Seedance: The AI Video Model from ByteDance, a 2026 Guide

Seedance is a family of video generation models from ByteDance (the company that owns TikTok). The model works in two modes, text-to-video (video from a text description) and image-to-video (animating an uploaded picture), and in the current versions it generates the clip with sound. In Pixyn you use Seedance right in the browser or in Telegram: choose the model in the Studio, write a prompt and run it. New accounts get welcome tokens, no card needed.

TL;DR

• What it is: a video model from ByteDance. Strong in realistic motion, multi-shot cuts and precise prompt following.
• Versions in Pixyn: Seedance 2.0 Mini, Seedance 2.0 Fast, Seedance 2.0 and Seedance 2.5.
• Modes: text-to-video (video from scratch from text), image-to-video (photo animation) and a reference mode (images, video and audio as hints).
• Strengths: smooth physics of motion, multi-shot cuts in one clip, high prompt adherence, native sound and lip sync.

---

What Seedance is and who made it

Seedance is a line of video generation models developed by the ByteDance Seed team (the research division of ByteDance, the same company behind TikTok and the CapCut editor). The first version, Seedance 1.0, came out in June 2025, with a technical report published on arXiv.

The model's task is simple to state and hard to do: take text or a picture as input and output a short video with natural motion. Seedance belongs to the class of diffusion video models and competes with Kling from Kuaishou, Veo from Google and Sora from OpenAI.

At launch, Seedance 1.0 took first place in both categories of the independent Artificial Analysis Video Arena benchmark, text-to-video and image-to-video (the score is built on blind pairwise comparisons of clips with the Elo system). It is not a permanent title: rankings change with every competitor release, and ByteDance itself has released newer versions since. But the fact is telling: the model has been strong in prompt following and realistic motion from the start.

Versions and modes: what Pixyn has

Seedance has three working modes:

• Text-to-video (t2v): you describe the scene in words, and the model generates the video from scratch. It suits when there is no source picture.
• Image-to-video (i2v): you upload an image (a product photo, a frame, an illustration), and the model animates it, adding camera, object and environment movement. You can also set the end frame. It is the working option for marketplaces and for animating ready renders.
• Reference: you give images, video and audio as hints, and the prompt refers to them.

The family evolved like this: Seedance 1.0 (June 2025) brought t2v and i2v with multi-shot cuts, Seedance 1.5 Pro (December 2025) added joint generation of video and audio with lip sync, and Seedance 2.0 and 2.5 (2026) developed native sound and multi-shot storytelling from one prompt. The Pixyn catalog has the current models:

Model	Duration	Resolution	Sound
Seedance 2.0 Mini	4 to 15 seconds	480p, 720p	Yes
Seedance 2.0 Fast	4 to 15 seconds	480p, 720p	Yes
Seedance 2.0	4 to 15 seconds	480p to 4K	Yes
Seedance 2.5	4 to 30 seconds	480p to 1080p	Yes

Which version is selected at a given moment is visible right in the model selector in the Studio. A detailed breakdown of 2.5: Seedance 2.5, three video modes.

What Seedance can do: strengths

We rely on ByteDance's technical report and the published benchmarks of the versions.

1. Realistic motion and physics

Seedance's main stated strength is stable and natural motion. Objects do not "jerk" between frames, the camera moves smoothly, inertia and trajectories look believable. For animating still photos this is exactly what you need: the product turns, the fabric sways, the background comes alive without "boiling" image artifacts.

2. Multi-shot cuts

Within one clip Seedance can make several shots: for example, in a 10-second video switch from a wide shot to a medium and a close-up while keeping the unity of the scene and the character. In version 2.0 this grew into multi-shot storytelling: the model assembles a logical sequence of shots from one prompt. For short ads and Reels this saves manual assembly from separate generations.

3. High prompt adherence

According to Artificial Analysis, it was prompt following that took Seedance 1.0 and Veo 3 to the top of the ranking. In practice this means the model "invents" details you did not ask for less often and works out the description of the scene, action and camera movement more precisely.

4. Resolution, duration, formats

• Resolution: up to 1080p on 2.5 and up to 4K on 2.0.
• Duration: from 4 to 15 seconds on the 2.0 family and up to 30 seconds on 2.5.
• Frame rate: about 24 frames per second (the cinematic standard).
• Formats: horizontal 16:9 for YouTube and vertical 9:16 for Reels and Shorts, plus other ratios.

5. Sound and lip sync

Starting with Seedance 1.5 Pro, the model generates video and sound together rather than in separate steps, with lip movement synced to speech (phoneme-level lip sync) and support for several languages. Seedance 2.0 develops this: a native soundtrack with lines and effects right under the action in the frame. This removes a separate voice-over stage for short clips.

