// video · PKU-YuanGroup/MagicTime

MagicTime

Time-lapse video generation that simulates how the world changes.

💎 Hidden gem★ 1.3k stars⑂ 121 forksApache-2.0updated 2026-04

▦ visual — this project's README ships no embeddable screenshot,
so here's a placeholder. The guide below is complete regardless.

// project facts

Project facts

MagicTime is an open-source video project by PKU-YuanGroup (PKU-YuanGroup/MagicTime on GitHub). It has 1,337 GitHub stars and 121 forks, is released under the Apache-2.0 license, and was last updated on GitHub on 14 April 2026.

Repository: PKU-YuanGroup/MagicTime
GitHub stars: 1,337
Forks: 121
License: Apache-2.0
Last updated on GitHub: 14 April 2026
Category: Video
Listing: Hidden gem — a shorter page for a lesser-known project
Official site: Official site

// how it works

How it works

Read the paper page
Understand the metamorphic simulation approach.
Check GPU requirements
Video models need serious hardware.
Install the code
Set up per the README.
Generate time-lapses
Synthesize transformation sequences.

// features

Why people love it

Time-lapse focus

Specialized in long-term change.

Metamorphic simulation

Models how scenes transform.

TPAMI 2025

Published in a top journal.

Realistic processes

Growth, construction, decay, and more.

Open code

Apache 2.0 — study and extend.

Academic rigor

From the PKU-YuanGroup lab.

// run it

Run it yourself

Step 1 — Clone the repo
Download the source and move into the project folder.
```
git clone https://github.com/PKU-YuanGroup/MagicTime.git
cd MagicTime
```
Step 2 — Check the README
Every project documents its own setup; start with install requirements.
```
cat README.md | head -60
```
Step 3 — Run it
Follow the project's launch command — Docker, pip, npm, or a binary release.
```
# see README for the exact launch command
```

// use cases

What you can build

Generate AI time-lapse videos.
Research metamorphic video simulation.
Visualize long-term processes synthetically.
Study time-lapse generation architectures.

// faq

Questions, answered

Is MagicTime free for commercial use?

Apache 2.0 licensed — commercial use allowed with attribution.

What is a metamorphic simulator?

A model of how scenes transform over time — see the paper for the formalism.

What GPU do I need?

Check the README — video generation is compute-heavy.

How long are the outputs?

Time-lapse sequences — see the project page for examples.

Is the paper available?

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Get MagicTime

Free and open — grab the source, star the repo, and start creating.

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