Upload your photo. We check it first. If it does not pass, nothing is charged and you can try another.
4. Pay once. There is no subscription.
5. Wait a few minutes. The clip waits under My videos.

Open for orders now: Tiny Desk, Bad Times, Bad Times Pet, Stadium Entrance, ABCDEFG I Need Money, No Scrubs, Hotel Lobby, Bby Wow Dance, Gangnam Style Dance and iPhone Kupi Dance.

Common Mistakes

• A small or side-on face. The likeness gets weaker. Use a photo where your face is large and clear.
• A group photo. The model cannot tell who you mean. Crop to one person.
• Expecting exact lip-sync. Lips will not match every word. Judge the clip by the gestures and the timing.
• A pet with a hidden face. Animals can look less natural in this bit. Pick a pet photo with a clear face.
• Celebrities or minors. They are not allowed and are rejected when review catches them. Use yourself or someone who agreed.

What You Get Back and How Long It Takes

You get one 15-second MP4 in 9:16, with the template's music and labelled AI generated. It usually takes a few minutes. It is a new clip, not a filter on your own footage and not a face swap. If we cannot make your video, we make it again or refund you in full.

The finished video is kept for 30 days after delivery. Download it in that time. Prices are set per template and shown on the pricing page once a template is open.

Related Reading

• What Is Bad Times AI? The Trend Explained
• Bad Times AI Video Generator
• Viral AI Video Trends
• How to Make the Burning Bridges AI Video
• How to Make the Hotel Lobby AI Video