How to Write AI Video Prompts (Sora and Other Generators)
Discover how to effectively use an ai video prompt generator with our step-by-step guide, featuring tips for Sora and other popular tools.
ai video prompt generator | Updated October 2026 | hyperank Editorial Team | 20 to 40 minutes | Easy
A good AI video prompt follows a simple structure: subject, action, scene, camera movement, style and lighting, plus length and format, written as one or two clear sentences such as "A barista pours latte art in a sunlit cafe, slow push-in close-up, warm natural light, shallow depth of field, 8 seconds, vertical 9:16." Video prompts differ from image prompts because they must describe motion and time, not just a single frame. Whether you write prompts yourself or use an AI video prompt generator, the same building blocks apply across Google Veo, Runway, Kling, Luma and other tools. This guide, How to Write AI Video Prompts (Sora and Other Generators), covers each element, ready-to-copy templates, marketing examples, and what happened to Sora.
An image prompt describes a picture. A video prompt describes what happens, how the camera sees it, and for how long.
What You'll Learn
Here's the short version. Start with who or what is on screen and what they do. Add where it happens and the time of day. Specify one camera movement and the shot type. Describe the style and lighting. Finish with length and aspect ratio. Keep each prompt to one main action, generate a few variations, and refine the element that's off rather than rewriting everything.
- Structure: The six building blocks of a video prompt.
- Differences: Why video prompts need motion and timing.
- Templates: Fill-in-the-blank prompts to copy.
- Examples: Short marketing video prompts.
- Tools: Which generators are available, including Sora's status.
The Process at a Glance
| Step | Action | Time | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Learn the video prompt structure | 5 minutes | A reusable formula |
| 2 | Understand how video differs from image prompts | 5 minutes | Fewer static, confused clips |
| 3 | Describe scene and subject | 5 minutes | A clear focal point |
| 4 | Add motion and camera movement | 5 minutes | Purposeful movement |
| 5 | Set style, lighting and length | 5 minutes | Consistent look and format |
| 6 | Use prompt templates | 5 minutes | Faster drafting |
| 7 | Adapt marketing examples | 10 minutes | Ready-to-run prompts |
| 8 | Get quick answers | 3 minutes | Edge cases covered |
Step 1: Learn the Video Prompt Structure
The most reliable video prompt structure combines six elements in a natural sentence. Google's Veo prompt guide recommends describing the subject, context, action and style, and optionally camera motion, composition and ambiance, which maps closely to the structure below.
| Element | What to describe | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Subject | Who or what is on screen | A golden retriever puppy |
| Action | What happens | runs through shallow waves |
| Scene | Where and when | on a quiet beach at sunset |
| Camera | Shot type and movement | low tracking shot following the puppy |
| Style and light | Look and mood | cinematic, warm golden light, soft focus background |
| Format | Length and aspect ratio | 8 seconds, 16:9 |
Putting it together
"A golden retriever puppy runs through shallow waves on a quiet beach at sunset, low tracking shot following the puppy, cinematic, warm golden light, soft focus background, 8 seconds, 16:9." That one sentence gives the model everything it needs.
- Order: Subject and action first, since they matter most.
- Length: One to three sentences is usually enough.
- Concrete words: "Slow push-in" beats "nice camera work."
Step 2: Understand How Video Prompts Differ From Image Prompts
Video prompts must describe change over time. An image prompt can stop at "a woman in a red coat on a city street," but a video prompt needs to say what she does, how the camera moves and how long the clip runs.
| Aspect | Image prompt | Video prompt |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | A single frame | A sequence of motion |
| Action | Optional pose | Essential: what happens |
| Camera | Angle and framing | Angle, framing and movement |
| Time | Not needed | Clip length and pacing |
| Consistency | One image to get right | Subject must stay consistent across frames |
| Sound | Not applicable | Some tools generate audio from the prompt |
- One action per clip: Several actions in a short clip often produce rushed or muddled motion.
- Physics matters: Describe believable movement, such as "steam rises slowly" rather than "steam explodes everywhere."
- Image skills still help: Style and lighting language from our guide on how to write AI image prompts carries over.
Step 3: Describe the Scene and Subject
The subject and scene anchor the video. Be specific about who or what is on screen, what they look like, and where they are, so the model doesn't fill gaps with generic choices.
- Subject details: Age, clothing, color, material or breed, for example "a woman in her 30s wearing a navy linen shirt."
- Product details: Shape, color and finish, for example "a matte black water bottle with a bamboo lid."
- Setting: Location and environment, for example "a minimalist kitchen with white marble counters."
- Time and weather: "Early morning, light rain on the window."
- Background activity: Keep it simple unless it matters; busy backgrounds can distract.
