# Seedance reference (ByteDance) ## Contents 1. What Seedance is 2. Versions and specs 3. CLI parameters (1.x / 2.0 only) 4. The Details Law (read first) 5. 6-step prompt formula (quick) 6. Production-grade skeleton (11 blocks) — for dramatic / multi-shot work 7. The 5-second shot timeline (rhythm template) 8. Multi-shot syntax (unique capability) 9. Anti-mush guard block (when Seedance smears the cuts) 10. `@img1` character reference syntax 11. Camera movements (9 presets) 12. Negative prompts handling 13. Image-to-video rule 14. Audio (1.5+) 15. Failure modes and fixes 16. Worked example. 15-second tragicomedy as 3 × 5s clips 17. Seedance 2.5 → read `seedance-25.md` --- ## 1. What Seedance is A ByteDance video model with the UNIQUE ability to generate several distinct shots in ONE generation. The only major model that can pack a mini-montage inside a single 5-10s clip. Good cinematic motion, strong at ads and short narrative. ## 2. Versions and specs - Seedance 1.0 Pro. 1080p, 5-10s (API up to 12s). Strong multi-shot. - Seedance 1.0 Lite. 720p, faster, cheaper. - Seedance 1.5 Pro. Native audio and lip-sync added. - Seedance 2.0. Improved motion, better audio, 9 camera movement presets, limited negative prompt support, up to 12 reference inputs via `@` tags. Since June 2026: native 4K, 10-bit color. 2.0 Mini: ~2× faster, ~30% cheaper, for drafts and batches. - **Seedance 2.5** (released 2026-07-31). Native 30-second single-pass clip, up to 60s via extension, 30-180s in Ultra Long mode. 50 multimodal reference inputs (30 images + 10 video + 10 audio), video editing (partial re-render), 3D white-model camera blockout, realistic humans with multilingual lip-sync in 11 languages. **Full production reference: `seedance-25.md`.** Resolutions. 480p, 720p, 1080p; 2.0 adds native 4K; 2.5 outputs 480p/720p on Jimeng. Aspect ratios. 16:9, 4:3, 1:1, 3:4, 9:16, 21:9, 9:21. Frame rate. 24-30 fps. **Model pick within the family:** one continuous 15-30s arc, heavy reference kits, editing/extension of existing footage → 2.5 (realistic humans and lip-sync are a 2.5 headline feature — the 2.0-era face caution below does not apply to it). People-centric drama on a 2.0-only pipeline → 1.5 Pro (2.0 aggressively filters human faces and celebrity-adjacent content after the 2026 deepfake crackdown). Scenes, architecture, product, montage in short clips → 2.0. Cheap drafts → 2.0 Mini, then re-render keepers high. ## 3. CLI parameters (1.x / 2.0 only) Append at the end of the prompt. ```text --resolution 1080p --duration 5 --camerafixed false --seed 42 ``` - `--resolution`. 480p | 720p | 1080p - `--duration`. 2 to 12 (Pro) - `--camerafixed`. true locks the camera. false allows movement. - `--seed`. for reproducibility **Not 2.5 syntax.** On 2.5, duration / aspect ratio / resolution are set on the generation page or via API and do not belong in the prompt (exception: Ultra Long mode restates duration and ratio at the top — see `seedance-25.md` §2). ## 4. The Details Law (read this first) > **Details intensify emotion. Laziness kills the prompt.** Seedance does not render abstractions. It renders **physical specifics**. Every adjective must be a sensory fact. Every emotion must be a body. Every shot must own at least three concrete details: 1. **One environmental pressure.** Cold blue refrigerator light. Steam off boiling water. Wet asphalt. Flickering fluorescent. Dripping tap. Curtain breathing in the AC. 2. **One physical micro-action.** Jaw locks. Finger taps the counter. Knuckles whiten on the fork. Lips press into a line. He swallows hard. 3. **One sound anchor or visual motif.