Soul Cinema Preview: the model, explained
Soul Cinema Preview is the model doing the rendering when the console returns a cinematic-grade still. What it is, what “preview” means, and how to run it properly.
What Soul Cinema Preview is
Soul Cinema Preview is the preview-release generation of the Soul Cinema stills model: the branch of the Soul family tuned for cinematic-grade frames — motivated light, film texture, disciplined colour — rather than general-purpose images.
It is a stills model. It renders one frame at a time, at the resolution tier you choose; there is no timeline and no frame rate to think about. Sequences exist as sequences of frames — which is what Soul ID and the six-frame runs are for.
What “preview” means in the name
A preview release is the current, still-evolving cut of the model: the newest generation in production, not a beta to avoid. The console renders through the current generation, so improvements arrive without changing your side of the workflow.
What does not move is your side of the contract: a five-line brief, a resolution tier, the locks. Model generations change; the way a keeper is made does not.
What it is best at
Across a few hundred frames the pattern is consistent — the model is strongest when the frame has a strong reason to exist:
- Night exteriors — wet streets, neon, headlights; reflections doing half the lighting work.
- Interiors with practicals — lamps, windows, screens; one motivated source and real falloff.
- Portrait pressure — one face, close, with no set to hide behind.
- Colour discipline — pinned hex values surviving across frames and re-renders.
- Sequences — the same cast and palette held across six frames while the camera moves.
The combo it was built for
The model is designed to run with two companions, and both are already in the console: Soul ID for the face and wardrobe across a sequence, and Soul HEX for the exact colour values. Together they are the difference between one good frame and a repeatable look.
How to run it
Pick a look, write the five-line brief, render a 2K test — one credit — and only then lock what works. The getting started guide walks a first session end to end; the tutorial covers the four steps in order.
Exports go up to 8K, upscaled from a native 4K render with both sizes recorded. Grain, palette and cast all carry through the upscale, because they are part of the render — not a filter applied after it.
Frequently asked
Is Soul Cinema Preview free?
No — the model sits behind the paid plans and there is no free tier. The full breakdown of costs and credits is on the “is Soul Cinema free” page and the pricing page.
Is it a video model?
No. Soul Cinema Preview renders stills; there is no timeline and no frame rate. A sequence is a run of frames, not a clip.
Which generation does the console use?
The console renders through the current Soul Cinema generation — the Preview release. You choose the look, the brief and the resolution; version management is ours.
What is the difference between Soul Cinema Preview and Soul 2.0?
Soul 2.0 is the general stills generation; Soul Cinema Preview is the branch tuned for cinematic frames. The split between the two is walked through in the Soul v2 vs Soul Cinema comparison.
What does it cost to try it?
A Basic month from $12. A 2K test frame is one credit, and failed frames are refunded automatically.
Your first cinematic frame is one prompt away
Sign in with Google, pick a plan and keep every still at the resolution the model produced. Plans from $12/month, cancel at any time. No watermark, no re-encode.