Dreamina is the main platform for accessing Seedance. It provides the interface for text-to-video, image-to-video, and audio-to-video generation. But the platform has its own learning curve beyond just writing prompts.
This guide walks through the complete Dreamina workflow — account setup, interface navigation, credit management, and generating your first clips.
Quick answer
Create a Dreamina or current CapCut/Dreamina account, navigate to the video generation section, enter your prompt (and optionally upload a source image or audio), adjust settings, check the live credit cost, and generate. Free or trial credits may let you start without payment, but the allowance varies by account, region, and promotion.
- You are new to Dreamina and want to start using Seedance.
- You need a step-by-step guide to the platform interface.
- You want to understand Dreamina's credit system and settings before generating.
Creating your account
Visit the current Dreamina/CapCut entry point and create an account. You can usually sign up with email or social accounts. New-account credits are not guaranteed forever, so check the live credit counter before you plan a batch.
After signing up, explore the interface before generating. Understanding where things are saves time when you start iterating on prompts.
Navigating the interface
Dreamina's main interface has sections for image generation, video generation, and a gallery of your past generations. Navigate to the video section for Seedance.
The video generation panel has: a prompt text area, image upload for image-to-video, audio upload for audio-driven video, settings controls, and a generate button.
- Prompt area: enter your text description
- Image upload: drag or click to add a source image for image-to-video
- Audio upload: add audio for music-driven generation
- Settings panel: motion intensity, duration, aspect ratio, model version
- Generate button: starts the generation (uses credits)
Understanding settings
Before generating, review the settings panel. The key settings are:
Motion intensity controls how much movement appears in the video. Start at 30-40% for most content. Duration determines clip length — shorter clips (3-4 seconds) produce more consistent results. Aspect ratio should match your intended use (16:9 for YouTube, 9:16 for Shorts/Reels, 1:1 for social posts).
Your first generation
Start with a simple prompt: 'Camera slowly pans across a mountain landscape at sunset, cinematic, golden hour lighting.' Set motion intensity to 30%, duration to 4 seconds, and 16:9 aspect ratio.
Click generate and wait. Generation typically takes 30-120 seconds. Review the result and note what you would change for the next generation.
Managing credits
Each generation can cost credits. The cost varies by resolution, duration, model, references, audio options, and current platform rules. Monitor your credit balance and plan generations strategically — generate variations of promising prompts rather than trying wildly different ideas.
Credits or plan upgrades may be purchased in the platform when offered. Free-tier and trial limitations vary, so check the current plan options and commercial-use terms before publishing client work.
Saving and exporting
Generated videos appear in your gallery. Download them in the highest available resolution for editing. Dreamina saves your generation history, so you can revisit prompts and settings that worked.
For serious projects, keep a separate log of your prompts, settings, and which generations you liked. This speeds up future work.
Worked example: from account creation to finished clip in 15 minutes
Create account (2 min). Navigate to video generation (1 min). Enter prompt: 'A coffee shop interior, camera slowly dollies forward past tables, warm ambient lighting, shallow depth of field, cinematic' (1 min). Set intensity 35%, duration 4 seconds, 16:9 ratio (1 min). Generate and wait (1 min). Review, adjust prompt slightly, regenerate (5 min). Download best result (1 min). Total: a usable clip in about 15 minutes.
Common mistakes
- Jumping straight to complex prompts before understanding the interface.
- Not tracking which prompts and settings produce good results.
- Using all free credits on random experiments instead of systematic testing.
Step by step: generate your first clip in Dreamina
- Sign in at the current Dreamina/CapCut video surface. Check the credit counter before testing.
- Click "Video" or the current video-generation entry point. Dreamina separates Image and Video tools — Seedance lives under Video when the model is available.
- Open the model dropdown. Select "Seedance" or the highest available Seedance model. If you see only older versions, check region and account availability before building a workflow around 2.0.
- Paste a prompt and pick aspect ratio. 16:9 for YouTube, 9:16 for Reels/Shorts, 1:1 for feed posts.
- Set duration and motion intensity. Start with the shortest useful draft setting your account supports.
- Click Generate and wait. Render time varies by queue, plan, and settings. Do not refresh unless the platform clearly tells you the job failed.
Troubleshooting table
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Seedance not in the dropdown | Regional rollout, account eligibility, or UI change | Refresh, check the official platform page, and do not promise 2.0 to a client until your account shows it. |
| Credits deplete too fast | Generating at full quality for every test | Test at draft quality first, re-render at full only for final takes. |
| Generation fails silently | Prompt flagged by content filter | Remove brand names, real people, and graphic descriptors. |
| Video downloads without expected audio | Audio was not enabled, supported, or exported for that mode | Check the current audio/video setting and run a short test before a paid batch. |
For the full beginner workflow, read the Seedance tutorial. For account and first-run setup, see how to set up Seedance.
When to use something else
For better prompts once you know the platform, see better prompts for Seedance. For specific camera techniques, see cinematic camera movement.
Frequently asked questions
Is Dreamina free to start?
New accounts usually get free credits, so you can generate a few clips without paying. Each generation spends credits, and the cost varies by resolution, duration, model, references and audio options — check the current plan and commercial-use terms before publishing client work.
Where is Seedance in the Dreamina interface?
Under the Video tool, not Image. Open the model dropdown there and select 'Seedance' (or the highest Seedance version shown). If only older versions appear, it is a regional or account-eligibility rollout — confirm availability before building a workflow around 2.0.
What settings should I start with?
Motion intensity 30-40%, duration 3-4 seconds, and an aspect ratio that matches the destination — 16:9 for YouTube, 9:16 for Shorts/Reels, 1:1 for feed posts. Short, low-intensity clips are the most consistent for a first run.
How long does a generation take?
Typically 30-120 seconds, but it varies with queue, plan and settings. Do not refresh while it is working unless the platform clearly says the job failed.
Why is Seedance not showing in the dropdown?
Usually regional rollout, account eligibility or a UI change. Refresh, check the official platform page, and do not promise 2.0 to a client until your own account shows it.
How do I avoid burning through credits?
Test at draft quality and only re-render the keepers at full quality, generate variations of promising prompts rather than wildly different ideas, and keep a log of the prompts and settings that worked so you are not re-discovering them.
Related guides on this site
These guides cover prompt writing, camera techniques, and content creation with Seedance.