Seedream 5.0 prompt guide: writing character, location and prop sheets
What the tiers are and cost: Seedream 5.0 on SceneMixer.
The one habit that changes how you write
Most image models weight the start of a prompt and skim the rest. Seedream does not: the last sentence counts as much as the first. Two consequences follow. A long description is fine, as long as every clause is something you want drawn. And a phrase that describes a result is drawn as that result: a hint of red at the nostrils becomes a red nose; light falls softly on her face becomes a lit face on every shot the sheet is used in.
Character sheets
| Order | What to write |
|---|---|
| 1. Face | Shape, brows, eyes, nose, mouth, skin as a person has it, hair line and cut, the age you see |
| 2. Anchor | One feature nobody else in the cast has |
| 3. Build | Height, frame, how they stand |
| 4. One outfit | Named piece by piece; a second outfit is a state, not a second clause |
A man in his early twenties with a narrow face, sharp cheekbones and hooded dark eyes; straight black brows, a slightly crooked nose that was once broken; light brown skin with a few acne marks on the jaw; short black hair shaved at the sides. A small silver ring through the top of the left ear. Medium height, wiry, hands often in his pockets. A faded black bomber jacket over a grey hoodie, black jeans, worn white high-top sneakers.
Every word is drawable; the once-broken nose and the ear ring are the anchors. Notice what is missing: no handsome, no moody lighting, no anime style (the style is a project setting). More on faces in describe a face so it is not a generic face.
Location sheets
A location sheet is a plate to shoot in: the place with nobody in it, three layers of depth, the materials, and where the light comes from. Write it as a set builder would — front, middle, back, walls and floor, the light source — not by what happens there.
A narrow ground-floor noodle shop at night, seen from the doorway. In front: two small square steel tables with red plastic stools. In the middle: a long counter on the left with a glass case of raw noodles and a row of steel pots. At the back: a swinging kitchen door with a round window. White tiled walls, a grey concrete floor, a single fluorescent tube on the ceiling above the counter, a red lantern hanging in the doorway.
No people, no event (where they first met cannot be drawn), no weather effects that belong to one shot. The fluorescent tube and the lantern are sources the video can light from. If a location keeps coming out wrong, see scene image does not match the description.
Prop sheets
A prop sheet is the object alone on white, lit to show its material. Describe shape, size against a hand, material, wear and one identifying mark, in the state it is usually carried. A structurally different form — a cracked glass, a drawn blade — is a separate state with its own image.
A brass pocket watch about the size of a palm, round, with a hinged lid engraved with a crane in flight. The brass is worn pale at the edges; a short broken chain hangs from the crown. Lid closed.
The engraved crane is the identifying mark; lid closed is the carried state, and the open watch would be a state of its own. One kind of prop never gets a reference: a photo or portrait of a character. Props: how to describe them has the rules.
What to leave out
- Light and mood on any sheet. They are carried into every shot; write them per shot in the storyboard.
- Effect words. Masterpiece, 8K, ultra-detailed, cinematic draw nothing; Seedream already renders at 2K.
- Negatives. No hat, not smiling: say what is there instead (bare-headed, mouth closed). See say what is there, not what is not.
- Results. Write the scar, not the redness; the lamp, not the glow.
- Real people, brands and known characters. They trip the IP check on every tier.
Pro or Lite for each kind of sheet
Both read the same way and draw at 2K. Use Pro (25 credits per sheet) for faces in close-up, where its photographic skin shows; use Lite (8) for locations and props, where the difference is small. Every account’s first 15 sheets are free on any tier.
Fixing a sheet that came out wrong
- Something you did not ask for appears: a result phrase was drawn literally. Rewrite it as a cause.
- A location has people or fog: the description mentions an event or weather. Remove it.
- The costume swallows the figure: the outfit is described at length. Cut it to the main pieces.
- Two outfits blended: move the second to a state.
- Blocked by the text check: rephrase in neutral visual terms; a blocked sheet is not charged.
To change one detail of a sheet you like, write only the change: write the change, not the whole picture.
FAQ
What is the best prompt structure for Seedream 5.0?
On SceneMixer: for a character, face, anchor, build, one outfit; for a location, front, middle, back, materials, light source; for a prop, shape, size, material, wear, one mark.
Does Seedream read long prompts?
Yes, to the end. That is its main difference from the default tier, and why every clause should be something you want drawn.
Should I write the prompt in English or Chinese?
Either. Seedream reads both well.
Do quality words like 8K or masterpiece help?
No. They describe nothing drawable, and the tier already renders at 2K.
Why does my location image have people in it?
Usually the description names an event or a crowd. A location sheet is an empty plate; people come from the storyboard.
Why did it draw a red nose?
Seedream draws result phrases literally. Write the cause in the storyboard (a cold, crying) and keep the sheet neutral.
Can I add lighting to a location?
Name the source (a window, a lamp, a fluorescent tube) so the video can light from it. Leave the mood of each shot to the storyboard.
Do the same rules apply to Seedream Lite?
Yes. Pro and Lite read descriptions the same way; Pro differs in skin texture on faces.
Rewrite one location for Seedream
Front, middle, back, materials, light source: regenerate the room and see what 2K buys you.
Updated October 23, 2026