To misquote Home Alone 2: Merry Christmas, you filthy animals.

I wasn’t planning on posting today. I figured I’d be drinking eggnog and ignoring my laptop. But then the internet gave me a gift, and I feel compelled to pass it along.

First, a disclaimer: If you are a casual reader here for the fun videos and storytelling essays, feel free to skip this one. Go enjoy your family. This post is pure, uncut technical nerdery for the builders in the audience who are currently staring at a blinking cursor, and slowly going mad trying to get an AI character to look the same in two consecutive shots.

The Problem

I spent the last 48 hours banging my head against the wall. I was trying to build a scene for a new project, and the AI tools were simply refusing to cooperate. I’d get a great wide shot, but the close-up would look like a different actor. I’d get the actor right, but the lighting would shift. You know the drill. I thought I’d beaten this particular problem… but this week I’ve been striking out.

I was ready to quit. Then, I found a random YouTube video (shoutout to the algorithm), which referenced a Reddit thread (shoutout to the anonymous Redditor), which contained a prompt that completely unlocked my workflow.

The Solution: The “Cinematic Contact Sheet”

The concept is simple but brilliant. Instead of asking the AI for one image, you ask it for a 3x3 Grid containing 9 specific camera angles of your scene.

Because the model generates all 9 images simultaneously in one context window, the consistency is nearly perfect. Same lighting. Same actor. Same vibe.

The Workflow

I’m using this in NanoBanana Pro but the logic should hold up in other multimodal tools.

1. Upload your Reference Image (your character or location).

2. Paste the Prompt below.

3. Fill in the “SCENE INPUT” at the bottom with your specific action.

4. Hit Run.

The AI spits out a 9-panel grid. From there, you use that image as a reference in a new prompt, asking simply: “Extract image from row 1, column 2” (or whichever shot you like).

Suddenly, you have your wide, your medium, and your close-up, all ready to animate. And all perfectly consistent (well… mostly consistent.)

Here’s the prompt for you…

The Prompt (Copy/Paste this):

<instruction> Analyze the entire movie scene. Identify ALL key subjects present (whether it’s a single person, a group/couple, a vehicle, or a specific object) and their spatial relationship/interaction. Generate a cohesive 3x3 grid “Cinematic Contact Sheet” featuring 9 distinct camera shots of exactly these subjects in the same environment. You must adapt the standard cinematic shot types to fit the content (e.g., if a group, keep the group together; if an object, frame the whole object):

**Row 1 (Establishing Context):**

1. **Extreme Long Shot (ELS): The subject(s) are seen small within the vast environment.

2. **Long Shot (LS): The complete subject(s) or group is visible from top to bottom (head to toe / wheels to roof).

3. **Medium Long Shot (American/3-4): Framed from knees up (for people) or a 3/4 view (for objects).

**Row 2 (The Core Coverage):**

4. **Medium Shot (MS): Framed from the waist up (or the central core of the object). Focus on interaction/action.

5. **Medium Close-Up (MCU): Framed from chest up. Intimate framing of the main subject(s).

6. **Close-Up (CU): Tight framing on the face(s) or the “front” of the object.

**Row 3 (Details & Angles):**

7. **Extreme Close-Up (ECU): Macro detail focusing intensely on a key feature (eyes, hands, logo, texture).

8. **Low Angle Shot (Worm’s Eye): Looking up at the subject(s) from the ground (imposing/heroic).

9. **High Angle Shot (Bird’s Eye): Looking down on the subject(s) from above. Ensure strict consistency: The same people/objects, same clothes, and same lighting across all 9 panels. The depth of field should shift realistically (bokeh in close-ups). </instruction>

A professional 3x3 cinematic storyboard grid containing 9 panels. The grid showcases the specific subjects/scene from the input image in a comprehensive range of focal lengths.

**Top Row:** Wide environmental shot, Full view, 3/4 cut.

**Middle Row:** Waist-up view, Chest-up view, Face/Front close-up.

**Bottom Row:** Macro detail, Low Angle, High Angle. All frames feature photorealistic textures, consistent cinematic color grading, and correct framing for the specific number of subjects or objects analyzed.

Analyze the input image and identify the main subject(s). Maintain perfect consistency in appearance, proportions, materials, colors, and style across all frames. Read the SCENE INPUT and generate a cinematic 9-scene sequence that progresses logically from start to finish. Each frame should represent the next meaningful moment based on the scene description.

The AI chooses all camera angles and framing automatically. Ensure cinematic lighting, consistent color grading, realistic depth of field, and coherent environmental evolution. No repeated shots. No added text.

SCENE INPUT: [describe your scene here]

Frame 1:

Frame 2:

Frame 3:

Frame 4:

Frame 5:

Frame 6:

Frame 7:

Frame 8:

Frame 9:

The Result

Why all those blank “Frame 1, Frame 2, Frame 3” lines at the end of the prompt? No idea. All I know is it works better with them than without. We like it when AI works better…

Here’s a quick sample of the test that sold me on this method. I used two reference images: an image of a waiting room (made in NanoBanana) and an image of Paul Dano (who has been through enough lately so maybe I shouldn’t put him through this as well).

In the “SCENE INPUT” line of the prompt I entered the details about the creative intention of my scene:

A man approaches an ancient old receptionist at a mental institution and asks for something. The woman is hard of hearing and does not understand. Quirky, indie film style in the vein of Wes Anderson.

And here’s what Google Flow gave me:

It’s not perfect, and that one frame has an annoying subtitle – but that’s easily handled. Notice how the character consistency holds up from the wide shot all the way to the top-down angle. And Flow understood the creative intention well enough to generate images that are pre-loaded with the emotional action I’m after.

Of course the prompt is easily edited to get whatever style, tone, and angles you want.

Consider this my gift to you. Now go make something cool before New Year’s.

Happy Holidays.