How to Replicate Camera Movements with Seedance 2.0 API

#ai #video #python #tutorial

Camera movement is what separates a flat, static video from something that feels cinematic. A dolly zoom creates tension. An orbital shot adds grandeur. A one-take tracking shot builds immersion.

Traditionally, achieving these requires expensive equipment — gimbals, cranes, drones, Steadicams. Seedance 2.0 eliminates the hardware. Upload a reference video with the camera movement you want, tag it with @Video, and the API generates new content replicating the exact camera language.

The Key Concept: Show, Don't Tell

Most AI video generators rely on text prompts for camera control — "dolly in" or "pan left." Results are inconsistent.

Seedance 2.0 takes a different approach: upload a video that demonstrates the movement. The model analyzes and reproduces:

Camera trajectory — tracking paths, orbital arcs, crane movements
Speed and acceleration — ease-in, ease-out, smooth glides
Focal behavior — rack focus timing, depth-of-field shifts
Compositional rhythm — how long each framing holds

Example: One-Take Tracking Shot

import requests
import time

API_KEY = "YOUR_EVOLINK_API_KEY"
BASE = "https://api.evolink.ai/v1"

response = requests.post(
    f"{BASE}/videos/generations",
    headers={"Authorization": f"Bearer {API_KEY}"},
    json={
        "model": "seedance-2-0-t2v",
        "prompt": "A continuous tracking shot following a woman walking through a neon-lit Tokyo alley at night. @Video1 for camera movement reference. Rain-slicked streets, reflections, shallow depth of field.",
        "video_urls": ["https://example.com/tracking-reference.mp4"],
        "duration": 10,
        "quality": "1080p"
    }
)

task = response.json()
print(f"Task ID: {task['id']}")

Example: Hitchcock Zoom (Dolly Zoom)

response = requests.post(
    f"{BASE}/videos/generations",
    headers={"Authorization": f"Bearer {API_KEY}"},
    json={
        "model": "seedance-2-0-t2v",
        "prompt": "A man standing alone in an endless hallway. @Video1 for camera movement reference. The background stretches away while his face stays the same size. Dramatic lighting.",
        "video_urls": ["https://example.com/dolly-zoom-ref.mp4"],
        "duration": 8,
        "quality": "1080p"
    }
)

Example: Orbital Camera (360° Shot)

response = requests.post(
    f"{BASE}/videos/generations",
    headers={"Authorization": f"Bearer {API_KEY}"},
    json={
        "model": "seedance-2-0-t2v",
        "prompt": "A glowing crystal sculpture on a marble pedestal. @Video1 for camera movement reference. The camera orbits 360 degrees. Volumetric light rays.",
        "video_urls": ["https://example.com/orbital-ref.mp4"],
        "duration": 10,
        "quality": "1080p"
    }
)

Why This Matters

No other AI video API offers reference-based camera control:

Sora 2: Text-only camera prompts
Kling 3.0: Basic camera keywords
Veo 3.1: Limited camera vocabulary

Seedance 2.0 lets you take a camera movement from any source — Hollywood film, drone footage, your own gimbal clip — and apply it to entirely new content.