You type a prompt. The AI spits out something... weird. The lighting is off, the camera angle makes no sense, and the subject looks like it belongs in a fever dream.
Sound familiar? You're not alone. The gap between what you imagine and what AI generates almost always comes down to one thing: how you write the prompt.
After generating thousands of videos across Veo, Sora, Kling, and Seedance, we've distilled the patterns that consistently produce better results. Here's everything we've learned.
The Anatomy of a Great Video Prompt
A strong AI video prompt has five layers. Think of it as directing a film — you need to tell the AI about the scene, not just the subject.
1. Subject + Action
Start with what's happening. Be specific.
| Weak | Strong |
|---|---|
| A dog running | A golden retriever sprinting through shallow ocean waves, ears flapping |
| A woman walking | A woman in a red trench coat walking down a rain-soaked Tokyo alley at night |
The more concrete details you give, the less the AI has to guess.
2. Camera Language
This is what separates amateur prompts from cinematic ones. AI models understand film terminology:
- Close-up shot — face or detail fills the frame
- Wide establishing shot — shows the full environment
- Tracking shot — camera follows the subject
- Slow dolly zoom — the classic Hitchcock effect
- Low angle shot — looking up, makes subject feel powerful
- Aerial drone shot — bird's eye perspective
- Handheld camera — adds a documentary/raw feel
Example: "Low angle tracking shot of a samurai walking through a bamboo forest, camera slowly pulling back"
3. Lighting + Atmosphere
Lighting sets the emotional tone of your video:
- Golden hour — warm, cinematic, the "magic hour" look
- Neon-lit — cyberpunk, urban night scenes
- Overcast soft light — even, flattering, no harsh shadows
- Dramatic chiaroscuro — high contrast, moody (think Caravaggio)
- Backlit silhouette — subject outlined against bright background
- Volumetric fog — god rays, atmospheric depth
4. Style + Reference
Tell the AI what visual language to use:
- "Shot on 35mm film" — adds grain and a vintage organic feel
- "Cinematic color grading" — rich, movie-like tones
- "Documentary style" — natural, unpolished
- "Wes Anderson aesthetic" — symmetrical, pastel palette
- "Blade Runner 2049 color palette" — teal and orange, moody
- "Studio Ghibli inspired" — soft, painterly animation
5. Motion + Timing
Describe how things move, not just what they are:
- "Slow motion water droplets splashing"
- "Time-lapse of clouds rolling over a mountain range"
- "Smooth, gradual zoom into the subject's eyes"
- "Leaves gently falling in the foreground"
Putting It All Together
Here's the formula:
[Camera angle/movement] + [Subject doing action] + [Environment details] + [Lighting/atmosphere] + [Style reference]Example prompt:
Slow tracking shot of an astronaut walking through a field of sunflowers on an alien planet, two moons visible in the purple sky, golden hour lighting with lens flares, shot on anamorphic lens, cinematic color grading
Compare that to: "An astronaut in a field." Night and day difference.
Model-Specific Tips
Different AI models have different strengths. Here's how to optimize:
Veo 3.1 (Google)
- Excels at photorealistic scenes and natural motion
- Responds well to detailed lighting descriptions
- Best for: landscapes, nature, cinematic live-action looks
Sora 2 Pro (OpenAI)
- Strong at narrative scenes and consistent characters
- Handles complex multi-subject scenes better
- Best for: storytelling, character-driven content
Kling 2.6 (Kuaishou)
- Great cost-to-quality ratio
- Handles Asian aesthetics and cultural references well
- Best for: social media content, quick iterations
Seedance 1.0 Pro (ByteDance)
- Strong motion quality, especially for dance and movement
- Supports 1080p output
- Best for: dynamic action, music videos, movement-heavy scenes
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Being too vague — "A beautiful sunset" gives the AI nothing to work with
- Cramming too much — Don't describe 10 things happening at once. Keep it to 1-2 subjects
- Ignoring camera direction — Without camera language, you get a random angle every time
- Forgetting atmosphere — Lighting and mood matter as much as the subject
- Not iterating — Your first prompt is a draft. Refine based on what you see
The 80/20 Rule
If you only remember one thing: spend 80% of your prompt on the scene, not the subject. Beginners over-describe what's in the frame and under-describe how it looks, moves, and feels.
The subject is important. But the magic is in the cinematography.
Ready to try these techniques? Start generating on NiceVid — all models, one workspace.
