How to Write AI Video Prompts
Most AI-generated videos look flat or generic for one reason: the prompt was too vague. A structured prompt tells the model exactly what to render — subject, camera, lighting, style, duration. Here’s how to write one.
Why Plain Prompts Produce Mediocre Videos
When you write “a car driving on a road,” the AI video model has to guess everything: what car, what road, what time of day, what camera angle, what mood, how long. It fills in those blanks randomly — which is why results feel generic.
Professional videographers don’t show up on set without a shot list. A structured AI video prompt is your shot list. It removes guesswork and gives the model a clear creative brief.
The difference between a forgettable AI video and a polished one is almost always the prompt — not the model.
The Core AI Video Prompt Formula
Use this structure as your baseline. Not every element is required for every shot — but the more you include, the more consistent the output.
Subject
What is the main object or scene?
A black luxury watch
Action / Motion
What is moving, and how?
slowly rotating 360°
Camera
Camera angle, movement type, distance
low-angle orbit shot
Lighting
Direction, quality, color of light
high contrast rim lighting
Style
Visual aesthetic, genre, or reference
premium tech advertising
Duration
How long is the video?
8 seconds
Aspect Ratio
Widescreen, vertical, or square
16:9
Before & After: Same Idea, Different Prompt
Here’s the same creative idea written two ways. The structured version gives the model everything it needs to produce a commercial-quality result.
Without structure
“A luxury watch on a black background.”
With structure
Close-up orbit shot of a matte black luxury watch on a pure black surface, slow 360-degree rotation, high contrast rim lighting with subtle metallic reflections, shallow depth of field, clean minimal composition, premium tech advertising style — 8 seconds, 16:9.
Example prompts — actual AI-generated output may vary by model and settings.
5 Common Prompt Mistakes
These are the most frequent reasons AI videos don’t match expectations.
#1 — Too vague
"A cool video of a car."
Specify the car model, environment, lighting, camera angle, and mood. Vague prompts give the model too much creative freedom — results are unpredictable.
#2 — No camera movement
"A product on a table."
Add a camera move: "slow dolly-in", "orbit shot", "static wide". Camera movement is one of the strongest signals for video quality and professionalism.
#3 — No lighting direction
"Good lighting."
Name a lighting setup: "soft window light from the left", "high contrast rim lighting", "golden hour backlight". Lighting defines mood and visual quality.
#4 — No style reference
"Make it look nice."
Reference a visual style: "luxury commercial advertising", "documentary handheld", "editorial fashion photography". Style anchors the entire aesthetic.
#5 — Too many conflicting ideas
"Fast, slow, colorful, dark, dramatic, fun, serious."
Pick one clear direction. AI video models struggle with contradictions. One mood + one camera move + one lighting style = coherent output.
Ready-to-Use Prompt Examples
Copy any of these prompts directly into your preferred AI video platform, or use PromptMotion to generate a custom version for your specific subject.
Product Demo Video
Plain prompt
A phone on a table.
Structured prompt
Close-up orbit shot of a black smartphone lying flat on a minimal matte gray surface, slow 360-degree rotation, soft studio lighting from above with subtle product reflection, clean white background with gentle vignette, premium consumer electronics advertising style — 8 seconds, 16:9.
Social Media Ad (Vertical)
Plain prompt
A coffee being poured.
Structured prompt
Extreme close-up slow-motion shot of rich dark espresso being poured into a white ceramic cup, golden crema forming on the surface, soft morning light from the side, shallow depth of field, warm amber color grade, lifestyle coffee brand aesthetic — 5 seconds, 9:16 vertical.
Local Business Promo
Plain prompt
Inside a bakery.
Structured prompt
Medium shot inside a cozy artisan bakery, warm morning light through frosted windows, baker hands placing golden sourdough loaves on a wooden rack, gentle steam rising, slow rack focus from hands to loaves, warm amber color grade, small business lifestyle aesthetic — 8 seconds, 16:9.
Quick Tips by Model
The same structured prompt works across most AI video models. Here are a few model-specific notes.
Seedance
Seedance Prompt Generator →Responds well to explicit camera movement terms and style keywords. Duration and aspect ratio are well-supported parameters. In-site video generation available on PromptMotion.
Clear subject + motion + style descriptions produce consistent results. Use explicit aspect ratio and duration. Generate on Kling's own platform — PromptMotion generates the prompt.
Responds strongly to specific lighting descriptions and named camera techniques. State duration and aspect ratio explicitly. Generate through Google's official Veo channels.
Stop Writing Prompts by Hand
PromptMotion applies this formula automatically. Describe your idea in one sentence — get a structured, model-ready prompt in seconds. Free to try.
More guides: Blog & Guides · Prompt Templates