How to Write Effective Text Prompts to Generate AI Videos from Text

AI video generators interpret your words like a film director interprets a script. They visualize every sentence and phrase. But unlike a human director, they won’t fill in gaps or guess what you meant — they only give you what you describe.

That’s why writing a prompt like:

"A guy walking at night"

...will likely generate something vague, generic, or awkward.

But writing:

"A young man in a dark hoodie walks slowly under a flickering streetlight in a foggy urban alley. The camera follows from behind as steam rises from a manhole. Cinematic tone, Blade Runner style."

…gives the AI all the elements it needs to create a vivid, cinematic scene.

Use this checklist when crafting prompts:

• Character: Who is in the video?
• Action: What are they doing?
• Setting: Where is it happening?
• Mood & Style: How should it feel/look?
• Camera Motion: What is the perspective or movement?
• Format & Length: Is it square, vertical, 30s, 60s?

Let’s break each one down in detail.

Start by clearly identifying the main subject of your scene. Avoid vague words like “person” or “animal.” Instead, use rich visual details.

Instead of:

A person in a city

Try:

A middle-aged man with a briefcase and trench coat, standing on a rain-soaked sidewalk, staring at neon signs.

🔑 Keywords to use: man, woman, teenager, child, astronaut, robot, animal, creature, soldier, alien

🔧 Pro Tip: If you don’t specify age, outfit, or identity, the AI might choose something random.

Motion adds life. It defines how your scene moves and what’s actually happening. It could be as simple as walking or as detailed as a fight sequence.

Use action verbs: walking, running, waving, dancing, floating, driving, transforming, zooming, fading in/out

Example:

A ballerina spins slowly in a spotlight on a dark stage. The camera circles her as her dress flows in the air.

📸 Use camera cues:

• “The camera zooms in on her face”
• “Wide-angle drone view”
• “Slow pan from left to right”

This is where your visual storytelling happens. Location affects mood, lighting, background objects, and scale. Be as specific as possible.

Example:

Set in a snowy mountain village at twilight. Wooden cabins line a quiet street. Lanterns glow in the windows. Snow gently falls.

📍 Location keywords:

• desert
• jungle
• futuristic city
• underwater
• space station
• haunted house
• medieval village

📅 Time of day matters:

• Morning: warm, soft light
• Night: dark, moody, cool tones
• Golden hour: orange, cinematic glow

Mood tells the AI what emotion the video should evoke. Style shapes the visual aesthetic.

Style keywords:

• Cinematic
• Anime-style
• Hyperrealistic
• Dreamlike
• Noir
• Vaporwave
• Steampunk
• Pixar-like
• Black and white

Mood keywords:

• Peaceful
• Romantic
• Dark
• Epic
• Whimsical
• Eerie

🎥 Example prompt:

A close-up of a woman’s face lit by candlelight in a dark medieval castle. She whispers a spell as her eyes glow. Dramatic lighting, moody, fantasy tone.

This is often overlooked — but specifying camera techniques makes your AI videos more dynamic and professional.

📷 Common framing and camera terms:

• Close-up
• Overhead shot
• Wide shot
• Drone view
• First-person POV
• Tracking shot
• Slow motion
• Timelapse

Example:

Drone shot of a herd of elephants crossing a savanna at sunset. Dust rises in the golden light as the camera slowly pulls back.

Let’s look at how you can structure full prompts that generate cinematic-quality content.

• Don’t just list keywords: Describe a full scene or story. Give the AI context, character, and action to work with.
• Use film references or genres: Say things like in the style of Blade Runner or Studio Ghibli vibes to communicate cinematic mood and tone.
• Be descriptive, not interpretive: Write what the viewer sees. Use she smiles softly instead of she’s feeling hopeful.
• Write, preview, and revise: AI video generation is iterative. Try a version, tweak the prompt, and rerun until it matches your vision.
• Use OpenArtist.ai to test and refine your visuals in real-time: It’s fast, intuitive, and lets you experiment across styles and scenes.

OpenArtist.ai offers a robust platform for turning your prompts into full-motion videos and high-quality images. Key features include:

• ✅ Fast rendering of AI-generated videos from text
• ✅ Image generation from the same prompt
• ✅ Easy scene sequencing
• ✅ Multi-style support (realism, anime, cinematic)
• ✅ Creative freedom + commercial-ready outputs

👉 Try it now: OpenArtist.ai