Keep a character or product consistent across shots

Keeping a character or product consistent in Nodespell means every image and shot starts from the same reference image instead of a fresh prompt. You make or upload one approved reference, keep it as an Asset node, and connect that one node to every tool that accepts reference images. New angles come from Variations, new scenes from reference-capable image models, and motion from the video tools.

What you need

• One clear image of the subject: a front view with even light and a plain background works best. Upload it to Asset Manager, or generate it in stage 1.
• A short description of the subject you reuse word for word in every prompt, for example “a red-haired courier in a yellow raincoat with a silver backpack”.
• Credits for each generation. Reusing the same reference costs nothing extra.

Graph at a glance: Reference Asset → Variations (angles) · Reference Asset → Image Generator with Reference images (new scenes) · chosen still → Image to Video · Reference Asset + stills → Reference Images to Video

Where credits are spent

Every Image Generator, Variations, Image to Video, and Reference Images to Video run uses credits. On paid plans, Create shows the estimate before you select Generate, and the run button in Graph shows it before you run.

Stage 1: Make the reference image

1. In Create, choose Image Generator.
2. In Prompt, describe the subject on a plain background, in full view, with even light. Include the reusable subject description.
3. Set Generations to 4 and select Generate.
4. In Results, pick the clearest version.
5. Switch to Graph, select the Image Generator node, open Takes, and select Use Take for the chosen take. Then open More take actions and choose Keep this take, so later runs never replace it.

If you already have a photo or illustration, skip generation: press Tab in Graph, add an Asset node, right-click it, choose Load Asset, and pick the image.

Stage 2: Make new angles with Variations

Variations keeps the source recognizable while changing the camera.

1. Press Tab and add Variations. Connect the reference to it, or set Source image with Choose assets in Create.
2. Set Variation mode to Reframe and choose a Shot type, such as Profile view, Back view, Three-quarter view, or Close-up.
3. For a change of pose or outfit, use Custom and write Variation instructions that say what changes and what stays: “Same courier and raincoat, now sitting on a bench. Keep the face, hair, and colors identical.”
4. Run the node. Repeat with other shot types to build a small turnaround set.

See Variations.

Stage 3: Put the subject in new scenes

1. Press Tab and add Image Generator.
2. Select it and choose a model that shows a Reference images field. Not every model accepts references; if the field is missing, switch models in the model picker.
3. Connect the reference (and, optionally, one or two of the angle variations) to the reference images input. One output can feed any number of nodes.
4. In Prompt, write the new scene and repeat the subject description exactly.
5. Generate several takes and keep the one that matches best.

For a small change to an existing scene, such as swapping a prop, use Image Editor on that scene instead of generating a new one.

Stage 4: Bring the subject into motion

There are two video paths, and both accept your reference:

Tool	Use it when	What you give it
Image to Video	One approved still should become the first frame of the shot.	A Start frame, and an end frame if the model offers one.
Reference Images to Video	The shot should be new, but the subject must match your references.	Several Reference images, plus a prompt.

1. For a reference-led shot, choose Reference Images to Video in Create, or add it in Graph.
2. Add the reference and the best angle variations under Reference images.
3. Write the prompt. Some models, such as Seedance 2.5 Reference to Video and Kling 4.0 Reference to Video, let you point to each image in the prompt as @Image1, @Image2, and so on. Check the model’s node description for how it numbers references.
4. Generate, compare takes, and keep the best.

Check the result

• Select the reference and a new image together; the Design panel shows two selected images as A and B. Check the face, hair, colors, logo, and proportions.
• Line up all the takes in the node’s takes and reject any that drift, rather than correcting them later.
• In video, scrub to the middle and end of the clip, where identity drift usually appears.

Variations

• Products instead of people. Use a clean product photo as the reference and include the brand name and materials in every prompt. Pair with the product shot recipe.
• Repeatable results. Many models show Seed under More settings. Keep the same seed while you change only the prompt to reduce unrelated changes.
• A talking character. Feed a consistent portrait into Speak; see Make a talking video.
• One shared prompt. Put the subject description in a Prompt node and connect it to several model nodes, so a wording change updates every shot. See Prompts and saved text.

Frequently asked questions

Which Nodespell tools accept reference images?

Image Generator (with models that show Reference images), Image Editor, Variations, Relight, Image to Video (start and end frames), Reference Images to Video, and Speak all take image inputs. The exact fields depend on the model you choose.

Why does my character still change between shots?

Generated models do not guarantee identity. Use more than one reference angle, keep the subject description identical in every prompt, and keep only the takes that match.

How do I refer to a specific reference image in the prompt?

Models that support it describe the syntax in their node description; Seedance 2.5 Reference to Video and Kling 4.0 Reference to Video use @Image1, @Image2, and so on. Check the model’s description in the model picker or the Library panel.

Can I reuse the reference in another Project?

Yes. Generated images appear in Asset Manager under Generated, and uploaded images are in your library, so you can load the same reference in any Project.

Related

• Variations — reframes and directed variations
• Reference Images to Video — reference-led video shots
• Image Generator — models with reference images
• Takes — keep the reference take fixed
• Choose a model — find reference-capable models