Veo 3.1 Prompt Guide: Master the Art of AI Video Generation

Your comprehensive guide to crafting perfect prompts for Google Veo 3.1

2025-02-17·12 min read

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Writing effective prompts is the key to unlocking Veo 3.1's full potential. This comprehensive guide teaches you everything you need to know about crafting prompts that generate stunning, professional-quality AI videos.

Understanding Veo 3.1 Prompt Structure

A well-structured Veo 3.1 prompt consists of several key components that work together to guide the AI's video generation process. Unlike simple text descriptions, effective Veo 3.1 prompts require attention to multiple elements.

Core Prompt Components

Essential Elements:

Subject: The main focus of your video (person, object, animal, etc.)
Action: What is happening in the scene
Environment: The setting and location
Cinematography: Camera angles, movements, and shot types
Lighting: Light sources, time of day, atmosphere
Style: Visual aesthetic and mood
Technical Specs: Resolution, frame rate, aspect ratio

Step-by-Step Prompt Writing Process

Step 1: Define Your Subject

Start with a clear, detailed description of what should appear in your video. Be specific about physical characteristics, clothing, and distinguishing features.

Good Example:

"A young woman in her late 20s with long dark hair, wearing a flowing white dress"

Poor Example:

"A person"

Too vague - lacks specific details about appearance and characteristics.

Step 2: Describe the Action

Clearly state what is happening in the scene. Use active verbs and describe movements, gestures, and interactions.

Good Example:

"walking slowly through a sunlit meadow, gently touching wildflowers as she passes"

Poor Example:

"in a field"

No action described - static and unclear.

Step 3: Set the Environment

Provide context about the location, time of day, weather conditions, and atmospheric elements that create the scene's ambiance.

Good Example:

"A vast wildflower meadow at golden hour, with soft sunlight filtering through scattered clouds, gentle breeze causing flowers to sway"

Step 4: Specify Cinematography

This is where Veo 3.1 truly shines. Use professional cinematography terminology to control camera behavior.

Camera Shots:

Wide Shot (WS): Shows entire subject and surroundings
Medium Shot (MS): Frames subject from waist up
Close-Up (CU): Focuses on face or specific detail
Extreme Close-Up (ECU): Very tight shot of small detail
Over-the-Shoulder (OTS): View from behind subject's shoulder
Point of View (POV): Camera shows subject's perspective

Camera Movements:

Static: Fixed, non-moving camera
Pan: Horizontal rotation (left/right)
Tilt: Vertical rotation (up/down)
Dolly: Camera moves toward or away from subject
Tracking: Camera follows subject's movement
Crane: Vertical camera movement up or down
Handheld: Slight camera shake for documentary feel

Good Example:

"Slow dolly-in shot starting from wide angle, gradually moving to medium shot, with shallow depth of field"

Step 5: Control Lighting

Lighting dramatically affects mood and quality. Specify the type, direction, and quality of light.

Common Lighting Styles:

Natural Daylight: Soft, even illumination from sun
Golden Hour: Warm, directional light during sunrise/sunset
Blue Hour: Cool, diffused light after sunset/before sunrise
High-Key: Bright, minimal shadows, optimistic mood
Low-Key: Dark, dramatic shadows, mysterious mood
Rembrandt: Classic portrait lighting with triangular light on cheek
Neon: Artificial colored lights for urban/modern feel

Good Example:

"Soft golden hour lighting from camera left, creating warm highlights and gentle shadows, with backlighting creating a subtle rim light effect"

Step 6: Define Visual Style and Mood

Specify the overall aesthetic, color palette, and emotional tone of your video.

Style Examples:

Cinematic: Film-like quality with color grading
Documentary: Realistic, observational style
Commercial: Polished, product-focused aesthetic
Vintage: Period-appropriate look with film grain
Modern: Clean, contemporary visual style

Complete Prompt Examples

Example 1: Cinematic Portrait

Prompt:

"A professional dancer in her early 30s with pulled-back hair, wearing elegant black attire, performing a graceful contemporary dance routine in a minimalist white studio. Slow tracking shot following her movements, starting from wide angle and smoothly transitioning to medium shot. Soft diffused lighting from above creating gentle shadows, with subtle rim lighting defining her silhouette. Cinematic style with muted color palette, shallow depth of field keeping dancer in sharp focus while background softly blurs. Shot at 24fps for film-like motion, 4K resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio."

Example 2: Product Showcase

Prompt:

"Close-up shot of a luxury watch with silver metal band and blue dial, slowly rotating on a reflective black surface. Slow dolly-in movement emphasizing intricate details of the watch face. Dramatic high-contrast lighting with a key light from camera right creating specular highlights on the metal, subtle fill light preventing deep shadows. Modern commercial aesthetic with cool blue color grading, tack-sharp focus throughout. Shot at 60fps for smooth rotation, 4K resolution, 1:1 aspect ratio for social media."

Example 3: Nature Documentary

Prompt:

"A majestic bald eagle soaring through a clear blue sky above a mountain range, wings fully extended catching thermal currents. Aerial tracking shot maintaining eagle centered in frame, smooth gimbal-stabilized movement following the bird's graceful flight. Natural daylight with bright overhead sun creating subtle shadows under wings. Documentary style with natural color grading emphasizing the eagle's brown and white plumage against the vivid blue sky. Deep depth of field keeping both eagle and distant mountains in focus. Shot at 30fps, 4K resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio."

