Higgsfield Cinema

Higgsfield Cinema Studio 2.5

QUICK FACTS

Generated-checked block (build_index.py verifies anchors). Read the linked sections for full context — these lines are routing aids, not the rules themselves.

• Three Cinema Studio versions coexist (2.5 / 3.0 / 3.5) — user-selected, no auto-routing; always detect the version first [→](#version-detection-ask-first)
• Hard 512-character prompt cap; 2.5 @ Element chips eat ~80–100 hidden chars each [→](#prompt-character-limit-512-characters)
• Elements System: define @Characters/@Locations/@Props once, call everywhere [→](#elements-system-define-once-call-everywhere)
• 3.5 main UI = three pills (Genre / Style / Camera), each Auto by default — override only with a creative reason [→](#the-three-pill-main-surface)
• 7 confirmed 3.5 genres: General · Action · Horror · Comedy · Noir · Drama · Epic — never invent genre names [→](#cinema-studio-35-genres)
• Style presets: 8 Color Palettes · 6 Lighting · 9 Camera Moveset Styles, or free-form Manual Style [→](#style-settings-three-operating-modes)
• Camera axes: 3 bodies · 5 lenses · focal 8/14/35/50/75mm · aperture f/1.4–f/4–f/11; two camera vocabularies coexist — vocabulary follows the selected model [→](#camera-settings-four-axis-panel)
• Output enums: 7 aspect ratios incl. 21:9 · 480p/720p/1080p · duration 4–15s · Sound On/Off [→](#cinema-studio-35-output-controls)
• Lead every delivered shot with the one-line settings strip (UI presets ≠ prompt text; never restate strip values in the body) [→](#per-shot-settings-strip)
• The UI shot counter caps internal cuts — "strictly N shots" must keep N within it (observed cap 4, TODO confirm) [→](#per-shot-settings-strip)
• Manual Style = saved ≤2,000-char block of project LAWS (grade, lighting law, texture, performance register); it replaces the preset axes [→](#manual-style-authoring-guide)
• 480p drafts validate the prompt, NOT the take — no seed param; transfer a look via Hero Frame + start/end-frame pinning [→](#drafts-validate-the-prompt-not-the-take)
• Resolution matrix has two axes: shot physics × delivery context; 4K-finish pipelines master at model max res in std mode [→](#physics-rendering-resolution-decision-matrix)
• Seedance fast mode cannot output 1080p — drafting in fast then "switching up" silently changes mode AND res [→](#physics-rendering-resolution-decision-matrix)

Cinema Studio is Higgsfield's professional filmmaking environment — a full production workflow for multi-shot, character-consistent cinematic content. It's fundamentally different from single-clip generation: you're building sequences, not individual videos.

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Cinema Studio vs Standard Generation

| | Standard Generation | Cinema Studio 2.5 | Cinema Studio 3.0 (Business/Team Plan) | Cinema Studio 3.5 | |--|--------------------|--------------------|----------------------------------------|--------------------| | Output | Single clip | Multi-shot sequence | Multi-shot sequence | Multi-shot sequence | | Character consistency | Manual / Soul ID only | Reference Anchor system | @ reference system (up to 9 images) | @ reference system (extends 3.0) | | AI actor generation | Not available | Soul Cast — generate actors from parameters (no photos) | Soul Cast — General (2K) / Character (4K) / Location (4K) modes, 0.125 credits | Same Soul Cast surface — see 3.0 | | Camera control | Named presets | Director Panel (18 movements) | Director Panel + Smart (auto camera planning) | Camera Settings 4-axis panel (Camera Body / Lens / Focal Length / Aperture) — see Cinema Studio 3.5 section | | Optical physics | Not available | Full camera body + lens stack | Not available | Available — restored via Camera Settings panel (different vocabulary from 2.5 — see Cinema Studio 3.5 section) | | Color grading | Not available | Built-in suite (temp, contrast, grain, bloom, etc.) | Not available | Available — Color Palette axis in Style Settings panel (8 named palettes) | | Shot structure | One prompt = one clip | Up to 6 scenes, 12s total max, per-scene config | Smart (auto) + Custom multi-shot (up to 6 scenes, 15s) | Multi-shot supported — Duration 4s–15s | | 3D exploration | Not available | Gaussian splatting — move inside any generated image | Not available | Same as 3.0 (not available) | | Batch generation | Not available | Grid generation — up to 16 variations per credit | Not available | Configurable Batch Size (exploration multiplier) | | Storyboard | Not available | Higgsfield Popcorn integration | Not available | Same as 3.0 | | Speed control | Not available | Speed Ramp (6 modes) | Speed Ramp (7 modes + Bullet Time, Hero Moment) | Not separately tested in this release — see UI for 3.5-specific surface | | Genre | Style descriptions | 8 named genres | 7 genres (General, Action, Horror, Comedy, Noir, Drama, Epic) | Manual catalog (General, Action, Horror, Comedy, Noir, Drama, Epic + others surfaced in UI) | | Audio | Model-dependent | On/Off | On/Off (native dual-channel stereo) | On/Off (generated alongside video) | | Video resolution | Model-dependent | Up to 1080p | Up to 720p (may increase) | 480p / 720p / 1080p (three-tier) | | Image resolution | Model-dependent | Up to 4K | Up to 4K (Character/Location) · Up to 2K (General) | Not separately tested in this release | | Max video duration | Model-dependent | 12s | 15s | 15s | | Aspect ratios | Model-dependent | 6 options | 7 options (+ 21:9 ultrawide) | 7 options (Auto, 16:9, 9:16, 4:3, 3:4, 1:1, 21:9) | | Plan requirement | All plans | All plans | Business/Team plan only | Plan availability not separately verified in this release — see Higgsfield plan documentation |

