How to Master AI Video Prompts: The Complete Guide

Creating amazing AI videos starts with one thing: your prompt. The better your prompt, the better your video. After analyzing thousands of successful generations, here's everything you need to know.

The Anatomy of a Perfect Prompt

A great video prompt has four key components:

1. Subject (Who or What)

Be specific about your main subject. Instead of "a person," try "a confident young woman with curly red hair" or "a sleek black smartphone.

✗ WeakA cat

✓ StrongA fluffy orange tabby cat with bright green eyes

2. Action (What's Happening)

Describe the movement or activity. AI video excels at smooth, cinematic motion.

✗ WeakCat sitting

✓ StrongA fluffy orange tabby cat slowly stretching and yawning on a sunlit windowsill

3. Setting (Where)

Ground your scene in a specific environment. This adds depth and context.

✗ WeakIn a room

✓ StrongIn a cozy minimalist living room with soft morning light streaming through sheer curtains

4. Style/Mood (How It Feels)

Add emotional or aesthetic direction to guide the visual tone.

✗ Weak(no style mentioned)

✓ StrongWarm, dreamy atmosphere with soft bokeh in the background, cinematic color grading

The Golden Formula

Combine all four elements:

[Subject] + [Action] + [Setting] + [Style]

Example: "A fluffy orange tabby cat slowly stretching and yawning on a sunlit windowsill, in a cozy minimalist living room with soft morning light streaming through sheer curtains, warm dreamy atmosphere with soft bokeh, cinematic

Pro Tips for Better Results

Use Cinematic Language

Words that work well:

Cinematic," "filmic," "movie-quality
Slow motion," "smooth tracking shot
Soft lighting," "golden hour," "dramatic shadows
4K," "high detail," "sharp focus

Describe Camera Movement

Camera slowly pushes in
Gentle dolly shot
Static wide shot
Slow pan from left to right

Avoid Common Mistakes

1Too vague: "Make it look cool" - AI needs specifics
2Too complex: Don't describe 10 things happening at once
3Contradictions: "Fast-paced but calm" confuses the AI
4Text requests: AI video struggles with readable text

Quick-Start Templates

Product Showcase

[Product] rotating slowly on a [surface], [lighting style], clean [color] background, commercial quality, smooth 360-degree rotation

Lifestyle Content

[Person description] [action] in [setting], [time of day] lighting, [mood] atmosphere, authentic and natural movement

Nature/Aesthetic

[Natural element] in [environment], [weather/lighting], peaceful and serene, slow cinematic movement, high detail

Start with these templates and customize from there. The more you practice, the better your results will become.