Seedance 2.0 has changed what one person can produce without a camera, crew, or studio. Released by ByteDance on February 10, 2026, it is the first AI video model to generate 2K, multi-shot film sequences — complete with synchronized audio, lip-sync, and cinematic camera moves — from a single text prompt. One creator told CNBC it now takes "a 2-line prompt" to produce results that would have required a full production crew just two years ago.
This guide walks you through the exact prompt structure that turns Seedance 2.0 into your personal film director. You will learn the proven formula, the camera vocabulary the model understands natively, the reference-file system that locks character consistency, and the critical mistakes that waste your credits. Whether you are making a short film, a brand ad, or an action sequence, every technique applies directly.
Here is the complete prompt framework you can use right now:
The Core Prompt
Copy and paste this exact prompt:
From Prompt to Premiere: A Practical Guide to Creating Films with Seedance
Why This Prompt Works
This prompt acts as a director's brief, not a description. Seedance 2.0 was trained on professional cinematography data. It understands the same language a film director uses on set. When you frame your input like a production instruction — with shot type, subject motion, scene atmosphere, and style constraints — the model aligns every frame to a coherent visual intention.
The phrase "From Prompt to Premiere" signals a complete narrative arc. The model is not asked for a random clip. It is asked for a journey with a beginning, middle, and end. This activates Seedance 2.0's multi-shot storyboarding logic, which produces coherent scene transitions rather than isolated visual fragments.
Three specific techniques make this prompt structure work:
Narrative Framing. Seedance 2.0 uses a Dual-Branch Diffusion Transformer architecture. It generates audio and video at the same time. When a prompt implies a story arc, the model builds shot transitions that hold together as a complete sequence rather than separate clips.
Role-Assignment. Framing the output as a "guide" or "practical manual" activates role-playing prompt mechanics — a well-documented technique in prompt engineering. The model shifts into a production-oriented mode. It prioritizes continuity, pacing, and cinematic consistency over visual novelty.
Specificity as a Constraint. The word "Practical" steers the model toward grounded, realistic output. In prompt engineering, specificity reduces hallucination and increases output reliability. Vague prompts produce vague videos. Precise prompts produce precise films.
What Seedance 2.0 Is and What It Can Do
Seedance 2.0 is ByteDance's most capable AI video generation model as of February 2026. It accepts text, images, video clips, and audio files as inputs simultaneously — up to 12 reference files in a single generation.
| Feature | Seedance 2.0 Specification |
|---|---|
| Output resolution | Up to 2K (1080p standard) |
| Max clip length per generation | 15 seconds |
| Audio generation | Native — dialogue, ambient sound, lip-sync |
| Lip-sync languages | 8+ including English, Japanese, Korean, Chinese |
| Reference files supported | Up to 12 (images, video, audio combined) |
| Multi-shot storytelling | Yes — coherent scene transitions in one prompt |
| Generation speed | ~60 seconds for a multi-shot sequence |
| Character consistency | Yes — via the @tag reference system |
| Negative prompts | Not supported — use positive constraints instead |
| Paid access (China) | From ~69 RMB/month on Jimeng |
| Global access | CapCut Dreamina rollout expected ~February 24, 2026 |
Hugging Face researcher Yakefu described Seedance 2.0 as "one of the most well-rounded video generation models I have tested so far," noting that "visuals, music, and cinematography come together in a way that feels polished rather than experimental." China Daily reported that the Black Myth: Wukong studio CEO called it a structural shift that marks the end of the "childhood phase" of AI-generated content.
The Problem This Prompt Solves
Before Seedance 2.0, creating a short AI film required five or more separate tools: one for video generation, another for audio, another for lip-sync, a fourth for style transfer, and a video editor to combine everything. Even then, character faces drifted between shots. Colors shifted. Physics looked wrong.
Seedance 2.0 collapses that entire pipeline into a single generation. But the model is only as powerful as the prompt driving it. Most users get weak results because they describe what they want to see instead of how to shoot it. They write "a woman walking in the city" when they should write "a woman in a red wool coat walks slowly through a rainy Tokyo street at night, camera tracking her from behind at shoulder height, slow push-in, soft neon reflections on wet pavement."
The "From Prompt to Premiere" framing teaches Seedance 2.0 to think like a director. It transforms random clip generation into structured, intentional filmmaking.
