Supported Avatars

Complete reference for all available avatars in the Synthesia platform.

📖 Official Documentation: Synthesia Stock Avatars

Professional Avatars

Perfect for business presentations, corporate communications, and professional content.

Female Professional Avatars

// Anna - Professional businesswoman
'anna_costume1_cameraA'     // Business suit, front-facing
'anna_costume1_cameraB'     // Business suit, side angle

// Sophia - Young professional
'sophia_costume1_cameraA'   // Professional attire, confident pose
'sophia_costume1_cameraB'   // Professional attire, slight angle

// Emma - Corporate executive
'emma_costume1_cameraA'     // Executive style, authoritative
'emma_costume1_cameraB'     // Executive style, engaging

// Lisa - Tech professional
'lisa_costume1_cameraA'     // Modern professional look
'lisa_costume1_cameraB'     // Casual professional style

Male Professional Avatars

// James - Senior executive
'james_costume1_cameraA'    // Business suit, executive presence
'james_costume1_cameraB'    // Business suit, approachable

// David - Mature professional
'david_costume1_cameraA'    // Distinguished professional
'david_costume1_cameraB'    // Experienced consultant style

// Michael - Corporate manager
'michael_costume1_cameraA'  // Management style, confident
'michael_costume1_cameraB'  // Leadership presence

// Alex - Tech professional
'alex_costume1_cameraA'     // Modern professional
'alex_costume1_cameraB'     // Startup/tech style

Casual Avatars

Great for tutorials, educational content, and informal communications.

Female Casual Avatars

// Anna - Casual friendly
'anna_costume2_cameraA'     // Casual top, approachable
'anna_costume2_cameraB'     // Relaxed style

// Sophia - Young and casual
'sophia_costume2_cameraA'   // Casual educator style
'sophia_costume2_cameraB'   // Friendly instructor

// Emma - Casual expert
'emma_costume2_cameraA'     // Casual but knowledgeable
'emma_costume2_cameraB'     // Approachable expert

// Lisa - Tech casual
'lisa_costume2_cameraA'     // Casual tech style
'lisa_costume2_cameraB'     // Startup casual

Male Casual Avatars

// James - Casual professional
'james_costume2_cameraA'    // Smart casual, friendly
'james_costume2_cameraB'    // Approachable instructor

// David - Casual expert
'david_costume2_cameraA'    // Experienced but approachable
'david_costume2_cameraB'    // Mentor style

// Michael - Casual manager
'michael_costume2_cameraA'  // Relaxed leadership
'michael_costume2_cameraB'  // Coaching style

// Alex - Casual tech
'alex_costume2_cameraA'     // Developer style
'alex_costume2_cameraB'     // Tech mentor

Specialized Avatars

For specific industries or use cases.

Healthcare & Medical

// Dr. Sarah - Medical professional
'sarah_medical_cameraA'     // White coat, professional
'sarah_medical_cameraB'     // Healthcare setting

// Dr. Robert - Senior physician
'robert_medical_cameraA'    // Experienced doctor
'robert_medical_cameraB'    // Medical consultant

Education & Training

// Professor Williams - Academic
'williams_academic_cameraA' // University professor style
'williams_academic_cameraB' // Lecture hall setting

// Teacher Mary - School educator
'mary_teacher_cameraA'      // Classroom teacher
'mary_teacher_cameraB'      // Educational presenter

Customer Service

// Kelly - Customer support
'kelly_support_cameraA'     // Friendly service rep
'kelly_support_cameraB'     // Helpful assistant

// Tom - Technical support
'tom_support_cameraA'       // Tech support specialist
'tom_support_cameraB'       // Problem solver

Avatar Selection Guide

By Use Case

const avatarsByUseCase = {
  // Business presentations
  businessPresentation: [
    'james_costume1_cameraA',
    'anna_costume1_cameraA',
    'david_costume1_cameraA',
    'sophia_costume1_cameraA'
  ],

  // Training and tutorials
  training: [
    'anna_costume2_cameraA',
    'james_costume2_cameraA',
    'lisa_costume1_cameraA',
    'alex_costume2_cameraA'
  ],

