OpenMontage/skills/creative/video-gen-prompting.md

Video Generation Prompting — Universal Guide

When to Use

When writing prompts for the video generation family (video_selector, seedance_video, heygen_video, wan_video, hunyuan_video, ltx_video_local, ltx_video_modal, cogvideo_video). This skill covers the universal prompt vocabulary that works across all video generation models. For the preferred premium default, see the Seedance 2.0 row in the table below.

For model-specific tips, see the linked guides below.

Model-Specific Guides

Model	Guide	Key Insight
Seedance 2.0 (standard / fast)	creative/prompting/seedance-prompting.md + Layer 3 .agents/skills/seedance-2-0/	Preferred premium default when FAL_KEY or HeyGen is configured. Single-pass synced audio, multi-shot generation, director-level camera, lip-sync from quoted dialogue, reference-to-video (9 img + 3 vid + 3 audio). Elo 1269 (#1 on Artificial Analysis).
Sora 2 / Sora 2 Pro	OpenAI Sora 2 Cookbook	Richest structured template. Advanced fields: lenses, filtration, grade, diegetic sound, wardrobe, finishing.
VEO 3.1 / VEO 3	Vertex AI Prompt Guide	Best vocabulary reference tables. 14-component prompt structure.
Grok Imagine Video	creative/prompting/grok-prompting.md	Best when prompts need reference-image placeholders like <IMAGE_1> and identity/product carryover.
LTX-2	LTX Prompting Guide	6-element structure. Audio/voice prompting. Strong "what to avoid" section.
HunyuanVideo 1.5	Tencent Prompt Handbook	Formula: Subject + Motion + Scene + [Shot] + [Camera] + [Lighting] + [Style] + [Atmosphere].
Runway Gen-4	Runway Prompting Guide	"Focus on motion, not appearance." One scene per clip. Simplicity wins.
Kling 2.6	Kling Prompt Guide	4-part structure. Supports ++emphasis++ syntax for key elements.
Wan 2.1 / CogVideoX	Use this generic guide	No official prompt guide. Standard cinematographic vocabulary works well.

Universal Prompt Formula

All video generation models respond to this structure. Include what's relevant, omit what's not.

[Shot type/framing] + [Camera movement] + [Subject description] +
[Action/motion in beats] + [Setting/environment] + [Lighting] +
[Style/aesthetic] + [Audio/atmosphere]

Shorter prompts = more creative freedom. Longer prompts = more control.

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Camera Shot Types

Shot	When to Use
Wide / establishing shot	Open a scene, show location context
Full / long shot	Subject head-to-toe with environment
Medium shot	Waist up, balances detail with context
Medium close-up	Chest up, conversational intimacy
Close-up	Face or key object, emphasize emotion
Extreme close-up	Isolated detail (eye, drop, texture)
Over-the-shoulder	Conversation framing, connection
Point-of-view (POV)	Viewer becomes the character
Bird's-eye / top-down	Map-like overview, omniscient feel
Worm's-eye view	Looking straight up, emphasize height
Dutch / canted angle	Tilted horizon, unease or tension
Low-angle	Subject appears powerful, dominant
High-angle	Subject appears small, vulnerable

Camera Movements

Movement	What It Does	Best For
Static / fixed	No movement	Dialogue, contemplation, stability
Pan (left/right)	Rotates horizontally	Revealing a scene, following action
Tilt (up/down)	Rotates vertically	Revealing height, slow reveal
Dolly in / out	Physically moves toward/away	Building tension, emphasis
Truck (left/right)	Moves sideways	Parallels subject movement
Pedestal (up/down)	Moves vertically	Smooth elevation changes
Crane shot	Sweeping vertical arcs	Epic reveals, transitions
Tracking / follow	Follows subject	Action sequences, walk-and-talk
Arc shot	Circles around subject	Dramatic emphasis, 360° reveal
Zoom (in/out)	Lens focal length change	Quick emphasis (cheaper than dolly)
Whip pan	Extremely fast pan (blurs)	Transitions, energy, surprise
Handheld / shaky cam	Unstable, human feel	Documentary, urgency, realism
Aerial / drone	High altitude, smooth	Landscapes, establishing shots
Slow push-in	Gradual forward movement	Building intimacy or tension
Dolly zoom (vertigo)	Dolly one way, zoom opposite	Disorientation, revelation

Lighting Vocabulary

Term	Effect
Natural light	Soft, realistic (morning sun, overcast, moonlight)
Golden hour	Warm sunlight, long shadows, romantic
High-key	Bright, even, cheerful — comedy, lifestyle
Low-key	Dark, high contrast — thriller, drama
Rembrandt	Triangle of light on cheek, classic portrait
Film noir	Deep shadows, stark highlights
Volumetric	Visible light rays through atmosphere (fog, dust)
Backlighting	Light behind subject, silhouette effect
Side lighting	Strong directional, dramatic shadows
Practical lights	In-frame sources (lamps, candles, neon signs)
Rim / edge light	Highlights subject outline, separates from background

Lighting direction modifiers: key light, fill light, bounce, rim, spill, negative fill.

