Writing prompts that video models understand

A video model makes one continuous shot. The best prompts read like a line from a shot list, not a story.

Cover the five things a camera operator needs

1. Subject and action. Who or what, doing what? "A barista pours steamed milk into a latte."
2. Setting. Where, and what is around them? "A small café with brick walls and morning light."
3. Camera. Angle and movement. "Low angle, slow push in."
4. Light and time. "Soft window light, early morning, warm tones."
5. Style. "35mm film look, shallow depth of field."

Keep it to one moment

"She walks in, orders, sits down and reads a book" is four shots. Pick one. If you need a sequence, use Director, which plans and renders each shot separately and cuts them together.

Be literal

Models follow what you write, not what you meant. "A dramatic scene" gives the model nothing to draw; "storm clouds over a lighthouse, waves breaking over the rocks" does.

For image to video, describe only the motion

The picture already shows what is in the frame. Say what moves and how the camera behaves: "Her hair lifts in the wind, the camera slowly circles left."