Seedance 2.0 Storyboard & Video Generation
End-to-end workflow from concept to final video: Storyboard → Reference images → Submit video task → Get results.
Step 0: Determine Execution Mode (MCP or Script)
Check MCP availability first:
- Check
xskill-aiMCP service status (readmcps/user-xskill-ai/STATUS.md) - If MCP is available → use
submit_task/get_taskand other MCP tools - If MCP is unavailable or returns errors → switch to Script Mode
Script mode prerequisites:
- Verify
XSKILL_API_KEYenvironment variable is set (runecho $XSKILL_API_KEY | head -c 10) - If not set, prompt the user: Get your API Key: https://www.xskill.ai/#/v2/api-keys
- Verify
requestsis installed (pip install requests)
Script path: Located under this skill's directory at scripts/seedance_api.py:
In the following steps, each API call provides both MCP method and Script method. Choose one based on the Step 0 result.
Step 1: Understand the User's Idea
Collect the following information (proactively ask if anything is missing):
- Story concept: one-sentence summary of the video
- Duration: 4–15 seconds
- Aspect ratio: 16:9 / 9:16 / 1:1 / 21:9 / 4:3 / 3:4
- Visual style: realistic / animation / ink wash / sci-fi / cyberpunk, etc.
- Assets: existing images/videos/audio, or need AI generation
- Function mode: first & last frame control (
first_last_frames) or default omni mode (omni_reference)
Step 2: Deep Dive (5 Dimensions)
Guide the user through each dimension for richer detail:
- Content – Who is the subject? What are they doing? Where?
- Visuals – Lighting, color palette, texture, mood
- Camera – Push in / pull out / pan / tilt / track / orbit / crane
- Motion – Subject actions and pacing
- Audio – Music style, sound effects, dialogue
Step 3: Build Storyboard Structure
Break down shots along the timeline using this formula:
See reference.md for detailed templates and examples.
Step 4: Generate Reference Images (If Needed)
If the user has no existing assets, use Seedream 4.5 to generate character art, scenes, first/last frames, etc.
Text-to-Image
Call submit_task tool:
model_id:fal-ai/bytedance/seedream/v4.5/text-to-imageparameters:prompt: detailed image description (English works best)image_size: choose based on video aspect rationum_images: number needed (1–6)
Image Editing (Modify Existing Images)
Call submit_task tool:
model_id:fal-ai/bytedance/seedream/v4.5/editparameters:prompt: editing instructions (use Figure 1/2/3 to reference images)image_urls: array of input image URLsimage_size: output size
Poll Image Results
Images typically complete in 1–2 minutes.
Call get_task tool to check status:
- First query after 30 seconds
- Then every 30 seconds
- Extract image URL when status is
completed
Single query:
Auto-poll (recommended for images, interval 10s, timeout 180s):
image_size Reference
Step 5: Compose the Final Prompt
Merge the storyboard structure and reference images into the final prompt:
- Use
@image_file_1,@image_file_2, etc. to reference images in theimage_filesarray - Use
@video_file_1, etc. to reference videos in thevideo_filesarray - Use
@audio_file_1, etc. to reference audio in theaudio_filesarray
Reference syntax example:
Important: The Nth URL in image_files maps to @image_file_N. video_files and audio_files are independently numbered.
Step 6: Submit Video Task
Handle asset URLs:
- Seedream-generated images: URL already available, use directly
- User-provided web images: use directly
- User-provided local images: upload first to get URL (see upload methods below)
Upload Local Images
Call upload_image tool: image_url or image_data
Submit Seedance 2.0 Task (Omni Reference Mode)
Call submit_task tool:
model_id:st-ai/super-seed2parameters:prompt: the full prompt from Step 5functionMode:omni_reference(default, can be omitted)image_files: reference image URL array (up to 9, order matches@image_file_1/2/3...)video_files: reference video URL array (up to 3, total duration ≤ 15s)audio_files: reference audio URL array (up to 3)ratio: aspect ratio (16:9/9:16/1:1/21:9/4:3/3:4)duration: integer length (4–15)model:seedance_2.0_fast(default, faster) orseedance_2.0(standard quality)
Submit Seedance 2.0 Task (First & Last Frames Mode)
Call submit_task tool:
model_id:st-ai/super-seed2parameters:prompt: video description promptfunctionMode:first_last_framesfilePaths: image URL array (0 = text-to-video, 1 = first frame, 2 = first & last frames)ratio: aspect ratioduration: integer lengthmodel:seedance_2.0_fastorseedance_2.0
Step 7: Poll for Video Results
Video generation takes approximately 10 minutes.
Polling strategy:
- After submission, inform the user: "Video is generating, estimated ~10 minutes"
- First query after 60 seconds via
get_task - Then every 90 seconds
- Report status to the user after each query
Recommended: auto-poll (runs in foreground, interval 30s, timeout 600s):
Progress is printed to stderr; final JSON result is printed to stdout when complete.
Manual single query:
Status reference:
pending→ "Queued..."processing→ "Generating..."completed→ Extract the video URL and present to the userfailed→ Report the error; suggest adjusting the prompt and retrying
Full Workflow Example
User says: "Make a video of an astronaut walking on Mars"
When MCP Is Available
When MCP Is Unavailable (Script Mode)
Model Parameters Quick Reference
Seedream 4.5 Text-to-Image
Seedream 4.5 Image Editing
Seedance 2.0 Video (Omni Reference Mode)
Seedance 2.0 Video (First & Last Frames Mode)
Tools Quick Reference
MCP Tools
Script Commands (When MCP Is Unavailable)
Script path note: The scripts/seedance_api.py path above is relative to .cursor/skills/seedance2-api/. Use the full path .cursor/skills/seedance2-api/scripts/seedance_api.py when executing, or cd into the skill directory first.
Seedance 2.0 Limitations
- Realistic human face uploads are not supported
- Maximum 12 files: images ≤ 9 + videos ≤ 3 + audio ≤ 3
- Total video/audio reference duration ≤ 15 seconds
- Video references consume more credits
More Resources
See reference.md for detailed storyboard templates, full examples, and camera movement glossary.

