How to Use Reference Images
Keep a character, mascot or product consistent across clips with the Reference to Video tool.
With Reference to Video you upload one to three images of a subject and describe a new scene. The model generates a clip in which the subject keeps the look from your images. References are images only.
Image to Video or Reference to Video?
| Image to Video | Reference to Video | |
|---|---|---|
| What your image does | Becomes the first frame | Shows the model what the subject looks like |
| Images | 1 (or a first and last frame) | 1 to 3 of the same subject |
| Use it when | You want this exact photo to move | You want the same subject in a new scene |
Step 1: Choose the images
Upload one to three JPG, PNG or WebP images of the same subject. Show the whole subject clearly on a simple background, and add different angles rather than different versions of it.
Step 2: Describe the scene
Write one shot: what the subject does, where, the camera move and the light. Refer to the subject as "the character from the reference images" instead of describing its looks again.
The character from the reference images walks through a rainy night market holding a paper umbrella. Slow tracking shot from the side, cinematic lighting.
Step 3: Choose the model
| Model | Price |
|---|---|
| Veo 3.1 | 13 credits per 8-second clip, with audio |
| Seedance 2.0 | 7.7 credits/s at 480p, 16.94 credits/s at 720p |
Choose 16:9 for landscape or 9:16 for vertical video, then click Generate. If the subject drifts from your images, remove adjectives about its appearance from the prompt; they compete with the images.
For the full walkthrough, see the guide How to Keep a Character Consistent with Reference Images.