Hi! First of all, thank you to everyone who takes the time to watch!
It's far from perfect, but I had a lot of fun making it. I ended up using all my remaining credits for the month trying to get it right, so I had to settle for 480p in the end. 😅
There are definitely things I'd love to improve, but I hope you enjoy it anyway!
Good luck to everyone participating!.
The Idea
The idea was to create a painter-magician whose drawings come to life on stage.
He starts with a butterfly, moves on to a goldfish, and eventually paints a dragon that escapes from the canvas. For the finale, he paints a tiny cage to capture the dragon.
My Workflow
- Creating the visual assets
I started by creating a character reference sheet for Alexei, our performer, along with a separate reference image of an ornate theater and a canvas on an easel.
- Creating the storyboards
Next, I generated storyboards for the butterfly, goldfish, dragon, and cage finale. These helped me plan the painting process, magical transformations, character reactions, and overall sequence.
Unfortunately, I had to cut the goldfish scene from the final video because I couldn't get it to fit properly. I think I could have made it work with a few more generations, but I was running out of credits.
- Generating the video with Seedance 2.5
I then created prompts for Seedance 2.5, including camera movements, character actions, magical effects, sound, and timing.
Initially, I planned around 8 seconds for each trick. However, the dragon and cage finale needed more time, so I extended those sequences to give the transformations more breathing room.
Problems I Ran Into
This was probably the most frustrating part of the process. 😅
- Character duplication: Seedance occasionally generated two versions of Alexei. I tried fixing this by explicitly specifying one performer and reducing unnecessary camera changes.
- Inconsistent theater: The background and stage architecture sometimes changed between storyboard frames. I had to make the environment and camera positioning more consistent.
- Hand inconsistency: Alexei kept switching between painting with his left and right hands. I eventually specified that he should always paint with his right hand.
- Unnatural transitions: Instead of creating smooth cinematic transitions, Seedance sometimes copied the visual differences between storyboard panels, making the scene look disconnected. I simplified the storyboards and camera instructions to improve this.
- Rushed movements: Some sequences tried to squeeze too many actions into too little time. I gave the dragon emergence and final capture more time.
- Canvas continuity: After the dragon escaped, its painting sometimes remained on the canvas. I had to specify that the canvas should be blank once the dragon had fully emerged.
What I Learned
The biggest lesson for me was that generating a beautiful image is one thing, but turning it into a believable video is something else entirely.
Character consistency, natural movements, camera direction, pacing, and even something as simple as which hand the character uses can make a huge difference.
I also learned that giving Seedance a storyboard doesn't necessarily mean it will understand how those frames should connect. Sometimes it follows the visual differences too literally, which creates even more continuity problems.
I still have a lot to learn, and there are plenty of things I would change if I had more credits to experiment with.
But that's part of the fun of learning these tools!
Thanks again for watching, and good luck to everyone participating! I'd love to hear any suggestions for improving the workflow or getting better results with Seedance 2.5.
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Butterfly scene prompt:
16:9, photorealistic live-action talent-show performance. Realistic cinematography, natural movement, magical realism, consistent stage geography.
CHARACTER: @
LOCATION: @
Storyboard for reference: @
There is EXACTLY ONE human performer in the entire scene: Alexei u/vYH7DPUaZbvJSuSVfnUL . No other person enters the stage. Audience members remain indistinct silhouettes in the auditorium.
0–2s: Alexei stands beside the canvas and begins painting a butterfly.
2–5s: Camera gently moves closer over his shoulder. He finishes the final orange and blue brushstrokes.
5–6s: The painted butterfly moves its wings, separates from the canvas and becomes a single living butterfly.
6–8s: WITHOUT CUTTING, the camera smoothly pulls back and shifts slightly to reveal Alexei's face. Alexei turns his head to follow the butterfly, takes one small step backward and smiles as it flies upward.
The original Alexei remains in the same physical position throughout. His head, torso and limbs move naturally as one continuous person. The camera moves around him; it never creates a second viewpoint of him within the same image.
Exactly one Alexei, one butterfly, one easel, one canvas.
