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First-frame image models: Seedream, Nano Banana Pro, GPT Image 2

How to choose an image model for first frames and characters: Seedream 5.0, Nano Banana Pro, GPT Image 2 and FLUX.2, with a test plan and prompts to copy.

, 4 min read

Why the first frame matters

The image you start a video from sets the look of the whole clip: the character, the set, the light and the color. In ClickPop you can draw first frames and character references with Seedream 5.0 (Lite, Pro and Flash), Nano Banana Pro, GPT Image 2 or FLUX.2. The best one is the one that gives you the frame you want for this shot, so test them on your own prompt.

Starting from a still gives you control that text-only video prompts do not. You approve the composition before you pay for motion, and the video model only has to animate what is already there.

The image models available

  • Seedream 5.0 in three versions: Lite, Pro and Flash. Having three tiers lets you sketch on a lighter version and finish on a fuller one.
  • Nano Banana Pro.
  • GPT Image 2.
  • FLUX.2.

These are the image models ClickPop offers for characters and first frames. They sit alongside the video models in the same catalog of 85 image and video models and draw from the same credit balance.

Each maker updates its models, and strengths shift between versions. Rather than relying on a ranking, set up a quick test with the frame types you use most.

Pick by the job the frame has to do

Different frames ask different things of an image model. Before testing, decide which of these matters most for the shot:

  • Character likeness: the face and outfit must match across many frames. Test how each model holds a design across front, three-quarter and profile views.
  • Product accuracy: shape, material and color must match the real product description. Test with a plain studio setup.
  • Composition: a specific layout, like subject on the left, empty space on the right for text. Test whether the model follows layout instructions.
  • Style: a painted, anime, 3D or paper-cut look. Test whether the style holds without drifting toward photo-real.
  • Text in frame: a sign or label. Test, but plan to add exact text in the edit anyway.

Worked example: a four-model test

Run one prompt on all four models at the same aspect ratio as your video, for example vertical for shorts:

"Vertical frame. A woman in her thirties with short black hair and a mustard-yellow raincoat stands at a tram stop at dusk, looking toward the camera. Wet street, warm shop lights behind her, light rain, shallow depth of field. Subject in the lower two-thirds, empty sky above for a title."

Try this prompt in Create Video

Score each result on four questions: does it match the description, is the composition right, would the face hold up across a series, and does it fit the color grade you plan to use. Then animate the top two with the same video model and the same motion prompt, for example "She turns her head and smiles as a tram passes behind her." Pick the frame whose animated version you like best. A still that looks great can still animate poorly.

Using frames in ClickPop

In Characters you choose the image model and draw 1 to 10 reference photos of a fictional adult character: front, three-quarter, full body, close-ups and profile. Those photos go with every video, which keeps the face and outfit the same. Pick the image model there based on your test.

In Create Video, storyboard mode draws stills first so you can approve each frame before animating. For first-and-last-frame shots, draw both ends with the same image model and the same style words so the move between them stays consistent.

Cost and speed when drawing frames

Compare the credit price of an image render with a video render; both show before you generate. Settling the look in stills means you spend video credits only on frames you have already approved. Draw several versions of a frame, pick the best, and only then pay for motion.

Seedream 5.0's Lite, Pro and Flash versions give you a choice of tiers within one model family. A practical pattern is to explore compositions on a lighter tier, then redraw the chosen composition on a fuller tier for the final frame, keeping the prompt identical so only the detail changes.

Keep a small library of approved frames per project: the character sheet, the main locations and the product shots. Reusing those frames across videos keeps a series consistent and saves you from redrawing the same set every time.

Prompting first frames for video

Write a first-frame prompt differently from a standalone image. Leave room for motion. If the character will walk to the right, frame them on the left. If the camera will push in, start wider than the final framing.

Match the aspect ratio to the video. A horizontal still cropped into a vertical video loses most of the frame. Keep lighting simple and directional, because complex light often shifts once motion starts. And avoid freezing a mid-action pose that the video model then has to continue awkwardly. A calm starting pose animates more cleanly.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Choosing an image model from a ranking instead of testing your frame type.
  • Judging the still alone. Always animate the top candidates before deciding.
  • Drawing frames at the wrong aspect ratio for the video.
  • Switching image models mid-series, which can change a character's look.
  • Basing a character on a real person, or putting real brand logos in frame.

Questions

Which image model is best for AI video first frames?

It depends on the frame. Test Seedream 5.0, Nano Banana Pro, GPT Image 2 and FLUX.2 on the same prompt, animate the best two, and keep the winner.

What are Seedream 5.0 Lite, Pro and Flash?

Three versions of Seedream 5.0. Try a lighter version for quick sketches and compare it with Pro for final frames.

Can I use the same image model for all my characters?

Yes, and for a series it helps. Using one image model keeps the visual style consistent across your cast.

First-frame image models: Seedream, Nano Banana Pro, GPT Image 2 | Click Pop