How to use Seedance in Pixyn

Pixyn is a platform with many models for images, video, chat and audio in one window. It works in the browser and in Telegram.

Step by step:

1. Sign up in Pixyn: email, Telegram or Google, about 30 seconds. New accounts get welcome tokens, no bank card needed.
2. Open the Studio.
3. Choose a Seedance model in the selector (for example, Seedance 2.0 or Seedance 2.5). To animate a photo, choose the image-to-video variant and upload the source frame.
4. Write a prompt (we cover the structure below) and set the format if needed: vertical 9:16 for Reels or horizontal 16:9.
5. Run the generation and take the finished clip.

Plans and token prices are on the pricing page.

How to write a prompt for video

A prompt for a video model differs from a prompt for a picture: motion is added to the scene description. A working structure of four blocks:

Subject + Action + Camera/Motion + Style/Light.

• Subject: who or what is in the frame (specifically: "a young woman in a beige coat", not just "a person").
• Action: what happens, what moves ("slowly turns to the window").
• Camera/Motion: how the camera behaves ("a smooth push-in", "a 180° orbit", "a static frame, only the subject moves").
• Style/Light: the type of lighting, the mood, the optics ("soft morning light, shallow depth of field, cinematic").

Working example 1 (text-to-video, an ad)

A young woman in a beige coat walks down an autumn street,
leaves swirl in the wind, she smiles and looks into the camera.
Camera: a smooth slow push-in from the front.
Light: soft golden morning, shallow depth of field, cinematic, 16:9.

Working example 2 (image-to-video, a marketplace)

Animate the photo: a sneaker on a white background slowly rotates 360°,
light highlights glide over the leather and the sole, the background stays clean.
Camera: static, only the product rotates.
Light: even studio light, no harsh shadows, 1:1.

A tip: one action per clip. If you squeeze three different events into 8 seconds, the model will smear them and the quality drops. Several short clips with one action each work better.

Anti-prompt: what not to ask Seedance for

These save tokens: common requests that come out poorly.

• "Make a one-minute video": split it into clips of a few seconds and assemble them in editing.
• "Write large text on the video: …": put titles on in editing.
• "A realistic conversation between two people for 30 seconds": take a short line per clip.
• "A crowd of 50 people, each face visible": move the extras into the out-of-focus area or a wide shot.
• "5 different actions in one frame at the same time": one action per clip.
• "An exact brand logo without distortion": add small graphics and brand marks in post-production.

Scenarios: who it is for and why

• Social media video. Short vertical 9:16 clips for Reels, Shorts and TikTok: Seedance's format matches what the feed needs.
• Dynamic Reels and Shorts. Smooth camera movement and multi-shot cuts give an "expensive" picture without a film crew.
• Animating photos for marketplaces. Image-to-video turns a still product card into a short video: the product rotates, the background comes alive. Video in a card often raises conversion compared with a still.
• Content creators and Workflow. If you need many clips, Pixyn has the visual Workflow: build the pipeline once (prompt, generation, variants) and run it in batches without repeating the steps by hand.

What it costs in tokens

Seedance: from 20 tokens per clip; Kling: from 15. The spread within Seedance depends on the version, the duration and the resolution.

The studio shows the exact charge before you run it, so check against it rather than the article: the catalog gets updated. Pack contents are on the pricing page.

FAQ

How is text-to-video different from image-to-video?

Text-to-video creates a clip from scratch from a text description, when there is no source. Image-to-video animates your uploaded picture by adding motion. For product cards and ready renders take i2v; for a scene "from your head", t2v.

How long a clip does Seedance make?

From 4 to 15 seconds on the 2.0 family and up to 30 seconds on Seedance 2.5. A long video is assembled from several clips.

Does Seedance have sound?

Yes: the current models generate video and sound together, with lip sync to speech, lines and effects.

How is Seedance different from Kling and Sora?

These are different families of video models: Seedance is made by ByteDance, Kling by Kuaishou, Sora by OpenAI. Seedance stands out for strong prompt following and multi-shot cuts; Kling is often praised for photo animation and motion; Sora for its overall cinematic look. Pixyn has both Seedance and Kling, so you can compare them on your own task in one interface.

What is the maximum resolution?

Up to 4K on Seedance 2.0 and up to 1080p on Seedance 2.5: enough for social media, Reels and marketplace cards.

---

Similar models and materials

• Kling, the model for photo animation
• Seedream, image generation from ByteDance
• The Workflow page

---

Try Seedance yourself

Open the Studio, choose Seedance, upload a photo or write a prompt with the "subject + action + camera + light" structure, and you get your first clip in a couple of minutes.

No account? Sign up →: 30 seconds via email, Telegram or Google. New accounts get welcome tokens, no card needed.