How to Do the Smalltown Boy AI Trend in 4 Beats
October 25, 2026
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To do the Smalltown Boy AI trend, follow four beats in order: the scream up close, the side-by-side dance, a low shot from the ground and the final lunge at the camera. You can film it yourself, or upload one photo to the generator and let the AI do the moves.
Key takeaways
- Beat 1: the screamer grabs its head and screams.
- Beat 2: both dance side by side.
- Beat 3: a low shot against the sky.
- Beat 4: both lunge at the lens.
What are the two ways to do it?
You can film it with your phone or make it with AI. Both follow the same four-beat routine to “Smalltown Boy”, Bronski Beat’s 1984 synth-pop single. The AI route is the popular one, because you cannot make a pet scream on cue. Filming takes more work but needs nothing except a phone and a video editor.
Beat 1: the scream
Close to a wide lens, the screamer grabs its head with both hands and screams. The second character moves behind it.
Beat 2: the dance
Both dance side by side in the 1980s style, with big arm moves and bounces. In many cat posts the two trade places on a hard cut just before this beat.
Beat 3: the low shot
The camera drops to the ground and looks up at them dancing against the sky.
Beat 4: the lunge
They dance once more, then rush the camera with hands out. The last frames blur because they are so close to the lens.
How do you make it with AI?
- Open the Smalltown Boy AI generator.
- Add one photo of your pet or yourself: one subject, face toward the camera, in good light. The photo guide shows what works.
- Check the credit quote and submit. 480p = 500 credits, 720p HD = 1,500 credits. One-time packs: $9.99 (500 credits), $19.99 (1,500) or $29.99 (2,500), no subscription.
- Wait a few minutes. You can leave the page; the finished video waits in My Videos on the same browser.
- Download the MP4 and post it, adding the song in the app with the sound guide.
The result is a vertical clip that follows the four beats with your pet or your own face. Every run is a new take.
How do you film it yourself?
Film what your pets already do: a big yawn close to the lens reads as the scream. Never lift a pet onto its back legs; keep it fun for the animal.
- Get low, at your pet’s eye level, phone vertical, with a plain wall or fence behind it.
- Film each pet on its own, as close to the lens as it will come, for the scream.
- Film both together a little further back for the dance and the rush.
- Cut the clips in a phone editor in the order of the four beats, then add the song when you post.
Who plays what?
The screamer is the main character. If your photo is a pet, the generator animates it for the same moves; you can also cast yourself. New to the format? Read the explainer, or compare routes in the free guide.
What if it looks off?
Most problems come from the photo: a tiny face, a blurred pet or a dim room. A failed video is not charged, so retake the photo and run it again.
Yuppop is an independent tool and is not affiliated with Bronski Beat, their label or any social platform. Make your own take with the Smalltown Boy AI video generator.
FAQ
Does it have to be cats?
No. Most versions use cats, but you can try a photo of another pet or of yourself.
Do I need to dance or film anything?
Not with the generator. It builds the four beats from one photo. If you film it yourself, you work with what your pet already does.
Who screams first?
The character close to the lens. The other dances behind it and then beside it.
Why does the end blur?
The characters rush the lens, so the final frames blur on purpose.
What if the video fails?
You are not charged for a failed video: its credits go back to your balance. Most fails trace back to the photo, so try a sharper one.