TL;DR
The key to great Seedance videos is a structured prompt: [Subject] + [Action] + [Setting] + [Style] + [Camera] + [Lighting] + [Quality]. This guide provides 50+ ready-to-use prompt examples across cinematic, portrait, action, nature, and fantasy categories — plus advanced techniques for camera control, style transfer, and avoiding common mistakes. Try these prompts now →
The Seedance Prompt Formula
Every great Seedance prompt follows a consistent structure. Here's the formula:
[Subject] — Who or what is in the scene
[Action] — What is happening
[Setting] — Where the scene takes place
[Style] — Visual aesthetic (cinematic, anime, editorial, etc.)
[Camera] — Shot type and movement (close-up, tracking, dolly)
[Lighting] — Light quality and direction (golden hour, neon, Rembrandt)
[Quality] — Technical specifications (4K, ultra-realistic, etc.)The difference between a basic prompt and an optimized prompt is dramatic:

Result from a basic prompt: "A woman standing in a room" — generic, flat lighting, no visual interest.

Result from an optimized prompt with specific subject, setting, lighting, and quality modifiers — the same concept transformed into a cinematic masterpiece.
Let's see the formula in action with real prompts across every major category.
Cinematic and Film Prompts
Cinematic prompts create movie-quality scenes with dramatic lighting, professional camera work, and narrative atmosphere.

Cinematic Example 1 — Film noir femme fatale in a rain-soaked Hong Kong alley. Note the neon reflections, dramatic lighting, and atmospheric depth.
Prompt 1: Film Noir Rainy Night
A dangerously beautiful femme fatale in a curve-hugging red silk dress
with a thigh-high slit, walking through a rain-soaked Hong Kong back
alley at night. Neon signs in Chinese characters reflect red and blue
on the wet cobblestones. She carries a black umbrella. Smoke wisps
from a nearby vent. Anamorphic lens, shallow depth of field, cinematic
film grain. 4K noir film quality.Prompt 2: Jazz Bar Mystery
A mysterious woman in a sheer black lace dress sits on a velvet
barstool in a moody jazz bar. One leg crossed showing stiletto heels.
Warm amber spotlight from above illuminates her face and collarbones
while the rest fades into deep shadow. A saxophone player is a blurred
silhouette in the background. Rembrandt lighting, cinematic grain,
35mm film look. Ultra-realistic 4K quality.
Cinematic Example 2 — Moody jazz bar with Rembrandt lighting and film noir atmosphere.
Prompt 3: Period Drama
Cinematic still from a high-budget period drama. A Victorian-era woman
in a flowing emerald velvet dress stands at a tall window in a
candlelit manor. Rain streaks down the glass. Warm candlelight from
the room contrasts with cold blue moonlight from outside, creating
dual-tone lighting on her profile. 85mm lens, shallow depth of field.
Barry Lyndon-inspired cinematography. Ultra-realistic 4K film quality.Prompt 4: Sci-Fi Thriller
A female officer on the bridge of a massive starship, silhouetted
against panoramic windows showing a nebula and fleet of warships.
Holographic tactical displays glow around her. Cool blue rim lighting
accentuates her confident posture. Dramatic volumetric fog from a
malfunctioning air vent. Blade Runner meets Star Wars aesthetic. IMAX
quality, anamorphic aspect ratio. Ultra-realistic 4K.Prompt 5: Action Sequence
Cinematic slow-motion shot. A woman in a black leather jacket
crashes through a glass window, shards exploding around her in
freeze-frame detail. Neon sign behind her shatters into colorful
fragments. She reaches toward camera with one hand. Time appears
frozen. Dramatic teal and orange color grading. John Wick
cinematography style. Ultra-realistic 4K quality.Portrait and Beauty Prompts
Portrait prompts focus on close-up shots with professional beauty lighting and fashion-editorial aesthetics.

Portrait Example 1 — Extreme close-up beauty shot with water droplets, dewy skin, and ring light. Fenty Beauty campaign quality.
