A reference clip is a creative decision, not just a file attachment. Choose the part of a performance you want to study before you choose its boundaries. One complete phrase gives you a clearer starting point than a collection of impressive but disconnected moments.
Begin with what the reference is for
In the Recreate a Video workflow, the reference video is intended to provide a performance starting point alongside your portrait. It is not a request to write lyrics, generate a new beat or create a voice from a person’s identity.
Look for a section where you can describe what matters: a steady delivery, a hand gesture, a camera angle or the timing of a line. If you are trying to capture several unrelated ideas, split the planning work into separate short sections rather than assuming one setting will describe them all.
Listen once before trimming
Play the source without changing the boundaries. Notice where the performer begins a phrase, where they pause and whether the camera cuts to a different shot. A clip that starts halfway through a word or ends before the line resolves may feel abrupt even when it is inside the allowed length.
Move the start and end to preserve the part you care about. A small amount of context can help you judge the transition, but the interval still needs to fit inside the source and the studio’s 30-second limit.
- Choose one continuous moment when possible.
- Inspect cuts, occlusions and fast movements rather than overlooking them.
- Play the selected interval again after adjusting its boundaries.
Understand the two different limits
Reference videos may be MP4, WebM or MOV, up to 100 MB. The selected interval can be 30 seconds or shorter. These are separate limits: selecting ten seconds from an oversized source does not make the original file smaller.
If a source is too large, create a local trimmed or compressed copy and inspect its playback before using it. Keep the original. The studio validates metadata and duration for its local preview; it does not promise that every codec inside an allowed container plays in every browser.
Use the permission test before the quality test
Ask whether you may process the reference, the performance and its soundtrack for the intended use. A clip being viewable or downloadable does not settle that question. If permission is unclear, use your own recording.
Concept artwork on the examples page is there to explain the workflow. It is not evidence of output quality, a customer case study or a pre-cleared reference asset for your own project.
A model choice is not a finished workflow
The public model catalog can help you inspect published capabilities and model parameters. A model appearing in the catalog does not prove that it supports your particular recreation path or that a provider has been connected to this app.
The current generation gate remains in place. Clicking Generate after preparing a valid preview displays the connection notice without creating a task or charging credits. Treat your selected clip as a prepared input, not as a queued job.