Short answer: Use the reference video for one defined job—camera path, pacing, or blocking—and describe your own subject and continuity separately. A reference can guide motion without automatically becoming the identity, setting, or story of your new clip.
Why motion references drift
A reference video may contain a person, location, lighting style, and camera move. “Use this motion” does not say which information to borrow. Separate the brief into three roles:
| Role | What to specify |
|---|---|
| Motion reference | camera direction, speed, framing changes, rhythm, or blocking |
| Original subject | identity, product shape, wardrobe, action, and position |
| Continuity rules | what must stay stable and what may change |
The current Media to Video workflow exposes media references and prompt controls, but a reference is still a direction, not a guarantee. Review the returned clip before using it in a final edit.
Set up the reference in the current workflow
Open Media to Video, choose a model that supports video references, then select Standard reference if that option is available. Upload the reference video and check the current interface for the asset limit and the labels assigned to each uploaded asset before writing the prompt. The default interface may open with Seedance 2.5 Lite; do not treat that default selection as proof that the full Seedance 2.5 model is selected. The 'Video1' label below is an example—use the actual label shown for your uploaded video.
If preserving a real product matters, upload a product image and assign it a subject role. Writing “red mug” alone describes a category; it does not preserve a particular mug’s shape, handle, lid, or surface details.
Choose one job for the reference video
Complete this sentence: “The reference video controls ___.” Choose one primary answer: camera path, pacing, blocking, or performance rhythm. Do not ask the same reference to control all four on the first pass.
A self-contained prompt
Use @Image1 as the reference for the travel mug's appearance and tabletop setup.
Use @Video1 only as a reference for one slow left-to-right lateral camera move.
Do not copy the reference video's people, location, props, logos, or text.
Create a 6-second clip. The mug remains stationary on the table. Preserve its
shape, handle, lid, color, and surface details from @Image1. Keep the complete
mug visible at a similar medium-shot scale throughout. Move the camera slowly
from left to right, then ease to a stop. No push-in, zoom, orbit, or cuts.
Keep the set dressing and lighting consistent; natural background parallax
from the lateral camera movement is allowed. Quiet room tone only.
Attach the same references again for each new generation. Do not rely on “same as before” to recreate an upload or continuity constraint.
Diagnose the result by role
If the camera is right but the subject changes, strengthen the subject invariants and reduce the action. If the subject is stable but the camera ignores the reference, use one camera verb and define its start and end. If the reference background leaks in, state explicitly that only motion is borrowed.
Avoid contradictions such as “locked camera” plus “continuous orbit,” or “full-body framing” plus “extreme close-up.” Resolve the contradiction before generating again.
Use a still reference when the priority is the opening composition, product design, face, or wardrobe. Use a video reference when the important information is time-based motion. If both matter, assign each input a job and state the boundary. For a camera that should not move, see how to keep a Seedance 2.5 camera static.
Review checklist
- Is the original subject recognizable from opening to ending?
- Did the camera move in the intended direction and speed?
- Did the reference performer, background, logo, or text leak into the result?
- Did the object keep its shape, labels, and support points?
- Does the ending give an editor a usable hold?
This workflow improves the brief; it does not guarantee identity, motion, or text fidelity. Check the current Seedance 2.5 product page and pricing page for current controls and credit estimates before a paid generation.
FAQ
Can I use a reference video only for camera movement?
Yes. Make that the explicit role and tell the model not to copy the reference subject, location, costume, props, or text.
Does a motion reference guarantee the same camera move?
No. It provides direction; the selected mode, source media, prompt, and returned clip still determine the result.
How do I preserve a product's exact appearance?
Upload a product image, assign it a subject role, and state which shape, color, and surface details must remain stable. A text-only description is not a substitute for a product reference.
