Duration should follow the action
An AI video duration is a budget for what happens within a shot. It should be long enough for the subject to act and for the viewer to understand the result. SeaDance offers 5, 10 or 15 seconds across its video models. Begin with the visible event: a product reveal, a person entering a room, or a camera approaching a building. Choose the shortest option that gives that event a clear beginning and end.
Avoid choosing the longest option simply because it appears more complete. Extra time can leave a simple action drifting after its purpose is finished. Conversely, a complicated prompt cannot be made coherent merely by compressing it into a short clip. Decide which action matters, remove secondary events, and then choose a duration that allows the main event to read clearly. These are planning suggestions rather than guarantees about model behavior.
What resolution means on SeaDance
The resolution menu is tied to the model, not a universal set of upgrades. Seedance models are sold at 480p, Kling 3.0 at 720p, and the H3 choices at 768P. All video output is 16:9. Changing to another resolution here means selecting a model with that available tier. There is no general rule that a bigger output tier makes the action more believable or the subject more consistent.
According to MiniMax Research, H3's broader design includes native higher-resolution generation. Those broader output settings are not available on SeaDance. According to Kuaishou, Kling 3.0 is designed around narrative control. Neither manufacturer's description changes the purchasable settings in this guide. Use the table as the boundary for planning your SeaDance request, then evaluate whether that output suits its destination.
Every video model, duration and resolution
This is the complete base matrix for a single video with sound included. The table includes every supported resolution combination. Text to Video and frame-based Image to Video use these base charges. Reference-mode requests for the H3 families can cost more when their included still-image allowances are exceeded; the base matrix should not be read as a flat price for every possible reference count.
| Model | Output | 5 seconds: credits / USD | 10 seconds: credits / USD | 15 seconds: credits / USD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seedance 2.5 | 480p | 11 credits / $2.21 | 21 credits / $4.21 | 31 credits / $6.22 |
| Seedance 2.0 | 480p | 7 credits / $1.40 | 14 credits / $2.81 | 21 credits / $4.21 |
| Seedance 2.0 Fast | 480p | 6 credits / $1.20 | 12 credits / $2.41 | 18 credits / $3.61 |
| Seedance 2.0 Mini | 480p | 4 credits / $0.80 | 7 credits / $1.40 | 11 credits / $2.21 |
| Kling 3.0 | 720p | 13 credits / $2.61 | 26 credits / $5.22 | 38 credits / $7.63 |
| MiniMax H3 | 768P | 9 credits / $1.81 | 17 credits / $3.41 | 25 credits / $5.02 |
| MiniMax H3 Max | 768P | 9 credits / $1.81 | 17 credits / $3.41 | 25 credits / $5.02 |
Prices checked November 4, 2026. Every dollar estimate uses the Basic monthly plan: $29.90 for 149 credits, or about $0.20 per credit. Dollar amounts allocate a prepaid balance; they are not individual checkout prices. Whole-request credit charges are rounded upward before conversion to dollars. New accounts start with 0 credits and require a paid plan or credit pack to generate.
Choosing the short option
A short clip is suitable for an isolated event: a soft change in light, a small product movement, or a restrained camera approach. Start with a composition that already contains the needed subject and environment. Ask for a visible endpoint rather than leaving the action open-ended. A cup can settle on a table; a jacket sleeve can move in a breeze; a room can be revealed by a small camera advance.
This duration is also useful for checking whether a prompt communicates the intended motion. If the subject changes unexpectedly, inspect the source image and preservation language before requesting more time. A shorter test limits the amount of balance spent on that question. It cannot establish how another model or a more demanding final scene will behave, so leave room in the budget for a final-model check.
Choosing the middle option
The middle duration is suitable when an action needs a readable setup and a settling moment. A subject might walk into position, turn toward something and stop. A product might rotate enough for its form to become clear. Keep these phases part of the same action rather than using the added time to introduce unrelated locations, costumes or camera directions.
Describe the order in ordinary language: begin still, perform the main motion, then settle. You do not need to fill the prompt with a dense timing schedule. If the clip feels rushed, simplify the movement or remove a secondary event before increasing duration again. If the meaningful action finishes early, a shorter option may be sufficient. The goal is usable screen time rather than the largest possible file.
Choosing the longest option
The longest available duration is suitable for a more gradual continuous movement or an action that genuinely needs additional breathing room. A camera approach through a landscape may benefit from a slower pace. A subject can complete an arrival and pause long enough for the ending to register. Start with a clear endpoint so the added time supports the scene instead of encouraging unrelated activity.
A longer request costs more overall even when rounding lowers its effective cost per second. Compare the total with the footage your shot requires. The cost-per-second guide shows the effect of rounding across models.
Prepare frames for the chosen duration
In Image to Video, Seedance and H3 models accept a first frame and an optional last frame. Kling accepts only a starting frame. Compatible endpoints are useful for a continuous transition: keep the same subject, plausible geometry and consistent environment. A radical difference between the images creates a harder creative problem regardless of duration. Review the source material before paying for another attempt.
For Reference mode, assign each still image a distinct job. The upload limit is not a target to fill. Removing an ambiguous or contradictory image can make the intended scene easier to describe. Check the full quote after changing the reference count, particularly with H3 Max. Read H3 vs H3 Max for the reference-price distinction that the base matrix leaves out.
Check the intended destination
Plan around the actual 16:9 output. If your final project needs another shape, allow for that in your own downstream workflow; SeaDance's current video generation does not provide an alternate aspect-ratio setting. Keep the important subject comfortably inside the composition and avoid placing essential details where a future crop could remove them. Do not confuse a platform use case with a different generation setting.
Before generating, read the selected model name, duration, output tier and quote together. Afterward, review action completion, subject consistency and sound. Use the model directory to find the controls your shot needs.
Frequently asked questions
Can every model use every resolution?
No. Each video model has one sold resolution on SeaDance: Seedance at 480p, Kling at 720p, and H3 or H3 Max at 768P.
Is portrait video an available setting?
No. SeaDance video generation is 16:9 only. Plan the composition around that output and any downstream cropping you intend to perform yourself.
Does a longer clip always cost less per second?
No. The whole request is rounded upward, so effective per-second values can change unevenly. A longer clip still uses more total credits.
Does the table cover additional reference images?
It shows base prices. H3 Reference-mode requests can add charges beyond the included-image allowance, so check the quote with your actual uploads.
Which duration should I use for a first test?
Use the shortest available duration that can show the action you need to evaluate. A short test is useful only if it answers a clear creative question.
Sources
External background checked November 4, 2026. SeaDance settings and credit quotes are described separately above.