Use Cinema Studio when:

• You need 2+ shots that must feel like the same film
• Character geometry must be locked across cuts
• You want professional optical physics (lens flare, depth of field, sensor grain) — 2.5 only
• You're building a short film, branded content, or any sequence longer than one clip

Stick with standard generation when:

• Single clip is sufficient
• Speed matters more than consistency
• Exploring ideas before committing to a full sequence

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⚠ Version Detection — Ask First

Before generating any Cinema Studio output, always ask the user:

> Are you working in Cinema Studio 2.5 or Cinema Studio 3.0?

If the user has already stated their version (e.g., "I'm using 3.0" or "Cinema Studio 3.0"), remember it and don't ask again. But never assume — 2.5 and 3.0 have fundamentally different feature sets.

Why this matters:

• 2.5 has optical physics (camera body + lens stack), color grading, 3D Mode, grid generation
• 3.0 has none of those — outputting them wastes the user's time and causes confusion
• 3.0 has features 2.5 doesn't: native audio, Smart shot control, 21:9 ultrawide, 15s duration
• Speed Ramp options differ between versions
• Genre lists differ between versions

Once the version is known, use ONLY that version's output format and feature set. Never mix features from one version into output for the other.

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The 10-Step Cinema Studio 2.5 Workflow

Cinema Studio 2.5 extends the pipeline in both directions: pre-production (Soul Cast + location prompt) before generation, and post-production (color grading) after.

 1. SCRIPT        → Write or paste your scene description / shot list
 2. SOUL CAST     → (New in 2.5) Generate AI actors from parameters or use saved Elements
 3. REFERENCE     → Upload character photo → create Reference Anchor (or use Soul Cast actor)
 4. ELEMENTS      → (Optional) Define @Characters, @Locations, @Props if needed
 5. OPTICAL STACK → Select camera body + lens + focal length + aperture (image mode)
 6. HERO FRAME    → Generate a key image that defines the visual tone
 7. COLOR GRADE   → (New in 2.5) Apply color grading to keyframes before video generation
 8. CAMERA CONFIG → Set Director Panel movement + Speed Ramp + Duration in UI
 9. SHOT MODE     → Choose Single Shot / Multi-Shot Auto / Multi-Shot Manual
10. GENERATE → EXPORT → Chain into timeline or export to editing

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Elements System — Define Once, Call Everywhere

Elements are Cinema Studio's reusable asset library. Create a Character, Location, or Prop once and reference it with @ in any subsequent prompt.

Three element types:

| Type | What it stores | Call with | |------|---------------|-----------| | Character | Person, appearance, costume | @CharacterName | | Location | Environment, setting, atmosphere | @LocationName | | Prop | Object, vehicle, specific item | @PropName |

Creation workflow:

1. Open Elements panel → New Element → choose type
2. Upload reference image(s)
3. Name the element (this becomes the @ tag)
4. Add description (appearance details, key features)
5. Save → now available across all shots in this project

Per-Character Emotion: In Multi-Shot mode, each character can have an emotion setting per scene. The available emotions are:

| Emotion | Effect | |---------|--------| | Joy | Smiling, warm expression, positive energy | | Fear | Wide eyes, tense posture, defensive body language | | Surprise | Raised brows, open mouth, alert stance | | Sadness | Downcast eyes, slumped posture, muted energy |

Set emotion per character per scene in the UI — this keeps expression changes out of the prompt field and lets the model handle the subtlety of facial animation.

@ tag rule — use exactly what the user provides, nothing more Only use @ tags for Elements the user has explicitly given you in this conversation. If they give you @Marcus but no location or prop tags, write the location and props as plain description. Never invent or assume @ tags for anything the user hasn't named. Each @ tag the user gives you = they have that Element set up. Silence = they don't.

No Elements provided — write everything as description:

A woman with dark hair and a red coat walks through a narrow downtown alley at night.
She carries a worn leather briefcase. She stops under a streetlight, turns to camera.

User provides @Sarah only — use it, describe the rest:

@Sarah walks through a narrow downtown alley at night.
She carries a worn leather briefcase. She stops under a streetlight, turns to camera.

User provides @Sarah, @DowntownAlley, @LeatherBriefcase — use all three:

@Sarah walks through @DowntownAlley, carrying @LeatherBriefcase.
She stops under a streetlight, turns to camera.

