How to Generate AI Images with Melies

Generating AI images is the foundation of every project in Melies. Whether you are creating concept art for a film, building a storyboard, or just exploring visual ideas, the

gives you access to 16 models from providers like Black Forest Labs, Google, ByteDance, and xAI.

This guide walks you through the entire process, from choosing a model to saving your best results.

Quick answer: To generate AI images with Melies, choose from 16 models (like Flux Schnell at 2 credits or Nano Banana 2 at 15 credits), write a descriptive prompt, select an aspect ratio, and click Generate. Start with Flux Schnell for fast iteration, then switch to premium models for final images.

Step 1: Open the AI Image Generator

Head to the

in Melies. You will see the generation panel with a prompt input, model selector, and aspect ratio options.

This is your starting point for every image you create.

Step 2: Choose Your Model

Melies offers 16 image models, each with different strengths. Here is a quick breakdown to help you pick the right one:

For Speed and Experimentation

• Flux Schnell (2 credits) - The fastest model. Great for rapid iteration when you are still figuring out your prompt.
• FLUX.2 klein (5 credits) - Fast with decent quality. A good step up from Schnell without slowing you down.

For Balanced Quality

• Flux Dev (10 credits) - Solid all-rounder for general image generation.
• Seedream 4.5 (10 credits) - High quality from ByteDance, works well with diverse subjects.
• Flux Pro (15 credits) - Reliable quality with standard aspect ratios.
• Grok Imagine (15 credits) - High quality from xAI with 13 supported aspect ratios.
• Nano Banana 2 (15 credits) - Google's best model with resolution options from 0.5K to 4K.

For Maximum Quality

• FLUX.2 max (25 credits) - The highest quality Flux model with custom resolution up to 14142px.
• Flux Kontext Max (25 credits) - Best for character consistency and text rendering in images.
• FLUX.2 pro (20 credits) - High quality with custom resolution support.

Tip: Start with a cheap, fast model like Flux Schnell to nail your prompt, then switch to a higher-quality model for the final version. This saves credits while still getting great results.

Step 3: Write Your Prompt

The prompt is where you describe what you want to see. The more specific and descriptive you are, the better your results will be.

Prompt rewrite assistant: The prompt field has a magic wand icon in the top right corner. Click it and Melies will rewrite your prompt automatically - adding detail, improving scene description, and making it more model-friendly. You can write something simple like "a detective in the rain" and the assistant will expand it into a rich, cinematic prompt. It is the fastest way to get great results without being an expert prompt writer.

Basic Prompt Structure

A good prompt typically includes:

1. Subject - Who or what is in the image
2. Setting - Where the scene takes place
3. Lighting - How the scene is lit
4. Mood/Style - The overall feel or artistic direction

Example Prompts

Simple:

A woman sitting in a cafe

Better:

A young woman sitting alone in a Parisian cafe, morning light streaming through large windows, warm golden tones, shallow depth of field, cinematic film still

Cinematic:

A detective standing under a flickering streetlight in a rain-soaked alley, 1940s film noir style, high contrast black and white, dramatic shadows, smoke curling from a cigarette

Prompt Tips

• Be descriptive - "Cinematic lighting" gives better results than just "good lighting"
• Mention the style - Add terms like "film still," "portrait photography," or "concept art" to guide the aesthetic
• Include technical details - Camera angle, lens type, and depth of field can dramatically change the output
• Use negative cues - Some models respond to phrases like "no blur" or "sharp focus"
• Keep it focused - Do not overload your prompt with contradicting styles. Pick a clear direction.

Step 4: Pick Your Aspect Ratio

Melies supports 9 aspect ratios. Choose the one that fits your intended use:

Ratio	Name	Best For
Auto	Auto	Let the model decide
21:9	Cinematic	Widescreen film scenes
16:9	Landscape	Standard video frames, YouTube thumbnails
4:3	Classic	Traditional film look
3:2	Photo	Photography-style compositions
1:1	Square	Social media posts, album art
2:3	Photo Portrait	Vertical photography
3:4	Portrait	Character portraits
9:16	Portrait/Mobile	Instagram Stories, TikTok, mobile wallpapers

For filmmakers: 21:9 gives you that cinematic widescreen look. 16:9 is the standard for most video projects. If you are creating storyboards, 16:9 is usually the safest choice.