  // Customer communications
  customerComms: [
    'sophia_costume1_cameraA',
    'james_costume1_cameraA',
    'emma_costume1_cameraA',
    'michael_costume1_cameraA'
  ],

  // Educational content
  education: [
    'williams_academic_cameraA',
    'mary_teacher_cameraA',
    'anna_costume2_cameraA',
    'david_costume2_cameraA'
  ],

  // Technical explanations
  technical: [
    'alex_costume1_cameraA',
    'lisa_costume1_cameraA',
    'tom_support_cameraA',
    'james_costume2_cameraA'
  ]
};

// Usage example
function selectAvatar(useCase: string): string {
  const avatars = avatarsByUseCase[useCase];
  return avatars ? avatars[0] : 'anna_costume1_cameraA'; // Default fallback
}

By Industry

const avatarsByIndustry = {
  technology: [
    'alex_costume1_cameraA',
    'lisa_costume1_cameraA',
    'james_costume2_cameraA'
  ],

  finance: [
    'james_costume1_cameraA',
    'david_costume1_cameraA',
    'emma_costume1_cameraA'
  ],

  healthcare: [
    'sarah_medical_cameraA',
    'robert_medical_cameraA',
    'lisa_costume1_cameraA'
  ],

  education: [
    'williams_academic_cameraA',
    'mary_teacher_cameraA',
    'sophia_costume2_cameraA'
  ],

  retail: [
    'sophia_costume1_cameraA',
    'kelly_support_cameraA',
    'anna_costume2_cameraA'
  ],

  consulting: [
    'david_costume1_cameraA',
    'james_costume1_cameraA',
    'emma_costume1_cameraA'
  ]
};

Avatar Characteristics

Voice and Personality Traits

Avatar	Gender	Age Range	Voice Tone	Personality	Best For
Anna (Professional)	Female	25-35	Clear, confident	Professional, approachable	Business presentations
Anna (Casual)	Female	25-35	Warm, friendly	Casual, relatable	Tutorials, training
James (Professional)	Male	35-45	Authoritative, clear	Executive, decisive	Leadership content
James (Casual)	Male	35-45	Friendly, engaging	Approachable, expert	Explanatory videos
Sophia (Professional)	Female	22-30	Energetic, clear	Young professional	Modern business
Sophia (Casual)	Female	22-30	Enthusiastic, warm	Youthful, engaging	Educational content
David (Professional)	Male	45-55	Mature, authoritative	Experienced, wise	Senior presentations
David (Casual)	Male	45-55	Warm, experienced	Mentor, guide	Training, coaching

Camera Angles

Angle	Description	Best For
cameraA	Direct front-facing	Formal presentations, announcements
cameraB	Slight side angle	Conversational content, tutorials

Usage Examples

Basic Avatar Usage

async function createWithSpecificAvatar() {
  const response = await synthesia.videos.createVideo({
    input: [{
      scriptText: 'Welcome to our quarterly business review.',
      avatar: 'james_costume1_cameraA', // Professional male
      background: 'office'
    }],
    title: 'Professional Presentation',
    visibility: 'private',
    aspectRatio: '16:9',
    test: true
  });

  return response.data;
}

Dynamic Avatar Selection

function selectAvatarForContent(contentType: string, targetAudience: string) {
  // Business content for executives
  if (contentType === 'business' && targetAudience === 'executives') {
    return 'james_costume1_cameraA';
  }

  // Technical content for developers
  if (contentType === 'technical' && targetAudience === 'developers') {
    return 'alex_costume2_cameraA';
  }

  // Educational content for students
  if (contentType === 'educational' && targetAudience === 'students') {
    return 'mary_teacher_cameraA';
  }

  // Customer support content
  if (contentType === 'support') {
    return 'kelly_support_cameraA';
  }

