Keep AI Characters Consistent with a Three-View Reference Sheet (Prompt Template)

Short answer: make one reference sheet per character: a front close-up of the head plus full-body front, side and back views, side by side on a plain white background, in 16:9. Check it for mistakes, then attach that same sheet to every shot the character appears in. When the camera turns, the model can copy the side or back view instead of inventing one.

What goes on the sheet

• A head close-up, front-facing. It carries the face; full-body views are too small to hold facial detail.

• Full body from the front, side and back. These are the angles a moving camera needs most often.

• Plain white background, no text. Anything else on the sheet can leak into your shots.

• One outfit, a neutral pose and a calm face. Expressions belong in the shot prompt, not in the reference.

• 16:9 layout. Four views fit side by side without shrinking the face.

Animation studios have used the same idea for decades: a model sheet keeps every artist drawing the same character. Here, the "artist" is the video model.

The prompt template

[Style], three-view character reference sheet: [name], [age and build], [face], [hair], [outfit and shoes].
A front close-up of the head plus full-body front, side and back views of the same character, side by side from left to right; face shape, hair, build and outfit identical in every view; natural stance, calm expression, plain white background, no text.
Aspect ratio 16:9.

The prompt behind our example

We generated the example with the Z-Image model in Chinese; this is a faithful translation (the original is in the Chinese edition).

Cinematic realistic style, soft natural light, high detail.
Three-view character reference sheet: Lin Wan, a 26-year-old woman, oval face, shoulder-length straight black hair, soft features, slim build, white shirt with black suit trousers, thin black heels.
A front close-up of the head plus full-body front, side and back views of the same character, side by side from left to right; face shape, hair, build and outfit identical in every view; natural stance, calm expression, plain white background, no text.

Check the sheet before you trust it

Every shot will copy the sheet, mistakes included. Ours looked right at a glance, but the hair came out well past the shoulders even though the prompt asked for shoulder length. If that matters to your story, regenerate now, not after ten shots.

• Same face shape and features in the close-up and the front view.

• Hair length, parting and color match the description in all four views.

• Outfit details (collar, buttons, shoes) are identical from front to back.

• Feet and shoes are fully in frame.

• No stray text, watermark or second person.

Use the same sheet in every shot

1. Attach the sheet as a reference image in every shot where the character appears, and refer to it in the prompt ("the woman from @image1").

2. Keep one sheet per outfit or state. If she changes clothes or gets injured, make a new sheet instead of describing the change in each prompt.

3. Give each character their own sheet. Two characters on one sheet blur together.

4. Put scenes and props in separate references. Seedance 2.0 accepts up to 9 reference images per clip and Seedance 2.5 up to 30, which leaves room for a location plate and a key prop.

In the SoulNexus drama workbench, the asset step of a new project prepares a three-view sheet prompt for every character in the script. Once a sheet is drawn, it is attached automatically to the shots that character appears in, up to the selected model's reference limit. The same projects also use a motion-first acting recipe for the shot prompts.

FAQ

Why not just use a single portrait?

A portrait only shows one angle. As soon as the character turns or walks away, the model has to guess the side and back, and that guess changes from shot to shot.

Does this work for anime or 3D styles?

Yes. Put the style at the start of the sheet prompt and use exactly the same style words in every shot prompt.

Should expressions go on the sheet?

No. Keep the sheet neutral and describe expressions and actions in each shot. A smiling reference tends to make the character smile everywhere.

How we made the example

The sheet was generated once with the Z-Image model on 26 October 2026 at 16:9 and is shown without retouching. The character is fictional.