H3 Hyperflow: does retention_analysis help?

20/20 clips collected · 10/10 paired comparisons ready. Five references · long prompts · 10 seconds · 1344×768 · Hyperflow full, 8 steps · Euler · fixed pair seeds.

These ten pairs show no consistent visual advantage from the extra retention block or the appropriate mode markers. Explicit wardrobe, color, daylight and environment changes happen under both marker choices; selective lighting fails in both. One notable exception favors A: the environment test has one dog in A and two in B. This supports the practical importance of prose, not a claim that markers are ignored. Results are single-seed observations with this Hyperflow setup.

Study 1: fully_preserved retention block versus omitting that entire block. Study 2: appropriate preservation markers versus fully_preserved, with identical instructions.

ComparisonVariableObserved result
Camera handoff: identity and object retentionWhole blockSimilar outcome; no clear block advantage
Photographing the puppy: simultaneous reference bindingWhole blockSimilar outcome; shared layout failure
Continuous camera orbit without freezing reference posesWhole blockCamera movement works in both
Short occlusion and reappearance of faces and propWhole blockSimilar outcome; limited occlusion stress
Dialogue, acting and multi-reference continuityWhole blockVisually similar; audio not assessed
Wardrobe replacement: partially_preserved versus fully_preservedMarker onlyRequested clothing changes happen in both
Camera recoloring: partially_preserved versus fully_preservedMarker onlyRequested recoloring happens in both
Environmental relighting: partially_preserved versus fully_preservedMarker onlyRelighting happens in both; shared object error
Lighting transfer: attribute_transfer versus fully_preservedMarker onlySelective transfer fails similarly in both
Broad environment inspiration: weak_reference versus fully_preservedMarker onlyEnvironment changes in both; A keeps one dog, B duplicates it

Review basis: Unblinded visual inspection of paired full-clip contact sheets at 0.5, 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 9.5 seconds, supplemented by 2-fps timelines where needed. No audio listening/transcription or frame-perfect smoothness assessment was performed. No automatic identity or quality score was used.

One seed per scenario, five scenarios per claim; one shared five-image reference set; exploratory rather than a population-level conclusion. Marker-B deliberately conflicts with explicit requested changes. No deterministic repeat control was added. Different outputs alone do not establish a quality advantage.

Native 243-frame (10.125s) renders are preserved in each originals folder. Viewing copies are trimmed to 240 frames (10s), with no speed change. Side-by-side downloads use A audio; the paired players let you switch.

Five input references and sourceswoman · man · cafe · camera · dog

Written findings · Method and limitations · Experiment metadata

Camera handoff: identity and object retention

The two referenced adults exchange the referenced camera inside the referenced cafe while the puppy watches; identity, wardrobe, environment, and prop appearance remain unchanged.

Whole block · Seed 28510931

A
Download A · 10 seconds
B
Download B · 10 seconds

Native originals (243 frames): A · B

Download side-by-side (audio A) · Full contact sheet

Frames at 0.5, 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 9.5 seconds

Denser timeline: A at 2 fps · B at 2 fps

Exact prompt A · Exact prompt B

Both versions preserve the recognizable people, dark clothing, café fixtures, golden dog and black camera while completing the handoff and final placement. Framing and hand positions differ, but neither shows a clear reference-retention advantage in the inspected frames. Both deviate from the requested standing adults / puppy-on-floor arrangement.

What to inspect: 2.5–5s: handoff; 9.5s: camera resting on table. Compare both rows of the contact sheet.

Reveal A/B conditions

A: fully_preserved retention block; B: identical prompt with entire block omitted

Photographing the puppy: simultaneous reference binding

The woman photographs the referenced puppy as the man quietly attracts its attention, using the same referenced identities, clothes, camera, and cafe.

Whole block · Seed 60378412

A
Download A · 10 seconds
B
Download B · 10 seconds

Native originals (243 frames): A · B

Download side-by-side (audio A) · Full contact sheet

Frames at 0.5, 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 9.5 seconds

Denser timeline: A at 2 fps · B at 2 fps

Exact prompt A · Exact prompt B

Both versions show the woman crouching, raising the camera to photograph the dog, then lowering it to inspect the display. Clothing and café remain similar. Both put the dog on the tabletop instead of its requested floor mat; retaining the block does not fix that instruction failure.

