Veo 3.1 Reference-to-Video

Overview

Veo 3.1 Reference-to-Video is an advanced video generation model by Google DeepMind that enables users to control video style and scene composition through reference images. This functionality allows the model to preserve artistic style and combine scene elements for enhanced creative control. It natively generates high-fidelity 8-second videos at 720p or 1080p resolution with synchronized audio.

Technical Specifications

• Input Modalities: Text-to-Video, Image-to-Video (Reference images), Video-to-Video
• Output Resolution: 720p and 1080p (16:9 aspect ratio)
• Video Length: 8 seconds maximum when using reference images
• Frame Rate: 24 fps
• Audio: Natively generated and synchronized with video

Performance Benchmarks

• Generates visually rich videos with realistic lighting, shadows, and smooth movements within minutes.
• Excels in cinematic and diverse visual styles, preserving reference imagery styles and layout cohesiveness.
• Stable model availability but currently in preview for some advanced features.

Key Features

• Reference-to-Video Control: Use up to three reference images to guide style and scene layout.
• Native Audio Generation: Automatically produces music or sound effects matching the video.
• High Resolution: Supports 720p and 1080p output.
• Short Video Duration: Generates clips up to 8 seconds.
• Frame Rate: 24 frames per second for smooth motion.
• Video Extension: Ability to expand previously generated videos.
• Frame-Specific Generation: Define the first and last frames to generate video sequences.

API Pricing

• $0.21 / sec (audio off)
• $0.42 / sec (audio on)

Use Cases

• Film and Storyboarding: Rapid creation of cinematic short clips from text prompts and references.
• Advertising & Marketing: Cost-efficient production of product promos and social media videos.
• Social Media Content: Produce engaging Shorts, TikTok, and Reels with stylized audio-visuals.
• Educational Videos: Create animated teaching aids with synchronized AI-generated sound.

Important Notes

• Reference images work best when clearly showing the desired subject and style.
• Multiple reference images help the model better understand and integrate scene elements.
• The model is optimized for short, high-quality clips rather than long-form video.

Code Sample

Comparison with Other Models

vs Sora 2: Veo 3.1 surpasses Sora 2 in visual realism, scene coherence, and audio-visual synchronization, making it more suitable for cinematic storytelling and commercial video production. While Sora 2 is well-regarded for fast generation and stylistic output, Veo 3.1 delivers longer duration and enhanced multi-scene transitions with more professional quality.

vs Veo 3.0: Veo 3.1 extends video length from up to 12 seconds to 60 seconds and raises resolution from 720p to 1080p HD, adding native synchronized audio and multi-scene control. It offers embedded cinematic camera presets and improved continuity of characters and lighting, making it a director-level narrative tool rather than a basic video generator.

vs Kling 2.1: Kling 2.1 offers strong stylistic video generation but generally outputs shorter clips with less complex scene composition. Veo 3.1's ability to generate seamless minute-long videos with audio and cinematic effects gives it an edge for projects needing polished narrative videos with consistent audiovisual flow.

vs Wan 2.5: Wan 2.5 focuses on quick video generation with basic scene structuring but lacks advanced multi-shot scene transitions and robust audio generation found in Veo 3.1. Veo's integration of cinematic presets and detailed scene control is better for creating highly directed video content.

API Integration

Accessible via AI/ML API. Documentation: available here.