Keep subjects consistent
If you're generating several clips for one video, reuse the same subject description word for word in each prompt. Many tools also let you upload a reference image to keep a product or character looking the same across shots.
Weak vs strong subject descriptions
| Weak | Strong |
|---|---|
| "A person drinking coffee" | "A man in his 50s with a gray beard sips black coffee from a white ceramic mug by a rainy window" |
| "A nice car" | "A cherry-red vintage convertible with chrome trim parked on a coastal road" |
| "A shop" | "A small bakery with wooden shelves of fresh bread and warm pendant lights" |
Step 4: Add Motion and Camera Movement
Motion is what makes a video prompt work. Describe the subject's action and one camera movement, using the standard filmmaking terms most models understand.
| Camera term | What it does | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Static shot | Camera doesn't move | Product details, talking heads |
| Push-in (dolly in) | Camera moves toward the subject | Building focus or tension |
| Pull-out (dolly out) | Camera moves away to reveal more | Reveals and endings |
| Pan | Camera turns left or right | Showing a scene or space |
| Tracking shot | Camera follows a moving subject | Action, people walking |
| Orbit | Camera circles the subject | Hero product shots |
| Aerial or drone shot | High overhead view | Landscapes, locations |
- One movement: Combining several movements in a short clip often looks chaotic.
- Speed words: Add "slow," "steady" or "quick" to control pacing.
- Shot size: Specify close-up, medium shot or wide shot.
Key Takeaway: If a clip feels aimless, the fix is usually a clearer action and a single, named camera move.
Step 5: Set Style, Lighting and Length
Style, lighting and length shape how the video feels and where it can be used. Decide them before you generate, especially aspect ratio, since a vertical social clip and a widescreen ad need different framing.
- Style: "Cinematic," "documentary handheld," "clean commercial," "stop-motion," or "anime-style animation."
- Lighting: "Soft window light," "golden hour," "neon night," or "bright studio lighting."
- Color: "Muted earth tones" or "vibrant, high contrast."
- Length: Most tools generate short clips of several seconds; check your tool's limits and stitch clips for longer videos.
- Aspect ratio: 9:16 for Reels, TikTok and Shorts; 16:9 for YouTube and websites; 1:1 for some feeds.
- Audio: Some generators, including Google's Veo models, can produce sound; describe ambient sound or dialogue if your tool supports it.
Which tools to try
| Tool | Maker | Where to access |
|---|---|---|
| Veo | Gemini app, Flow and Vertex AI | |
| Runway | Runway | runwayml.com |
| Kling | Kuaishou | klingai.com |
| Dream Machine | Luma AI | lumalabs.ai |
What happened to Sora?
OpenAI's Sora is no longer available. According to Wikipedia's Sora entry, Sora 2 launched on September 30, 2025, the Sora app shut down on April 26, 2026, and the API shut down on September 24, 2026. Prompts written for Sora use the same structure as other generators, so you can reuse them in the tools above with minor adjustments.
Image-to-video prompts
Many tools let you start from an image and animate it. In that case, the image already sets the subject, scene and style, so the prompt should focus on motion: what moves, how the camera moves, and how fast. For example, "gentle steam rises from the cup, slow push-in, 5 seconds" works better than re-describing everything in the picture.
Step 6: Use Prompt Templates to Copy
Templates speed up drafting and keep your prompts consistent. Fill in the brackets, then adjust the wording for your tool.
| Template | Use it for |
|---|---|
| [Subject] [action] in [setting], [shot size] [camera move], [style], [lighting], [length], [aspect ratio]. | General scenes |
| Close-up of [product] on [surface], slow orbit, clean commercial style, bright studio lighting, [length], [aspect ratio]. | Product shots |
| [Person] [action] in [location], handheld documentary style, natural light, medium shot, [length], 9:16. | Social and lifestyle clips |
| Wide aerial shot of [place] at [time], slow drone push forward, cinematic, [color palette], [length], 16:9. | Location and travel openers |
| [Object] [transforms or moves], macro shot, static camera, [style], dramatic side lighting, [length]. | Detail and texture shots |
- Generate prompts faster: The free AI prompt generator can turn a rough idea into a structured prompt you can refine for video.
- Script first for Reels: The Instagram Reel script generator helps plan the sequence of shots before you write each clip's prompt.
Step 7: Adapt Example Prompts for Short Marketing Videos
Short marketing videos work best as a few focused clips, each with one action, stitched together with text and music. These examples are starting points to adapt to your brand.
- Product hero shot: "A matte black wireless speaker on a concrete pedestal, slow orbit, clean commercial style, soft studio lighting with a subtle rim light, 6 seconds, 16:9."
