Advanced Expert Prompts For Video Generation

Creating complex AI videos can be challenging. The right words bring your vision to life. But the wrong one? They can waste hours of your time.

You want accuracy in prompts to save time. You need prompts that actually work. This guide will show you exactly how to write advanced prompts for top AI video generation tools like Kling AI, Runway, Minimax, and Hunyuan.

Ready to create better quality videos faster? Let’s dive in.

What Are Video Generation Prompts? The Basics Of Crafting Expert Video Prompts

AI video generation prompts are particular instructions given to AI text-to-video and image-to-video generation tools to create video content. These prompts help AI understand exactly what kind of video you want to produce.

Here are some examples of AI video generation prompts:

• A fitness app developer might request a prompt like: "Generate a seamless video loop of a person jogging through a park at sunrise, showing proper running form from side angle, maintaining steady pace with natural arm movement."
• A cycling instructor may use a prompt: "Generate a demonstration video of proper cycling posture on a road bike, showing rider position transitions between regular riding, uphill climbing, and aerodynamic descent position."
• A content creator might use a prompt like: "Generate a looping background video of gentle ocean waves at sunset, with soft orange light reflecting on the water surface."

Now, you don’t need to overcomplicate your prompts. You can follow these fundamental steps to ensure precision and creativity in your prompts.

Step 1: Define The Subject

Start by clearly stating what you want. Use concise, descriptive language to eliminate ambiguity.

Prompt Examples:

• “A spaceship landing on a barren alien planet.”
• “A cozy cafe in Paris during a rainy evening.”

Pro Tip: Avoid vague words like “nice” or “beautiful.” Replace them with specific visuals or emotions.

Step 2: Add Style Descriptors

Style determines the mood and aesthetic of the output. Choose terms that match your vision.

Prompt Examples:

• Cartoonish: “A cheerful dog playing fetch in a colorful park, bold outlines.”
• Minimalist: “A white room with a single chair, clean and modern design.”

Pro Tip: Limit yourself to 1-2 style keywords for clarity.

Step 3: Include Essential Details

Details refine the output. Add elements like framing, lighting, motion, or specific objects.

Prompt Examples:

• Framing: “Close-up shot of a butterfly landing on a flower.”
• Lighting: “A golden hour portrait with soft shadows.”
• Motion: “A slow pan across a vibrant cityscape at night.”

Details also prevent misinterpretation.

• Vague: “A mountain range.”
• Detailed: “Snow-capped mountains under a clear blue sky, eagles soaring above.”

Step 4: Use Context To Enhance Realism

Set the scene with time, weather, or activity. Context anchors the AI’s imagination, resulting in richer visuals.

Prompt Examples:

• “A carnival at night, colorful lights reflecting on wet pavement after rain.”
• “A fisherman casting his net at dawn, mist rising over the lake.”

Pro Tip: Combining multiple context cues helps the AI visualize the full story.

Step 5: Iterate And Refine

Don’t expect perfection on the first try. Adjust your prompt after reviewing the initial outputs.

Prompt Examples:

• Initial Prompt: “A castle in a forest.”
• Refined Prompt: “An abandoned medieval castle surrounded by dense fog, towering oak trees, and moonlight.”

Now that we’ve covered the fundamentals, let’s understand why mastering these prompt techniques is so crucial.

Why Prompts Are Essential For Better Video Generation?

Prompts guide the AI’s creative process and define the output’s quality. A well-crafted prompt minimizes guesswork, reduces revisions, and delivers results closer to your vision.

When prompts lack detail, the AI fills gaps with generic outputs. This wastes time and leads to frustration.

Imagine telling the AI, “Create a forest scene.” It might generate a bland, featureless image.

But say, “A dense forest with tall pine trees, sunlight streaming through leaves, and soft mist blanketing the ground,” and the AI transforms vague input into vivid visuals.

Key Benefits Of Better Prompts:

• Save Time: Fewer retries, faster results.
• Improve Accuracy: Get outputs that match your vision.
• Enhance Creativity: Detailed prompts inspire unique outcomes.