Prompt 6: Dewy Beauty Close-Up
Extreme close-up beauty portrait. A model with wet dewy skin and
tousled damp hair, bare shoulders glistening. Water droplets on her
face and neck catch the ring light. Flawless skin in macro detail.
Smoky eye makeup with gold shimmer. Dark background. 85mm macro lens,
f/1.4 ultra-shallow depth of field. Fenty Beauty campaign aesthetic.
Ultra-realistic 4K quality.Prompt 7: Luxury Editorial
Luxury editorial portrait. A model wearing an elegant black velvet
off-shoulder gown reclines on a dark velvet chaise longue in a dimly
lit Baroque room. One arm draped elegantly above her head. Rich
Rembrandt lighting from a single window highlights the fabric draping.
Oil painting-like quality with deep shadows and warm highlights.
High-end fashion editorial photography. 85mm lens, creamy bokeh.
Ultra-realistic 4K.
Portrait Example 2 — Luxury fashion editorial aesthetic with Baroque setting and Rembrandt lighting.
Prompt 8: Golden Hour Window Portrait
A young woman sits on a window ledge, backlit by warm golden sunset
light streaming through sheer curtains. Soft light wraps around her
face creating a warm glow. She wears a simple white top, looking
contemplative. Dust particles float in the light beams. Intimate,
natural mood. 50mm lens, natural light only, warm color temperature.
Ultra-realistic 4K quality.Prompt 9: Monochrome High Fashion
High contrast black and white fashion portrait. A model with slicked
back hair and sharp cheekbones, wearing a structured architectural
blazer with exaggerated shoulders. Hard directional lighting creates
dramatic shadows on her face. Single catch light in each eye. Clean
white background. Helmut Newton inspired. Medium format film quality.
Ultra-sharp.Prompt 10: Ethereal Water Portrait
A woman underwater in a flowing white dress, hair billowing in slow
motion. Sunlight rays penetrate the surface above, creating god rays
around her silhouette. Her eyes are closed, expression peaceful. Air
bubbles rise past her face. The dress creates sculptural folds in the
water. Ethereal and dreamlike. Underwater photography, 4K quality.Action and Sports Prompts
Action prompts capture dynamic movement, energy, and athletic feats with cinematic freeze-frame quality.

Action Example 1 — Spinning kick with frozen water splash. Note the dramatic rim lighting and Nike campaign energy.
Prompt 11: Athletic Power Shot
Dynamic action freeze-frame. An athletic woman in a fitted sports bra
and compression shorts executes a powerful spinning roundhouse kick.
Water splashes frozen in mid-air around her legs in a dramatic spray
pattern. Single-source rim lighting from behind creates a glowing
silhouette edge. Dark studio background. Nike Training campaign energy.
High-speed photography, ultra-sharp subject. Ultra-realistic 4K.Prompt 12: Surfing Barrel Wave
Epic wide-angle shot of a female surfer riding inside a massive
crystal-clear barrel wave at golden hour. Her silhouette visible
through the translucent turquoise wave tube. Golden sunlight creates
an explosion of light and water mist behind her. Surfing photography
at its absolute peak. GoPro-style immersive perspective. Ultra-realistic
4K cinematic quality.
Action Example 2 — Surfer inside a barrel wave at golden hour. Demonstrates Seedance's ability to capture complex water dynamics.
Prompt 13: Parkour Urban Runner
A female parkour athlete mid-leap between two building rooftops in a
rain-soaked cityscape at dusk. Her body is stretched horizontally in
the air, defying gravity. City lights and traffic trails blur below.
Rain droplets frozen around her body. Purple and blue twilight sky.
