Video Style Transfer AI with Reference to Video
Use a reference image or video to guide a new stylized output. Animation AI helps creators transform footage, explore video to anime looks, and create variations while preserving the core visual direction.
Target keywords
Core demo
Definition
What is reference to video AI?
Reference to video AI uses an image or video as visual guidance for a new output. It is useful for video style transfer, video to anime transformations, and creative variations where the reference should influence motion, composition, mood, or style.
How it works
How to transform a reference video
- 1
Upload a reference
Start with a reference image or video that has a clear subject, stable composition, and the visual direction you want to preserve.
- 2
Describe the transformation
Explain what should change: anime style, cartoon texture, lighting, atmosphere, or mood. Also mention what should stay consistent.
- 3
Choose supported settings
Select a supported model and generation settings for the reference workflow. Not every model supports every reference input.
- 4
Generate a stylized variation
Review whether the output keeps the intended motion and composition while applying the requested transformation.
Generation checklist
How to guide a reference-to-video transformation
Reference purpose
Decide whether the reference should guide style, motion, composition, or mood. Video style transfer AI works best when the reference has a clear job instead of trying to control everything.
What should change
State the transformation directly: turn live action into anime, make the scene more cartoon-like, shift the lighting, or create a stylized video variant from the same direction.
What should remain
Mention what should stay recognizable, such as pose, camera movement, subject silhouette, environment layout, or emotional tone. This keeps reference to video AI from drifting too far.
Difference from image animation
Use image to video when a still image is the main source. Use reference to video when the reference is a guide for visual direction, style transfer, or video to anime transformation.
Example prompts
Transformation prompt examples
Video to anime
Transform this reference into cinematic anime, preserve the camera motion and subject direction, add soft painted backgrounds and dramatic lighting.
Stylized commercial look
Keep the product framing and motion, convert the scene into a polished 3D cartoon style with clean reflections and bright studio color.
Atmosphere shift
Preserve the original movement but change the mood to a dreamy sunset animation with warm color grading and gentle film grain.
Reference to video vs image to video
FAQ
Reference to video FAQ
Is reference to video the same as image to video?
No. Image to video starts from a still image and adds motion. Reference to video uses a reference image or video to guide style, motion, or visual direction for a new output.
Can I turn a video into anime?
Yes. Use a video style transfer prompt that explains the anime look you want and what parts of the original reference should stay consistent.
What should I include in a transformation prompt?
Describe the target style, the elements to preserve, the mood, lighting, and any constraints. Clear preservation language helps the model understand the reference role.
Where do I start generating?
Use the Create page with Reference to Video selected. The CTA on this page opens /create?mode=reference-to-video.