Color temperature: warm (tungsten, amber), cool (daylight, blue), mixed.

Lens & Optical Effects

Effect	Result
Shallow depth of field	Subject sharp, background bokeh
Deep focus	Everything sharp, foreground to background
Wide-angle lens (24-35mm)	Broader view, exaggerated perspective
Telephoto (85mm+)	Compressed perspective, subject isolation
Anamorphic	Stretched aspect, signature lens flares
Lens flare	Streaks from bright light hitting lens
Rack focus	Shift focus between subjects in-shot
Fisheye	Ultra-wide, barrel distortion

Style & Aesthetic References

Cinematic Styles

• Film noir, period drama, thriller, modern romance
• Documentary, arthouse, experimental film
• Epic space opera, fantasy, horror
• 1970s romantic drama, 90s documentary-style

Animation Styles

• Studio Ghibli / Japanese anime
• Classic Disney, Pixar-like 3D
• Stop-motion, claymation
• Hand-painted 2D/3D hybrid
• Cel-shaded, low-poly 3D

Art Movements

• Impressionistic, surrealist, Art Deco, Bauhaus
• Watercolor, charcoal sketch, ink wash
• Graphic novel, blueprint schematic

Film Stock / Grade

• Kodak warm grade, Fuji cool tones
• 16mm black-and-white, 35mm photochemical contrast
• Vintage grain overlay, halation on speculars
• Teal-and-orange color grade

Temporal Effects

Effect	Use
Slow motion	Emphasis, beauty, impact
Time-lapse	Passage of time, processes
Freeze-frame	Dramatic pause
Rapid cuts	Energy, urgency
Continuous / long take	Immersion, tension
Fade in / fade out	Scene transitions
Match cut	Visual continuity between scenes

Audio Descriptions

Models that support audio generation (LTX-2, Sora 2, VEO 3) respond to:

Ambient: wind, rain, traffic, crowd murmur, forest birds, mechanical hum Diegetic sound: footsteps, door creaking, glass clinking, keyboard typing Voice style: whisper, calm narration, energetic announcer, gravitas Music mood: "soft piano in background", "upbeat electronic"

Put dialogue in quotation marks: Character says: "Hello world."

What to Avoid

Don't	Why	Do Instead
"Beautiful scene"	Too vague, no visual info	"Wet cobblestone street, warm streetlamp glow reflecting in puddles"
"Person moves quickly"	No visible action	"Woman sprints three steps and vaults over the railing"
"Cinematic look"	Every model already tries this	Specify: "anamorphic lens, shallow DOF, golden hour lighting"
"Sad character"	Internal states aren't visible	"Tears on cheek, shoulders slumped, staring at empty chair"
Readable text / logos	Models can't render text reliably	Avoid signs with text, or accept imperfect rendering
Complex physics	Chaotic motion causes artifacts	Keep physics simple; dancing/walking OK, explosions risky
Multiple characters talking	Multi-person dialogue breaks sync	One speaker per clip, or use reaction shots
Overloaded prompts	Too many elements = incoherent	Start simple, layer complexity one element at a time
Conflicting lighting	"Bright noon" + "dark shadows"	Pick one lighting setup and commit

Prompt Iteration Strategy

1. Start simple — subject + action + setting. See what the model gives you.
2. Add one element at a time — camera, then lighting, then style.
3. If a shot misfires — strip back. Freeze camera, simplify action, try again.
4. For consistency across clips — repeat the same style/lighting/grade description.
5. Use seed values — when you find a good result, save the seed for variations.
6. For Grok reference-image video — assign each source image a clear role in the prompt using <IMAGE_1>, <IMAGE_2>, etc.

Example: Generic Prompt Template

[Shot]: Medium close-up, slight low angle
[Camera]: Slow dolly-in
[Subject]: A weathered fisherman in his 60s, salt-and-pepper beard,
           dark wool sweater, calloused hands gripping a rope
[Action]: He pulls the rope hand-over-hand, muscles straining,
          then pauses and looks out to sea
[Setting]: Wooden dock at dawn, calm grey ocean, distant fog bank,
           seagulls wheeling overhead
[Lighting]: Soft overcast with warm break in clouds on the horizon,
            gentle rim light from the rising sun
[Style]: Documentary cinematography, 35mm film grain,
         muted earth tones with a cold blue-grey palette
[Audio]: Rope creaking, water lapping, distant gull cries, wind