10 Best Practices for Writing AI Video Prompts

Writing effective prompts is the key to generating amazing AI videos. Here are 10 proven best practices to help you create stunning results.

1. Be Specific and Detailed

Bad Prompt: "A car driving"

Good Prompt: "A sleek red sports car driving along a coastal highway at sunset, with waves crashing against rocky cliffs in the background, cinematic lighting, 4K quality"

Why It Works: Specific details give the AI clear direction about every aspect of the scene.

2. Include Camera Movement

Examples:

"Camera pans left to reveal..."

"Slow zoom in on..."

"Aerial drone shot descending towards..."

"Tracking shot following..."

"Static wide shot of..."

Camera directions help create dynamic, professional-looking videos.

3. Describe Lighting and Atmosphere

Lighting Terms:

Golden hour / Magic hour

Dramatic side lighting

Soft diffused light

Neon lighting

Backlit / Rim lighting

High contrast / Low contrast

Atmosphere Terms:

Foggy / Misty

Bright and sunny

Moody and dark

Dreamy / Ethereal

Vibrant / Saturated

4. Specify Visual Style

Style References:

"Cinematic film style"

"Documentary photography"

"High fashion editorial"

"Vintage film grain"

"Modern minimalist"

"Cyberpunk aesthetic"

5. Use Action Verbs

Strong Action Verbs:

Running, jumping, dancing

Spinning, floating, soaring

Exploding, shattering, morphing

Blooming, growing, transforming

Action creates engaging, dynamic videos.

6. Set the Context and Environment

Environment Details:

Time of day (dawn, noon, dusk, night)

Weather conditions (sunny, rainy, snowy)

Location type (urban, rural, underwater, space)

Season (spring blossoms, autumn leaves)

7. Consider Composition

Composition Terms:

"Centered composition"

"Rule of thirds"

"Symmetrical framing"

"Leading lines"

"Negative space"

"Foreground interest"

8. Add Emotional Tone

Emotional Descriptors:

Peaceful and calm

Energetic and exciting

Mysterious and suspenseful

Joyful and celebratory

Melancholic and somber

9. Reference Color Palettes

Color Schemes:

"Warm orange and gold tones"

"Cool blue and cyan palette"

"Pastel pink and lavender"

"High contrast black and white"

"Vibrant neon colors"

"Earthy greens and browns"

10. Structure Your Prompt Logically

Recommended Structure: 1. **Subject**: What/who is the main focus? 2. **Action**: What is happening? 3. **Environment**: Where is this taking place? 4. **Camera**: How is it being filmed? 5. **Style**: What is the visual aesthetic? 6. **Mood**: What feeling should it evoke?

Example Using All Best Practices

"A professional chef expertly tossing vegetables in a flaming wok, sparks and steam rising, shot in a modern industrial kitchen with stainless steel surfaces, slow-motion camera capturing every detail, dramatic side lighting creating strong shadows, cinematic food photography style, warm amber and orange tones, energetic and dynamic atmosphere"

Bonus Tips

Do's

✅ Experiment with different phrasings ✅ Save successful prompts for reuse ✅ Iterate based on results ✅ Study example videos and their prompts ✅ Be creative and try unexpected combinations

Don'ts

❌ Use vague or generic descriptions ❌ Overload with contradictory elements ❌ Forget to specify aspect ratio when needed ❌ Ignore the importance of lighting ❌ Give up after one try

Practice Exercises

Try rewriting these basic prompts using our best practices:

1. "A dog playing" → ? 2. "A city at night" → ? 3. "People dancing" → ?

Example Answers:

1. "A golden retriever joyfully catching a red frisbee in mid-air, sunny park with green grass and trees, slow-motion shot showing fur details and water droplets, bright natural lighting, cheerful and playful mood"

2. "Aerial drone shot slowly descending into a vibrant cyberpunk city at night, neon signs reflecting on wet streets, flying cars in the distance, purple and blue color palette, dramatic fog creating depth, futuristic cinematic style"

3. "Group of diverse dancers performing synchronized hip-hop choreography on an urban rooftop at sunset, golden hour lighting, tracking camera following the movement, energetic and dynamic atmosphere, high contrast and saturated colors"

Conclusion

Mastering prompt writing is a skill that improves with practice. Use these 10 best practices as your foundation, experiment creatively, and analyze your results to continuously refine your technique.

The better your prompts, the better your videos. Start applying these techniques today!