How to Create Consistent AI Characters Across Images and Video

Start with a reference you would be happy to use again. Then change the scene around the character, review the still, and only move into video when that frame works. Repeating a description alone gives the model room to reinterpret the face and outfit.

Need to create the reference first? Character Studio lets you create a portrait or character sheet, save the identity and make new looks. This guide shows how to use that reference and carry the selected image into Recast.

Choose the reference for the shot

Your next shot	Start with	Check before generating
A close-up or a talking character	A clear portrait	Face shape, hairline, eyes and distinguishing details
A wide shot with a recognizable outfit	A full-body view	Silhouette, clothing, footwear and accessories
Several angles or a storyboard	A character sheet for planning, then the relevant view	Front, profile and back agree on the same design

An eight-panel sheet is useful for seeing the whole character. It is not automatically the best file to upload to every model. A model may treat it as a collage or mix details between panels. Use the portrait or full-body view that fits your shot, and check which inputs the selected model accepts.

For the sheet-building step, see how to make a reusable character sheet.

Build the next scene in four steps

1. Pick the identity you want to keep

Use a clear photo or a previous render you trust. Decide which details matter: face, hair, outfit, silhouette or a particular accessory. If wardrobe must match, include a view where it is visible. Avoid asking a small or obscured face to carry the whole identity.

2. Describe what changes in the scene

Attach the reference in a workflow that supports image input. Describe the action, setting and framing separately from the details you want to keep. Start with one change so you can see where continuity begins to slip.

Prompt to adapt, not the recorded prompt of the example above:

Use the attached image as the character reference. Keep her face, blonde updo, pink crop top, white pleated skirt and white boots. At a skatepark, she turns toward a friend just outside the frame and lifts one headphone from her ear. Waist-up, eye-level framing, soft late-afternoon light. Keep the face clearly visible.

Change the setting or action to fit your story. If the first result changes the face, simplify the angle or composition before adding more instructions.

3. Compare the still with the reference

Look at the two images together. Check the jaw and nose, hairline, clothing shapes and the details that make this character recognizable. A similar colour palette is not enough. Reject or edit an image that already loses the identity; it is a weak starting point for motion.

4. Animate the frame that works

For image-to-video, use the approved scene image as the starting frame. Begin with a short shot and a simple action. Review the beginning, middle and end, especially when the head turns, a hand crosses the face or the subject becomes small in frame.

Reference-image video modes and image-to-video are different inputs. Check the selected model’s modes and limits before uploading a sheet or several images. A reference helps guide the result; it does not lock every frame.

Keep the identity in Character Studio, then choose the next asset

A saved character makes the next step concrete. Open Character Studio, select the character and use New Look to change wardrobe, hairstyle, accessories, setting or lighting. The selected identity remains the reference. Review the new image and save the look you actually want to reuse.

For a turnaround or full-body continuity, create a sheet from that character. The sheet action requests four body views; the close-up option adds four matching portraits. Use the character sheet guide to compare the formats and check the result. Character images in this workflow use Nano Banana 2.1.

Use Recast when the next scene needs movement

Choose the approved character image in Recast. Add a scene direction, select a passage from a source video when you want motion and staging guidance, and optionally add a separate product photograph. You can write dialogue or select an audio passage to guide timing and delivery.

Choose a source where the performer and action are readable. Review the face, hands, clothing and product in the full result. A source video guides the generation rather than guaranteeing an exact frame-for-frame replacement; reference audio does not guarantee an identical soundtrack.

Recast supports 480p, 720p and 1080p. Source passages are limited to 15 seconds; output is 2–30 seconds, with source plus output capped at 30 seconds when a source video is used. Review the duration and current quote in the app before confirmation.

Choose your character and prepare a Recast →

When the character changes, fix the specific problem

What you notice	What to try next
A different-looking face after changing the angle	Use a clearer view closer to the intended angle; simplify the shot
The face matches, but the outfit changes	Add a relevant full-body reference if supported, or correct the still before animation
A character sheet appears as a grid in the result	Use one suitable panel instead of the whole sheet
The still looks right, but the face drifts in motion	Reduce movement or occlusion and test a shorter shot
Small accessories disappear	Make them visible in the reference and check whether they are essential at that framing

These are troubleshooting steps, not guaranteed fixes. Keep the same reference and change one thing at a time so you can judge what helped.

Questions before your next generation

How many reference images do I need?

Start with one clear reference for a workflow that accepts a single image. Add another view when it resolves a specific problem, such as a profile or an outfit in a wide shot. Check the model’s input limit first. More references do not automatically improve consistency.

Should I upload the whole character sheet?

Keep the full sheet as your design reference. For generation, choose the portrait, full-body view or other panel that fits the shot and the supported inputs. A sheet helps you plan; it does not guarantee that a model will interpret every panel correctly.

Why does the face change when I turn an image into video?

Check the starting image first. A small or obscured face, a new angle or a demanding movement can make continuity harder. Try a short, simpler shot and inspect the face and outfit throughout the clip before extending the sequence.

Do I need this for a single image?

Not necessarily. If the character will never return, direct prompting may be enough. A reusable reference is most useful when the same person, mascot or outfit needs to appear again.

Make the next useful asset

Open Character Studio to create and save the identity, make the next look or prepare a Recast. If you need a separate image scene first, open Image; for other video workflows, compare the supported model modes.