Prompt Guide

Your complete guide to prompting for AI video generation. Learn camera terminology for Text to Video and motion prompting techniques for Image to Video with Gen-4.5.

Starting with Text

A reference library of camera terminology with corresponding Text to Video prompts and their Gen-4.5 outputs. Use these examples to see how different camera terms translate into generated footage.

Shot Sizes and Framing

Macro

Detailed close up of something small to make it feel large

"A macro close-up explores the iridescent facets of a black butterfly wing. Wings gently move"

Extreme close up

Shows only a small detail, like just the eyes or a specific feature

"A smooth, porcelain-white face fills the frame with emphasis on the closed, featureless eyes and the abstract, multi-colored light pattern projected across the upper face. The projected light pulses and shifts subtly, causing the blue and purple bands to slowly expand and contract, as the camera holds in a static, tight frame. Against a softly blurred coral-red background. Avant-garde portraiture, surreal."

Close up

Focuses tightly on the subject's face or an object

"A close-up isolates an elder elephant's face, where white paint patterns resembling ancient script are painted across its leathery surface under a pallid light."

Medium

Shows from the waist up

"Medium shot of a cowboy perched on a horse in a dusty environment. The horse rears violently, its body twisting, causing the cowboy to lose his seat and begin to fall off to the left. Backlit, western epic, cinematic, high contrast, golden hour, dusty, warm amber, deep orange, rich brown, atmospheric, dramatic backlighting, rim light, silhouette, soft glow, high contrast shadows."

Full

Shows the entire subject from head to toe

"A full shot observes a Victorian woman as she slowly navigates the hedgemaze, beside a small, curious fox. The fox approaches the camera."

Wide

Shows the subject and their surroundings, full body visible

"A wide shot captures a lone figure standing atop a vast, windswept mesa, their silhouette sharply defined against a dramatic sunset, emphasizing their smallness within the expansive landscape."

Extreme wide

Shows a vast area, often used for landscapes or to show scale

"An extreme wide shot, in black and white, reveals a vast, silent underwater canyon, its ancient rock formations dwarfing a small, barely visible submarine navigating the abyssal plain."

Establishing

Sets the scene by showing the location or environment

"A symmetrical establishing shot frames a 1990s school gymnasium bleachers. Faded championship banners hanging motionless from exposed steel rafters. A lone student enters from the left to sit on the bleachers."

Camera Angles

Aerial

Shot from high in the air, typically from a drone or helicopter

"An aerial shot looks directly down onto a small, weathered fishing boat, its deck visible and pitching violently as it navigates through towering, frothing waves during a fierce storm, the boat appearing precariously small against the immense power of the ocean."

High angle

Camera looks down on the subject from above

"A group of figures wearing heavy, hooded robes, predominantly deep red with a few in grey, hold hands and dance in a circle within a misty valley. The high-angle shot captures the entire formation amidst a field of blooming red wildflowers and jagged grey rocks, with dense fog obscuring the background. Soft, diffused moonlight filters through the haze, casting long, faint shadows across the dirt clearing in the center. The color palette features a stark contrast between the blood-red robes and flowers against the cool, desaturated blue-greys of the mist and stone."

Low angle

Camera looks up at the subject from below

"Viewed from a low angle, an ethereal, alien-like opalescent creature with pearlescent intricate skeletal armor appears majestic as it gracefully shifts its posture, causing long, thin tendrils to sway gently. The camera rises steadily, following the upward trajectory of the dynamic natural growth of pink flower blossoms along the figure's shoulders and neck. The palette features shimmering opals, pale pinks, and deep purples nestled in the crevices of the armor."

Bird's eye view

Looking straight down from above

"The central body and primary feathers of a majestic white egret, viewed from a bird's eye view directly from above, are meticulously framed, showcasing the pristine texture and layered structure of its plumage. The egret's body shivers slightly, causing a minute ripple through its feathers, suggesting preening or adjusting, while the camera performs a very slow, controlled push-in, focusing on the feather details."