** Stomach growl at 2.3s. Reflection in the dark phone screen. Rain hitting the same windowpane. If a shot has none of these — it is filler. Delete it or rewrite it. Banned, lazy phrasing that produces mush: - "cinematic, professional, high quality, masterpiece" - "beautiful lighting" - "epic scene" - "amazing visuals" - "he is sad / he is angry" (with no physical translation) This rule is hard. Multi-shot prompts on Seedance fail not because of the model, but because the writer was lazy on a single shot. One thin shot drags the whole sequence down. ## 5. Six-step prompt formula (quick scenes) For single-shot 5s clips with one clear action. ```text Subject. [Who or what] Motion. [Present-tense verb, one clear action] Camera. [Movement + framing + lens] Environment. [Where, props, atmosphere] Lighting. [Direction + quality + color] Style. [Realism level, genre reference] ``` Write in full sentences, not tags. Seedance prefers clear grammatical prose. For dramatic / multi-shot / character-locked work, **use the production-grade skeleton in section 6 instead.** ## 6. Production-grade skeleton (11 blocks) Use this for any dramatic piece, multi-shot ad, music-video segment, or character-locked clip. Each block answers a specific failure mode. Skipping a block reintroduces that failure. ```text [1] Character lock. Use @img1 as the main character reference and preserve the exact same person across the whole clip: . Dress him in . No nudity. No glasses (unless reference). No extra characters. [2] Length + genre + editing intent. Generate a -second multi-shot sequence with dynamic editing. [3] Story (one paragraph). [4] Visual style. [5] Camera style. [6] Editing style. [7] Audio. [8] Shot-by-shot timeline. Shot 1, 0.0–X.X sec: . Shot 2, X.X–Y.Y sec: <...>. ... (See section 7 for the 5-second rhythm template.) [9] Lighting (recap and specifics).
[10] Composition. [11] Output specs. ``` Why 11 blocks and not 6? Each block prevents one specific Seedance failure: identity drift, one-take collapse, mood smear, lens chaos, audio mismatch, drift on rhythm. Cheap insurance. ## 7. The 5-second shot timeline (rhythm template) For a 5-second multi-shot clip, the model performs best with **5 shot beats** following a dramatic micro-arc. Use this timing as the default scaffold: ```text 0.0–0.8 sec | Establish | extreme close-up or insert that anchors emotion / situation 0.8–1.6 sec | Action | medium shot, hero moves or reacts 1.6–2.5 sec | Turn | new framing reveals the shift (POV, OTS, rack focus) 2.5–3.6 sec | Reaction | tight close-up, slow push-in, emotion lands on the body 3.6–5.0 sec | Climax / hero | hero shot, low angle, slow-mo if earned, final image ``` For 10s clips, double the structure or insert one pause before the climax (the pause beats speed). For 15s+ stories, split into 3 × 5s clips and stitch in the editor — Seedance is more reliable in shorter generations than one long take. ## 8. Multi-shot syntax (unique) Seedance reads explicit cut markers inside a single prompt and generates distinct shots connected by visible cuts. This is its strongest card. Use it when you need montage in a single generation. Supported cut markers. ```text Shot 1. [description] Cut to. [description] Camera cut to. [description] Camera switching. [description] Lens switch to. [description] ``` Inline timeline syntax. ```text [Shot A description] -> Cut to -> [Shot B description] -> Camera cut to -> [Shot C description] ``` Example. ```text Shot 1. Medium close-up on a tired man in a kitchen. He opens the refrigerator. Cut to. Macro insert. His hand reaches toward a single sausage on an empty shelf. Cut to. Over-the-shoulder shot. The fridge light paints his face cold blue. ``` Use 2-3 shots per 5-second clip for tight cinematic montage, 4-5 shot beats only when each beat is short and physically distinct (see section 7). Hard cap: 5 shots per generation — beyond that the model drops or compresses shots. Size the duration to the shot count (4 shots need 10-15s, not 5s). Every shot must share an anchor with its neighbors — same character, same location, or same lighting recipe — or the model produces disconnected clips instead of a sequence. ## 9. Anti-mush guard block Seedance sometimes ignores cuts and produces one continuous take, smears multiple shots into a single moving