Keep the same face and outfit in every generated shot

Why characters drift — and how to stop it

If you ask a model for "the same girl" three times, you get three different people. The fix is to stop relying on the model's memory and start relying on a reference image. You build the character once, save it, and then attach that exact image to every generation. The model conditions on it, and the face, hair, and wardrobe carry through.

VidFarm gives every recurring character a permanent home in My Files → at /files/characters/<slug>/. It holds three files that work together:

• character_<slug>.json — the manifest: id, slug, name, role, appearance, wardrobe, a palette, voice, do's and don'ts, plus sprite_card_path and about_path. Never double the prefix — it's character_zara.json, not character_character_zara.json.
• character_sprite_card.png — one reference sheet: full body front / side / back plus a face close-up, on a neutral background.
• character_about.md — the prose the manifest summarizes.

The reference sheetBuild the sprite card

The character_sprite_card.png is the single most important asset. It's the reference you'll attach forever after, so it needs every angle the model might have to reconstruct: front, side, back, and a tight face close-up, all on a clean neutral background.

1. 1

   Name it and derive a slug

   Agree a name and turn it into a URL-safe slug (lowercase, hyphens). "Zara the fox mascot" becomes zara, and the folder becomes /files/characters/zara/.

2. 2

   Gather the spec conversationally

   In Chat → or the editor copilot, describe the character: appearance, wardrobe, signature colors, personality, voice, do's and don'ts. If you already have reference photos, hand them over — the copilot pulls detail straight from them.

3. 3

   Mint the sprite card (image generation is cheap)

   Chat: "Generate a character reference sheet for Zara — full body front, side, and back plus a face close-up, on a neutral gray background. Teal bomber jacket, cream chest fluff." The copilot calls POST /api/v1/primitives/images/generate with your real photos as prompt_attachments. Because it's image generation, you can stack several reference photos and iterate cheaply until it's right.

4. 4

   Save the trio and annotate it

   Save the finished PNG as character_sprite_card.png under /files/characters/zara/, then write character_zara.json and character_about.md beside it. Add notes to all three naming the character — the notes are embedded on save, so a semantic search like "our fox mascot" recovers the card from any phrasing later.

Illustration

character_maya.json Look mid-20s, warm smile, freckles Wardrobe mustard hoodie, gold hoops Voice upbeat, fast, friendly

Use the same reference on every generation

Once the card exists, the rule is simple and unchanging: every generation featuring the character passes the sprite card's viewUrl as the reference, and you lift wording from the manifest into the prompt.

Where the reference goes depends on what you're generating:

• Images — the card goes in prompt_attachments. Multiple references stack fine here, so you can add the card plus a pose reference.
• Image edits — the frame to revise is source_image_url; extra references go in reference_attachments.
• Video — the card goes in input_references on /videos/generate, or as a frame_images first-frame entry.
• In the editor — generate_layer routes images to prompt_attachments and video to input_references automatically, and auto-places the result.

Illustration

Without a referenceA different person every shot

→

With a sprite cardThe same character, on model

Where to go next

A consistent character is the prerequisite for every multi-shot story. Use it to animate a still, replace an actor, or run a whole drama series with a recurring cast.