Worm's eye view

Looking up from below

"A rectangular, hand-dug earthen pit extends downwards, its dark brown soil walls leading to a square opening of bright sky above. The worm's eye view camera is at the bottom of the pit, looking directly upwards, capturing the subtle ambient movement cloud wisps against the bright blue sky. Suddenly, the silhouettes of backlit men peer down into the hole. The composition emphasizes the deep, confining nature of the pit, with its walls converging towards the distant, starkly contrasting sky."

Over the shoulder

Shot from behind someone's shoulder, showing what they're looking at

"Over the shoulder of a woman looking out at stormy waves from a cliffside. The camera pulls back and up to emphasize the height of the cliffs."

POV

Point of view - shows exactly what the character sees

"POV from the perspective of a bear approaching a hollowed out tree filled with honeycomb. The bear paws reach out from the bottom of the frame and grab a handful of honey. Handheld documentary film style. Natural camera shake. Raw indie film aesthetic. Natural lighting. Unpolished, authentic look. Low budget realism. Observational feel."

Composition Techniques

Leading lines

Using lines in the scene to guide the viewer's eye

"Leading line composition of a classic white and orange municipal bus with tinted windows navigating a curve on a coastal road. The bus slowly approaches from the background, smoothly turning the bend and heading towards the foreground. The bright white and orange of the bus pop against the deep purples, oranges, and blues of the sky and distant landscape, imbued with the golden hour light. Anime art style, hand-drawn aesthetic, serene atmosphere."

Frame within frame

Using elements like doorways or windows to create a frame inside the shot

"Frame within frame composition of a lone female figure with a distinct bob haircut, wearing a flowing, semi-sheer dress with full sleeves, is silhouetted from behind as she walks away from the viewer. The composition is centered and framing the figure with a vertical light source at the far end of a seemingly endless, watery corridor. Ethereal, dreamscape, surreal, cinematic, low contrast, cool blue-gray."

Symmetrical

Balanced composition with mirrored elements on both sides

"Symmetrical scene of a staircase in the center with grand luxurious decor on each side. A woman in a long red dress is walking up the staircase slowly, facing away from the camera. Exact symmetry horizontal symmetry. Raw indie film aesthetic. Heavy grain. Unpolished, authentic, low-budget realism with a surreal, observational feel."

Negative space

Empty space around the subject that draws attention to them

"Negative space scene, shot from above of a vast dried salt lake with a dark red jeep driving slowly. The composition frames the jeep extremely small against the environment of the salt lake, emphasizing the negative space. Raw indie film aesthetic. Heavy grain. Unpolished, authentic, low-budget realism with a surreal, observational feel."

Camera Movements

Basic Movements

Pan

Camera rotates left or right on a fixed point

"A horizontal pan, from a fixed point, sweeps left to right across pine trees and over a lake to end on a single rowboat docked nearby."

Tilt up/down

Camera rotates up or down on a fixed point

"A tilt up shot begins on the weathered cobblestones of an ancient city street, slowly rising to showcase the intricate architectural details of centuries-old buildings, then continues upward to reveal a vast, clear blue sky with a single, wispy cloud."

Dolly

Camera moves forward or backward on a track or wheels

"A dolly backward shot smoothly follows a lone figure walking purposefully down a dimly lit, narrow alleyway, their silhouette sharply defined against the distant glow of city lights."

Static

Camera stays completely still

"Static, completely still establishing shot remains motionless, focused on a single apartment building. The apartment building begins to stretch and curve with an elastic-like quality, bending into circular shapes and impossibly stretching and bending into an organic abstract shape. The camera is entirely motionless for the duration of the scene, with movement only occurring from the building moving within the locked perspective."

Push & Pull

Push in

Camera moves closer to the subject

"A medium shot of a fish-like alien creature in sleek, black protective gear, observing a console with a single three-fingered hand. The camera slowly pushes in, framing the alien's intricate facial scales and large, bioluminescent eyes, illuminated by natural, ambient light filtering through a porthole, highlighting its focused expression."