Extreme wide angle, dramatic perspective from below. Matrix-style
cinematography. Ultra-realistic 4K.Prompt 14: Boxing Training
Intense close-up during a boxing training session. A female boxer's
wrapped fist connecting with a heavy bag, the moment of impact frozen
with sweat droplets exploding outward. Her focused expression sharp
behind the fist. Gym lighting — harsh overhead fluorescent mixed with
warm window light. Rocky training montage energy. High-speed
photography. Ultra-realistic 4K.Prompt 15: Motorcycle Night Ride
A woman on a sport motorcycle leaning into a tight corner on a
mountain road at night. Long exposure trails of headlights behind her.
The motorcycle's body catches reflections from overhead streetlights.
Sparks from a knee scraping the asphalt. Dynamic low-angle shot from
road level. Cool blue night lighting mixed with warm tungsten
streetlights. Cinematic motion blur. Ultra-realistic 4K.Nature and Landscape Prompts
Nature prompts create breathtaking environmental scenes with cinematic atmosphere and ethereal beauty.

Nature Example 1 — Ethereal waterfall cliff scene with golden hour mist and flowing gossamer fabric.
Prompt 16: Waterfall Goddess
Ethereal fantasy nature scene. A young woman in a flowing sheer gossamer
dress stands at the edge of a towering waterfall cliff. Dense tropical
mist swirls around her legs and the translucent fabric. She extends one
arm toward the cascade, water droplets catching golden light. Aerial
perspective from above showing the dramatic cliff drop. Lush green ferns
frame the composition. Golden hour light filtering through mist.
Ultra-realistic 4K cinematic quality.Prompt 17: Maldives Paradise
Overhead drone shot. A beautiful woman in a minimal white bikini
floating on her back in crystal-clear turquoise shallow water over
white sand in the Maldives. Her hair fans out in the water like a
halo. The water is so clear her full body is visible through the
surface. Tiny fish swim nearby. Travel photography editorial style.
Ultra-realistic 4K aerial quality.
Nature Example 2 — Overhead Maldives shot showcasing Seedance's ability to generate complex water refraction and aerial perspectives.
Prompt 18: Northern Lights Portrait
A woman stands on an Icelandic black sand beach, staring up at a
massive aurora borealis painting the sky in green and purple. Her
silhouette is backlit by the aurora. Long hair blowing in the arctic
wind. Icebergs float in the background water reflecting the lights.
Long exposure feel with smooth water. National Geographic landscape
photography. Ultra-realistic 4K.Prompt 19: Cherry Blossom Rain
A woman in a traditional Japanese kimono walks along a narrow stone
path through a tunnel of cherry blossom trees in full bloom. Petals
fall like pink snow around her. A gentle stream runs alongside the
path reflecting the pink canopy. Soft overcast lighting creates even
illumination. The scene is serene and contemplative. Japanese aesthetic,
wabi-sabi atmosphere. Ultra-realistic 4K cinematic quality.Prompt 20: Desert Dunes
Wide cinematic shot. A woman in a flowing white dress walks barefoot
across massive sand dunes in the Sahara at sunset. The wind carries
her dress and sand trails behind her. The sky is a gradient from deep
orange to purple. Her small figure against the enormous dune creates
a powerful sense of scale. Lawrence of Arabia cinematography. Slow
tracking shot. Ultra-realistic 4K IMAX quality.Anime and Fantasy Prompts
Fantasy prompts create stylized scenes ranging from anime aesthetics to dark fantasy worlds.

Fantasy Example 1 — Anime warrior princess with Ufotable-quality lighting and particle effects.
Prompt 21: Anime Warrior Princess
Epic anime warrior princess with flowing silver-white hair reaching her
waist, wearing ornate golden battle armor with intricate engravings.
She holds a glowing magical sword aloft emitting bright blue energy.
Cherry blossom petals and sparkles swirl in a violent storm around her.
Fierce determined expression. Dynamic action pose mid-battle leap.
