2) I used Seedance 2 in Runway (custom mode) with a simple prompt, then used the "Enhance prompt" option in Runway to expand the prompt and add more details. (I used 8 seconds, 1080p option). My starter prompt before expanding: "Peaceful time-lapse video of a tree growing and birds flying." Runway expanded the prompt to:

Style Development: I started in Midjourney to explore the visual style: whimsical storybook forest, muted colors, painterly textures, and slightly strange but cute characters. Characters Props: I used GPT Image 2 to create the character and prop sheets: the woman, the wolf, the parrot, the contract, the brochure, the feather pen, and the wooden sign. I created the prop later in the process and had to redo some of the shots. Seedance 2 had some trouble with the contract. Script Shot Planning: I wrote the story outline as a short set of beats, then used GPT-5.5 to expand it into character bios and 15-second scenes for Seedance 2 with camera angles, dialogue, insert shots, and video prompts. Video Generation: I generated the clips in Seedance 2, but had to redo or edit some of the shots due to small mistakes in the original character/prop sheets that carried through into the video (my fault for trying to rush through it late at night). Lesson learned: check every detail before generating, or it will cost you credits. Voice Sound: I used ElevenLabs Voice Changer to replace the wolf’s voice because it shifted between Seedance generations. It's still not perfect, but much better than the original voices. I added sound effects and music separately using Epidemic Sound. Final Edit: I edited everything together in DaVinci Resolve, to fix some of the pacing and put everything together with the fixed shots and voices. Lessons Learned: Since Seedance 2 generations are costly and time consuming, don't rush through the details. Tiny mistakes are very obvious in motion.