How to Write AI Video Prompts: The Complete Guide for 2025
The difference between a mediocre AI video and a cinematic masterpiece often comes down to one thing: the prompt. After analyzing 10,000+ successful video generations, we've identified the exact structure that produces the best results.
The Cinematic Prompt Formula
Every great video prompt follows this structure:
[Shot type] of [subject] [action] in [environment], [lighting], [camera movement], [style], [aspect ratio]Example:
"Cinematic wide shot of a lone astronaut walking across a desolate Martian landscape, golden hour lighting casting long shadows, slow dolly forward, sci-fi film aesthetic, 16:9 aspect ratio"
Shot Types That Work
AI video models understand these shot types best:
- Wide shot / Establishing shot — sets the scene
- Medium shot — shows subject from waist up
- Close-up — focuses on face or detail
- Extreme close-up — dramatic detail focus
- Overhead / Aerial shot — bird's eye view
- POV shot — first-person perspective
Camera Movements
Specify camera movements for dynamic results:
- Static — fixed camera position
- Slow pan left/right — horizontal movement
- Tilt up/down — vertical movement
- Dolly in/out — camera moves closer/further
- Tracking shot — follows subject
- Orbit — circles around subject
- Drone shot — aerial movement
Lighting Modifiers
Lighting dramatically affects mood:
- Golden hour — warm, magical
- Blue hour — cool, mysterious
- Overcast — soft, even
- Neon — cyberpunk, urban
- Dramatic side lighting — cinematic contrast
- Backlit / Silhouette — mysterious
- Volumetric / God rays — ethereal
Style Keywords
Add these for consistent aesthetics:
- Cinematic, film grain, anamorphic — movie look
- Documentary, handheld, natural — realistic
- Anime, Studio Ghibli, cel-shaded — animated
- Cyberpunk, neon-noir, dystopian — futuristic
- Vintage, 8mm, VHS — retro
- Photorealistic, 8K, HDR — hyper-real
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Vague descriptions — "a nice scene" produces random results
- Conflicting elements — "bright dark room" confuses the model
- Too many subjects — start with 1-2 main subjects
- Ignoring aspect ratio — specify 16:9, 9:16, or 1:1
- Forgetting motion — describe what moves and how
Prompt Templates
Product Commercial
"Cinematic product shot of [product] on a minimalist white surface, soft studio lighting with subtle reflections, slow 360-degree orbit, premium advertising aesthetic, 16:9"
Nature Documentary
"Wide aerial shot of [animal] in its natural habitat during golden hour, camera slowly descending, BBC nature documentary style, photorealistic, 16:9"
Social Media Short
"Dynamic close-up of [subject] with fast-paced energy, quick zoom transitions, trending TikTok aesthetic, vibrant colors, 9:16"
Testing Your Prompts
The best way to improve is iteration:
- Write your initial prompt
- Generate and analyze the result
- Identify what worked and what didn't
- Add specific modifiers for problem areas
- Generate again and compare
Try these prompts on AI VEO with Veo 3.1, Sora 2, and Kling 3.0 to see how different models interpret the same descriptions.