Ultra-detailed anime with CGI-quality lighting, Ufotable production
quality. Rich colors, dramatic volumetric lighting. 4K quality.Prompt 22: Dark Elf Sorceress
Dark fantasy dark elf sorceress with long midnight-purple hair, pointed
ears, and luminous violet eyes. She wears an elegant off-shoulder dark
robe with silver embroidery. Purple arcane energy spirals from her
outstretched hands, illuminating her face from below. A vast star field
and nebula visible through a shattered stone archway behind her.
Imperious expression. Semi-realistic fantasy illustration with cinematic
lighting. Ultra-detailed 4K quality.
Fantasy Example 2 — Dark elf sorceress with arcane energy effects and nebula background. Semi-realistic fantasy illustration style.
Prompt 23: Cyberpunk Street Samurai
Anime-style cyberpunk street samurai with neon-blue hair in a high
ponytail. She wears a sleek black armored bodysuit with glowing cyan
circuit lines. Holographic katana drawn, energy trailing from the blade.
Standing in a neon-drenched Tokyo alley with Japanese holographic
advertisements. Rain falls through the neon light. Cyberpunk 2077 meets
anime aesthetic. Dynamic pose. Ultra-detailed 4K quality.Prompt 24: Magical Girl Transformation
Magical girl transformation sequence. A teenage girl in a school
uniform surrounded by a spiraling ribbon of light that wraps around
her body, transforming her clothes into an elaborate magical warrior
outfit. Bright sparkles and star particles everywhere. Pastel pink
and gold color scheme. Dynamic spinning pose. Sailor Moon meets modern
anime quality. Vibrant cel shading with volumetric effects. 4K quality.Prompt 25: Fantasy Dragon Rider
Epic fantasy scene. A fierce woman in battle-worn leather armor rides
a massive dragon through storm clouds. Lightning illuminates the scene
in dramatic flashes. The dragon's scales shimmer with iridescent blue
and green. Her hair and cloak whip violently in the wind. Far below,
a medieval kingdom with castle spires is visible through breaks in the
clouds. Game of Thrones meets Dungeons and Dragons aesthetic.
Ultra-detailed 4K cinematic quality.Image-to-Video Prompt Examples
When using Image-to-Video, your prompt focuses on motion and transformation rather than describing the visual content (the image already provides that).
Portrait Animation
Upload a clear face photo, then prompt:
The person in the photo slowly turns their head to the right and
gives a gentle smile. A soft breeze blows their hair. Camera slowly
pushes in from medium shot to close-up. Warm natural lighting.
Smooth, natural motion.Product Animation
Upload a product photo, then prompt:
The product slowly rotates 360 degrees on a reflective surface.
Dramatic studio lighting sweeps from left to right during the rotation.
Light catches different angles and materials. Professional commercial
product video. Smooth continuous rotation.Landscape Timelapse
Upload a landscape photo, then prompt:
Timelapse effect. Clouds move rapidly across the sky while the
landscape remains steady. Shadows shift across the terrain as the sun
moves. The light transitions from golden hour through sunset to blue
hour. Smooth accelerated motion. National Geographic quality.Pro tip for I2V: Keep your motion description simple. The more complex the motion you request, the less predictable the result. "She slowly turns and smiles" works better than "she does a backflip while juggling."
Advanced Prompting Techniques
Camera Movement Keywords
These keywords control how the camera behaves in your generated video:
| Keyword | Effect | Best For |
|---|---|---|
dolly in / dolly out | Camera physically moves toward/away | Reveals, focus shifts |
tracking shot | Camera follows subject laterally | Walking scenes, chases |
crane shot | Camera moves vertically upward | Grand reveals |
pan left/right | Camera rotates horizontally | Scanning environments |
tilt up/down | Camera rotates vertically | Tall subjects, reveals |
static shot | Camera doesn't move | Portraits, dialogue |
handheld | Slight natural shake | Documentary feel |
orbiting shot | Camera circles the subject | Products, characters |
zoom in/out | Focal length changes (no physical movement) | Dramatic emphasis |
whip pan | Ultra-fast horizontal pan | Transitions, energy |
Example with camera control:
A woman in a red dress walks through a garden. The camera starts
behind her with a tracking shot, then orbits slowly around to
reveal her face as she looks up at cherry blossoms falling.
