You've probably seen this trend on TikTok, Instagram Reels, or YouTube Shorts: a cute 3D character lounging on a couch eating noodles, then seconds later showing up glammed up and ready for a selfie. This Pixar-style format has become hugely popular, and this reel is a great example.
The good news: creating a character like this needs no animation or design skills. With Zoviz's Quick Image Generator, you can build both versions of your character in minutes and turn it into a full video. Here's how, step by step.
How to Build It in 3 Steps
- Generate a base character in Zoviz's Quick Image Generator using a detailed prompt.
- Use that image as a reference to create a second, glammed up look for the same character.
- Turn both images into a 15 second video with an image to video prompt.
For details, keep reading the article below.
How to Create the First Version of the Character
Start by going to the Zoviz Quick Image Generator, select the Premium tab, and set the aspect ratio to 9:16. Then enter this prompt:
3D animation style, Pixar style, young woman with blonde hair tied up in a messy bun, wearing a white sheet face mask, an oversized grey hoodie, and grey sweatpants. She is slouching comfortably on a grey couch, holding a pink smartphone and eating instant noodles from a red cup. The living room is dimly lit by a warm floor lamp, with clothes, chip bags, and soda cans scattered messily on the floor. Cinematic lighting, highly detailed, 8k.
This prompt creates a charming, funny 3D character, a girl relaxing on the couch, phone in hand, eating noodles. This image will be the base for your character.
Check out how we built a full reusable series with Table No. 9.
How to Create a Second Version of the Same Character
To get the same character with a different look, add the image from Step 1 as a Reference Image and enter this prompt:
3D animation style, Pixar style, the exact same young woman, now with flawless makeup and voluminous, blowout blonde hair. She is wearing a sleek, form-fitting black short-sleeve dress and small gold hoop earrings. She is looking at her pink smartphone. High quality, soft studio lighting, highly detailed, 8k.
By using the first image as a reference, Zoviz tries to preserve the identity and face of the same character, but this time delivers a more polished, dressed up look. With these two steps, the initial version of your character is ready so you can build a video from it in the next stage.
Learn how we kept characters consistent in an AI cartoon video.
Tips for Better Results
- First, build a base version of the character.
- Use that same image as a reference in later versions.
- Change the look, clothing, or scene mood, but keep the character's face and identity as consistent as possible.
See how we made a Hollywood-style music video with a virtual singer.
This way, you can create a recognizable, consistent character for any platform, one that followers will recognize across different posts.
How to Turn the Character Into a Video
Once the character image is ready, it's time to turn it into a 15 second vertical (9:16) video using an image to video prompt:
Create a 15-second vertical 9:16 stylized 3D animated comedy featuring one consistent original adult female character throughout.
The woman has warm fair skin, extremely large expressive blue eyes, rounded cheeks, a small nose, full peach lips, and honey-blonde hair. The rendering should resemble a polished high-budget animated feature: detailed hair strands, smooth cinematic skin shading, expressive facial animation, soft global illumination, shallow depth of field, and slightly exaggerated proportions. Preserve her exact facial identity, eye color, hair color, body proportions, and pink smartphone in every shot.
SHOT 1:
In a dim, messy living room illuminated by one warm amber floor lamp, she lounges sideways on a small gray couch wearing a loose gray hoodie, matching sweatpants, striped ankle socks, a messy blonde bun, and a white cosmetic sheet mask. She eats instant noodles from a red cup while scrolling on a bright pink smartphone. Blankets, snack wrappers, spilled noodles, papers, cups, and soda cans cover the floor. Slow subtle dolly-in.
SHOT 2:
Macro close-up of her pink smartphone showing a messaging conversation. The final incoming bubble asks her to send a selfie. Keep the interface simple; readable text will be added later.
SHOT 3:
Extreme close-up of her masked face. Her huge blue eyes widen, eyebrows rise, and mouth drops open in exaggerated panic. Fast smooth push-in.
SHOT 4:
She explosively jumps off the couch and runs out of frame. The noodle cup, chopsticks, and noodles fly through the air. Whip-pan transition into darkness.
SHOT 5:
Cut to a bright cool-white bathroom. Over-the-shoulder mirror view as she rushes to the sink, splashes water across her face and mirror, and pulls away the sheet mask.
SHOT 6:
Use a rapid match-cut transformation. Her messy bun becomes a voluminous silky shoulder-length blonde blowout with a dramatic side-swept wave. Her gray sweats become a fitted short black dress with small gold hoop earrings. Her face remains exactly the same. She touches her hair and smiles confidently at the mirror.
SHOT 7:
She raises the pink phone above eye level, places one hand on her waist, angles her hips, and takes a glamorous selfie. Gentle camera orbit, flattering beauty lighting, brief camera flash.
SHOT 8:
Hard cut back to the original messy living room. Still dressed glamorously, she immediately slouches across the couch and resumes eating noodles while scrolling on her phone. Match the composition of the opening shot.
SHOT 9:
Macro phone close-up showing a new compliment message. Leave the message area clean so the exact words can be added in post.
SHOT 10:
Close-up as she makes an exaggerated puckered kiss face toward her phone. Finish on a wide shot of her relaxing on the couch, giving a small knowing smirk.
Fast comedic pacing, clean motivated cuts, smooth animation, subtle secondary hair movement, natural fabric motion, correct hands, stable phone geometry, consistent lighting within each location, no narration, no subtitles baked into the video.
Wrapping Up
Building a trendy, lasting character for social media only takes a good idea and a few well crafted prompts. With Zoviz's Quick Image Generator, you can create the first version of your character, use that same image as a reference to create different looks, and finally combine everything into a short, fun video with an image to video prompt. Just keep the facial identity consistent throughout so your audience recognizes your character in every post, wherever you share it.
FAQ
Do I need any design or animation skills to create this character?
No. Zoviz's Quick Image Generator handles the 3D rendering, you just need the right prompts.
Why use a Reference Image for the second version?
It helps Zoviz keep the same face and identity while changing the outfit or scene.
What aspect ratio should I use for short form video platforms?
9:16, since it's optimized for vertical mobile viewing across TikTok, Reels, and Shorts.
Can I reuse this character in future posts?
Yes. Keep the face and identity consistent, and you can create endless new looks and scenes for the same character.