Key rule: Match exactly what the user gives you. No more, no less. Tags they give you = Element exists. Anything else = write it as description.

Element Library Surface — Source Tabs and Categories

The @ symbol opens a unified asset picker. The picker is organized as a two-dimensional structure: source tabs across the top (where the asset comes from), and element categories within the Elements tab (how project assets are grouped).

Source tabs (5):

| Tab | What's in it | |-----|--------------| | Uploads | Assets the user brings in directly — original photos, plates, prop shots | | Image Generations | Prior generated stills available for reference (useful for self-referencing continuity across shots — pull a specific look or pose that emerged from a previous generation back into a new one) | | Video Generations | Prior generated clips available for reference (useful for camera-memory or motion reference — feed a previous clip's framing or movement back into a new generation) | | Elements | Curated/saved assets in the project library — the primary continuity surface | | Liked | Favorited assets across the picker — fast recall for go-to references |

Element categories within the Elements tab (6):

| Category | What it groups | |----------|----------------| | All | Everything in the project | | Pinned | Surfaced for quick access in this project — the user's working set for the current sequence | | Shared | Accessible across collaborators or contexts (exact sharing scope is platform-managed) | | Characters | Identity references — people, faces, performers | | Locations | Environment references — rooms, exteriors, settings | | Props | Object references — vehicles, items, set pieces |

Build the element library before generation. For a project with recurring characters, locations, or props — a short film, a series of branded videos, a multi-shot sequence — establish each recurring asset as an Element first, then reference it via @ in every shot. This is the platform-native implementation of the Reference-Based Prompt Mode discipline already documented elsewhere: references with assigned roles, not references as inspiration. See ../higgsfield-seedance/SKILL.md for the Reference-Based Prompt Mode discipline, and the existing "@ tag rule — use exactly what the user provides" guidance earlier in this section for how to use @ tags inside the prompt itself.

Cross-shot continuity tip. For continuation work, the Image Generations and Video Generations source tabs let you reference prior outputs from the same project — useful when a Character Element doesn't capture a specific look or pose that emerged from a particular generation. Pull the exact frame back in via the Generations tab rather than re-prompting from scratch.

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Soul Cast — AI Actor Generation

Soul Cast is Cinema Studio 2.5's character generation system — create AI actors from parameters instead of uploading photos. This is fundamentally different from Soul ID.

Soul Cast vs Soul ID

| | Soul Cast | Soul ID | |--|-----------|---------| | Input | Parameter selection | 20+ photos of real person | | Purpose | Generate AI actors from scratch | Maintain consistency of a known face | | Photo required | No | Yes | | Powered by | Nano Banana 2 | — |

Soul Cast Parameter Categories (8 total)

| # | Category | Options | |---|----------|---------| | 1 | Genre | Action, Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Thriller, Horror, Detective, Romance, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, War, Western, Historical, Sitcom (14 options) | | 2 | Budget | Production budget slider (in millions) — higher = refined blockbuster look, lower = raw/gritty | | 3 | Era | Decade selection starting from 1900s — grounds character in correct time period | | 4 | Archetype | Innocent, Everyman, Hero, Caregiver, Explorer, Rebel, Lover, Creator, Jester, Sage, Magician, Ruler (12 options) | | 5 | Identity | Gender, race, age | | 6 | Physical Appearance | Height, eye color, hair, facial hair, etc. | | 7 | Details | Scars, tattoos, freckles, other imperfections | | 8 | Outfit | Casual, Formal, High Fashion, Military, Sporty, Workwear, Vintage (7 styles) |

Key Features

• Add up to 3 Soul Cast characters per keyframe — choose from saved Elements or generate on the spot
• "Save to elements" button to reuse a specific Soul Cast actor across projects
• Every actor auto-generates a backstory + character sheet (personality traits, motivation, fear, flaw, strength)
• Designed to eliminate the "plastic/waxy" AI look — excels at skin textures and emotions
• Powered by the Nano Banana 2 model under the hood

Soul Cast Workflow

1. Open Cinema Studio → Navigate to Soul Cast panel
2. Set Genre + Era + Budget to establish the visual world
3. Select Archetype + Identity + Physical Appearance
4. Add Details (imperfections) + Outfit
5. Generate → Review backstory + character sheet
6. Save to Elements → Now available as @CharacterName across all shots
7. Repeat for additional characters (up to 3 per keyframe)

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Built-in Color Grading Suite

Cinema Studio 2.5 adds a post-production color grading suite applied to keyframes before video generation — enabling unified visual cohesion across all clips.

Controls

| Control | Effect | |---------|--------| | Color temperature | Warm ↔ cool shift | | Contrast | Shadow/highlight separation | | Saturation | Color intensity | | Sharpness + effects | Detail enhancement | | Highlights | B

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Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

• Author: OSideMedia
• Source: OSideMedia/higgsfield-ai-prompt-skill
• License: MIT
• Homepage: https://higgsfield.ai

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.