A reference image guides a generation without pixel-anchoring it: the model looks at your image for subject identity, style or composition, then renders freely within that guidance. It's how product fidelity works in practice — your PDP photos serve as references so the generated scene contains your product, not a lookalike. References also carry style ('match this moodboard') and environment ('this kind of kitchen').
Reference vs start frame
A start frame is exact (the clip begins on that image); a reference is influential (the model consults it). Product identity wants references everywhere; hooks want start frames.
Getting good references
Clean background, honest color, multiple angles. Fix weak photos at the image stage — GPT-image-2 or Nano-banana 2 — before spending video credits.
Paste a product link. The brief builds itself.
Generate product videos, UGC-style ads and hooks in about 5 minutes.
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FAQs
How many references should I give?
Product: 2–4 angles beats one. Style: a single strong reference usually steers better than five conflicting ones.
Does v4v pull references automatically?
Yes — the URL import attaches your product images as references for every generation in that project.
Facts checked July 16, 2026. Competitor claims from public pricing pages; verify before relying on them.