Step 5: Generate Your Image

Click the Generate button. Depending on the model, your image will be ready in a few seconds (Flux Schnell) to about a minute (FLUX.2 max, Flux Kontext Max).

Once the image appears, you have several options:

• Generate again - Same prompt, different result. Every generation is unique.
• Generate variations - Right-click the image to explore different angles, lighting, moods, and styles. See our
  guide to image variations

  

  How to Generate AI Image Variations

  Learn how to generate AI image variations in Melies. Change camera angles, lighting, expressions, color grades, and more from a single base image.
  for details.
• Extract subject - Isolate the main subject from the background for compositing. Learn more in our
  subject extraction guide

  

  How to Extract a Subject from an AI Image

  Learn how to extract and isolate subjects from AI-generated images in Melies. Remove backgrounds for compositing, character reuse, and creative workflows.
  .

Step 6: Iterate and Refine

Rarely will your first generation be perfect. The best workflow is to iterate:

1. Start cheap - Use Flux Schnell or FLUX.2 klein to test your prompt concept
2. Refine the prompt - Adjust wording based on what worked and what did not
3. Try different models - The same prompt can look very different across models
4. Scale up - Once you have a prompt that works, switch to a higher-quality model for the final version
5. Use variations - Generate variations to explore different camera angles, lighting conditions, and color grades

Step 7: Save to Your Assets

When you have an image you love, save it to your project assets. This lets you:

• Use it later in video generation (image-to-video)
• Reference it for consistent character looks across scenes
• Build a library of visual assets for your film project

Using Reference Images

Some models support reference images, which let you upload an existing image to guide the generation. This is especially useful when you want to:

• Match a specific visual style from a reference photo
• Generate new angles of an existing character
• Create variations that stay close to a specific look

Models like Flux Kontext and Flux Kontext Max are particularly good at maintaining consistency with reference images.

Using AI Actors for Consistent Characters

If you need the same character across multiple images, check out

. Melies includes a library of 148 pre-built actors that maintain consistent appearance across generations, which is essential for storyboarding and film production.

Model Comparison at a Glance

For a full deep-dive into every image model, read our

and the .

Model	Credits	Speed	Quality	Best For
Flux Schnell	2	Fastest	Basic	Quick tests
FLUX.2 klein	5	Fastest	Good	Fast iteration
Flux Dev	10	Medium	Good	General use
Seedream 4.5	10	Medium	High	Diverse subjects
Nano Banana 2	15	Fast	Best	High-res output
Grok Imagine	15	Medium	High	Wide format support
Flux Pro	15	Medium	High	Reliable quality
FLUX.2 pro	20	Medium	High	Custom resolution
Flux Kontext	20	Medium	High	Character consistency
FLUX.2 max	25	Slow	Best	Maximum quality
Flux Kontext Max	25	Slow	Best	Best consistency

What to Do Next

Now that you can generate images, here are some natural next steps:

• Generate image variations

  

  How to Generate AI Image Variations

  Learn how to generate AI image variations in Melies. Change camera angles, lighting, expressions, color grades, and more from a single base image.
  - Explore different camera angles, lighting, and styles from a single image
• Create AI actors

  

  AI Character Generator: Create Consistent AI Characters

  Use the Melies AI character generator to create consistent characters across scenes. Browse 148 pre-built AI actors and generate images with the same character every time.
  - Build consistent characters for your film project
• Generate AI videos

  

  AI Image to Video: How to Turn Any Image into Video with AI

  Turn any AI image into video with Melies. Step-by-step guide to AI image to video generation with 8 models, text-to-video, motion prompts, and cinematic results.
  - Turn your best images into video clips
• Create a full AI film

  

  AI Filmmaking: How to Create an AI Film from Idea to Export

  Learn the complete AI filmmaking workflow with Melies. Generate ideas, cast AI actors, create storyboards, produce video clips, edit on a timeline, and export your finished AI film.
  - Learn the end-to-end filmmaking workflow in Melies

Check out our

for detailed specs on every model, and visit our for credit packages.