Smooth, continuous camera movement. Cinematic quality.Style Transfer Keywords
Add these keywords to shift the visual style of your generation:
| Keyword | Effect |
|---|---|
cinematic | Movie-quality lighting and composition |
anime / cel-shaded | Japanese animation style |
oil painting | Classical painterly texture |
watercolor | Soft, translucent paint effects |
cyberpunk | Neon, dark, futuristic |
film noir | High contrast black and white |
Pixar style | 3D animated character aesthetic |
photojournalistic | Documentary realism |
vaporwave | Retro-futuristic pastel aesthetic |
art deco | 1920s geometric elegance |

The same scene rendered in four different styles — Photorealistic, Anime, Oil Painting, and Cyberpunk — demonstrating how style keywords dramatically change the output.
Aspect Ratio and Platform Optimization
Choose your aspect ratio based on the destination platform:
| Platform | Aspect Ratio | Seedance Setting |
|---|---|---|
| TikTok / Reels / Shorts | 9:16 | 9:16 |
| YouTube | 16:9 | 16:9 |
| Instagram Feed | 1:1 or 4:5 | 1:1 or 3:4 |
| Instagram Stories | 9:16 | 9:16 |
| Twitter/X | 16:9 | 16:9 |
| Cinema / Presentation | 21:9 | 21:9 |
Model-Specific Prompt Tips
Seedance 2.0
- Leverage multi-modal input: Upload reference images for character consistency, reference videos for camera movement
- Prompt for audio: Add audio descriptions like "dramatic orchestral music" or "gentle rain sounds"
- Character consistency: Upload a face reference photo alongside your text prompt for consistent character appearance
Seedance 1.0 Pro
- Keep prompts focused: Pro works best with clear, single-scene descriptions
- Use quality modifiers: Always include "4K," "cinematic," "ultra-realistic"
- Specify lighting explicitly: Pro responds well to specific lighting descriptions
Seedance 1.0 Lite
- Simple is better: Lite works best with straightforward prompts
- Skip complex camera movements: Stick to static or simple tracking shots
- Use for iteration: Generate quick tests, then polish with Pro or 2.0
Not sure which model fits your needs? Our What Is Seedance guide covers all model versions in detail.
Common Prompt Mistakes to Avoid
Mistake 1: Too Vague
Bad: A woman at the beach
Good: A young woman with flowing brown hair in a white sundress walking barefoot along a golden sand beach at sunset, gentle waves lapping at her ankles, warm golden backlighting, slow tracking shot, cinematic 4K quality
Mistake 2: Contradictory Instructions
Bad: Close-up wide-angle shot of a person running in slow motion fast
Good: Extreme close-up of a runner's face in slow motion, sweat droplets frozen in the air, determined expression, shallow depth of field
Mistake 3: Too Many Subjects
Bad: A group of 20 people dancing at a party while a band plays and fireworks go off outside and a dog runs through the crowd
Good: A woman dancing alone in a dimly lit ballroom, spinning gracefully, her red dress creating motion trails, warm spotlight from above, elegant atmosphere
Mistake 4: Ignoring Lighting
Bad: A portrait of a person (AI picks random, flat lighting)
Good: A portrait with dramatic Rembrandt lighting from a single window, warm golden tones, deep shadows on one side of the face
Mistake 5: No Quality Modifiers
Bad: A cityscape at night
Good: A sweeping aerial shot of a cityscape at night, millions of lights twinkling, long exposure light trails on highways, ultra-realistic 4K quality, sharp detail throughout
Prompt Templates (Copy and Adapt)
Here are 10 ready-to-use templates. Replace the bracketed sections with your specifics:
Template 1: Cinematic Scene
[Character description] in a [setting] at [time of day]. [Action/pose].
[Atmospheric details]. [Camera movement] shot. [Lighting style].
