Guide to prompting with Image to Video

Master the art of writing prompts for Image to Video. Learn how to describe movements, effects, and scenes for the most visually stunning results.

Image to Video prompt guide—key tips and tricks

The correct way to prompt in Image to Video is quite different than in AI Generator. You’ll need to think more like a director and less like a storyteller.

Skip the conversation

Descriptions that use conversational prompting style, like “Can you show me a sunset?”, won’t work here. You need to cut straight to the point. Describe the scene instead: “golden sunset over a peaceful lake, soft glow in the sky, trees swaying gently in the breeze.”

Similarly, commands like “Make the water ripple” or “Add a cat to this scene” are a no-go. You’re not ordering the model around. Instead, describe what you want to see in a way that paints the picture: “calm lake with rippling water”.

Prompt: "woman tilts her head upward, gazing at balloons drifting into the sky, vivid, hyper-saturated colors, anamorphic lens flare, retro color grading, chromatic aberration, film grain and light leaks, rolling shutter effect"

Be detailed

Be as descriptive as possible, e.g., “sunset over a foggy lake, slow camera pan, reflections in the water, dramatic orange and purple sky.” The more visual details you provide, the closer the model will get to your vision.

But remember, you can’t create multiple scenes in one prompt. Each prompt generates one shot or one visual idea. Keep your prompt focused on a single moment. Want multiple scenes? You'll need to generate each one separately.

Prompt: "jeep speeding across desert, chased by a massive sandstorm, dynamic camera angle low to the ground, wheels turning, high-speed motion blur, volumetric lighting, RAW footage, anamorphic lens flares, deep shadows, color-graded cinematic look"

Use technical terminology

Want your video to look like it came straight out of a blockbuster? Use technical film terms in your prompts. These give the model specific instructions for lighting, camera effects, and more.

Here's a collection of keywords that might come in handy:

Category	Terms & descriptions
Resolution & quality	extremely detailed, photorealistic, 8k high resolution, RAW footage, ultra realistic, cinematic film
Camera movement	pan, zoom, tilt, dolly shot, fast forward, tracking shot, handheld, static shot
Lighting & shadows	volumetric lighting, soft shadows, high-contrast lighting, lens flare, backlit, natural sunlight
Lens & focus	wide-angle lens, shallow depth of field, sharp focus, soft focus, anamorphic lens, rack focus
Film grain & texture	35mm film grain, Portra 400 film, vintage film look, scratches, dust particles, flickering edges
Color & grading	monochromatic, sepia tone, color graded, desaturated, vivid colors, cinematic grading
Lighting effects	neon glow, bokeh effect, diffuse lighting, soft ambient light, harsh overhead lighting
Atmospheric effects	fog, mist, haze, smoke, steam, dust clouds, rain streaks, subsurface scattering
Motion & speed	slow-motion, high-speed tracking, motion blur, strobe effect, timelapse, ripple motion
Cinematic framing	close-up, extreme close-up, wide shot, over-the-shoulder, bird’s eye view, Dutch angle, point-of-view
Special effects	ray tracing, particle systems, lens flare, light streaks, explosions, debris, fire sparks

Time to put your knowledge to the test! Start crafting your own prompts and transform static images into dynamic videos like never before.