How to Access Seedance 2.0 (February 2026)
As of February 16, 2026, Seedance 2.0 access varies by region:
| Platform | Region | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Jimeng (Dreamina) | China (official) | Requires Chinese phone number and payment method |
| Little Skylark | China | Most generous free tier; 3 free generations per day |
| CapCut / Dreamina | International | Full global rollout expected ~February 24, 2026 |
| ChatCut (third-party) | International | Early access; waitlist required |
| GlobalGPT | International | Unified aggregator; ~$10.80/month; no Chinese phone required |
Important: Multiple unofficial websites claim to offer Seedance 2.0 access but serve outputs from unrelated models. Stick to the platforms listed above until the official global rollout is confirmed.
How to Write Cinematic Seedance 2.0 Prompts: The Complete Formula
The Core Prompt Structure
Every strong Seedance 2.0 prompt follows this order:
Subject + Action + Scene + Camera + Style + Constraints
Keep prompts between 30 and 80 words. Short, structured prompts consistently outperform long poetic descriptions. The model needs clear production instructions, not lyric prose.
| Prompt Element | What to Include | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Subject | Who or what; age, appearance, clothing | "A young woman with short black hair, wearing a white linen dress" |
| Action | One specific verb; slow and continuous | "slowly turns toward the camera and smiles" |
| Scene | Location, time of day, weather, atmosphere | "in a sunlit bamboo garden at golden hour" |
| Camera | Shot size, movement type, speed, angle | "slow dolly-in from medium shot to close-up" |
| Style | One clear visual anchor | "cinematic film grain, soft warm lighting" |
| Constraints | What must stay consistent; positive language only | "Maintain face and clothing consistency, no distortion, high detail" |
The Camera Language Seedance 2.0 Understands Natively
Seedance 2.0 responds directly to standard film terminology. Use these terms exactly as written:
| Camera Move | Best Used For |
|---|---|
| Slow dolly-in | Intimacy, emotional intensity, close-up reveals |
| Tracking shot | Following a subject in motion |
| Crane shot | Revealing scale, sweeping drama |
| Handheld micro-shake | Realism, documentary feel, tension |
| Slow pan right/left | Establishing a space, following sight lines |
| Aerial shot | Wide establishing shots, action overview |
| Low-angle medium shot | Power, menace, heroism |
| Macro shot | Product detail, extreme close-ups |
| Dolly-zoom (Hitchcock zoom) | Psychological unease, vertigo effect |
The golden rule: One camera move per shot. Compound movements — "dolly in while panning right and zooming" — cause unstable, blurred output. For compound moves, write timed beats instead: "Start with a slow dolly-in. Then gentle pan right for the final 2 seconds."
Lighting and Style Keywords That Work
Pick one clear style anchor per prompt. Stacking multiple competing aesthetics produces muddled results.
| Style Category | Keywords to Use |
|---|---|
| Cinematic realism | "cinematic texture, film grain, shallow depth of field" |
| Golden hour | "warm golden light, volumetric rays, soft shadows" |
| Cyberpunk | "neon lighting, volumetric fog, wet reflections, high contrast" |
| Night scene | "cool blue moonlight, deep shadows, ambient city glow" |
| Studio product | "soft high-key lighting, pure white background, smooth rotation" |
| Anime | "cel-shaded, flat colors, clean lines, 2K detail" |
| Documentary | "handheld, natural light, UGC aesthetic" |
Using Reference Files: The @Tag System
Seedance 2.0's most powerful feature is the @tag reference system. When you upload images, video clips, or audio files, the platform automatically labels them: @Image1, @Image2, @Video1, @Audio1. You cite these labels directly in your prompt to tell the model what role each file plays.
What You Can Reference
| Reference Type | What It Controls | Prompt Example |
|---|---|---|
| Character image | Face, clothing, appearance across shots | "@Image1 as the character reference. Maintain face and clothing consistency." |
| Video clip | Camera movement, motion style, pacing | "Reference @Video1 for camera movements and transitions." |
| Audio file | Beat sync, emotional pacing, music cuts | "Use @Audio1 as background music. Synchronize scene cuts with the audio rhythm." |
| Multiple character images | Identity lock across multiple angles | "@Image1 and @Image2 for character facial features and clothing from multiple angles." |
| First/last frame images | Controlled start and end of scene | "@Image1 as the first frame. @Image2 as the last frame. Camera slowly dollies forward." |
Sweet spot: 6 to 7 total reference files gives the most reliable results. At 8 to 9, quality begins to drop. At 10 to 12, the model gets confused and output quality falls noticeably.
