AI Video Prompting Guide

How to write effective prompts for AI video generation models (Veo, Runway, Kling, Pika).

Prompt Structure

A strong video prompt follows this formula:

[Subject] + [Action] + [Camera movement] + [Visual style] + [Lighting/mood] + [Technical specs]

Example Prompts by Use Case

Product hero shot:

A sleek laptop on a minimal white desk, screen glowing with a dashboard UI,
camera slowly orbits 180 degrees around the desk,
soft volumetric lighting from the left, shallow depth of field,
cinematic commercial aesthetic, 4K

Lifestyle B-roll:

A woman in a modern co-working space smiling while looking at her phone,
natural window light, candid documentary feel,
camera handheld with subtle movement, warm color grading

Abstract/brand:

Flowing liquid gold particles forming the shape of a network graph,
dark background, particles catch light as they move,
slow-motion macro photography style, dramatic rim lighting

SaaS explainer scene:

An overhead shot of a team around a conference table pointing at charts,
camera slowly pushes in, bright modern office,
clean corporate style, even lighting, 1080p

Camera Movement Vocabulary

Use these terms — video models understand them:

Style Keywords

Cinematic

• "cinematic color grading"
• "anamorphic lens flare"
• "shallow depth of field"
• "film grain"
• "35mm film"

Commercial/Corporate

• "clean commercial lighting"
• "bright and airy"
• "professional corporate aesthetic"
• "even, diffused lighting"

Documentary

• "handheld documentary style"
• "natural lighting"
• "candid, unposed"
• "observational camera"

Social/Trendy

• "vertical 9:16"
• "fast-paced cuts"
• "bold text overlays"
• "high contrast, saturated colors"

Model-Specific Tips

Veo (Google)

• Excels at photorealism and complex scenes
• Supports audio generation synced to video
• Best with detailed, descriptive prompts
• Specify "high resolution" or "1080p" for best quality
• Can handle multiple subjects and scene transitions

Runway Gen-4

• Strong motion control — specify camera movements precisely
• Best temporal consistency (subjects stay consistent across frames)
• Use motion brush for specific area animation
• Image-to-video works well — provide a reference frame
• Keep prompts under 100 words for best results

Kling

• Can generate up to 2 minutes (much longer than others)
• Good for longer narrative sequences
• More affordable for bulk generation
• Quality drops slightly at longer durations
• Best with simpler scenes and fewer subjects

Pika

• Fastest generation time (under 2 minutes)
• Good for quick iterations and experimentation
• Effects mode adds motion to still images
• Best for short clips (5-15 seconds)
• Less control over camera movement

Common Prompt Mistakes

Prompting Workflow

1. Reference first — find a real video that looks like what you want
2. Describe it — break down: subject, action, camera, style, mood
3. Generate 3-4 variations — same concept, different angles or styles
4. Iterate on the best — refine the prompt based on results
5. Composite — combine AI footage with programmatic text/overlays

Aspect Ratios

Always specify in your prompt or generation settings:

Cost Optimization

• Iterate at low resolution — upscale only the final version
• Use Kling for drafts — cheapest per second, switch to Veo/Runway for finals
• Image-to-video — providing a reference frame saves generation credits and gives better results
• Batch similar prompts — models often offer volume discounts
• Cache and reuse — B-roll clips can be reused across multiple videos