Seedance 2.0 image to video workflow

Seedance 2.0 Image-to-Video Workflow: Turn One Reference into Motion

Image-to-video is the right workflow when the subject must stay recognizable: a product, a character, a room, a poster, or a branded visual. The goal is not to describe a new object. The goal is to preserve the reference and animate only the parts that should move.

Start with a clean image

Use a sharp image with one main subject, enough visible edges, and minimal clutter. Crop out watermarks, UI overlays, and random background text. Then use the prompt to define motion. For multi-input control beyond one image, read the omni reference guide.

Reference-first prompt

Use the uploaded image as the exact visual reference.
Preserve the product shape, color, label, and logo placement.
Animate only: soft studio light sweeps from left to right, subtle reflection moves across the surface.
Camera: slow push-in, product remains centered and fully visible, 6 seconds, no new text.

Step-by-step workflow

  1. Choose the reference image and decide what must stay unchanged.
  2. Write the motion as a small list: object motion, camera motion, lighting motion, and environment motion.
  3. Render a short draft. Do not test long duration until identity and framing are correct.
  4. If the subject changes, strengthen preservation language and remove style words that conflict with the image.
  5. If the motion is weak, describe a physical path: "rotates 30 degrees", "light sweeps left to right", or "camera pushes in slowly."

Use-case examples

Product: preserve packaging and logo, animate mist, reflections, or a slow orbit.

Character: preserve face, outfit, and pose, animate hair, blinking, breathing, or a gentle camera move.

Interior: preserve room layout, animate sunlight, curtains, fireplace, or a slow pan.

Poster or album art: preserve composition, animate depth layers, particles, light, or subtle parallax.

Common mistakes

Do not ask for a full scene rewrite if the image is the source of truth. A prompt like "make this product commercial cinematic with many effects" invites drift. A better prompt says exactly which parts can move. If you plan to make many variants, keep the same image and swap only one variable at a time. The camera movement guide is useful when you want the reference to stay fixed while the lens moves.

Animate one reference

Upload a clean image, preserve what matters, and animate only the visible motion.

Start creating
Seedance 2.0 Image-to-Video Workflow