While prompts offer these benefits, it’s equally important to understand what makes the video generation prompts ineffective.

Common Mistakes To Avoid While Prompting

1. Being Too Generic: Ambiguous inputs lead to bland results.

For example, "A person running" vs. "A marathon runner sprinting across the finish line, crowd cheering, early morning light."

2. Overloading with Keywords: Don’t confuse the AI with irrelevant details.

For example, "A sunset beach, crowded, with blue waves, red skies, glowing sand, surfers, and distant mountains." Trim unnecessary elements for clarity.

Now that you’ve mastered the basic prompts, learned about its importance, and the common mistakes to avoid, let’s explore some of the best advanced prompting techniques.

Advanced Prompt Techniques To Try

Advanced prompts go beyond describing the basics—they create depth, evoke emotions, and set the stage for vivid storytelling. These techniques use the full potential of AI tools, helping you achieve stunning, professional-quality results.

1. Storytelling Prompts

Treat your prompt like a scene from a story. Include characters, actions, and settings to guide the AI into creating something more dynamic. Storytelling adds narrative depth, making the visuals more engaging.

Examples:

• “A lone explorer walking through an ancient forest, shafts of light breaking through towering trees, mysterious ruins in the distance.”
• “A bustling city market at dawn, vendors arranging colorful fruits, warm golden light streaming over cobblestone streets.”

Pro Tip: Use storytelling prompts for cinematic or narrative-focused projects where the environment and mood play a crucial role.

2. Mood Keywords For Emotional Depth

Mood keywords shape the tone of your video, whether it’s serene, dramatic, or whimsical. They act as emotional cues that enhance the AI’s understanding of your vision.

Examples:

• Serene: “A quiet lakeside at sunrise, soft pink and orange hues, gentle ripples on the water.”
• Dramatic: “A stormy ocean, dark clouds looming, lightning illuminating crashing waves.”
• Whimsical: “A playful scene of animals dancing in a magical forest, glowing mushrooms, and pastel skies.”

Pro Tip: Pair mood keywords with detailed descriptions for balanced outputs.

3. Multi-Layered Prompts For Rich Complexity

Combine multiple elements to create intricate, layered visuals. This technique works well for scenes requiring a mix of subjects, styles, and details.

Examples:

• “A futuristic city with glowing skyscrapers, flying cars weaving through neon-lit streets, distant mountains under a starry sky.”
• “A desert carnival at dusk, colorful tents illuminated by lanterns, fire dancers performing under a purple and orange gradient sky.”

Pro Tip: Start with a simple base and add layers one at a time. For example:

1. Base: “A forest at sunrise.”
2. Add detail: “A dense forest with sunlight filtering through the leaves, morning mist rising.”
3. Final layer: “A hiker walking along a narrow path, birds chirping in the background.”

4. Iterative Refinement For Perfection

AI rarely gets it perfect on the first try. Iterative refinement lets you tweak your prompt for better results. Each adjustment sharpens the focus and aligns the output closer to your vision.

Example Workflow:

• Initial Prompt: “A spaceship landing on a distant planet.”
• Result you can expect: Generic visuals with minimal detail.
• Refined Prompt: “A futuristic spaceship landing on a red desert planet, dust clouds rising, twin suns setting in the background.”
• Result you can expect: Richer, more cinematic output.
• Final Refinement: “A sleek silver spaceship landing on a barren red desert, soft evening light, alien plants glowing faintly in the distance.”
• Result you can expect: A polished, professional-looking scene.

Pro Tip: Save iterations as templates for future projects. This saves time and ensures consistency.

5. Prompt Structures For Clarity

Advanced prompts benefit from a structured format. Use this structured prompting technique:

• Subject: What is the scene about? 
• Example: “A mountain top observatory.”
• Style: What tone or aesthetic do you want?
• Example: “Cinematic, dramatic lighting.”
• Details: What specific elements must be included?
• Example: “Clouds swirling below, a starry sky above, scientists adjusting a telescope.”

