Prompt Skills: Video Generation

Get better results from Seedance, Sora, Veo, and other video models.

The Anatomy of a Good Video Prompt

A strong video prompt covers:

1. Scene — What is happening? Who or what is in the frame?
2. Camera — Static shot? Slow pan? Zoom? Aerial?
3. Motion — How do subjects move? Fast, slow, smooth?
4. Mood & Lighting — Cinematic, bright, moody, dramatic?

Basic example:

A woman walking through a sunlit forest

Detailed example:

A woman in a white dress walking slowly through a sunlit forest, dappled light through tall trees, camera tracking alongside her at shoulder height, calm and peaceful atmosphere, cinematic quality

Choosing the Right Model

Goal	Best Model
Director-level control, multi-shot	Seedance 2.0
High quality, cinematic / ad-grade	Sora 2 Pro
Smooth realistic motion	Veo 3.1
Fast social media clips	Grok Video 1.5
Midjourney aesthetic	Midjourney Video-V1

Model Tips

Seedance 2.0

• Upload reference images (up to 9) to keep characters consistent across shots
• Describe camera movement explicitly: slow dolly forward, aerial crane shot, handheld shake
• Works well with multi-shot narrative descriptions: describe each shot in sequence

Sora 2 Pro

• Supports synchronized dialogue — describe speech and who is speaking
• Use Remix for local edits on an existing video rather than regenerating from scratch
• Great for product demos: describe the product in motion with clean backgrounds

Veo 3.1

• Strong at natural, physics-accurate motion (water, fabric, hair)
• Specify lighting conditions for best results: golden hour, overcast day, studio lighting

Grok Video 1.5

• Optimized for short, fast outputs — ideal for social content
• Native audio sync: mention sounds or music in your prompt
• Lean into creative and imaginative descriptions for best results

Writing Tips

Keep actions simple Complex multi-step actions ("she picks up the cup, walks to the window, turns around") reduce quality. Describe one clear action per generation.

Specify camera movementstatic shot, slow pan left, zoom in on face, bird's eye view, tracking shot — camera direction significantly affects the result.

Describe the end state, not just the start Instead of "a bird takes off," try "a bird launching upward into a clear blue sky, wings fully extended."

Set the mood with lightingwarm golden hour light, cool blue moonlight, harsh midday sun, soft studio lighting — lighting sets the tone of the entire clip.

Common Issues & Fixes

Flickering or unstable subjects: Add smooth motion, stable camera, consistent lighting to your prompt.

Wrong camera angle: Be explicit: low angle looking up, eye level, overhead top-down view.

Motion too fast/slow: Add slow motion, real-time speed, or time-lapse as needed.

Inconsistent character appearance: Use Seedance 2.0 with reference images for best character consistency.