What to inspect: 5s: camera at the woman's eye; 9.5s: lowered camera. The dog is on the table throughout the sampled sequence.

Reveal A/B conditions

A: fully_preserved retention block; B: identical prompt with entire block omitted

Continuous camera orbit without freezing reference poses

A slow camera orbit reveals the referenced people, puppy, cafe and handheld camera from changing viewpoints without changing their identities or wardrobe.

Whole block · Seed 94720683

A
Download A · 10 seconds
B
Download B · 10 seconds

Native originals (243 frames): A · B

Download side-by-side (audio A) · Full contact sheet

Frames at 0.5, 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 9.5 seconds

Denser timeline: A at 2 fps · B at 2 fps

Exact prompt A · Exact prompt B

Both versions change viewpoint substantially while retaining the people, clothing, café and camera. The fully_preserved block does not freeze the shot. Camera handling, dog position and foreground occlusions differ, but there is no clear overall retention winner from the inspected frames.

What to inspect: Compare 0.5s with 9.5s: the table, people and wall are seen from different angles in both versions.

Reveal A/B conditions

A: fully_preserved retention block; B: identical prompt with entire block omitted

Short occlusion and reappearance of faces and prop

The man briefly crosses in front of the woman and camera, then reveals them unchanged in the referenced cafe while the puppy follows a small movement.

Whole block · Seed 37185064

A
Download A · 10 seconds
B
Download B · 10 seconds

Native originals (243 frames): A · B

Download side-by-side (audio A) · Full contact sheet

Frames at 0.5, 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 9.5 seconds

Denser timeline: A at 2 fps · B at 2 fps

Exact prompt A · Exact prompt B

Both show the man moving from the foreground toward the woman, followed by a shared look at the camera. Their appearances remain coherent in the sampled sequence. The crossing is not a clean, prolonged face occlusion, so this pair provides only weak evidence about recovery from occlusion.

What to inspect: The 2-fps timelines show the foreground approach and later close two-shot. Do not treat this as a strong occlusion benchmark.

Reveal A/B conditions

A: fully_preserved retention block; B: identical prompt with entire block omitted

Dialogue, acting and multi-reference continuity

The referenced adults exchange two short lines about taking a picture while the puppy settles beside their table in the same cafe.

Whole block · Seed 82561407

A
Download A · 10 seconds
B
Download B · 10 seconds

Native originals (243 frames): A · B

Download side-by-side (audio A) · Full contact sheet

Frames at 0.5, 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 9.5 seconds

Denser timeline: A at 2 fps · B at 2 fps

Exact prompt A · Exact prompt B

Both retain the referenced people and café through a very similar conversational composition. The woman raises the camera near the end in both. Both keep the dog on furniture instead of the floor mat. Spoken wording, voice quality and lip sync have not been evaluated; both audio tracks remain available for listening.

What to inspect: 0.5–9.5s: broadly matched staging; 9.5s: camera raised in both.

Reveal A/B conditions

A: fully_preserved retention block; B: identical prompt with entire block omitted

Wardrobe replacement: partially_preserved versus fully_preserved

The same woman and man meet in the referenced cafe with explicitly changed clothing while retaining their faces, hair and the referenced camera and puppy.

Marker only · Seed 41602987

A
Download A · 10 seconds
B
Download B · 10 seconds

Native originals (243 frames): A · B

Download side-by-side (audio A) · Full contact sheet

Frames at 0.5, 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 9.5 seconds

Denser timeline: A at 2 fps · B at 2 fps

Exact prompt A · Exact prompt B

A (partially_preserved) and B (fully_preserved) both give the woman the yellow rain jacket and the man the teal pullover, with recognizable faces and hair. Fully_preserved does not prevent the explicit wardrobe replacement in this pair. There are staging differences, but no clear benefit from the appropriate marker on the tested clothing task.

What to inspect: The yellow jacket and teal top are present from 0.5s through 9.5s in both versions.

Reveal A/B conditions

A: appropriate partially_preserved/attribute_transfer/weak_reference markers; B: fully_preserved substituted for those markers only; all explanatory prose identical

Camera recoloring: partially_preserved versus fully_preserved

The adults inspect a red-bodied version of the referenced camera; its shape and black lens stay the same while its casing color changes.

