Why the AI does not look like you — and how to fix it
The most common complaint
"I uploaded my photo and got a stranger." This is almost never random — the cause is usually specific and fixable. Here are five, by frequency.
1. Only one portrait uploaded
From a single selfie the model sees one angle in one light. Head shape from the side, height, proportions — all invented. It looks right head-on and falls apart as soon as the person turns.
Fix: three to five angles plus one full-body shot.
2. Appearance is described in the prompt
If the scene text says "a woman with long dark hair", that overrides your photo. Whatever you upload, you get a brunette. Same with age: "a five-year-old boy" will age up a three-year-old.
Fix: the scene text must not contain hair colour, age or build. Appearance comes from photos; text describes only action and setting.
3. Hair texture is lost
Curls are the most fragile. Unless the prompt explicitly preserves hair type, the model defaults to straight hair.
Fix: upload frames where hair is clearly visible, including from the side and back.
4. Poor light or a small face
Dark photos, backlight, a face taking a quarter of the frame — all reduce information, and the model fills the gaps with an average person.
Fix: even daylight, face large in frame, no glasses or hats.
5. The scene is too long
The longer the clip and the more action changes, the stronger the identity drift. Especially when the subject walks into the distance and returns.
Fix: prefer shorter clips or templates where the subject stays close to camera.
How we handle it
We do not feed your photos straight into the video model. A separate step builds a character sheet — one image showing you from five angles in identical light. That sheet is what goes into video generation, which keeps the likeness stable across the clip. When a scene has two people, separate sheets are built so the faces cannot blend.
Checklist
- At least 3 photos, ideally 5–8.
- One full-body shot is mandatory.
- Even light, face large, no glasses or cap.
- Same person, same period of life.
- Two people go into separate fields.
FAQ
How many photos is optimal?
Five to eight.
Different hairstyles across photos?
Avoid it — the model averages them.
Why is 480p less accurate?
Fewer pixels on the face; features blur on wide shots. Use 720p when it matters.
