How do I add references to my motion prompts?

${color}[rgb(var(--black))](🎯 References in Motion Prompts

The Motion tab of every scene has two views, Frames and References. Frames animates the scene image from a start frame. References lets you attach images, videos and audio to the shot and call each one in the prompt with @, so the model knows exactly who and what should appear.



🚨 The model you select must support references. If it doesn't, the Frames and References tabs don't appear at all: you only see Start Frame and End Frame, and there is nowhere to add a reference. Pick a model with the References badge first.

You can tag anything saved in your story: Characters, Objects, Locations, and any Image you have added as a reference.
Use references when:
A character's face or outfit changes once the scene starts moving.
Two or more characters share a shot and the model mixes them up or duplicates one.
A character, product, or prop needs to enter a shot it is not in at the start.
You want the shot to follow another clip's movement or an audio track.


Frames
References
What you add
Start Frame, plus an optional End Frame
Images, videos and audio, each with its own @ tag
What the model follows
The start frame and your prompt
Your references and your prompt
Best for
Animating an image that is already right
Keeping characters, objects and locations consistent, or building a shot from your cast
Available on
Every motion model
Models with the References badge in the Model dropdown

Steps to add references)

1. Open your story and click Edit Video (or Edit Image / Edit Motion on any scene card).

1. Select the scene on the left and open the Motion tab. The panel is titled Add Motion.
2. In the Model dropdown, pick a model that supports references (mentioned against each model in the dropdown). These models show a References badge under their name, for example, Seedance 2.0 mini, Minimax H3/Pro.

Do this first: the two tabs in the next step only appear when the selected model supports references.

3. Two tabs now appear below the model: Frames and References. Click References.

4. The scene's current image is added for you as @Image1. To add more, click + Image, + Video, or + Audio.
5. In the picker, choose what to add, then click Select:
6. • Assets: images, clips and audio from this story or your library. Use the filters, or click Upload to add a new file.
   • Actors: your saved characters and objects.
   • Locations: your saved locations.
   • Styles: a saved visual style.

6. Click into the prompt box and type @. A menu opens with Characters, Objects, Locations and Image. Pick one to insert its tag, for example, @The Octopus.

7. Write the action around your tags, for example: @TheOctopus stand in @Image2 with the sunlight shining bright. or Image1 stands in @image2 with the sunlight shining brightly.

8. Set the duration, resolution and audio, check the credit cost on the button, and click Generate Video.

🚨 Don't see the Frames and References tabs? The selected model doesn't support references. Open the Model dropdown and switch to one with the References badge, and the tabs will appear.

${color}[rgb(var(--black))](Which models support references)

Open the Model dropdown and look for the References badge under the model name. If a model doesn't have the badge, the Frames / References switch is hidden and you only get Start Frame and End Frame.

The numbers are the maximum number of references each model accepts in one shot. MiniMax H3 Pro and MiniMax H3 also cap the total at 12 across all three types.

Models without the badge, such as Kling 3.0 Pro and Grok Imagine Video 1.5, work from a start frame only.

💡 Tip: Test the shot on Seedance 2.0 mini first, then re-run your favourite on a higher-quality model. The credit cost on the Generate Video button updates as you change the model, duration and resolution.

${color}[rgb(var(--black))](How to write a prompt with references)

A good reference prompt says who and what (with @), what happens, where, and how the camera moves. The reference carries the look, so spend your words on action and camera.

Every reference in the row has a tag. Saved characters, objects and locations use their name (@TheOctopus, @Brass Compass). Files you add yourself are numbered in the order you add them (@Image1, @Image2, @Video1).

• Mention every reference you add. A reference that is in the row but not in the prompt gives the model nothing to do with it.
• Give each tagged character its own action, so the model doesn't swap who is doing what.
• The prompt needs at least 2 words before Generate Video becomes active.

${color}rgb(var(--black))

• Use clear, well-lit reference images where the face or product is easy to see.
• Add only what the shot needs. Three strong references work better than nine loose ones.
• If you uploaded your own character, choose Keep uploaded look and leave the Clothing box empty, so nothing changes the reference.
• Regenerate only the scenes that are wrong, not the whole video.
• AI models are probabilistic. If a tagged shot misses, running the same prompt again often fixes it.

💬 ${color}[rgb(var(--black))](Frequently Asked Questions)

I don't see the References option. Where is it?
It only shows for models with the References badge. Open the Model dropdown, pick one that has the badge, and the Frames / References switch appears below it.

I tagged my character but they still look different. Why?
Check that the scene is on References, not Frames, and that the character's image is in the reference row. Then generate again.

My character doesn't show up when I type @. What should I do?
The @ menu lists what is saved in this story. Open Characters, Objects or Locations in the top bar and add it there first, or add its image with + Image and tag it as @Image2.

Do I need a scene image before using references?
No. References don't use a start frame. If the scene has an image, it is added as @Image1 and you can keep or remove it.

Can I use a video or audio file as a reference?
Yes, on models that accept them (see the table above). Click + Video or + Audio, add the file, and mention it in your prompt.

Why is Generate Video greyed out?
The prompt is empty or too short. It needs at least 2 words.

Which should I use, Frames or References?
If the scene image is already right and you only need it to move, use Frames. If characters change once they move, or the shot needs someone or something that isn't in the image, use References.

Related articles: AI Motion · Why do my characters look different from scene to scene? · Which AI model should I use?

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Updated on: 10/11/2026