Character consistency tip: Upload 2 to 4 clean character reference images — front view, three-quarter angle, full body — and tag them all. This anchors identity while allowing dynamic motion. Limit each scene to 1 or 2 characters maximum. More than that causes the model to lose identity consistency across frames.
Motion transfer trick: Upload a short video of a specific movement — a person dancing, a car drifting, a specific camera dolly — and write "Imitate the action of @Video1." The model extracts the motion logic and applies it to your character or scene. This produces more natural, cinematic movement than trying to describe every micro-movement in text.
Real-World Prompt Examples
Cinematic Character Scene
A weary traveler in a dusty leather cloak slowly removes his wide-brimmed hat and exhales, looking toward a sunset. Low-angle medium shot, slow dolly-in toward his face, shallow depth of field. Warm golden hour light, cinematic color grading. 4K, stable picture, no flickering. Maintain face and clothing consistency, no distortion.
Product Commercial
A matte black luxury watch on a velvet stand rotates smoothly 360 degrees clockwise. Soft light reflects off the glass dial. Fixed macro camera, smooth turntable motion, commercial product photography style, soft high-key lighting, pure white background. 4K, no blur, no noise, sharp detail.
Action Sequence
A wuxia-style male hero wearing a black martial outfit fights enemies in a rainy bamboo forest at night. Fast sword combos with visible sword light trails and splashing water. Fast follow camera, crane shots, and quick close-ups. Maintain character appearance and clothing consistency. Realistic physics, wet fabric, rain interaction. 4K Ultra HD, no blur, no ghosting. Reference: Upload a martial arts video + character image as @Video1 and @Image1.
Multi-Shot Narrative
A lonely robot wakes up in an abandoned factory. Shot 1: Wide establishing shot, cold blue light through broken windows. Lens switch. Shot 2: Close-up of its eyes flickering on. Lens switch. Shot 3: It slowly raises one hand and examines it. Cinematic realism, desaturated color grade, ambient industrial sound. Maintain consistent lighting and robot design across all shots.
Anime Character Scene
An 18-year-old anime girl with short hair, wearing a white dress and straw hat, standing on a forest path in warm summer afternoon sunlight. She slowly turns toward the camera and smiles gently. A light breeze moves her hair and dress. Camera slowly pushes in from medium shot to close-up. Soft natural lighting, film grain, cinematic quality. Maintain face and clothing consistency, no distortion, high detail.
Tips and Best Practices for Seedance 2.0
Use slow motion words. The model produces its highest quality output on slow, continuous movements. Words like "slowly," "gently," "continuously," and "smooth" reduce frame-to-frame artifacts. Fast, chaotic actions are harder to control and more likely to produce distorted frames.
Always end with a quality suffix. Append these words to every Seedance 2.0 prompt: "4K, Ultra HD, rich details, sharp clarity, cinematic texture, natural colors, soft lighting, no blur, no ghosting, no flickering, stable picture." This acts as a quality floor for the generation.
No negative prompts. Seedance 2.0 does not support negative prompts. Instead of "no face morphing," write "maintain face and clothing consistency across all frames." Always state what you want, not what you don't want.
Suppress unwanted subtitles. If the model generates subtitle text on screen, add this to your prompt: "Generate video without subtitles."
Generate short first, extend later. Start with 5 to 10 seconds to confirm the visual result. Then extend or refine. This saves credits and avoids wasting a full generation on a wrong direction.
Generate multiple variants. Create 2 to 4 variants of the same prompt and compare. The model has approximately a 90% success rate on well-structured prompts. That means roughly 1 in 10 still needs a re-roll.
Double-check your @tags. In multi-reference prompts, mismatched tags are the most common mistake. Verify each @label matches the correct uploaded file before generating.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
| Mistake | Why It Fails | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Vague descriptors | "Cool lighting" gives the model no information | Specify exactly: "warm volumetric rays at golden hour" |
| Multiple camera moves in one shot | Causes blur and visual instability | One move per shot; use timed beats for sequences |
| Too many characters in one scene | Model loses identity consistency at 3+ characters | Stick to 1 or 2 characters per scene |
| Using negative prompt language | Seedance 2.0 ignores it entirely | Rewrite as positive constraints |
| Contradictory requirements | "Sprint at full speed" + "completely stable, no blur" | Choose one; they are physically incompatible |
| Uploading real celebrity faces | Flagged by ByteDance safety filters; feature suspended | Use fictional character descriptions or personal reference images |
| Long, poetic prompts (100+ words) | Confuses the model; outputs become unpredictable | Keep to 30–80 words, structured and direct |
| Too many reference files (10+) | Quality drops noticeably above 9 references | Stay at 6 to 7 reference files maximum |
| Describing vague motion ("acting naturally") | Model cannot extract motion from subjective language | Write specific actions: "slowly raises her hand and looks at it" |
Multi-Shot Filmmaking: Directing Sequences
Seedance 2.0 handles multi-shot narrative logic better than competing models as of early 2026. To build a coherent multi-shot film sequence:
- Write the connection between shots. Tell the model how shot 2 follows from shot 1 causally, not just visually.