Pull back

Camera moves away from the subject

"A handheld camera begins on a close shot, tightly framing a single, weathered hand carefully painting intricate details onto a miniature canvas, then slowly pulls backwards to reveal a wider shot of the artist's studio, filled with brushes, paints, and half-finished masterpieces, all from an observational view as if a quiet observer."

Truck

Camera moves left or right, parallel to the subject

"The camera trucks right, tracking a woman walking right along a in a field; as she progresses, the flat environment organically transforms and unfolds with a stop motion effect from a flower field to a mountaintop setting, each transformation seamless and continuous. low contrast. art film, muted warm color palette."

Pedestal

Camera moves straight up or down vertically

"A woman's slender fingers with delicate, polished nails gently grasp the faceted cap of a clear glass perfume bottle, illuminated by soft, prismatic light. The hand lifts the bottle, revealing the faint tattoo on her wrist while the camera executes a gentle pedestal up, following the bottle's ascent. The color palette combines natural skin tones with the opalescent hues of the perfume bottle and the soft cool blue and warm pink background. Commercial beauty photography, ethereal, soft focus, product shot, iridescent, soft pastels"

Tracking & Following

Tracking

Camera follows alongside a moving subject

"A handheld low angle tracking shot, with low contrast and fast-paced motion, follows a skilled astronaut skateboarder on a moon landscape. their movements blur against the soft glow of the dark lunar environment. Film grain, low contrast, black and white"

Orbit

Camera circles completely around the subject

"Camera orbits a meticulously arranged, surreal still life featuring an iridescent albino snake coiled among vibrant yellow lemons, soft pink flowers, and shimmering, glitter-dusted flora against a gentle pastel backdrop. The camera executes a slow, deliberate orbit."

Arc

Camera moves in a curved path around the subject

"A figure stands on a precarious cliff edge, overlooking a chasm filled with slow-moving clouds. The camera executes an aggressive, sweeping arc around the subject. Earthy browns, warm ochres, and muted grays for the"

Crane/Jib

Camera moves up and down on a large mechanical arm

"A crane/jib shot moves smoothly downwards, revealing a lone figure hunched over a desk in a dimly lit office, the camera stopping to frame their face as they stare intently at a glowing monitor, the scene bathed in a moody color grade with low contrast, emphasizing their isolation."

Zoom & Speed

Zoom

Lens changes focal length to make the subject appear closer or farther

"The camera performs a smooth pull back from a lone explorer, initially focused tightly on their determined face, as they take a deep breath before sprinting to dynamically leap across a chasm. The shot gradually widens to reveal the perilous drop below the ledges they've jumped from and the precarious ledge they landed on, emphasizing their athletic, deliberate movements against the vast, rugged landscape."

Crash zoom

Very fast, dramatic zoom in or out

"A medium shot shows a chameleon slowly traversing a moss-covered branch, its body perfectly camouflaged, then a sudden crash zoom closely frames its face, and the independent movement of its pupils as it scans its surroundings."

Whip pan

Extremely fast pan that creates motion blur

"A rapid whip pan dramatically connects two distinct claymation characters, starting from a bewildered detective's exaggerated expression, then snapping to a mischievous antagonist's sly grin, capturing their dynamic, expressive claymation movements in a cinematic style."

Stabilization Styles

Handheld

Camera is held by hand, creating natural shakiness

"A handheld camera, with extreme shakiness and jitter, rapidly tracks a crumbling urban landscape during an earthquake, the ground visibly fracturing, as the camera struggles to keep the chaotic destruction of buildings in frame."

Steadicam

Stabilized handheld system that creates smooth movement while walking

"A steadicam follows closely behind a determined athlete, capturing their dynamic character motion as they sprint through a crowded urban marathon, weaving seamlessly between other runners, their focused expression and rhythmic strides filling the cinematic frame."

