AI Video Generation Prompts:
From Sora to Runway

AI video generation has exploded in 2025. Tools like Sora, Runway Gen-3, Pika 2.0, and Kling can produce cinematic video clips from text descriptions. But writing great video prompts is a fundamentally different skill from writing image prompts — and most people don't know the difference.

The Core Difference: Time & Motion

Images are frozen moments. Videos are sequences of moments connected by motion, time, and narrative. Your video prompt must describe what changes, not just what exists. The temporal dimension is everything.

Bad video prompt: a beautiful sunset over the ocean

Great video prompt: slow cinematic dolly shot moving toward the horizon as the sun descends, golden light reflecting on gentle rolling waves, camera slowly tilting up to reveal a vast orange sky, 8 seconds, peaceful and majestic

Essential Video Prompt Elements

1. Camera Movement

This is the #1 element most beginners miss. Specify exactly how the camera moves:

• Dolly in/out — physical camera moves forward or backward
• Pan left/right — camera rotates horizontally
• Tilt up/down — camera rotates vertically
• Tracking shot — camera follows the subject
• Crane/jib shot — camera rises or descends
• Handheld — slight organic shake for realism
• Static locked — no camera movement
• Drone aerial — overhead moving perspective

2. Subject Motion

Describe how subjects move through the scene. Be specific: not "a woman walks" but "a woman walks slowly from left to right across frame, her dress billowing in wind, each step deliberate and graceful."

3. Duration & Pacing

Many tools accept duration hints. Even when they don't, describe pacing: slow-motion, time-lapse, real-time, fast-paced action. For Sora: keep clips under 20 seconds for best quality. Runway: specify seconds.

4. Environmental Motion

What's moving in the background? leaves rustling in wind, smoke drifting slowly, crowds rushing past in blur, light flickering. Environmental motion adds life and realism.

5. Transition & Story Arc

Great video prompts have a beginning, middle, and end — even in 8 seconds: Opens on a dark alley, camera slowly pushes in, a door opens revealing warm light, figure emerges into rain.

Platform-Specific Tips

Sora (OpenAI)

Sora excels at complex, physics-aware scenes. Use highly descriptive language. It handles long sentences well. Specify: Sora-style: describe motion first, then aesthetics. Avoid very fast motion — slower, cinematic movements produce better results.

Runway Gen-3

Runway is excellent at maintaining style consistency. Use its motion brush and director mode for precise control. In text prompts: front-load camera movement, then subject, then style.

Pika 2.0

Pika excels at character animation and short loops. Specify loop-friendly actions. Use its lip-sync and sound features. Prompts can be shorter — Pika doesn't need exhaustive detail.

Complete Video Prompt Example

Slow cinematic crane shot rising from ground level to reveal a medieval
castle perched on a misty cliff at dawn. Camera begins at ground level
among dewey grass and wildflowers, rising steadily upward. Morning fog
drifts through the valley below. First rays of golden sunlight break over
the castle ramparts. Birds take flight from the tower. Epic, majestic,
photorealistic. 12 seconds. Dramatic orchestral atmosphere implied.

Video prompts are mini screenplays. Write them like a director giving instructions to a cinematographer — specific, visual, temporal.

Our AIPrompt 88 and AIPrompt 100 packs both support video prompt engineering. Contact us to specify your target tool.