Marker only · Seed 73918520

A
Download A · 10 seconds
B
Download B · 10 seconds

Native originals (243 frames): A · B

Download side-by-side (audio A) · Full contact sheet

Frames at 0.5, 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 9.5 seconds

Denser timeline: A at 2 fps · B at 2 fps

Exact prompt A · Exact prompt B

Both variants produce a red camera body with a black lens and carry that color through the handoff to the closing view. The fully_preserved marker does not block the explicitly requested recoloring. The overall camera shape is retained, but this is not a test of exact product geometry or branding.

What to inspect: Red camera body is visible at 0.5s, during handling, and clearly on the tabletop at 9.5s in both versions.

Reveal A/B conditions

A: appropriate partially_preserved/attribute_transfer/weak_reference markers; B: fully_preserved substituted for those markers only; all explanatory prose identical

Environmental relighting: partially_preserved versus fully_preserved

The reference cafe is relit as a bright morning interior while its recognizable architecture, the people, the camera and the puppy remain consistent.

Marker only · Seed 16850742

A
Download A · 10 seconds
B
Download B · 10 seconds

Native originals (243 frames): A · B

Download side-by-side (audio A) · Full contact sheet

Frames at 0.5, 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 9.5 seconds

Denser timeline: A at 2 fps · B at 2 fps

Exact prompt A · Exact prompt B

Both versions replace the moody café exposure with bright daylight while retaining its recognizable architecture and fixtures; the CAFE sign appears unlit in both. Both also generate two cameras despite the instruction to keep one. The appropriate retention marker does not resolve that duplication.

What to inspect: 0.5s and 5s clearly show one camera with each person in both variants. Compare the bright left-side window and unlit lettering.

Reveal A/B conditions

A: appropriate partially_preserved/attribute_transfer/weak_reference markers; B: fully_preserved substituted for those markers only; all explanatory prose identical

Lighting transfer: attribute_transfer versus fully_preserved

The blue side-lighting from the woman's reference portrait is transferred to the man's face while both people keep their individual identities in the cafe.

Marker only · Seed 58240619

A
Download A · 10 seconds
B
Download B · 10 seconds

Native originals (243 frames): A · B

Download side-by-side (audio A) · Full contact sheet

Frames at 0.5, 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 9.5 seconds

Denser timeline: A at 2 fps · B at 2 fps

Exact prompt A · Exact prompt B

Both versions put blue light on the man, but both also leave strong blue light on the woman, contrary to the explicit request to keep her warm-neutral. Attribute_transfer does not provide a clear advantage over fully_preserved for this selective lighting assignment in the inspected frames.

What to inspect: 0.5s and 9.5s: the woman's face and dark top remain visibly blue-lit in both rows, while the man also receives cool lighting.

Reveal A/B conditions

A: appropriate partially_preserved/attribute_transfer/weak_reference markers; B: fully_preserved substituted for those markers only; all explanatory prose identical

Broad environment inspiration: weak_reference versus fully_preserved

The cafe image supplies only a warm welcoming atmosphere for a newly designed bright botanical lounge, while the referenced people, camera and puppy remain recognizable.

Marker only · Seed 29487163

A
Download A · 10 seconds
B
Download B · 10 seconds

Native originals (243 frames): A · B

Download side-by-side (audio A) · Full contact sheet

Frames at 0.5, 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 9.5 seconds

Denser timeline: A at 2 fps · B at 2 fps

Exact prompt A · Exact prompt B

Both A (weak_reference) and B (fully_preserved) replace the café fixtures with the explicitly requested white arches, pale stone and green plants. The mode marker does not block that substantial environment change. A has one dog, whereas B generates two dogs throughout the sampled sequence. A is preferable for the requested subject count in this pair; without repeat controls or more seeds, that does not establish a general causal benefit of weak_reference. Both put the dog(s) on furniture rather than the requested floor mat.

What to inspect: 0.5–9.5s: both show the new lounge without the original CAFE sign, menus or green pendant lights. Every sampled B frame shows two dogs; A shows one.

Reveal A/B conditions

A: appropriate partially_preserved/attribute_transfer/weak_reference markers; B: fully_preserved substituted for those markers only; all explanatory prose identical