Project Settings
Configure your storyboard project for optimal results.
Basic Settings
Project Name
A descriptive name for your project. Used for organization and file naming. Default: "Untitled Storyboard".
Duration
Target length for your final video in seconds. Default: 10 seconds.
The AI uses duration to determine:
- Number of shots
- Shot lengths
- Pacing
Format (Aspect Ratio)
Output dimensions:
| Ratio | Use Case |
|---|---|
| 16:9 | YouTube, TV, presentations (default) |
| 9:16 | TikTok, Reels, Stories |
| 1:1 | Instagram posts, square ads |
Goal (Project Type)
Choose a project type that shapes how the AI plans your storyboard:
| Goal | Description |
|---|---|
| Brand Ad | Commercial advertising content (default) |
| Short Film | Narrative short-form film |
| TikTok/Reel | Social media vertical video |
| Explainer | Educational or explanatory content |
| Product Demo | Product showcase |
| Music Video | Music video with audio track support |
Selecting Music Video enables additional fields for audio track upload, audio analysis, and visual theme. See Music Video Mode for details.
Style Preset
Overall visual approach:
| Style | Description |
|---|---|
| Auto | Uses the goal's default style |
| Cinematic | Film-like quality, dramatic lighting (default) |
| Commercial | Clean, polished, professional |
| Anime | Anime-inspired visual treatment |
| Gritty | Raw, textured, documentary feel |
| Surreal | Dreamlike, artistic visuals |
| Ultra Clean | Minimal, pristine, modern |
Energy and Realism Sliders
Two sliders (0-100) fine-tune the visual treatment:
| Slider | Low Values | High Values |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | Calm, contemplative | Energetic, dynamic |
| Realism | Stylized, artistic | Photorealistic |
Both default to 50.
Subject and Character Settings
Subject Registry
DUTO tracks subjects across your storyboard for visual consistency. Subjects can be:
| Type | Example |
|---|---|
| Character | A person or animated figure |
| Product | A physical product being featured |
| Object | A key prop or item |
| Creature | An animal or fantastical being |
| Vehicle | A car, spaceship, etc. |
| Other | Anything else requiring consistency |
Each subject in the registry stores:
- Locked description: The canonical visual description
- Hero frame URL: Reference image from generation
- Detected description: What the vision model actually saw in the generated image
- Frozen traits: Visual description and preservation hints extracted from the actual generated image
- Matching keywords: For intelligent prompt matching across shots
Reference Images
Upload reference images to guide the AI:
- Add images through the References section in Story Setup
- Reference images are stored as URLs in the project
- Multiple references can be uploaded
Use references for:
- Character faces (for consistency)
- Style inspiration
- Environment examples
- Product shots
Model Preferences
Image Model
| Model | Description |
|---|---|
| Auto | AI selects the best model (default) |
| SeedDream v4.5 | Budget-friendly option |
| SeedDream v5 Lite | Improved SeedDream |
| Nano Banana Pro | Premium quality |
| Nano Banana 2 | Latest Nano Banana |
| Kie Nano Banana | Kie.ai variant |
| Flux Kontext | Flux-based generation |
Video Model
| Model | Description |
|---|---|
| Auto | AI selects the best model (default) |
| Veo | Google Veo (with audio support) |
| Hailuo | Hailuo video generation |
| Wan | Wan video generation |
| Kling | Kling standard |
| Kling 2.6 | Kling v2.6 Pro (with audio support) |
LLM Model
The language model used for story planning and prompt generation:
| Model | Description |
|---|---|
| Gemini 2.5 Flash | Fast, cost-effective (default) |
| DeepSeek Chat | Alternative LLM |
| Gemini 2.5 Pro | Higher quality reasoning |
Toggle Settings
| Setting | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Require Sound | On | Prefer video models with native audio support (Veo 3, Kling 2.6) |
| Single Model Consistency | On | Use the same model across all shots for visual consistency |
| Budget Mode | Off | Use cost-effective models for significant savings |
Budget Mode
Budget mode significantly reduces generation costs (~90% savings).