- Lifestyle moment: "A young woman laughs while unboxing a pastel-colored sneaker box on her bed, handheld medium shot, natural morning window light, 5 seconds, 9:16."
- Food and drink: "Close-up of iced coffee being poured over ice in a clear glass, slow motion, static camera, bright and fresh, 5 seconds, 9:16."
- Service business: "A friendly plumber in a navy uniform fixes a kitchen tap, medium tracking shot, warm home lighting, documentary style, 6 seconds, 16:9."
- Brand opener: "Wide aerial shot of a coastal town at sunrise, slow drone push toward the harbor, cinematic, soft pastel colors, 8 seconds, 16:9."
A simple three-clip ad structure
| Clip | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Hook | Grab attention in the first seconds | Close-up of the problem, such as a coffee stain on a white shirt |
| 2. Product | Show the solution | Stain remover sprayed in slow motion, static macro shot |
| 3. Result | Show the outcome | Clean white shirt on a hanger in soft light, slow push-in |
Generate three versions of every clip. The best take is rarely the first one, and small wording changes can transform the motion.
Check what AI says about your brand too
Video helps people discover you, but buyers increasingly ask AI assistants about brands as well. hyperank tracks what ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini and other AI engines say about your brand, so you can see whether your campaigns change how you're described.
Step 8: Get Quick Answers
- How long should a video prompt be? One to three sentences covering subject, action, scene, camera, style and format.
- Can I use negative prompts? Some tools support them; otherwise, describe what you want precisely.
- Can I make long videos? Generate several short clips and edit them together.
What to Do After You Write Your Prompts
- Phase 1, first session: Write prompts for three clips using the templates and generate three variations of each.
- Phase 2, refine: Change one element at a time, such as the camera move or lighting, to fix weak clips.
- Phase 3, build a library: Save prompts that work so your brand's style stays consistent across videos.
Resources You'll Need
| Resource | What it's for | Label |
|---|---|---|
| An AI video generator (Veo, Runway, Kling or Luma) | Generating clips | Required |
| A video editor | Stitching clips, adding text and music | Recommended |
| hyperank AI prompt generator | Drafting structured prompts | Recommended |
| Reference images | Keeping products and characters consistent | Optional |
| hyperank | Tracking what AI engines say about your brand | Optional |
Troubleshooting Common Issues
| Problem | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Clip looks static | No clear action or camera move | Add one specific action and one named movement |
| Chaotic motion | Too many actions or camera moves | Limit each clip to one of each |
| Product looks different between clips | Inconsistent descriptions | Reuse exact wording or a reference image |
| Wrong framing for social | Aspect ratio not specified | Add 9:16 or 16:9 to the prompt or settings |
| Unnatural movement | Unrealistic physics in the prompt | Describe slower, believable motion |
Conclusion
Writing AI video prompts comes down to six elements: subject, action, scene, camera, style and lighting, and format. Keep each clip to one action and one camera move, use templates to stay consistent, and build longer marketing videos from several short clips in tools like Veo, Runway, Kling and Luma, since Sora is no longer available.
- Structure: Subject, action, scene, camera, style and format.
- Motion first: Video prompts need an action and a camera move.
- Templates: Fill-in prompts keep results consistent.
- Marketing: Build ads from short hook, product and result clips.
- Sora: Discontinued in 2026; reuse prompts in other generators.
Draft structured prompts with the free AI prompt generator.
FAQ
How do you write AI video prompts for Sora and other generators?
Describe the subject, the action, the scene, one camera movement, the style and lighting, and the length and aspect ratio in one to three sentences. Keep each clip to one main action and generate several variations. Sora was discontinued in 2026, but the same prompt structure works in Google Veo, Runway, Kling and Luma Dream Machine.
Is there an AI video prompt generator?
Yes. General prompt generators, such as hyperank's free AI prompt generator, can turn a rough idea into a structured prompt you then adapt for video.
Is Sora still available?
No. The Sora app shut down on April 26, 2026, and the API on September 24, 2026.
How are video prompts different from image prompts?
They must describe motion, camera movement and timing, not just a single frame.
What camera terms work in AI video prompts?
Common terms include static shot, push-in, pull-out, pan, tracking shot, orbit and aerial shot.
How long can AI-generated videos be?
Most tools generate short clips of several seconds; longer videos are made by editing multiple clips together.
Methodology: This guide draws on Google Cloud's Veo video generation prompt guide, each tool's official website and Wikipedia's entry on Sora for its launch and shutdown dates, as of October 2026. Tool features and clip limits change often; check each generator's current documentation.
See where your brand stands
How six AI engines describe you, next to your competitors. About two minutes.