Cinematic 4K quality, anamorphic lens.Template 2: Beauty Portrait
[Close-up/medium] beauty portrait of [subject description].
[Skin/makeup details]. [Background]. [Lighting type] creating [effect].
85mm lens, [aperture], [photography style] aesthetic. Ultra-realistic 4K.Template 3: Action Freeze-Frame
Dynamic [action] freeze-frame. [Subject] performing [specific movement].
[Environmental effects] frozen in mid-air. [Lighting]. [Background].
High-speed photography feel. Ultra-sharp. 4K quality.Template 4: Fantasy/Anime
[Epic/Dark/Magical] [anime/fantasy] scene. [Character with specific features]
wearing [outfit details]. [Action/pose]. [Magical/environmental effects].
[Color scheme]. [Art style reference] quality. Ultra-detailed 4K.Template 5: Product Showcase
[Product] floating/rotating against [background]. [Lighting setup].
Professional commercial product photography. Reflections on [surface].
[Special effect: particles/light rays]. Studio quality, ultra-sharp 4K.Template 6: Nature/Landscape
[Epic/Serene] [landscape type] at [time of day/weather]. [Focal subject]
in the [position]. [Atmospheric effects]. [Camera: wide/aerial/etc.].
[Photography reference] quality. Ultra-realistic 4K.Template 7: Style Transfer
[Subject/scene description] in the style of [style reference].
[Style-specific details: colors, textures, effects]. [Camera].
[Lighting]. Ultra-detailed [style] quality.Template 8: I2V Portrait Animation
The person slowly [motion description]. [Hair/clothing movement].
Camera [movement]. [Lighting change if any]. Smooth, natural motion.Template 9: Mood/Atmosphere
[Subject] in a [moody/ethereal/dreamy] [setting]. [Atmospheric effects:
fog, rain, dust, smoke]. [Color palette]. [Emotion/mood]. [Camera].
[Lighting]. Cinematic atmosphere. 4K quality.Template 10: Social Media Content
[Trendy/eye-catching] [content type]. [Subject doing something engaging].
[Vibrant colors/effects]. [Platform-optimized aspect ratio].
[Style reference: TikTok/Instagram aesthetic]. Punchy, attention-grabbing.
High quality.FAQ
What makes a good Seedance prompt?
A good prompt is specific, structured, and non-contradictory. Include subject, action, setting, style, camera, lighting, and quality modifiers. Be concrete — "a woman in a red dress walking through rain-soaked neon streets at night" is far better than "a woman in a city." Use the formula and templates in this guide.
How long should my prompt be?
Aim for 40-80 words. Too short (under 20 words) gives the AI too much freedom, producing unpredictable results. Too long (over 150 words) can confuse the model with conflicting details. The sweet spot is a focused paragraph that covers all seven elements of the prompt formula.
Can I use the same prompt for different models?
Yes, the same prompt works across Seedance 1.0 Lite, Pro, and 2.0, but results will vary in quality. A prompt optimized for 2.0's multi-modal capabilities (with audio and video references) won't benefit from those features on earlier models. When switching models, your text prompt carries over — just adjust expectations for quality differences.
How do I control camera movement in prompts?
Include camera movement keywords directly in your prompt: "slow dolly in," "tracking shot left to right," "orbiting around subject," "crane shot rising." For the most precise camera control, use Seedance 2.0 with a reference video that has the exact camera movement you want.
Start Creating with These Prompts
Every prompt in this guide has been tested and refined for Seedance. Copy any of them, adapt to your creative vision, and see what the AI can do.
Want to see real prompts iterated from V1 to V3 with before/after results? Check our 10 AI video prompts that actually work.
Open Seedance and try these prompts now →
New to Seedance? Start with our complete beginner's guide. Want to understand the platform? Read What Is Seedance. Looking for free options? Check our free-tier guide. See real output examples in our 10 creative use cases showcase. Using AI video for marketing? Read our marketing & social media guide.

