If a subject is cut off in a Seedance 2.5 video, first identify where the loss occurs: the source image, generated frames, the player preview, or a later export. Correct that stage before changing the prompt. A prompt cannot restore a head, foot, or product edge that the source image never contained.
Where does the cropping happen?
| Visible symptom | How to confirm | Priority action |
|---|---|---|
| The source already cuts off a subject edge | Open the source file at full size | Use a wider source or extend the canvas externally |
| Source and target shapes differ | Compare their aspect ratios | Prepare more side or top/bottom space |
| Motion pushes the subject outside frame | Compare opening, middle, and final frames | Reduce travel, push-in distance, or subject movement |
| Only the preview looks cropped | Open the downloaded file in another player | Treat playback or export as a separate issue |
Do not treat every crop as a model failure. Source framing, aspect-ratio conversion, playback settings, and editing can create the same symptom.
Which input photo is safest?
For a full-body person, include the entire head and feet with space around the subject. For a product, show the complete silhouette, including cap, base, handles, and any detail that must remain identifiable. When changing landscape to vertical, do not simply ask the model to “fit everything.” Prepare a source where the important subject can survive the narrower composition. The image-to-video workflow can start a new image-led test; inspect the actual framing result.
Three practical ways to recover framing
- Use a wider source. This is usually the cleanest option. Keep the subject smaller in frame and use a modest action.
- Expand the source canvas externally. If no wider source exists, expand the canvas in an external image editor and inspect the generated border.
- Reframe or pad an existing clip. An external editor can reframe, scale down, or add padding, but it cannot restore pixels that were never recorded.
Example A: a full-body person
Use a source showing the person from head to shoes with space above and below.
Use the supplied full-body reference image. Keep one adult person fully visible from head to shoes in a full-length wide shot with comfortable space above the head and below the feet. Preserve the person’s clothing, body proportions, and the background doorway. The person takes one small step in place and raises one hand briefly. Keep the camera fixed and do not push in, orbit, or reframe. Keep the full body inside the frame from beginning to end.
Review the opening, middle, and final frames. Confirm that the head, both feet, hand, and doorway remain visible.
Example B: a tabletop product
Use a product photo showing the complete bottle, cap, base, label, and surrounding tabletop. Keep enough empty space for the planned move.
Use the supplied product photo as the visual reference. Keep the complete bottle centered on a matte tabletop, including the cap, base, label, and both side edges. Preserve the tabletop horizon and neutral background. Allow a slow, very small lateral camera move while the bottle remains stationary. Keep enough empty space around the bottle for the move; do not zoom in, orbit, or crop the cap or base. Maintain the same product proportions and label placement throughout.
Is aspect ratio the same as resolution?
No. Aspect ratio describes the frame shape; resolution describes its pixel dimensions.
FAQ
Why is my subject cut off in Seedance?
Check the source crop, target shape, and the point where the subject leaves the frame. Use a roomier source or reduce movement.
How do I keep a full body in an AI video?
Start with a source showing head to shoes and space around the person. Use a small action and restrained camera movement, then inspect three points in the clip.
How do I turn a landscape image into a vertical video without cutting off a product?
Prepare a source with more space around the subject and a composition suited to the target vertical aspect ratio. A later editor can add padding, but it cannot restore a product edge absent from the file.
Can a prompt fix a cropped input image?
No. Replace or expand the source, then inspect the generated result.
Related reading
- Seedance 2.5 video-resolution guide: troubleshoot pixel dimensions and blurry output.