frame, or drifts character identity across the timeline. Drop this block at the **very top of the prompt** (before block [1]) when it happens or to prevent it pre-emptively on heavy multi-shot work: ```text Important direction: This must be a clearly edited multi-shot sequence with visible cuts between shots. Do not generate a single continuous take. Each shot must have a different camera angle and different framing. Use rapid montage pacing with rhythmic escalation. Keep the same character appearance throughout. Preserve the same clothing, face, body type, facial hair, and hairstyle in every shot. The tone is . ``` This is the highest-leverage paragraph in any Seedance prompt. Add it any time the model produced mush on a previous attempt. ## 10. `@img1` character reference syntax Seedance 2.0 accepts image references inline using `@img1`, `@img2`, etc. Use this to lock the protagonist's likeness across all shots in a multi-shot clip and across multiple stitched clips. ```text Use @img1 as the main character reference and preserve the exact same man across the whole clip: . No nudity. No glasses (unless in reference). No extra characters. ``` Rules. - The full identity block must follow the `@img1` mention. The model needs the textual description as a backup signal — the image alone drifts. - Repeat the identity block in **every** clip of a stitched sequence. Treat each generation as briefing a new intern. - For multiple references (character + setting, character + outfit), label each: `@img1` is the protagonist, `@img2` is the location reference, `@img3` is the outfit reference. Then state the role inline. - 2.0 also takes `@Video1` (motion/style reference, 480-720p) and `@Audio1` (voiceover / music) tags — state each reference's role in prose, e.g. "@Audio1 plays as the voiceover". Limits: 12 files total on 2.0 (up to 9 images, 3 videos, 3 audio); up to 50 on 2.5. ## 11. Camera movements (9 presets) - Dolly Out. Reveals context, pulling away. - Dolly In. Pushes into subject, builds tension. - Pan Left / Pan Right. Horizontal reveal, landscape, row. - Tilt Up / Tilt Down. Vertical reveal. - Tracking. Follows a moving subject. - Crane / Aerial. Epic scale, establishing. - Handheld. Documentary, intimate, UGC. - Zoom In / Zoom Out. Tension or detail. - Hitchcock Zoom. "dolly out while zooming in" for vertigo effect. - Static (via `--camerafixed true`). Locked frame. Combine sparingly. Multiple camera moves in 5s rarely resolve cleanly. ## 12. Negative prompts Seedance 1.0 Pro does NOT support negative prompts. No `--no blur` syntax works. Seedance 2.0 adds limited negative prompt support but it's fragile and often ignored. Workaround for 1.x/2.0. Always invert to positive phrasing. Instead of "no yellow tones" write "cold blue-gray palette with desaturated skin tones." Instead of "no distorted hands" write "anatomically correct hands with clear finger separation." **Seedance 2.5 fixed this.** Direct bans are reliable: "pure video, no subtitles, no background music" actually suppresses them, and specific prohibition lists ("no exaggerated crying, no fast cuts") are a core part of the official 2.5 prompt structure. See `seedance-25.md` §7. ## 13. Image-to-video rule When using a reference image, DO NOT describe elements already visible in the image. The model sees it. Describe only motion and camera work. Re-describing static elements creates identity drift. Bad. "A man in red shirt stands in kitchen. He walks to the fridge." Good. "He slowly walks toward the fridge, opens it with hesitation, freezes when he sees the empty shelves. Tracking shot from behind, 35mm." ## 14. Audio (1.5+) Seedance 1.5 Pro, 2.0 and 2.5 generate native audio and support lip-sync. Include audio cues in the body of the prompt — treat the prompt as a sound brief. ```text Audio. fridge hum, distant rain on window, one stomach growl at 2.3 sec, final silence. ``` Rules: - Dialogue goes in **double quotes** on 1.5/2.0 — the model voices