Reference assets and mentions
More references are not always better. Give each asset a clear role to reduce identity confusion, unwanted style transfer and conflicting movement instructions.
Assign responsibilities
| Reference | Primary role | Example instruction |
|---|---|---|
| Character image | Face, hair, clothing and identity | @Image1 defines Lin Wan's appearance, not the composition. |
| Location image | Space, environment and lighting | @Image2 defines the bookshop layout and night lighting. |
| Blocking image or sketch | Position, direction and framing | Use only the blocking in @Image3, not its line-art style. |
| Previs video | Timing, path, camera and cuts | @Video1 defines movement and camera work; images define appearances. |
| Audio | Voice identity or a specified sound | Lin Wan speaks the following line using the voice in @Audio1. |
The labels in examples are placeholders. Insert actual references through the studio's @ menu.
Add and verify references
- Use
@in the shot editor or select an asset name in the sidebar. - Inspect the preview, especially for different outfits of the same character.
- Review automatically matched references after pasting text. A plain-text name is not necessarily a linked asset.
- Upload or add a missing asset to the current shot before mentioning it.
- Remove duplicates, unnecessary non-speaking character audio and long irrelevant clips.
Extract blocking from an image
Add a blocking reference and use the position-extraction feature. Check screen left/right, foreground/background, facing directions, eyelines, doors and furniture. Image interpretation may need correction; it should not override the story's requirements.
Resolve conflicting references
Establish identity first, then space, then action and camera. If the character picture is outdoors in daylight but the scene is a room at night, say that the character image defines appearance only and the location defines lighting. For greybox previs, explicitly exclude grey materials, axes and editing controls from the final render.
Finished frames, sketches and upscaling
- Finished reference: use it directly when clear and stylistically correct. Blur and visual errors can carry into the output.
- Blocking sketch: useful when you need composition without the source's visual style. Small props and atmosphere may disappear, so describe them explicitly.
- Upscaled reference: a larger image may also amplify faulty textures or change small details. Compare it with the original instead of judging by pixel count alone.
See Models and parameters for counts, duration and resolution limits.
Project materials and audio/video libraries
The project material library includes captured video frames and 3D Director outputs. Shot editing can also reference historical library images, videos and audio. Local assets can be dragged or pasted into the editor and then mentioned.
Generated videos are automatically organized by project folder in the video library. Intelligent voices can be saved to the voice library; video and audio libraries also accept local uploads. After selecting a file, insert its actual @ mention and specify whether it defines identity, action or sound.