How to Convert a Dancing Video into an ASCII Art Video with Python

First, install you-get to download the target video from Bilibili:

<code>pip install you-get</code>

Download the video with:

<code>you-get -o <local_path> <video_url></code>

Next, extract short GIF clips (about 20 seconds each) from the video using a GIF capture tool, naming them sequentially (1, 2, 3 …). Convert each GIF to ASCII art with an ASCII Animator, adjusting the character density (e.g., 100 px width) and outputting animated GIFs.

After conversion, copy the generated ASCII GIFs from the temp folder into your Python project.

Rename and sort the GIF frames so they follow the correct order. The following script renames GIF files based on numeric patterns and sorts them:

<code>def rename_gif():
    file_list = os.listdir("./temp")  # read all files
    print("检测到文件夹下图片：")
    n = len(file_list)
    num_list = []
    num1 = num2 = 0
    for i in range(n):
        s = str(file_list[i])
        if s[-4:] == ".gif":  # check suffix
            res = re.findall(r"\d+", s)
            if res[0] == '1':
                num1 += 1
            if res[0] == '2':
                num2 += 1
            src = os.path.join(os.path.abspath('./temp/'), s)  # original name
            dst = os.path.join(os.path.abspath('./temp/'), res[0] + '-' + res[1] + '.gif')  # new name
            os.rename(src, dst)  # rename
    num_list.append(num1)
    num_list.append(num2)
    file_list = os.listdir("./temp")  # re‑read files
    for i in range(n):
        s = str(file_list[i])
        if s[-4:] == ".gif":
            res = re.findall(r"\d+", s)
            src = os.path.join(os.path.abspath('./temp/'), s)
            a = int(res[0]) - 1
            index = a * num_list[a-1]
            dst = os.path.join(os.path.abspath('./temp/'), str(index + int(res[1])) + '.gif')
            os.rename(src, dst)
</code>

Convert the ordered ASCII GIFs to JPEG images using Pillow:

<code>def gif2img(gif_path):
    gifs = os.listdir(gif_path)
    gifs.sort(key=lambda x: int(x[:-4]))  # sort by number
    for gif in gifs:
        im = Image.open(gif_path + gif)  # open GIF
        im = im.convert('RGB')
        if not os.path.exists('./img'):
            os.makedirs('./img')
        for i, frame in enumerate(iter_frames(im)):
            frame.save('./img/' + gif[0:-4] + '.jpg', **frame.info)  # save as JPG
</code>

Assemble the JPEG images into a video with OpenCV (install opencv-python if needed):

<code>pip install opencv-python</code>

<code>def charts2video(img_path, video_path):
    """Convert images in a directory to a video.
    Args:
        img_path: directory of images
        video_path: output video file
    """
    images = os.listdir(img_path)
    images.sort(key=lambda x: int(x[:-4]))
    fps = 12
    fourcc = cv2.VideoWriter_fourcc('M', 'P', '4', 'V')
    im = Image.open(img_path + images[0])
    video_writer = cv2.VideoWriter(video_path, fourcc, fps, im.size)
    for img_i in images:
        frame = cv2.imread(img_path + img_i)
        print('开始将 ' + img_i + ' 加入视频\n')
        video_writer.write(frame)
    video_writer.release()
</code>

Finally, add background music to the generated ASCII video using moviepy :

<code>def add_music():
    # read the ASCII video
    my_clip = mpy.VideoFileClip('asc.mp4')
    # extract background music (first 60 s)
    audio_background = mpy.AudioFileClip('dance.mp4').subclip(0, 60)
    audio_background.write_audiofile('bk.mp3')
    # set audio to video
    final_clip = my_clip.set_audio(audio_background)
    # save final video
    final_clip.write_videofile('char_video.mp4')
</code>

After completing these steps, you obtain a “code dance” video that visualizes the original dancing clip as animated ASCII art, complete with background music.