- Use "lens switch" as your transition command. This specific phrase tells the model to create a clean cut between scenes.
- Describe each new scene fully after each cut. Do not assume the model carries context forward automatically. Repeat the essential character details.
- Select "unfixed camera" in the platform's basic settings when your prompt includes camera movement instructions.
- Use timed beats for longer sequences. Format them as: "1–5s: [action]. 6–10s: [action]. 11–15s: [action]." This activates Seedance 2.0's storyboarding logic precisely.
Example multi-shot structure:
Shot 1: Wide shot — a knight in silver armor enters a dark cave holding a torch. Cold blue ambient lighting. Lens switch. Shot 2: Close-up — his nervous eyes scan the darkness. Lens switch. Shot 3: Low-angle medium shot — he draws his sword, which glows blue. Maintain character appearance and armor design across all shots. 2K resolution, low-key dramatic lighting, ambient cave sound.
Customization Options
The core filmmaking prompt can be adapted for many different production types:
| Production Type | Key Adjustments |
|---|---|
| Social media short (vertical) | Use 9:16 aspect ratio; keep under 10 seconds; choose UGC or vlog aesthetic |
| Brand commercial | Upload product images as @Image1; use product photography style; include brand colors in constraints |
| Anime film | Upload character design sheet as @Image1; specify "cel-shaded, flat colors, anime style" |
| Music video | Upload audio track as @Audio1; add "Synchronize scene cuts with the audio rhythm" |
| Documentary | Use handheld camera language; natural light descriptors; avoid style-heavy aesthetics |
| Fantasy / narrative film | Build 3-shot sequences with lens switch transitions; use timed beats; repeat world-building details in each shot |
| Action sequence | Upload reference motion video as @Video1; use tracking shot, crane shot, fast-follow camera; specify physics: "wet fabric, rain interaction, realistic gravity" |
What to Know About Access, Pricing, and Current Limitations
Seedance 2.0 has generated significant controversy alongside its technical achievements. As of February 16, 2026, ByteDance has pledged fixes after Hollywood studios including Disney and Paramount issued cease-and-desist letters over copyright concerns. SAG-AFTRA has also condemned the platform. ByteDance suspended the voice-from-photo feature immediately after launch after a journalist demonstrated it could clone a person's voice from a single photo.
Key practical limitations creators should know:
- Generation time: Standard generations take 60+ seconds. During peak usage, free tier queues can exceed 2 hours.
- 15-second maximum per generation: Longer films require stitching multiple generations together in post-production.
- The "lottery problem": Identical prompts can produce varying output quality. Expect to generate 2 to 4 variants and select the best.
- No real-time generation yet: Even the fastest outputs require at least 60 seconds. A Seedance 2.5 roadmap targeting real-time generation is expected around mid-2026.
- Label AI content clearly. Transparency is both an ethical responsibility and increasingly a legal one in many regions.
- Do not upload identifiable real-person faces. ByteDance has tightened restrictions on real-person references. Doing so may result in account action.
Conclusion
Seedance 2.0 is the most capable AI filmmaking tool available to independent creators in early 2026. Its ability to generate 2K, multi-shot sequences with synchronized audio and cinematic camera control — from a single structured prompt — removes barriers that once required entire production teams. The "From Prompt to Premiere" framework in this guide gives you a working foundation to produce real results today.
The difference between a weak generation and a cinematic one is almost always the prompt. Learn the core formula — Subject + Action + Scene + Camera + Style + Constraints — and apply it every time. Master the @tag reference system to lock character consistency. Stay within 6 to 7 reference files. Use positive constraints instead of negative prompts. Always append the quality suffix.
You now have everything you need to go from a blank text box to a finished AI film. Start with one of the example prompts in this guide, customize it for your concept, and generate your first sequence. The tools exist. The technique is in your hands.