MAKE AN AI SHORT FILM WITH CONSISTENT CHARACTERS
CAST THEM ONCE, THEN DIRECT EVERY SHOT
Most AI video breaks because the character changes between shots. Build your cast once — a rider from a single photo, a dragon from a description, the village they meet in — then describe the story in plain words and let Storyboard write all eight shots.
WATCH IT HAPPEN
THE WHOLE BUILD, START TO FINISH
THE FILM 24 SECONDS, 8 SHOTS, ONE RENDER
Nothing here was drawn by hand and nothing was re-rolled until it matched. The rider is the same rider in all eight shots, the dragon is the same dragon, and the village is the one from the reference. Storyboard wrote the shot list; the render merged the whole group into one continuous film.
Seedance 2.5 · 9:16 · 720p · one render of eight shots.
THE EIGHT SHOTS SAME RIDER. SAME DRAGON. EVERY CUT.
Written by the Director as two four-beat sequences — hook, build, turn, payoff — each shot carrying its own action, lighting, sound, dialogue and camera.
1. The Staredown
HOOK · 3s — The rider faces the dragon in the mud, refusing to look away.
2. The Breath
BUILD · 4s — The dragon exhales hot steam and studies her.
3. The Claim
TURN · 4s — “They told me you’re a mindless beast, and cannot be willed to my command.”
4. The Bond
PAYOFF · 4s — The dragon lowers its head. She presses her hand to its snout.
5. Into the Storm
HOOK · 3s — Mounted and climbing, hard into the turn.
6. The Dive
BUILD · 4s — Wings tucked, a vertical plummet through the cloud.
7. The Maelstrom
TURN · 4s — She shouts commands forward as the ocean comes up.
8. The Surface
PAYOFF · 4s — Claws through the crests, spray exploding behind them.
THE SENTENCE THAT STARTED IT
NO PROMPT ENGINEERING, JUST THE STORY
Typed into Storyboard with the three references attached. Word for word, this is the whole brief.
I want to tell a Cinematic short epic story about a female dragon rider, can you help me come up with a story. I'd like it to start with the rider approaching the dragon, "they told me you're a beast and cannot be willed to my command" or similar, the dragon lowers it's head and the rider mounts, they soar through the rainy clouds and dive, skimming the surface of the water. All while the scene is dark, rainy and medieval. I want it close up filming.
[SETUP] Duration: 30s Aspect: 9:16 Dialogue: On-screen Look: Custom Framing defaults: - Angle: camera at eye level - Shot type: close-up shot of the subject - Camera: shot on an ARRI Alexa 35 - Lens: 85mm portrait lens, shallow depth of field - Movement: Handheld - Grade: 35mm Film [/SETUP]
HOW IT WORKS CAST FIRST, DIRECT SECOND
1. Build the cast
A character sheet turns one photo — or one written description — into every angle and expression on a single page. That sheet is what keeps the face the same later.
2. Describe the film
Attach the cast, say what happens in normal words, and answer six questions about length, aspect, dialogue and camera. The Director returns a story map and a full shot list.
3. Direct every shot
Each shot opens up with its own action, lighting, sound, dialogue and cinematography. Change any of them, then render shot by shot or merge the group into one film.
MAKE YOUR OWN START WITH ONE CHARACTER
Build a character sheet, hand it to Storyboard, and describe the film you want in one sentence.
