The Complete AI Video Prompt Guide

Every effective AI video prompt follows the same structure:

Subject + Action + Setting + Camera + Style

Bad:  "A cat in a garden"
Good: "A fluffy orange cat walks slowly across a stone pathway,
       through a sunlit Japanese garden with cherry blossoms.
       Camera pans right following the cat. Cinematic, peaceful."

Subject: Be Specific, Not Exhaustive

Pick 3-5 key visual features that matter most.

Weak	Strong
A man	A middle-aged detective in a worn grey coat
A car	A sleek red sports car with chrome details
A building	A crumbling gothic cathedral covered in ivy

Action: One Main Movement

Keep it focused. AI works best with one clear action per video.

Too vague	Too complex	Just right
A woman moves	A woman jumps, spins 3x, backflips, waves	A woman in a red dress twirls once, her dress flowing, then smiles at camera

Setting: Time + Weather + Details

Don't just say where — describe what it looks and feels like.

Basic:  "A forest"
Better: "A misty forest at dawn with tall pine trees"
Best:   "A misty forest at dawn, golden sunlight breaking through branches, moss-covered ground"

Include:

• Time of day — dawn, noon, golden hour, dusk, night
• Weather/atmosphere — foggy, rainy, windy, clear
• Specific details — what's in the background
• Lighting quality — harsh, soft, dramatic, natural

Camera Movements: Complete Reference

Basic Movements

Movement	Prompt Command	Effect
Push In	Camera slowly pushes in toward subject	Emotional intensity
Pull Out	Camera pulls back to reveal environment	Context reveal
Pan Left/Right	Camera pans slowly to the right	Horizontal scanning
Tilt Up/Down	Camera tilts up from feet to face	Vertical scanning
Truck Left/Right	Camera trucks left with parallax	Lateral with depth
Tracking Shot	Camera tracks alongside subject	Following movement
Zoom In/Out	Slow zoom in on subject's face	Optical magnification
Orbit	Camera orbits 360° around subject	Circular reveal
Handheld	Subtle handheld shake	Realism, tension

Cinematic / Special Movements

Movement	Prompt Command	Effect
Crash Zoom	Fast zoom in on character's expression	Shock, surprise
Dolly Zoom	Dolly zoom effect, background distorts	Unease, disorientation
Rack Focus	Rack focus from foreground to background	Attention shift
FPV Drone	FPV drone flying through narrow gaps	Adrenaline, speed
Aerial Drone	High altitude drone shot, establishing	Bird's eye overview
POV	POV shot, first person perspective	Subjective view

Camera Angles

Angle	Prompt	Effect
Eye Level	Eye level shot	Neutral, natural
Low Angle	Low angle looking up	Powerful, heroic
High Angle	High angle looking down	Vulnerable, small
Bird's Eye	Overhead bird's eye view	Map-like overview
Dutch Angle	Dutch angle, tilted frame	Tension, unease

Lighting: The Mood Maker

Lighting changes everything. Same scene, different light = different video.

"Harsh side lighting creates dramatic shadows across the subject's face"
"Soft morning light filters through sheer curtains, warm glow"
"Neon lights reflect off wet pavement in pink and blue"
"Golden hour backlighting creates silhouette effect"

Key lighting terms: Golden hour, blue hour, harsh midday sun, rim-lit silhouette, soft diffused light, neon glow, candlelight, moonlight, high contrast, low key, high key.

Lens Terms That Work

Lens	Effect	Prompt
14mm ultra-wide	Dramatic distortion	shot on 14mm, dramatic perspective
24mm wide	Expansive scenes	24mm wide angle, spacious framing
35mm normal	Natural look	35mm lens, natural perspective
50mm portrait	Shallow DoF	50mm, shallow depth of field, bokeh
85mm telephoto	Compressed bg	85mm telephoto, creamy bokeh
Anamorphic	Cinematic flares	anamorphic lens, horizontal flares

Style Keywords

Style	Keywords
Cinematic	cinematic, dramatic lighting, film look
Documentary	documentary style, natural, handheld
Film Noir	film noir, high contrast, deep shadows
Vintage	vintage 16mm film grain, warm tones
Dreamy	dreamy soft focus, ethereal glow
Anime	anime style, vibrant colors, cel-shaded

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Too vague — "Make a cool video" tells AI nothing
2. Too many actions — Max 1-2 key actions per video
3. No lighting info — Always include at least basic lighting
4. No camera direction — Static videos feel amateur
5. Exact numbers — "10 birds" → "a flock of birds"
6. Contradictory commands — "slow motion" + "time-lapse" = confused AI
7. Over-prompting — Keep under 50 words
8. Multiple complex movements — Combining rotation + zoom = distortion

Multi-Shot Format (Kling O3)

For multi-cut videos:

3s: Wide establishing shot of the landscape
4s: Medium shot of character walking forward
5s: Close-up of their face, emotional expression
3s: Cut to reaction shot of the other person

Rules: minimum 3 seconds per shot, maximum 6 shots, at least 2 shots to activate multi-shot mode.

Quick Reference Checklist

Before generating, check your prompt has:

• Clear subject (3-5 specific details)
• One main action
• Setting with time of day + atmosphere
• Camera movement or angle
• Style/mood (2-3 keywords max)
• Lighting description
• Under 50 words total