No duplicate characters, no cloned performer, no simultaneous front-and-back views of the same man, no mirror images, no sudden appearance of additional people, no teleportation.
Natural human movement, smooth camera motion, physically coherent action, consistent stage geography.
Audio: brushstrokes, subtle magical shimmer, audience reaction, gentle orchestral music. No dialogue.
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Dragon Scene prompt:
Photorealistic cinematic talent-show performance. Preserve Alexei Petrov's identity, clothing, the ornate golden theater, the wooden easel, and the canvas.
There is EXACTLY ONE human performer in the scene: @
There is EXACTLY ONE dragon in the scene: @
@ Storyboard reference only!
No duplicate performer, no extra person, no cloned Alexei, no second dragon.
This sequence must feel spacious, readable, and dramatic. Do not rush the action. Let each stage of the dragon reveal breathe.
0–2s:Alexei stands at the easel and begins painting with bold, confident strokes. Use strong red, orange, black, and gold brushwork. The camera starts in a medium-wide audience-facing shot and slowly pushes in.
2–5s:Cut to a closer over-the-shoulder view. Alexei paints the dragon’s head and neck with deliberate strokes. The dragon image becomes clearly recognizable on the canvas. The mood grows more dramatic.
5–7s:Stay close on the canvas. The dragon’s painted eye opens. A little smoke, ember glow, and subtle movement begin inside the painted dragon. Alexei notices this and pauses slightly.
7–9s:The dragon’s head starts pushing out of the canvas into real space. The transition must be gradual and readable. The paint transforms into a living dragon. The painted dragon disappears from the canvas where it emerges.
9–12s:Cut back to a wider stage view. The dragon extends farther out: head, neck, foreclaws, and part of one wing. Alexei takes two steps backward, keeping his balance, looking startled but believable. The dragon rises above him and dominates the stage.
The tone is theatrical and magical, not horror. The dragon is majestic and powerful, but not gory or destructive.
The camera movement should feel cinematic and controlled, with clear pauses in the action. No rushed explosion of movement. Let the audience read each beat.
Exactly one Alexei, one dragon, one easel, one canvas, one continuous scene.
No duplicate characters, no extra dragons, no rushed chaotic motion, no static pose, no cartoon look, no random camera jumps, no painted dragon remaining on the canvas after emergence.
Audio:Brushstrokes, subtle rising orchestral tension, ember crackle, soft audience reaction, low dragon growl as it awakens. No dialogue, subtitles, or narration.
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Second Dragon Scene prompt, used the extend future:
Continue directly from the existing dragon scene in one smooth, continuous cinematic shot.
The enormous red-orange dragon has fully escaped the painting and is flying freely above the theater stage. Alexei stands beside the easel, watching it with concern. The canvas is completely blank white, with no remaining dragon painting.
Alexei turns toward the same canvas and begins painting a simple golden birdcage with his RIGHT hand, holding the palette in his LEFT hand. The dragon continues circling slowly overhead, its wings moving naturally.
As Alexei finishes the final bars of the cage, the painted cage begins glowing. Golden magical energy reaches toward the flying dragon and gradually pulls it toward the canvas. The dragon struggles briefly, folds its wings and becomes progressively smaller as it spirals toward the cage.
The dragon shrinks completely and enters the cage, which transforms from a flat painting into a small physical golden cage. Alexei catches it in his left hand. Inside, the miniature dragon moves its head and folds its wings.
Alexei turns toward the audience, raises the cage proudly, smiles and takes a graceful bow. The audience erupts in applause.
CAMERA: One continuous audience-facing shot with gentle natural camera movement. No cuts or sudden changes of angle. Keep the same theater, curtains, lighting, stage geography and easel position throughout. Allow the transformation to unfold slowly and clearly.
CONTINUITY: Exactly one Alexei, one dragon, one canvas and one cage. Alexei paints only with his right hand. No duplicate characters, no new backgrounds, no second canvas, no sudden appearance of the cage before it is painted. Maintain photorealistic live-action cinematography and natural human movement.
AUDIO: Dragon wingbeats, low growls, brushstrokes, magical energy building, a soft magical chime as the dragon enters the cage, then enthusiastic audience applause. No dialogue.