Video Prompting Guide

# Video Prompting Guide

Best practices for writing effective AI video generation prompts via inference.sh.

!Video Prompting Guide

Quick Start

```bash curl -fsSL https://cli.inference.sh | sh && infsh login

# Well-structured video prompt infsh app run google/veo-3-1-fast --input '{ "prompt": "Cinematic tracking shot of a red sports car driving through Tokyo at night, neon lights reflecting on wet streets, rain falling, 4K, shallow depth of field" }' ```

> Install note: The install script only detects your OS/architecture, downloads the matching binary from `dist.inference.sh`, and verifies its SHA-256 checksum. No elevated permissions or background processes. Manual install & verification available.

Prompt Structure Formula

``` [Shot Type] + [Subject] + [Action] + [Setting] + [Lighting] + [Style] + [Technical] ```

Example Breakdown

``` "Slow motion close-up of coffee being poured into a white ceramic cup, steam rising, morning sunlight streaming through window, warm color grading, cinematic, 4K, shallow depth of field" ```

• Shot Type: Slow motion close-up
• Subject: Coffee
• Action: Being poured
• Setting: White ceramic cup, window
• Lighting: Morning sunlight
• Style: Warm color grading, cinematic
• Technical: 4K, shallow depth of field

Shot Types

| Shot Type | Description | Use For | |-----------|-------------|---------| | Wide shot | Shows entire scene | Establishing location | | Medium shot | Waist-up framing | Conversations, actions | | Close-up | Face or detail | Emotion, product detail | | Extreme close-up | Single feature | Drama, texture | | Aerial shot | Bird's eye view | Landscapes, scale | | Low angle | Camera looking up | Power, grandeur | | High angle | Camera looking down | Vulnerability | | Dutch angle | Tilted camera | Unease, tension | | POV shot | First person view | Immersion |

Camera Movements

| Movement | Description | Effect | |----------|-------------|--------| | Tracking shot | Camera follows subject | Dynamic, engaging | | Dolly in/out | Camera moves toward/away | Focus, reveal | | Pan | Horizontal rotation | Survey scene | | Tilt | Vertical rotation | Reveal height | | Crane shot | Vertical + horizontal | Dramatic reveal | | Handheld | Slight shake | Realism, urgency | | Steadicam | Smooth following | Professional, cinematic | | Zoom | Lens zoom in/out | Quick focus change | | Static | No movement | Contemplation, stability |

Lighting Keywords

| Keyword | Effect | |---------|--------| | Golden hour | Warm, soft, romantic | | Blue hour | Cool, moody, twilight | | High key | Bright, minimal shadows | | Low key | Dark, dramatic shadows | | Rim lighting | Subject outlined with light | | Backlit | Light from behind subject | | Soft lighting | Gentle, flattering | | Hard lighting | Sharp shadows, contrast | | Neon | Colorful, urban, cyberpunk | | Natural lighting | Realistic, documentary |

Style Keywords

Cinematic Styles

``` cinematic, film grain, anamorphic lens, letterbox, shallow depth of field, bokeh, 35mm film, color grading, theatrical ```

Visual Aesthetics

``` minimalist, maximalist, vintage, retro, futuristic, cyberpunk, steampunk, noir, pastel, vibrant, muted colors, high contrast, desaturated ```

Quality Keywords

``` 4K, 8K, high resolution, photorealistic, hyperrealistic, ultra detailed, professional, broadcast quality, HDR ```

Prompt Examples by Use Case

Product Demo

```bash infsh app run google/veo-3-1-fast --input '{ "prompt": "Smooth tracking shot around a sleek smartphone on a white pedestal, soft studio lighting, product photography style, reflections on surface, 4K, shallow depth of field" }' ```

Nature Documentary

```bash infsh app run google/veo-3-1 --input '{ "prompt": "Slow motion extreme close-up of a hummingbird hovering at a red flower, wings in motion blur, shallow depth of field, golden hour lighting, National Geographic style" }' ```

Urban Lifestyle

```bash infsh app run google/veo-3 --input '{ "prompt": "Tracking shot following a cyclist through busy city streets, morning rush hour, natural lighting, handheld camera feel, documentary style, authentic and candid" }' ```

Food Content

```bash infsh app run bytedance/seedance-1-5-pro --input '{ "prompt": "Close-up of chocolate sauce being drizzled over ice cream, slow motion, steam rising, soft lighting, food photography style, appetizing, commercial quality" }' ```

Tech/Futuristic

```bash infsh app run xai/grok-imagine-video --input '{ "prompt": "Futuristic control room with holographic displays, camera slowly pans across the space, blue and cyan lighting, sci-fi atmosphere, Blade Runner aesthetic, 4K", "duration": 5 }' ```

Common Mistakes to Avoid

| Mistake | Problem | Better Approach | |---------|---------|-----------------| | Too vague | "A nice video" | Specify shot, subject, style | | Too complex | Multiple scenes | One scene per prompt | | No motion | Static description | Include camera movement or action | | Conflicting styles | "Minimalist maximalist" | Choose one aesthetic | | No lighting | Undefined mood | Specify lighting conditions |

Model-Specific Tips

Google Veo

• Excels at realistic, cinematic content
• Supports audio generation (Veo 3+)
• Best with detailed, professional prompts
• Frame interpolation available in 3.1

Seedance

• Strong at dance and human motion
• First-frame control available
• Good for consistent character motion
• Works well with reference images

Wan 2.5

• Best for image-to-video
• Animates still images naturally
• Good motion prediction
• Works with any image style

Grok

• Good general-purpose video
• Configurable duration (5-10s)
• Creative interpretations
• Works well with abstract concepts

Workflow: Iterative Prompting

```bash # 1. Start with basic prompt infsh app run google/veo-3-1-fast --input '{ "prompt": "A woman walking through a forest" }'

# 2. Add specificity infsh app run google/veo-3-1-fast --input '{ "prompt": "Medium tracking shot of a woman in a red dress walking through an autumn forest" }'

# 3. Add style and technical details infsh app run google/veo-3-1-fast --input '{ "prompt": "Cinematic medium tracking shot of a woman in a flowing red dress walking through an autumn forest, golden hour sunlight filtering through leaves, shallow depth of field, film grain, 4K" }' ```

Related Skills

```bash # Generate videos npx skills add inference-sh/skills@ai-video-generation

# Google Veo specific npx skills add inference-sh/skills@google-veo

# Generate images for image-to-video npx skills add inference-sh/skills@ai-image-generation

# General prompt engineering npx skills add inference-sh/skills@prompt-engineering

# Full platform skill npx skills add inference-sh/skills@inference-sh ```

Browse all video apps: `infsh app list --category video`

Documentation

• Running Apps - How to run apps via CLI
• Video Generation Guide - Comprehensive video guide