Advanced Prompting Techniques

Using Depth of Field

Control what's in focus to direct viewer attention:

Shallow DoF: Subject sharp, background blurred (professional, cinematic)
Deep DoF: Everything in focus (documentary, landscape)
Rack Focus: Shift focus from foreground to background or vice versa

Color Grading and LUTs

Reference specific color grading styles to achieve desired looks:

"Warm, orange and teal color grading similar to action films"
"Desaturated, cool blue tones like Nordic noir"
"Rich, saturated colors reminiscent of Wes Anderson films"
"Vintage film look with slight grain and faded colors"

Time of Day and Weather

Environmental conditions dramatically affect the final result:

Dawn/Dusk: Soft, colorful light with long shadows
Midday: Bright, harsh light with short shadows
Overcast: Soft, diffused light with minimal shadows
Rain: Wet surfaces, reflections, atmospheric mood
Fog/Mist: Reduced visibility, ethereal atmosphere

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: Overly Complex Prompts

While detail is important, trying to pack too many elements into a single video can lead to confusion.

Avoid prompts with 10+ different actions, 5 different characters, multiple location changes, and complex camera choreography all at once.

Mistake 2: Vague Descriptions

Generic terms don't give Veo 3.1 enough information to create what you envision.

Replace vague terms like "nice lighting" with specific descriptions like "soft golden hour lighting from camera left."

Mistake 3: Ignoring Technical Specifications

Always specify frame rate, resolution, and aspect ratio for optimal results.

Mistake 4: Conflicting Instructions

Ensure your prompt elements work together logically.

Example of conflict: "Bright daylight scene" with "dramatic low-key lighting and deep shadows"

Prompt Optimization Tips

Start Simple, Then Iterate

Begin with a basic prompt covering the essentials, generate a video, then refine based on results. Add more specific details in subsequent iterations.

Use Reference Terminology

Reference well-known cinematographers, films, or visual styles:

"Cinematography style of Roger Deakins"
"Visual aesthetic reminiscent of Blade Runner 2049"
"Lighting approach similar to Rembrandt paintings"

Break Complex Scenes into Beats

For longer videos with multiple actions, structure your prompt in sequential "beats" or moments:

Beat 1: Character walks into frame, looking around

Beat 2: Character notices something in the distance

Beat 3: Character begins walking toward it

Leverage the AI Assistant

Our Veo 3.1 Prompt Generator includes an AI assistant that can help you structure prompts, suggest cinematography techniques, and optimize your descriptions for better results.

Prompt Templates by Use Case

Portrait Video Template

"[Subject description] [doing action] in [environment]. [Camera shot and movement]. [Lighting style]. [Visual style and mood]. [Technical specs]."

Product Video Template

"[Product description] on [surface/background]. [Camera movement focusing on key features]. [Lighting setup]. [Commercial aesthetic with color grading]. [Technical specs for commercial use]."

Landscape Video Template

"[Landscape description] at [time of day] with [weather conditions]. [Wide or aerial camera movement]. [Natural lighting description]. [Cinematic or documentary style]. [Technical specs]."

Action Video Template

"[Subject] performing [specific action] in [dynamic environment]. [Dynamic camera movement matching action]. [Lighting appropriate to setting]. [Energetic style with appropriate color grading]. [High frame rate technical specs]."

Testing and Refinement

A/B Testing Your Prompts

Generate multiple versions with slight variations to see which elements produce the best results:

Test different camera movements with the same scene
Compare various lighting styles
Experiment with different color grading approaches
Try different frame rates for motion quality

Keep a Prompt Library

Save successful prompts and note what worked well. Build a personal library of proven prompt patterns for different scenarios.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should my prompts be?

Aim for 50-200 words. Enough detail to be specific, but concise enough to maintain clarity. Focus on quality over quantity.

Should I use technical or natural language?

Veo 3.1 responds well to technical cinematography terminology. Using professional terms yields more precise results than casual descriptions.

Can I reference specific film styles?

Yes! Referencing cinematographic styles, famous directors, or well-known films can help achieve specific aesthetics.

What frame rate should I specify?

Use 24fps for cinematic film look, 30fps for standard video, and 60fps for smooth high-frame-rate content with enhanced motion clarity.

Next Steps

Now that you understand the fundamentals of Veo 3.1 prompt writing, it's time to put your knowledge into practice.

Start Creating with Veo 3.1

Use our AI-powered prompt generator to create professional, optimized prompts based on the principles you've learned in this guide.

Try Veo 3.1 Prompt Generator →

Additional Resources

Key Takeaways

✓ Structure prompts with clear subject, action, environment, and cinematography
✓ Use professional terminology for precise control
✓ Specify technical details like frame rate and resolution
✓ Start simple and refine through iteration
✓ Avoid conflicting instructions and overly complex prompts
✓ Leverage templates and examples as starting points

Ready to Create Perfect Sora 2 Prompts?

Try our AI-powered prompt generator and start creating stunning videos with OpenAI Sora 2 today.