In a motion-control setting, “Image” or “Video Orientation” can describe which input supplies the character's facing direction. It does not necessarily mean portrait or landscape format. Treat character facing, output aspect ratio, file rotation and mirroring as four separate decisions, then verify the labels in your selected tool.
Identify what the setting changes
Runway's Kling Motion Control guide says Video uses the performance video's facing direction, while Image uses the character image's facing direction. That is a specific interpretation of this control.
Suppose the character photograph faces forward and the performer begins in profile. The choice asks which facing arrangement the result should use. A separate aspect-ratio selector determines the shape of the canvas.
Do not infer an output dimension from the word “Image.” Read the nearby explanation and inspect an example that actually changes the relevant setting.
Record four decisions on separate lines
| Decision | Example | What it does not establish |
|---|---|---|
| Character facing | Front view or profile | Output width and height |
| Aspect ratio | 16:9 or 9:16 | Which way a person faces |
| Pixel rotation | Upright versus sideways file | Anatomical left and right |
| Mirroring | Horizontally reflected view | The original performer's actual handedness |
A file can be upright, vertical and mirrored while showing a person in profile. Calling it simply “portrait orientation” leaves several important questions unanswered.
This separation also helps when discussing the shot with another person. Ask for “front-facing character in a vertical frame” rather than expecting one ambiguous word to communicate both.
Choose facing from the intended action
Look at the action's key event. If a side view makes a reach or bend readable, consider whether the result should retain that view. If the character must address the viewer, evaluate a front-facing arrangement without assuming that a side-view performance will transfer identically.
Keep the reference image unchanged during the first settings comparison. Compare the beginning, main turn and ending. Note whether the chosen facing persists or whether the body changes direction unexpectedly.
Do not rotate a normal upright recording sideways to solve a character-facing issue. That changes the displayed world, including gravity cues, floor direction and surrounding objects.
Verify the saved result independently
Open the output file in a separate player. Check the reported pixel dimensions, upright playback and whether the intended arm performs the action. A preview fitted inside a tall browser panel is not proof of a vertical export.
Use an asymmetric cue that is actually visible, such as a jacket pocket or approved hair part, to inspect mirroring. If the cue is hidden, leave handedness uncertain rather than constructing a conclusion from a silhouette.
When preparing another aspect ratio, keep an untouched copy. Framing changes belong to a separate delivery decision from the original facing test.
Questions about confusing labels
Can Video Orientation preserve the entire original background?
Do not conclude that from this label. Facing direction, camera inheritance and scene preservation are separate capabilities that require their own documentation.
Why does a vertical file still show a sideways person?
Check both the file's rotation and the intended pose. A vertical canvas can contain a deliberately leaning person; changing its width and height alone will not correct a wrongly rotated recording.