it, generates the voice and syncs lips to the cut. State the delivery: "Play her line dry and a little proud, his quiet and worn out." **On 2.5, use the dedicated markers instead**: dialogue in `{ }`, SFX in `< >`, music in `( )`, titles in `【 】` (see `seedance-25.md` §4). - Keep lines short. Long monologues drift out of sync — split into several lines and hold sync with cuts. Still less robust than Veo for speech-first work. - Write **"no music"** explicitly when you want none — otherwise the model lays an ad-style score under everything. - Subtitles: describe the voiceover, then ask for "text along the bottom edge, timed to the voice". ## 15. Failure modes and fixes ### One continuous take when multi-shot was requested Fix. Add explicit "Cut to" markers. Say "multi-shot sequence with visible hard cuts. Do not generate a single continuous take." ### Character drift across shots Fix. Repeat the full identity block at each shot boundary inside the prompt. ### Motion ignored below 5 seconds Fix. Minimum duration 5s for any scene that has multiple actions or camera moves. ### Negative phrasing ignored Fix. Use positive substitutes. Seedance 1.0 has no negative parser. ### Multi-shot fails on 4+ shots in 5s Fix. Cap at 2-3 shots per 5-second clip for tight cinematic, or 4-5 short beats following the section 7 timeline. If more shots are needed, split into multiple generations. ### Mood smear / "everything looks the same" Fix. Each shot needs a distinct emotional function (Establish / Power / Pressure / Detail / Reaction / Shift / Impact / Aftermath — see dramaturgy.md §10, Layer 2). If two adjacent shots have the same function, the model averages them into the same frame. Vary function and framing in every cut. ### Lazy abstract phrasing produces lifeless clips Fix. Apply the Details Law (section 4). Audit your draft: every shot must have one environmental pressure, one micro-action, one sound or visual motif anchor. Replace adjectives like "dramatic", "intense", "beautiful" with concrete physical facts. ### Human faces rejected or degraded (2.0) After the 2026 deepfake crackdown, 2.0 aggressively filters human faces, helmets, sunglasses, and anything resembling protected IP or celebrity likeness. Fix. Route face-heavy drama to Seedance 2.5 (realistic humans are its headline feature), 1.5 Pro, Kling, or Veo; keep 2.0 for scenes, architecture, product and montage work. Use only owned or synthetic character references — the IP/celebrity filter applies on 2.5 too. ## 16. Worked example. 15-second tragicomedy as 3 × 5s clips A 15s narrative is **never** one prompt. It is three self-contained 5-second prompts, each with the full character lock, the full visual style, the full audio block, and a different dramatic function. Stitch in the editor. ### Story spine - Beat 1 (Clip A, 0-5s). Hunger. Hero opens an almost empty fridge. Discovers one lonely sausage. Despair flips to hope. - Beat 2 (Clip B, 5-10s). Cooking. Pot, water, fire, sausage, bubbling, anticipation, hero shot lifting the sausage with a fork. - Beat 3 (Clip C, 10-15s). Catastrophe. Sausage slips, falls, wet thud. Window. Bedroom. Hungry sleep. Cut to black. ### Clip A. Hunger (production-grade skeleton applied) ```text Important direction: This must be a clearly edited multi-shot sequence with visible cuts between shots. Do not generate a single continuous take. Each shot must have a different camera angle and different framing. Use rapid montage pacing. Use @img1 as the main character reference and preserve the exact same man across the whole clip: bald head, gray-green eyes, round expressive face, moustache, long black braided goatee, short dark side hair tufts, slightly overweight build, tragicomic face. Dress him in a dark oversized T-shirt and dark sweatpants. No nudity. No glasses. No extra characters. Generate a 5-second multi-shot tragicomic cinematic sequence with fast dynamic editing. Story: The man is hungry at night. He suddenly goes to the refrigerator, opens it, feels disappointment because it is almost empty, then notices one lonely sausage and becomes instantly hopeful. Visual style: Cold night kitchen. Blue-green refrigerator light. Desaturated colors. No warm yellow tones. Slightly harsh LED reflections. Realistic cinematic look. High contrast but natural skin texture. Subtle film grain. Realistic food detail. Camera style: Sony FX3 handheld look. 35mm and 50mm lenses for medium and close shots. 