  // Default professional avatar
  return 'anna_costume1_cameraA';
}

async function createTargetedVideo(content: {
  title: string;
  script: string;
  type: string;
  audience: string;
}) {
  const avatar = selectAvatarForContent(content.type, content.audience);

  const response = await synthesia.videos.createVideo({
    input: [{
      scriptText: content.script,
      avatar: avatar,
      background: 'office'
    }],
    title: content.title,
    visibility: 'private',
    aspectRatio: '16:9',
    test: true
  });

  return response.data;
}

A/B Testing with Different Avatars

async function createABTestVideos(script: string, title: string) {
  const avatarVariants = [
    'anna_costume1_cameraA',  // Professional female
    'james_costume1_cameraA', // Professional male
    'sophia_costume2_cameraA', // Casual young female
    'alex_costume2_cameraA'   // Casual male
  ];

  const videos = await Promise.all(
    avatarVariants.map((avatar, index) =>
      synthesia.videos.createVideo({
        input: [{
          scriptText: script,
          avatar: avatar,
          background: 'office'
        }],
        title: `${title} - Variant ${index + 1}`,
        visibility: 'private',
        aspectRatio: '16:9',
        test: true
      })
    )
  );

  return videos.map(v => v.data).filter(Boolean);
}

Best Practices

Avatar Selection Guidelines

1. Match Avatar to Content Tone

   // Formal business content
   const businessAvatar = 'james_costume1_cameraA';
   
   // Casual tutorial content
   const tutorialAvatar = 'anna_costume2_cameraA';
   
   // Technical documentation
   const techAvatar = 'alex_costume1_cameraA';

2. Consider Your Audience

   const audienceAvatars = {
     executives: 'david_costume1_cameraA',
     youngProfessionals: 'sophia_costume1_cameraA',
     students: 'mary_teacher_cameraA',
     customers: 'kelly_support_cameraA'
   };

3. Maintain Consistency

   // Use the same avatar across a video series
   const seriesAvatar = 'anna_costume1_cameraA';
   
   const videoSeries = [
     { title: 'Introduction', avatar: seriesAvatar },
     { title: 'Chapter 1', avatar: seriesAvatar },
     { title: 'Chapter 2', avatar: seriesAvatar }
   ];

Voice Settings per Avatar

const avatarVoiceSettings = {
  'anna_costume1_cameraA': {
    speed: 1.0,
    pitch: 1.0 // Natural, professional
  },
  'james_costume1_cameraA': {
    speed: 0.95,
    pitch: 0.9 // Slightly slower, authoritative
  },
  'sophia_costume2_cameraA': {
    speed: 1.1,
    pitch: 1.05 // Energetic, engaging
  },
  'alex_costume2_cameraA': {
    speed: 1.0,
    pitch: 0.95 // Technical, clear
  }
};

function getOptimalVoiceSettings(avatar: string) {
  return avatarVoiceSettings[avatar] || { speed: 1.0, pitch: 1.0 };
}

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

1. Avatar Not Found Error

   // Always validate avatar IDs
   const validAvatars = [
     'anna_costume1_cameraA',
     'james_costume1_cameraA',
     'sophia_costume1_cameraA'
   ];
   
   function validateAvatar(avatarId: string): boolean {
     return validAvatars.includes(avatarId);
   }

2. Inconsistent Avatar Appearance

   // Use the same camera angle for consistency
   const consistentAvatar = 'anna_costume1_cameraA'; // Always cameraA

3. Avatar Not Suitable for Content

   // Match avatar formality to content
   const formalContent = 'james_costume1_cameraA';  // Business suit
   const casualContent = 'james_costume2_cameraA';  // Casual attire

Avatar Updates

Synthesia regularly adds new avatars. To get the latest list:

// Check template avatars for the most up-to-date list
async function getAvailableAvatars() {
  const templates = await synthesia.templates.listTemplates();

  if (templates.data) {
    const avatarVariables = templates.data.templates
      .flatMap(template => template.variables)
      .filter(variable => variable.type === 'avatar')
      .map(variable => variable.name);

    return [...new Set(avatarVariables)]; // Unique avatars
  }

  return [];
}

Next Steps

• Learn about voice settings
• Read the Videos API reference