Reference Images in Seedance 1.0 Lite: A New Way to Control AI Video

Great stories aren't just a single moment; they're a sequence. A quiet street... and then a car pulls up. An empty room... and then a character walks in.

We've always given you the tools to create the perfect starting moment. Now, we’re giving you the power to direct the "and then."

The new Reference Images feature in Seedance 1.0 Lite is all about controlling the flow of your scene, introducing key elements exactly when you want them to appear. Here’s how it works.

With Reference Images, you're the director

Our Video Generator’s Image to Video mode gives you access to plenty of top-performing AI models, including Seedance 1.0 Lite. Until now, its standout trick was Frame Control, which lets you upload an image for the first and/or last frame of your video.

It’s perfect for establishing a scene where all the elements are already in place from the very first moment. But what if your story demands a grand entrance? That’s where the newly introduced Reference Images feature steals the show. 

Instead of starting with one image that contains everything, you give the AI individual assets as separate images: a photo of your hero, a shot of the environment, a picture of a key prop. Your prompt then becomes the script, telling the model, "Show this environment first, then have this person walk in." It’s a fundamentally different way to build a scene, piece by powerful piece.

How it works

While the results are Hollywood-studio worthy, the whole process is ridiculously simple:

• Upload up to four reference images.
• Mention them in your prompt whenever you want to “call” them into the scene.
• Let the model stitch it all together with stunning consistency.

Think:

• A person’s photo, to keep them as the protagonist as they walk into a previously established scene.
• An object, to make sure it shows up exactly as you imagined, appearing at just the right moment.
• An environment, to anchor the whole scene, with new details or characters emerging within it.

It’s like storyboarding, except you only need a handful of images and a few words.

Why it matters

Okay, you might be thinking, "can't I just use your Image Editor, stitch all my elements into one perfect picture, and use Frame Control?"

You absolutely could. But that's like starting a movie with every single character on screen at once. It might not always work. Some of the best stories have a little suspense. They have a build-up. They have an entrance.

That’s the magic of Reference Images. It’s not just about what appears in your video; it’s about when. You get to play director and control the flow of the action:

• Want to create a mood? Show the empty, rain-slicked city street for a beat before your trench-coated detective steps out of the shadows. That’s atmosphere.
• Your hero opens an empty treasure chest. Then, the glowing ancient sword materializes inside. That’s a moment.
• Instead of starting with a car and driver, show the futuristic car gliding to a stop, then have your character step out. That’s a scene.

In short: it’s about timing. And in storytelling, timing is everything.

Try Reference Images in Seedance 1.0 Lite

We've gone over the theory, now it's time for practice. Here’s how to put Reference Images to work:

1. Click here to head to our Video Generator with Seedance 1.0 Lite already selected.
2. Write your prompt.
3. Select the Reference Images feature and upload up to 4 images.
4. Hit “Generate”, wait a moment, and actually get what you wanted.

AI video used to be about compromise. With Seedance 1.0 Lite’s Reference Images feature, it’s about control.

And if you’re the kind of person who wants your ideas to show up exactly as imagined, this is the feature you’ve been waiting for. Don’t wait, try it in our Video Generator today!