100mm macro for inserts. Handheld micro-shake. Visible cuts between shots. Editing style: Fast montage with hard cuts. Each shot a different angle and framing. Tense rhythm, escalating to the moment of discovery. Audio: Deep stomach growl, soft room tone, refrigerator hum, quiet footsteps, fridge door sound. No dialogue. No subtitles. No on-screen text. Shot 1, 0.0–0.8 sec. Extreme close-up of the man's eyes in darkness. He is awake, hungry, tense. Static close shot, faint blue ambient light. Shot 2, 0.8–1.6 sec. Medium handheld side shot. He sits up and walks fast to the kitchen. Slight shake, push-in. Shot 3, 1.6–2.6 sec. POV from inside the refrigerator. The door opens toward camera. Cold blue-green light hits his face. Shelves almost empty. His face drops. Shot 4, 2.6–3.5 sec. Rapid inserts: empty shelf, empty container, lonely sauce stain, his sad eyes, his hand moving items aside. Shot 5, 3.5–5.0 sec. Macro insert of one single sausage in the corner. Rack focus from empty shelf to sausage. Smash cut to a slightly low-angle close-up of his face. His eyes widen, despair flips to joy, tiny victorious smile. Lighting: Dark apartment, very low ambient fill. Main source is cold refrigerator light, blue-green, top-front. Strong contrast. No warm kitchen light. Composition: Tight close-ups and inserts. Negative space inside the empty fridge. Final face shot heroic and absurd. --resolution 1080p --duration 5 --camerafixed false ``` Clips B and C follow the same structure with their own story paragraph, shot list, and final image. The character lock and visual style blocks are repeated **verbatim** in each clip — Seedance has no memory between generations. ### Older single-clip skeleton (kept for quick scenes) For a single non-dramatic shot or a quick test, the original 6-step skeleton still works: ```text Subject. [identity block with face, hair, clothing, distinguishing features]. Motion. [one clear present-tense action for the scene]. Camera. Shot 1. [framing, lens, movement]. Cut to. Shot 2. [framing, lens, movement]. Cut to. Shot 3. [framing, lens, movement]. Environment. [location, time of day, props, weather]. Lighting. [dominant source, direction, quality, color]. Style. [realism level, genre reference, palette]. Audio. [ambient, SFX, silence moments]. (1.5+ only) Continuity. [what must remain constant across shots]. --resolution 1080p --duration 5 --camerafixed false ``` For dramatic, multi-shot, character-locked, or stitched-clip work — always use the 11-block production-grade skeleton from section 6. ## 17. Seedance 2.5 → read `seedance-25.md` 2.5 changes the workflow: a 15-30s narrative that used to be 3-6 stitched clips is now one generation with one continuous arc, extendable to 60s, with a separate Ultra Long mode to 180s. The dramaturgy does not change — the beat map from `dramaturgy.md` §10 moves inside a single prompt. Everything 2.5-specific lives in **`seedance-25.md`**: the official prompt formulas, the `( ) < > { } 【 】` markers, the 50-slot reference discipline, stages + end states, video editing, extension, Ultra Long, blockout/green-screen pipeline, and the official worked examples. For any 2.5 production task, read that file before writing the prompt. --- *Author: Serge Shima ([t.me/aimastersme](https://t.me/aimastersme) · [sergeshima.com](https://sergeshima.com) · [aimasters.me](https://aimasters.me)) · License: CC BY 4.0 — attribution required · Source: [smixs/visual-skills](https://github.com/smixs/visual-skills)*