Seedance 2.0 Practical Tutorial: From Beginner to "AI Director" Mode

Seedance 2.0: Your AI Director Assistant

Seedance 2.0 is ByteDance’s latest multi-modal AI video generation tool, arguably one of the strongest AI video generation models available today. It supports simultaneous input of four types of materials: Images, Videos, Audio, and Text, capable of generating high-quality videos up to 15 seconds long with built-in sound effects and background music.

You can think of it as an AI Director Assistant that understands natural language: you handle the imagination, and it handles the realization.

This tutorial, based on recent practical testing and official documentation, provides you with a hands-on guide for beginners. (The demo environment in this article is Jimeng AI)

I. Core Parameters Cheat Sheet (Recommended to Save)

Before we start, let’s understand the “capability boundaries” of Seedance 2.0, which will help you control the generation results more precisely.

💡 Note: Although it supports up to 12 files, it is recommended to prioritize uploading core materials that have the greatest impact on the visual and rhythm, to avoid information overload causing AI confusion.

II. Two Modes: How to Choose?

Seedance 2.0 in Jimeng AI offers two entry points, catering to different creative needs:

1️⃣ Start/End Frame Mode (Beginner)

• Scenario: You only have a start frame (or end frame) image + text prompt.
• Usage: Upload image → Write Prompt → Generate.
• Verdict: The simplest way to start, suitable for beginners attempting “Image to Video” for the first time.

2️⃣ Omni-Reference Mode (⭐ Advanced Recommended)

• Scenario: Need mixed input of Image + Video + Audio + Text, seeking precise control.
• Usage: Upload multiple materials → Use @MaterialName to specify the purpose of each material → Write Prompt → Generate.
• Verdict: This is the core gameplay of Seedance 2.0, unlocking full director capabilities to achieve complex camera scheduling and character consistency.

III. “@” Syntax: The Soul Operation of Seedance 2.0

In Omni-Reference Mode, you need to use the @ symbol to tell the model the specific purpose of each material. This is the essence of the entire 2.0 interaction.

👉 How to use?

• Method 1: Type @ directly in the input box, and the uploaded material list will automatically pop up for selection.
• Method 2: Click the @ button in the toolbar and select materials to insert into the input box.

IV. Practical Use Case Analysis (Copy & Paste)

Here are 6 most common practical scenarios. You can copy the Prompts and fine-tune them:

🎯 Case 1: Basic Image to Video

Scenario: Make a static character image move and act out a specific plot.

Prompt: The character in the painting has a guilty expression, looks left and right, leans out of the frame, quickly reaches out specifically to pick up a Coke and takes a sip, then reveals a satisfied expression… Artistic subtitles and voiceover appear at the bottom: “Yikou Cola, a taste you can’t miss!”

🎯 Case 2: Character Consistency + Dual Interaction

Scenario: Maintain the appearance of two characters and generate a dramatic scene between them. Materials: 2 character reference images

Prompt: These two pictures are two heroines in a cliffside dramatic scene. Please center on the two heroines, generate a smooth fighting scene between the red-clothed Dongfang Bubai and the black-clothed female assassin… Generate only fighting sound effects and environmental sound effects, do not add background music…

🎯 Case 3: Action Replication (Image + Reference Video)

Scenario: Want your character to dance a specific dance, but don’t want to animate it yourself. Materials: 1 Character Image + 1 Dance Video

Prompt: With the female star in @Image1 as the subject, camera movement refers to @Video1 for rhythmic push, pull, pan, and tilt. The female star’s movements also refer to the dance movements of the woman in @Video1, performing energetically on stage.

🎯 Case 4: Full-Modal Combination (Img+Stat+Aud)

Scenario: The most complex director mode, specifying character, reference action, and matching BGM. Materials: 1 Image + 1 Video + 1 Audio

Prompt: Referencing the character action and camera movement of @Video1, generate a video of the black-clothed character in @Image1 throwing a flying knife in the bamboo forest… The perspective and shot size of the starting frame strictly refer to @Video1… Generate only fighting sound effects and environmental sound effects, and add background music @Audio1.

🎯 Case 5: Infinite Video Extension

Scenario: Feel the generated video is too short and want to continue shooting from where it left off. Materials: 1 Existing Video

Prompt: Extend @Video1 by 15 seconds. 1-5 seconds: Light and shadow through blinds… 6-10 seconds: A coffee bean gently falls… 11-15 seconds: English fade-in subtitles… (💡 Note: Generation duration should be set to the duration you want to add)

🎯 Case 6: Local Video Editing

Scenario: Change only the hairstyle or background, leaving other visuals untouched. Materials: 1 Video + 1 Element Image

Prompt: Change the woman’s hairstyle in @Video1 to red long hair, huge white shark from @Image1 slowly surfaces half its head behind her.

V. Top 10 Core Upgrades of Seedance 2.0

Based on official documentation and practical testing, these 10 upgrades are the killer features of v2.0:

1. Significant Base Quality Improvement: More reasonable physical laws, more natural lighting.
2. Consistency Leap: Faces don’t collapse, products don’t change, text doesn’t scramble.
3. Precise Camera Replication: Directly “copy” the reference video’s camera movement, no need to learn professional terms.
4. Creative Templates/Effects: Can identify rhythms of commercials and movies and replicate them.
5. Plot Completion: Not just generating visuals, but acting as an “AI Screenwriter” to complete the plot.
6. Smooth Extension: Goodbye rigid stitching, extended parts connect naturally.
7. Sound Effect Upgrade: Built-in sound effects and music quality significantly improved, fitting the visuals better.
8. One Take: Long shot continuity enhanced, less prone to breaking.
9. Video Editing: Supports changing people, adding/deleting clips, adjusting rhythm.
10. Music Beat Matching: Can automatically align visual actions with audio rhythm (AMV tool).

VI. 3 Steps for Beginners to get Started Quickly

If it’s your first time, I suggest following this path:

1. Step 1 (Practice): Try “Start/End Frame” Mode.
   • Prepare a nice image + a simple description to experience basic image-to-video.
2. Step 2 (Advanced): Try “Omni-Reference” Mode.
   • Add a reference video, use @ syntax command “refer to this video’s action”, experience magical action replication.
3. Step 3 (Master): Challenge “Full-Modal Combination”.
   • Image + Video + Audio all together, use @ to assign roles, actions, and BGM like a director, controlling the whole scene.

VII. 5 Golden Rules for Writing Good Prompts

To generate high-quality videos, Prompt structure is crucial:

1. Clear SVO (Subject-Verb-Object): Subject + Action + Scene. E.g., “A girl (Subject) running (Action) in the rain (Scene)”.
2. Clarify @ Usage: Don’t let the model guess. Write clearly "@Image1 as start frame", "@Video1 for camera reference".
3. Add Shot Description: “Slow push in”, “High angle”, “Orbit” can greatly enhance cinematic feel.
4. Atmosphere & Lighting: “Warm tone”, “Backlight”, “Cyberpunk” decide visual texture.
5. Check Correspondence: With multiple materials, carefully check if @ targets are labeled correctly.

FAQ

• Q: What if I don’t have audio material?
  • A: You can directly refer to the sound in the video, or let the model generate it automatically, no forced upload required.
• Q: How to allocate the 12 file limit?
  • A: Less is more. Recommend 3-5 key images + 1-2 reference videos + 1 audio, leave some calculation margin, results are often better.

🎬 Conclusion: Seedance 2.0 is not just a tool; it’s a completely new way of creation. In this mode, imagination is your only limit. Go open Jimeng AI now and start creating your first AI movie!