diff --git a/kittens/choose_files/ffmpeg.go b/kittens/choose_files/ffmpeg.go
index 8d2898803..ebc6e564a 100644
--- a/kittens/choose_files/ffmpeg.go
+++ b/kittens/choose_files/ffmpeg.go
@@ -32,13 +32,13 @@ type ffmpeg_renderer int
 var (
 	video_width            = 480
 	video_fps              = 10
-	video_duration         = 5
+	video_duration         = 5.0
 	video_encoding_quality = 75
 )
 
 func ffmpeg_thumbnail_cmd(path, outpath string) *exec.Cmd {
 	return exec.Command(
-		"ffmpeg", "-loglevel", "fatal", "-y", "-i", path, "-t", fmt.Sprintf("%d", video_duration),
+		"ffmpeg", "-loglevel", "fatal", "-y", "-i", path, "-t", fmt.Sprintf("%f", video_duration),
 		"-vf", fmt.Sprintf("fps=%d,scale=%d:-1:flags=lanczos", video_fps, video_width),
 		"-c:v", "libwebp", "-lossless", "0", "-compression_level", "0", "-q:v",
 		fmt.Sprintf("%d", video_encoding_quality), "-loop", "0", "-f", "webp", outpath,
diff --git a/kittens/choose_files/main.go b/kittens/choose_files/main.go
index 99c9dc4ba..e3a1e9c7e 100644
--- a/kittens/choose_files/main.go
+++ b/kittens/choose_files/main.go
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/kovidgoyal/kitty/tools/tui/loop"
 	"github.com/kovidgoyal/kitty/tools/tui/readline"
 	"github.com/kovidgoyal/kitty/tools/utils"
+	"github.com/kovidgoyal/kitty/tools/utils/shlex"
 	"golang.org/x/text/message"
 )
 
@@ -279,6 +280,35 @@ func load_config(opts *Options) (ans *Config, err error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 	ans.KeyboardShortcuts = config.ResolveShortcuts(ans.KeyboardShortcuts)
+	parts, err := shlex.Split(ans.Video_preview)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	for _, x := range parts {
+		k, v, found := strings.Cut(x, "=")
+		if !found {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid value %s in video_preview", x)
+		}
+		var i uint64
+		switch k {
+		case "duration":
+			if video_duration, err = strconv.ParseFloat(v, 64); err != nil {
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid %s in video_preview: %s", k, v)
+			}
+		case "fps":
+			if i, err = strconv.ParseUint(v, 10, 0); err != nil {
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid %s in video_preview: %s", k, v)
+			}
+			video_fps = int(i)
+		case "width":
+			if i, err = strconv.ParseUint(v, 10, 0); err != nil {
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid %s in video_preview: %s", k, v)
+			}
+			video_width = int(i)
+		default:
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("unrecognized key in video_preview: %s", k)
+		}
+	}
 	return ans, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/kittens/choose_files/main.py b/kittens/choose_files/main.py
index 1868c6d59..22bc22275 100644
--- a/kittens/choose_files/main.py
+++ b/kittens/choose_files/main.py
@@ -77,6 +77,15 @@ File extension aliases for syntax highlight. For example, to syntax highlight
 Multiple aliases must be separated by spaces.
 ''')
 
+opt('video_preview', 'width=480 fps=10 duration=5', long_text='''
+Control how videos are sampled for previwing. The width controls
+the size of the generated thumbnail from the video. Duration controls
+how long the generated thumbnail plays for, in seconds. Note that when
+changing these you should also use :option:`--clear-cache` otherwise it will
+not affect already cached previews.
+''')
+
+
 egr()  # }}}
 
 agr('shortcuts', 'Keyboard shortcuts')  # {{{