Seedance 2.5 and 2.0 prompt guide

The prompt formula

Write the parts below in this order, one or two short sentences each. Leave a part out only when you are happy for the model to choose it.

Write longer clips in beats

Seedance 2.5 makes one continuous clip of up to 30 seconds; Seedance 2.0 stops at 15. The longer the clip, the more the model needs to know what comes first and what comes next. Split the action into two to four beats and give each a rough time, or start each with "Then".

Keep one subject and one location across the beats unless you ask for a cut. To cut, say so: "Cut to a close-up of her hands."

• 0–8s: Wide shot of a lighthouse on a cliff at dawn, waves breaking below, the camera drifts in from the sea. 8–18s: A keeper in a wool coat climbs the spiral stairs, handheld camera following behind him. 18–30s: At the top he lights the lamp; the beam sweeps across the fog as the camera pulls back to reveal the coastline. Sound: wind, waves, footsteps on iron stairs, a low cello at the end.

Camera moves Seedance understands

Name one main move per shot. Two moves at once, such as an orbit while zooming, often come out as neither.

Sound, dialogue and lip sync

With audio on, Seedance 2.5 and 2.0 make the sound in the same pass as the picture. Describe it the way a sound designer would: the music style and tempo, the effects you should hear, and the background.

For speech, say who speaks and put the exact words in quotes. Keep each line short enough to say in the time it has, one speaker at a time. Mouth movement follows the line more closely in a medium or close shot.

Turn audio off if you will add your own track; the clip then costs fewer credits.

• Close-up of a barista behind a café counter, morning light. She slides a cup forward and says, "Your oat latte, extra hot." Sound: espresso machine hiss, cups clinking, soft indie music in the background.

Words on screen

Put the exact text in quotes and say where it appears: "a neon sign that reads 'OPEN 24H'", or "the title 'SUMMER SALE' appears in bold white letters at the center". Short words in simple lettering come out most reliably. Check the spelling in the result, and add longer captions in your editor instead.

Image to video: describe the motion, not the picture

Your image already sets the subject, the look and the framing. Spend the prompt on what changes: what moves, how the camera moves and what it sounds like. Repeating the picture adds nothing, and contradicting it (a blue car when the photo shows a red one) makes the result unstable.

Add a second image to set the last frame, then describe the change between the two: "The flower bud opens into full bloom over the clip, static camera."

Reference to video: point at your files with @

In Reference to Video, upload images, clips and audio, then type @ in the prompt and pick a file from the list. The prompt shows @1, @2 and so on, in the order you uploaded them. On Seedance 2.5 you can also write @Image1, @Video1 or @Audio1.

Say what each file is for. "The woman in @1" pins a face, "the camera move from @2" copies the camera, "cut to the beat of @3" times the edit to the music. A file you upload but never mention may still be used, but you have less say over how.

Edit or extend a video you already have

Upload the clip in Reference to Video and start the prompt with what to do to it, using the words edit, replace or extend. Say what changes and what stays: "Replace the sky in @1 with a stormy sunset; keep the people and the camera move." or "Extend @1 by 10 seconds: the runner crosses the finish line and raises both arms."

Leave the aspect ratio on Auto for edits and extensions, so the result keeps the shape of your clip.

Common mistakes

Test cheaply, then make the final

1. Pick the mode: text, image or reference to video.
2. Write the prompt with the formula above.
3. Run a short draft at 480p first: 28 credits for 5 seconds on Seedance 2.5, with audio.
4. Change one thing at a time until the motion and the framing are right.
5. Make the final at full length and up to 1080p; the credit cost shows before you generate.

Example prompts to try

Each one opens in the Seedance 2.5 generator with the prompt filled in.

• Product ad

  Text to video

  A matte black wireless earbud case on a wet stone slab, studio at night. The lid flips open and the earbuds lift out slowly in a soft blue glow. Slow orbit around the case, then a push-in on the logo. Hard rim light, deep shadows, premium commercial look. Sound: a low synth swell and a crisp click when the lid opens.

  Try this prompt

• 30-second story in beats

  Text to video

  0–10s: A girl in a red scarf runs through a snowy village at dusk to catch a departing train, tracking shot beside her. 10–20s: She jumps onto the last carriage as the doors close, handheld camera inside the carriage. 20–30s: Out of breath, she presses her hand to the frosted window and smiles as the village lights slide away, slow push-in on her face. Sound: crunching snow, a train whistle, a gentle piano theme that swells at the end.

  Try this prompt

• Dialogue scene

  Text to video

  Medium close-up of an old fisherman mending a net on a wooden pier at sunrise. He looks up at the camera and says, "The sea gives what it wants, not what you ask." Static shot, warm low sun, light haze. Sound: lapping water, gulls, his calm gravelly voice.

  Try this prompt

• Bring a photo to life

  Image to video

  Upload a portrait or a street photo first.

  The person turns their head toward the camera and smiles; wind moves their hair and the traffic behind them keeps flowing. Slow push-in. Sound: city ambience and a light breeze.

  Try this prompt

• Same character, new scene

  Reference to video

  Upload two or three photos of the same person, then type @ to insert them.

  The man in @1 and @2 walks through a sunlit market in Marrakech, picks up an orange and laughs with the seller. Tracking shot at his side, then a close-up on his face. Keep his face, hair and jacket as in the photos. Sound: market chatter, footsteps, distant oud music.

  Try this prompt

• Dance to your track

  Reference to video

  Upload a photo of the dancer and a music file, then type @ to insert them.

  The dancer in @1 performs a sharp hip-hop routine on a rooftop at sunset, her moves timed to the beat of @2. Full-body wide shot, the camera slowly orbits around her. Warm backlight, lens flare.

  Try this prompt

Questions

How long should a Seedance prompt be?

Two to six sentences is usually enough for a short clip. A 30-second Seedance 2.5 clip benefits from more, split into beats, but every sentence should describe something on screen or in the sound.

Do Seedance 2.0 prompts work on Seedance 2.5?

Yes, they are written the same way. Seedance 2.5 adds longer clips (up to 30 seconds against 15) and more references (up to 50 files against 15), so you can describe more beats and pin more detail.

Which language should I write prompts in?

English works well, and Seedance also reads Chinese. In any language, quote spoken lines and on-screen words exactly as they should appear.

Why did the video ignore my reference?

Mention it in the prompt with @ and say what it is for: a face, an outfit, a camera move or a beat. One clear job per reference works better than several.

Is there a negative prompt?

Not on Seedance 2. Describe what you want to see instead of what to avoid: "an empty beach" works better than "no people".