How to troubleshoot a bad take

Change one variable per retake so you can tell which change actually mattered.

Common symptom	Adjustment to try first
Face or product drift in image-to-video	Write preserve @Image1 exactly, and only add motion plus light change
The frame feels empty or template-like	Add a physical light source, material behavior, and a camera endpoint
Camera movement feels chaotic	Use one controlled move from A to B
Action feels weak	Write subject, verb, timing, consequence, and end state
Lip motion is unstable	Lock a medium close-up, shorten the line, and reduce head turning while speaking
VFX feels noisy and messy	Complete source, material, path, interaction, and dissipation endpoint
Continuation does not match the previous clip	Start from the observed real ending, not from the planned ideal ending