How to write prompts for AI video generators. Camera movements, shot types, temporal consistency, and the techniques that produce cinematic AI video.
AI video has matured rapidly. Runway Gen-3, Kling 2.5, Sora, Pika 2.0, and Veo 2 can now generate 10-60 second clips with temporal consistency, camera control, and cinematic quality. But prompting video is fundamentally different from prompting images.
Image prompts describe a single moment. Video prompts must describe movement through time:
[Camera movement] shot of [subject] [action/motion] in [setting], [lighting], [mood], [style]
Slow dolly-in shot of a woman walking through a neon-lit Tokyo alley at night, rain reflecting city lights on wet pavement, cinematic color grading, shallow depth of field, 24fps film look
| Term | What It Does | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Static | Camera doesn't move | Portraits, product shots, dialogue |
| Pan | Camera rotates left/right | Revealing landscapes, following action |
| Tilt | Camera rotates up/down | Revealing height, dramatic reveals |
| Dolly in/out | Camera moves toward/away from subject | Building tension, establishing shots |
| Tracking shot | Camera follows a moving subject | Action sequences, walking scenes |
| Orbit | Camera circles the subject | Product showcases, hero moments |
| Crane/Boom | Camera rises or descends | Establishing shots, dramatic reveals |
| Handheld | Slight shake, documentary feel | Realism, urgency, intimacy |
| Zoom | Lens zooms in/out (not camera movement) | Dramatic emphasis, surprise |
| FPV | First-person perspective flying through | Action, exploration, immersive |
| Shot | Frame | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Wide/Establishing | Full scene visible | Setting context, opening shots |
| Medium | Waist up | Conversation, general action |
| Close-up | Face or detail | Emotion, important details |
| Extreme close-up | Eyes, texture, small object | Intensity, product detail |
| Over-the-shoulder | Behind one person looking at another | Dialogue scenes |
| Bird's eye | Directly above | Patterns, scale, mapping |
| Low angle | Looking up at subject | Power, dominance, heroism |
| Dutch angle | Camera tilted | Unease, tension, stylistic |
A cat sitting on a windowsill
Result: static, boring, no movement direction
A cat sitting on a windowsill, slowly turning its head to look at a bird outside, soft afternoon light
Result: clear motion, better lighting
Slow push-in shot of an orange tabby cat on a sunlit windowsill, the cat's ears perk up and it slowly turns its head tracking a bird flying past outside, golden hour light casting long shadows, shallow depth of field with bokeh from the garden outside, warm color palette, shot on 85mm lens, 24fps cinematic
Result: professional, intentional, cinematic
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