Consistent AI video comes from pairing clear, repeatable prompts with visual controls: reuse a reference image or character asset when available, and continue from a prior frame or clip when the tool supports it. A prompt alone—especially “same character as before”—does not guarantee the same identity across generations. The right workflow depends on whether you want continuity within one clip, across separate clips, or through a scene change.
How to write prompts that produce consistent AI-generated videos
Build each prompt around one shot: identify the subject, give it one clear action, establish the setting, and specify only the camera and visual details that matter. Reuse the same canonical description for a character’s appearance across text-to-video shots. Keep wardrobe, age, colors, and style consistent; conflicting details make the intended look less clear.
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Runway’s official Gen-4 Video Prompting Guide says, “The Gen-4 model thrives on prompt simplicity.” Treat that as version-specific guidance, not a universal rule for every video model. For any model, start compactly and add details only when they help communicate the shot.
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Use this as a practical template, not a guarantee of a particular result:
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Medium shot of [same character description] [one clear action] in [stable environment]. [Camera movement]. [Important lighting or style detail].
For example: “Medium shot of a short-haired woman in a mustard coat opening a greenhouse door. She steps inside as the camera gently tracks forward. Soft morning light.” For later shots, retain the same appearance description and change the action or setting only as needed.
Keep the instructions compatible
Describe actions the viewer can see, and make camera directions fit the scene. A request for a locked-off camera and a rapid orbit at the same time is internally inconsistent; so is describing a character as wearing two different outfits in one shot without asking for a change. If the action is complex, split it into simpler shots rather than stacking several events into one prompt.
How to keep a character consistent across scenes
When the goal is “How are you keeping AI characters consistent across multiple scenes?”, use the same visual anchor across shots wherever the platform allows. A reference image can establish the character’s appearance and other visual information, while reusable character assets or frame-based continuation can carry that anchor forward. These controls guide generation; they do not ensure identical identity in every pose, movement, or scene.
Start with a clean reference image
Choose a frame that clearly shows the subject and the traits that need to persist. Runway’s image-to-video guidance explains that the input image establishes visual information such as the subject, composition, colors, lighting, and style. OpenAI’s Sora 2 guide describes image input as a visual reference for composition and style. Google’s Gemini API documentation for Veo 3.1 describes using up to three reference images of a single person, character, or product. These are capabilities documented for the named models and products; they should not be assumed to exist in every interface or version.
For image-to-video, let the image handle appearance
If the reference already shows the character, write mainly about what changes over time: the subject’s action, camera movement, and temporal progression. For example: “The subject turns slowly toward the window as the camera makes a gentle push-in; curtains move lightly in the breeze.” Add appearance details only when introducing a new element, specifying a transformation, or clarifying an interaction that the image does not make evident.
Runway’s Gen-4.5 image-to-video guidance specifically says the image establishes composition and appearance while the text should focus on motion, camera work, and temporal progression. It also cautions that repeating visual details from the image in high detail can reduce motion or cause unexpected results. Do not generalize this model-specific advice to every image-to-video system.
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Plan transitions between separate clips
Save the reference image, prompt, and output for each shot. When supported, reuse the same character or reference asset in the next generation; for a continuation, provide the previous clip or its final frame if the tool supports it. Plan a plausible handoff: a character looking or moving in one direction can continue that action in the next shot, rather than abruptly reversing position or action state.
When reviewing the join, check identity, wardrobe, location, light direction, screen direction, and what the subject was doing at the cut. These details are especially useful when assembling short generations in an editor. A new generation may still change a face, outfit, or other visual trait, so inspect the output rather than assuming the reference locked it.
How to iterate without making prompts less reliable
- Save a stable base prompt. Keep the character description, environment, and other established continuity details unchanged.
- Generate a simple shot. Include one main action and the camera direction needed to show it.
- Change one variable per attempt. Try the action first, then camera movement, environmental motion, or style. This makes it easier to tell which change affected the result.
- Inspect the output against the continuity target. Check identity, clothing, composition, lighting, and whether the action reads clearly.
- Revise the likely cause, not every sentence. If identity drifts, check reference quality, contradictions, scene complexity, motion complexity, and camera angle before adding more descriptive text.
- Keep prompt versions and assets together. Record which prompt and reference produced each clip so you can reuse the best anchor and build a coherent sequence.
Runway’s Gen-4 guide recommends adding details incrementally and describing desired action positively. For Gen-4, it says negative phrasing is not supported and may produce unpredictable or opposite results. That limitation is specific to the documented Gen-4 workflow; check the guide for the model you are using before relying on negative prompts.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Which consistency controls do the documented tools offer?
The following summarizes controls described in the cited official documentation. It is a feature comparison, not a controlled comparison of output quality; access and availability can depend on the product interface, version, and API.
The Tool Desk
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|---|---|---|---|
| Runway Gen-4 | Input image plus text prompt. | Not stated in the cited Gen-4 prompting guide. | 5- or 10-second videos, according to the Gen-4 Video Prompting Guide. |
| Runway Gen-4.5 | Image-to-video uses the image to establish composition and appearance; text-to-video is available when exact character or scene consistency is not the priority. | Not stated in the cited Gen-4.5 guides. | Not stated in the cited text-to-video guide or image-to-video guide. |
| Google Veo 3.1 (Gemini API documentation) | Up to three reference images for a single person, character, or product. | First- and last-frame control and video extension are documented. | Not stated here; the cited documentation describes these Veo 3.1 capabilities for the API. |
| OpenAI Sora 2 guide | Image input as a reference for composition and style; a Characters API uses a short reference video to create reusable characters for future generations. | Video extension is documented. | Not stated in the cited guide. |
Read the model-specific documentation before choosing a workflow: Google Gemini API video generation and OpenAI Sora 2 video generation. Runway’s Gen-4 and Gen-4.5 guides are linked in the relevant sections above. Feature names and access can change, so confirm current availability in the documentation for the exact product and version you plan to use.
Why a character may still drift
- The reference is unclear. A small, obstructed, or ambiguous subject gives the model less useful visual information to follow.
- The prompt conflicts with the anchor. A description that changes age, clothing, colors, or style can pull away from the reference.
- The shot asks too much at once. Several actions, major camera moves, and complex scene changes can create competing instructions.
- The pose or motion is demanding. A reference guides generation but does not guarantee a perfect match through unusual poses or complex movement.
- The clip or sequence is long. Each separate generation can introduce variation; a reusable character control or frame-based continuation may help where supported, but should still be checked.
Do not treat a longer prompt as an automatic fix. First identify whether the problem is the reference, a contradiction, the shot’s complexity, or a continuity break between clips; then change the relevant part of the workflow.
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