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Prompt Videos with Cinematic Precision
Master motion, mood, and structure to get AI clips that fit perfectly in your timeline.
The Five Elements of a Strong Video Prompt
Great AI video prompts work like director's notes. Cover these five elements for best results:
- Subject: Who or what is central to the scene, and what are they doing?
- Camera: Is it a static shot, tracking follow, or dramatic dolly zoom?
- Environment: Where is it set? What time of day? What's the atmosphere?
- Mood: What emotion should it evoke - tense, joyful, mysterious?
- Technical specs: Aspect ratio, frame rate, duration, quality level.
Keep sentences short and direct. Flowery prose often confuses AI models.
Common mistake: Vague prompts give vague results. "City street" produces generic footage. "Rain-slick Tokyo alley at midnight with neon reflections" produces something specific and usable.
Building a Complete Prompt
Start with the action, then layer in details:
- Action core: "Barista crafts latte art in a busy cafe."
- Camera direction: "Over-shoulder tracking shot with subtle handheld movement."
- Environment and lighting: "Steamy windows, golden morning light cutting through steam."
- Mood and pacing: "Cozy but energetic, 8-second clip."
- Technical specs: "16:9, 24fps, high detail."
Complete prompt: "A barista crafts intricate latte art in a bustling cafe, over-shoulder tracking shot with subtle handheld shake, steamy windows glowing in morning sunlight, cozy yet energetic mood, 8 seconds, 16:9 at 24fps."
Iterate Like a Director
Getting the perfect clip usually takes a few attempts:
- Start with short test clips: Generate 2-4 second clips first to check motion and mood.
- Change one element at a time: Adjust only the camera or the pacing, not everything at once.
- Compare side-by-side: Use CutScene's compare view to see what's working.
- Document what works: Note your best prompts so you can reuse them.
Example fix: If motion feels flat, add "dynamic arc follow" or a camera movement verb.
Common Problems and Solutions
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| Stiff motion | Add camera cues or action verbs like "swooping glide" |
| LoRA character drift | Put character descriptors early in the prompt and attach references |
| Clip ends too soon | Extend duration in settings or plan to stitch clips together |
| Wrong emotional tone | Lead with mood adjectives like "eerie hush" or "joyful energy" |
Frequently Asked Questions
Build Your Prompt Library
Log your best-performing prompts with notes on which model you used and what worked. Over time, you'll build a reference library that speeds up every new project.
Next up: Learn how to use transitions for seamless flow.