Generate videos with face assets

For Seedance 2.0, a reference image or video that contains a human face must be prepared as an asset in a Virtual Portrait Asset Group before it can be used for video generation.

You must have valid permission to use a person’s likeness. Do not upload or generate with unauthorized real-person material.

Choose a source path

Public assets are already prepared. Private uploads require an Asset Group, asset preprocessing, and an Active status before generation.

Use a public asset

Search the public asset library when the person or character already exists there. The list endpoint returns an assetId and thumbnail URL for selection interfaces.Use the returned ID as an asset URI, for example asset://asset-20260225015229-d77t9. This path does not require Asset Group creation or asset upload.List public assets · Get asset

Upload your own face asset

Use this path for private image or video references. Keep assets for the same person or character in one group when you need consistent appearance across tasks.Create Asset Group · List Asset Groups

Upload a private asset

Create or reuse an Asset Group

Create a Virtual Portrait Asset Group, or select an existing group that belongs to the current GENGEN workspace.See Create Asset Group and List Asset Groups.

Add the image or video

Pass a publicly reachable HTTPS URL to Create asset. This endpoint does not accept a Base64 upload.

Wait for the asset to become active

Asset preprocessing is asynchronous. Poll Get asset while the status is Processing, and do not generate until Result.Status is Active.Preprocessing often completes in about five seconds, but clients should rely on the returned status rather than a fixed delay.

Generate the video

Prefix the Asset ID with asset://. Put image assets in assets.referenceImages and video assets in assets.referenceVideos.

Do not put the raw Asset ID in the prompt. Put the asset URI in the request payload, then refer to it by position in the prompt, such as Image 1 or Video 1.

curl -X POST "https://gengen.farm/api/gengen/v1/contents/generations/tasks" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer gengen_live_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "model": "dreamina-seedance-2-0-260128",
    "mode": "multimodal_reference",
    "prompt": "The person in Image 1 presents the product in a clean studio.",
    "assets": {
      "referenceImages": [
        "asset://asset-20260427-abc"
      ]
    },
    "controls": {
      "resolution": "720p",
      "ratio": "16:9",
      "duration": 5,
      "generateAudio": true,
      "watermark": false
    }
  }'

Use Create video task to submit the request, then retrieve the video task until it reaches a terminal status.

Path decision table

Input condition	Automation path	Generation input
A public asset is selected	Use the asset URI directly	`asset://<ASSET_ID>`
Seedance 2.0 private media contains a face	Run the Asset Library flow	Active asset URI
Seedance 1.5 Pro, Happy Horse 1.1, or media without a face	Use the direct generation flow	HTTPS media URL

Use direct HTTPS media URLs only when the selected model supports direct media input and the media does not require BytePlus face asset handling.

Automate path selection

A client application can choose the correct path after the user selects a model and media. The Asset Library path includes asynchronous preprocessing before the generation request.

Automation flow for direct video generation and the BytePlus Asset Library path — Choose the generation path from the selected model and whether the reference media contains a face.

Common mistakes

Passing a raw Asset ID

Use asset://asset-..., not asset-..., in the generation payload.

Referencing the Asset ID in the prompt

Prompts should use position references such as Image 1 or Video 1.

Generating before the asset is active

Uploaded assets are asynchronous. Poll Get asset and wait for Active, even when preprocessing usually completes quickly.

Using the wrong asset field

Image assets belong in assets.referenceImages; video assets belong in assets.referenceVideos.

Uploading unauthorized face material

Confirm that you hold valid consent and the required rights before uploading or generating with a person’s likeness.

You can also test supported request flows in the GENGEN API Explorer.

​Choose a source path

Use a public asset

Upload your own face asset

​Upload a private asset

​Generate the video

​Path decision table

​Automate path selection

​Common mistakes

Choose a source path

Upload a private asset

Generate the video

Path decision table

Automate path selection

Common mistakes