diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 49660f7..acf9e9c 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@
 storage/*
-models/*
\ No newline at end of file
+models/*
+samples*
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index c72a240..743175f 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -25,6 +25,11 @@ setup-tests:
 		echo "[setup-tests]: Installing dependencies"; \
 		make setup
 start:
-	@docker compose up -d
+	@echo "Starting smriti services..."; \
+		docker compose up -d
 stop:
-	@docker compose down
\ No newline at end of file
+	@echo "Starting smriti services..."; \
+		docker compose down
+gen-test-data: start
+	@echo "Generating test data"; \
+		python3 scripts/generate_test_data.py
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/scripts/generate_test_data.py b/scripts/generate_test_data.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..66d857a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/generate_test_data.py
@@ -0,0 +1,96 @@
+"""Generate test data for local testing"""
+import os
+import requests
+import zipfile
+import shutil
+import time
+
+
+API_URL ='http://localhost:5001'
+DOWNLOAD_PHOTOS_URL = 'https://www.dropbox.com/sh/q7yqg7uufaflqjg/AABAo-QEwNIAjxyZSJD0ICzDa?dl=1'
+
+# create user
+res = requests.post(f'{API_URL}/v1/users', auth=('smriti', 'smritiT3st!'), json={'name':'Jeff Dean','username':'jeffdean','password':'jeffT3st!','features':'{"albums":true,'+
+                '"favourites":true,"hidden":true,"trash":true,"explore":true,"places":true,"things":true,"people":true,"sharing":true}'})
+if res.status_code == 201:
+    print('✅ created user')
+else:
+    res = res.json()
+    if 'violates unique constraint' not in res['message']:
+        print(f'❌ error creating user: {res["message"]}')
+        exit(0)
+
+# create auth token
+res = requests.post(f'{API_URL}/v1/auth/login', json={'username':'jeffdean','password':'jeffT3st!'})
+assert res.status_code == 200
+res = res.json()
+access_token = res['accessToken']
+print('✅ got auth token')
+headers = {'Authorization': f'Bearer {access_token}'}
+
+# download and upload mediaitems
+mediaitems = []
+print('ℹ️ downloading sample mediaitems, hang on...')
+if not os.path.exists('samples.zip'):
+    response = requests.get(DOWNLOAD_PHOTOS_URL)
+    if response.status_code == 200:
+        local_file_path = 'samples.zip'
+        with open(local_file_path, 'wb') as local_file:
+            for chunk in response.iter_content(chunk_size=8192):
+                local_file.write(chunk)
+    else:
+        print('❌ error downloading sample mediaitems')
+        exit(0)
+print('✅ downloaded sample mediaitems')
+with zipfile.ZipFile('samples.zip', 'r') as zip_ref:
+    zip_ref.extractall('samples')
+print('ℹ️ uploading sample mediaitems, hang on...')
+for file in os.listdir('samples'):
+    files = {'file': open(f'samples/{file}', 'rb')}
+    res = requests.post(f'{API_URL}/v1/mediaItems', files=files, headers=headers)
+    if res.status_code != 201:
+        res = res.json()
+        print(f'❌ error uploading sample mediaitem: {res["message"]}')
+        exit(0)
+    res = res.json()
+    mediaitems.append(res['id'])
+    while True:
+        res = requests.get(f'{API_URL}/v1/mediaItems/{res["id"]}', files=files, headers=headers)
+        assert res.status_code == 200
+        res = res.json()
+        if res['status'] == 'READY':
+            break
+        time.sleep(2)
+print('✅ uploaded sample mediaitems')
+
+# create albums
+first_album_mediaitems = mediaitems[:int(len(mediaitems)/2)]
+second_album_mediaitems = mediaitems[int(len(mediaitems)/2):]
+res = requests.post(f'{API_URL}/v1/albums', json={'name':'First Album'}, headers=headers)
+if res.status_code == 201:
+    res = res.json()
+else:
+    res = res.json()
+    print(f'❌ error creating first album: {res["message"]}')
+    exit(0)
+res = requests.post(f'{API_URL}/v1/albums/{res["id"]}/mediaItems', json={'mediaItems':first_album_mediaitems}, headers=headers)
+if res.status_code != 204:
+    res = res.json()
+    print(f'❌ error adding mediaitems to first album: {res["message"]}')
+    exit(0)
+res = requests.post(f'{API_URL}/v1/albums', json={'name':'Second Album'}, headers=headers)
+if res.status_code == 201:
+    res = res.json()
+else:
+    res = res.json()
+    print(f'❌ error creating first album: {res["message"]}')
+    exit(0)
+res = requests.post(f'{API_URL}/v1/albums/{res["id"]}/mediaItems', json={'mediaItems':second_album_mediaitems}, headers=headers)
+if res.status_code != 204:
+    res = res.json()
+    print(f'❌ error adding mediaitems to second album: {res["message"]}')
+    exit(0)
+print('✅ created 2 albums with mediaitems')
+
+# clearing extracted files
+shutil.rmtree('samples')