How It Works
| Aspect | Standard | Budget |
|---|---|---|
| Image Model | Premium (Nano Banana) | SeedDream 4.5 |
| Video Model | Premium (Veo 3) | Kling 2.6 Pro |
When to Use Budget Mode
Good for:
- Testing concepts and early iterations
- Learning the system
- Non-commercial projects
- Draft storyboards
Use standard for:
- Final production
- Client work
- High-quality requirements
Advanced Mode Settings
Toggle Advanced Mode using the switch in the Story Setup panel header to access additional controls.
Cinematography Mode
Controls how camera work is determined for shots:
| Mode | Description |
|---|---|
| Auto | AI determines camera work automatically (default) |
| Presets | Choose from curated cinematography presets |
| Manual | Full manual control over all camera parameters |
Cinematography Presets
When using Presets mode, choose from four categories:
Camera Presets
| Preset | Description |
|---|---|
| Epic Wide | Sweeping wide shots from high angle |
| Hero Product | Low 3/4 angle for hero reveal |
| Intimate Close | Tight close-up at eye level |
| Dutch Tilt | Dynamic tilted angle for energy |
| Overhead Flat | Bird's eye view, perfectly flat |
Lens Presets
| Preset | Description |
|---|---|
| Macro Detail | Extreme close focus, shallow depth |
| Cinematic 85mm | Classic portrait compression |
| Wide 16mm | Dramatic wide-angle distortion |
| Telephoto 200mm | Compressed depth, distant perspective |
| Anamorphic | Oval bokeh, lens flares |
Lighting Presets
| Preset | Description |
|---|---|
| Golden Hour | Warm backlight with rim highlights |
| High Contrast | Hard shadows, dramatic separation |
| Soft Diffuse | Even soft light, no harsh shadows |
| Neon Glow | Colored neon highlights and reflections |
| Moonlit | Cool blue ambient night lighting |
| Studio Clean | Professional 3-point lighting |
Motion Presets
| Preset | Description |
|---|---|
| Slow Push | Gradual move toward subject |
| Reveal Pullback | Pull back to reveal environment |
| Orbit | Circular movement around subject |
| Whip Pan | Fast horizontal swipe motion |
| Static Locked | No camera movement, fixed frame |
| Handheld Subtle | Slight organic camera shake |
Manual Cinematography
When using Manual mode, you have full control over:
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
| Camera Angle | Viewing angle (e.g., eye level, low angle, overhead) |
| Camera Motion | Movement type (e.g., dolly, pan, static) |
| Lens Style | Lens characteristics (e.g., wide-angle, telephoto) |
| Framing | Shot composition (e.g., close-up, wide) |
| Lighting | Lighting design description |
| Environment FX | Environmental effects (e.g., fog, rain, dust) |
| Motion Intensity | How much movement (none, low, medium, high) |
Research Settings
Enable AI research to gather visual references:
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Enable Research | Turn on/off web research |
| Depth | Basic, Advanced, or News |
| Topics | Optional specific research topics |
Additional Advanced Settings
| Setting | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Use Source Material | Off | Pass reference images directly to the image editing model |
| Auto-Generate Images | On Create | Generate hero frames automatically after storyboard creation ("on_create") or manually per shot ("manual") |
| Auto-Save to Library | On | Automatically save generated media to your Content Library as it completes |
Cloud Persistence
Storyboards are automatically saved to the cloud:
- Auto-save detects changes and saves when the storyboard is modified
- Save status indicator shows: saving, saved, or error
- Each storyboard gets a unique cloud ID
- Storyboards are also cached in localStorage for offline access
Storyboard Management
| Action | Description |
|---|---|
| Rename | Change the name and description |
| Duplicate | Create a full copy with all content |
| Delete | Soft delete (can be restored) |
| Categorize | Assign a category for organization |
Troubleshooting Settings
Characters Not Consistent
- Check reference image quality (clear face, good lighting)
- Add detailed character description
- Enable Single Model Consistency to use the same model across shots
- Check the subject registry for correct frozen traits
Wrong Style Generated
- Be more specific in your concept
- Add style reference images
- Use the style preset closest to your vision
- Adjust cinematography mode to Presets or Manual
- Fine-tune Energy and Realism sliders
Too Many/Few Shots
- Adjust the duration setting
- Be more specific about key moments in your concept
- Regenerate the storyboard after adjusting settings