Now, each AI video model has its unique strength. Matching your prompt to the right tool ensures better video outputs.

How To Use Different AI Video Models With Advanced Prompts?

To get the best results, tailor your prompts to the specific features of Kling AI, Runway, Minimax, and Hunyuan. Each model shines in different scenarios, and advanced prompts ensure you can use their full potential.

1. Kling AI: Stands Out For Detailed, Cinematic Scenes

Kling AI works best with prompts that include multiple layers of detail. It handles complex environments and dynamic elements, making it ideal for creating visually rich outputs. This model thrives on intricate instructions involving lighting, motion, and perspective.

What Works Best:

• Prompts with clear actions and detailed environments.
• Instructions for cinematic effects like depth of field and dynamic lighting.

Example:

Tips for Kling AI:

• Use layered prompts to describe foreground, background, and lighting separately.
• Add motion cues like “gentle waves rolling” or “clouds drifting slowly” for added depth.

Also Read: Types Of Videos You Can Create With Kling AI

Pro Tip: Break your prompt into smaller logical sections. For example:

1. Environment: “A vibrant city at sunset with glowing windows.”
2. Motion: “Boats gliding across a calm harbor.”
3. Focus: “Wide-angle view with cinematic clarity.”

2. Runway: Best For Faster Visual Development

Runway stands out when you need to brainstorm or refine visuals faster with input from multiple contributors. Its outputs benefit from prompts focused on mood, tone, and shared creative goals.

What Works Best:

• Prompts emphasizing mood and thematic consistency.
• Simple base prompts that are refined collaboratively through iterations.

Example:

Tips for Runway:

• Use prompts that create a clear atmosphere while leaving room for adjustments.
• Collaborate on specifics like “color palettes” or “time of day” to align with group vision.

Also Read: Runway vs. Kling AI: Which One Is Better?

Pro Tip: Draft an initial prompt with broad details and adjust it with real-time input from collaborators. For example:

• Initial Prompt: “An outdoor market scene.”
• Refined Version: “A vibrant market with handmade goods, bright blue skies, and sunlight casting soft shadows on cobblestone streets.”

3. Minimax: Ideal For Fast And Budget-Friendly Prototyping

Minimax delivers high-quality results quickly, making it perfect for testing ideas or producing straightforward scenes. It works best with concise prompts focused on a single subject or action.

What Works Best:

• Short, precise prompts that focus on one element at a time.
• Action-oriented scenes or settings without excessive complexity.

Example:

Tips for Minimax:

• Avoid overly detailed prompts. Stick to the essentials like subject, setting, and lighting.
• Use it for quick prototypes before refining with more advanced tools.

Pro Tip: Start with a simple concept and test variations by tweaking one detail at a time. For example:

• Initial Prompt: “A library with shelves of books.”
• Variation: “A cozy library with soft lamplight illuminating wooden tables.”

4. Hunyuan: Delivers Polished, High-Fidelity Outputs

Hunyuan specializes in creating detailed, professional visuals. It’s best suited for projects that demand precision and a cinematic touch. This model handles specific instructions about lighting, camera angles, and intricate details exceptionally well.

What Works Best:

• Highly descriptive prompts with precise details about atmosphere and composition.
• Prompts that are written in a cinematic style, mimicking professional film descriptions.

Example:

Tips for Hunyuan:

• Include detailed environmental cues like weather, time of day, and lighting effects.
• Use professional terminology such as “wide-angle view,” “soft focus,” or “lens flare.”

Pro Tip: Write your prompt as if describing a storyboard. Break it into clear segments for better outputs.

Now, we have explored both the fundamental and advanced prompting techniques. But what if you had a structured step-by-step format to follow every time and craft effective prompts? So, let’s explore that!

Expert Prompt Framework: A 5-Step Formula

Writing effective prompts doesn’t need to be complicated. By following a clear, structured approach, you can craft prompts that consistently deliver high-quality results. Here’s a step-by-step formula to guide you:

Step 1: Define Your Goal

Start by identifying the purpose of your video. What should the AI create? Focus on the core idea—whether it’s a specific action, mood, or setting.

