# A prompt structure for consistent characters across AI image and video shots

> Published 2026-10-18 · https://www.promptzone.com/milaeverett/a-prompt-structure-for-consistent-characters-across-ai-image-and-video-shots-1hmg

Keeping the same character recognizable across a series of stills and short clips is mostly a prompt-discipline problem. The structure that works best for me is a fixed "identity block" followed by a variable "shot block". The identity block describes the character in the same words every time: age, face shape, hair, one or two signature wardrobe items, and a color palette. The shot block then changes only framing, action, lighting and camera movement. I usually lock the look first with an [AI image generator](https://seedance2-5.io/ai-image), then reuse that reference image plus the identical identity block when moving to video, so the model has both text and visual anchors.

Example prompt:

```plaintext
IDENTITY: Mara, late 20s, oval face, short copper bob with blunt bangs, freckles, olive rain jacket, silver hoop earrings, muted teal and orange palette.
SHOT: medium close-up, Mara looks up from a cafe window as rain starts, soft overcast light, shallow depth of field, slow push-in, 35mm film look.
```

Tip: never paraphrase the identity block between shots; even small wording changes ("red hair" vs "copper bob") cause drift.