Examples:

• “Create a tranquil beach scene at sunset.”
• “Generate a vibrant city park with families enjoying a sunny day.”

This clarity helps eliminate ambiguity, ensuring your results align with your vision.

Pro Tip: Ask yourself, “What do I want the viewer to feel or notice first?” Center your goal around that.

Step 2: Be Detailed

Specificity brings your ideas to life. Add detailed descriptions about the subject, setting, and action. Avoid vague terms like “nice” or “beautiful.” Instead, describe what makes it so.

Examples:

• Instead of: “A nice mountain scene,” try: “Snow-capped mountains under a bright blue sky, with pine trees dotting the landscape.”
• Instead of: “A busy street,” try: “A bustling urban street with cyclists, pedestrians, and neon-lit shop signs.”

Pro Tip: Use adjectives that evoke imagery, like “lush,” “glowing,” or “crisp.”

Step 3: Include Context

Context anchors your scene in a believable reality. Mention details like time of day, weather, or atmosphere to give the AI more to work with.

Examples:

• “A morning farmer’s market, warm sunlight casting long shadows, colorful produce stacked neatly on wooden tables.”
• “A quiet library at night, dim lighting highlighting rows of books, a single desk lamp glowing softly in the corner.”

Pro Tip: Pair context with sensory elements. For instance, “sunlight glistening on wet pavement after rain” adds texture to your description.

Step 4: Refine The Style

Style defines the tone and aesthetics of your video. Decide whether you want a cinematic, minimalist, or animated look and include it in your prompt.

Examples:

• Cinematic: “A scenic waterfall captured with slow motion, soft lighting, and wide-angle perspective.”
• Animated: “A whimsical forest with oversized mushrooms and glowing plants, bold outlines, and vibrant colors.”
• Minimalist: “A clean, white room with a single wooden chair and soft natural light streaming through large windows.”

Pro Tip: Stick to one or two style cues. Overloading with conflicting terms can confuse the AI.

Step 5: Iterate And Test

Your first prompt isn’t always perfect. Review the output and adjust your description for clarity or additional detail. Small tweaks can make a significant difference.

Example Workflow:

1. Initial Prompt: “A cityscape at night.”
2. Refined Prompt: “A futuristic city skyline glowing with neon lights, flying vehicles crossing the sky, reflections on wet pavement.”
3. Final Refinement: “A dense cityscape at night, neon-lit buildings, light rain creating reflections on glass and pavement, aerial view with cinematic clarity.”

Pro Tip: Save your most effective prompts as templates for future projects.

Now, having the right tools in one place can make a significant difference in AI content creation. Whether you want to generate an AI image, AI video or build your own custom workflow, Segmind offers a great all-in-one AI tools platform.

Segmind: The Best Platform For Advanced Video Generation

Segmind simplifies the process of AI video creation by bringing the best tools together under one roof. With access to Kling AI, Runway, Minimax, and Hunyuan, you don’t need to juggle multiple subscriptions or platforms.

Why Use Segmind?

• PixelFlow for Workflow Automation: Segmind’s visual, drag-and-drop interface helps you build custom workflows effortlessly. Save time with reusable templates and fine-tune outputs for consistency across projects.
• Custom Model Fine-Tuning: Adjust models like Flux.1 Dev to meet your project’s specific requirements. This flexibility gives you an edge in achieving professional-quality results.
• Scalability with Serverless Cloud: Segmind supports instant deployment and flexible scaling. Whether you're prototyping or delivering at scale, the platform ensures seamless performance.

Final Thoughts

Writing advanced prompts doesn’t have to be hard. By mastering a few techniques and tools, you can create stunning videos with less effort.

Each tool—Kling AI, Runway, Minimax, and Hunyuan—has unique strengths. Test, refine, and find what works best for your needs.

If you’re looking for an all-in-one solution with access to all the latest AI video generation models, Segmind offers everything you need on one platform. Explore Segmind’s latest AI models now!