Gimbal

Electronic stabilizer that keeps the camera smooth while moving

"A gimbal, executing complex and precise camera movement, begins tracking a gardener's path through a lush, overgrown botanical garden, weaving between towering ferns and blooming flowers, before ascending into an overhead angle, showcasing the entire sprawling, verdant labyrinth beneath a canopy of sun-dappled leaves, illuminated by natural daylight."

Focus Techniques

Deep focus

Everything from near to far is in sharp focus

"A deep focus shot showcases a bustling antique shop, with every trinket on overflowing shelves in the foreground, the worn wooden floor in the mid-ground, and the distant, dust-mote-filled sunlight streaming through a back window all held in crisp, unwavering clarity."

Soft focus

Intentionally blurred or hazy look for artistic effect

"A solitary figure, their form indistinct and shimmering, stands at the edge of an impossibly still, reflective body of water. The entire scene is enveloped in a thick, luminous fog that diffuses all light into a soft, glowing halo around the figure and the water's surface. The aggressive camera movement circles the figure, further blurring the already indistinct surroundings into a painterly haze. Soft, all-encompassing ambient light from the luminous fog, creating a halo effect and dissolving harsh lines, enhancing the ethereal quality."

Rack focus

Shifting focus from one subject to another during a shot

"A rack focus shot transitions from a close-up on a chef's hand meticulously garnishing a plate of haute cuisine, with individual herbs sharply defined, to the delighted expression of a diner across the table, their smile becoming crystal clear as the chef's hand gently blurs into the background."

Shallow focus

Only a small area is in focus, the rest is blurred

"A shallow focus shot isolates a single, chrome bubble floating impossibly slowly through a dimly lit, silent room, its warping surface reflecting a distorted, blurred reality, while the surrounding furniture and walls dissolve into an impressionistic dreamscape, rendered in a low-contrast, observational style that evokes a sense of surreal tranquility."

Starting with an Image

Learn how to transform images into videos with Gen-4.5 using effective text prompts that describe motion, camera work, and temporal progression.

Introduction

Image to Video models transform images into videos with a text prompt. When using this generative mode, your image defines composition, subject matter, lighting, and style that guide the video.

Your prompt's role is to describe what should happen — the motion, camera work, and temporal progression you want to see using clear, direct language.

Example: Man in red suit looking at ocean with camera movement

Example Prompt:

"The camera executes an aggressive, sweeping horizontal arc around the subject, followed by an extremely rapid, aggressive crash zoom that concludes with a sharp focus on the subject's eyes."

This guide builds on knowledge outlined in our Introduction to Prompting guide by introducing concepts specific to Image to Video, and is currently optimized for the newest Gen-4.5 model.

Core Prompt Elements

Text Prompt

Effective image to video prompts focus almost exclusively on motion. Rather than describing elements present in the image, use your prompt to describe the motion of the scene.

Motion Components

•Subject action
•Environmental motion
•Camera motion
•Motion style & timing
•Direction & speed

To control individual elements from your image, refer to characters and objects with general language to isolate them and define motion.

Do I need to include every component in my prompt?

No, you do not. Omitting certain components grants the model creative freedom to produce your video. We recommend starting with a simple prompt that focuses on the most critical motion components and then adding more detail to refine as needed.

This approach to iterating helps you understand how additions and changes may affect your results.

Are there situations where I should describe visual components?

Yes, there are cases where visual descriptions can be helpful:

•Introducing an element not present in the image
•Dramatic changes from the starting image
•Specifying transformation details
•Specifying interactions between two (or more) elements

Image Prompt

Your input image acts as the first frame and provides the model with the composition, subject matter, lighting, and style information for the video.

For best results, ensure that the input image is high quality and free of visual artifacts. Visual artifacts, such as blurry hands or faces, may be intensified once your image is transformed into a video.

Prompt Structure & Organization

You don't need to follow a strict formula to generate great results. Structure and order are far less important than clearly conveying an idea and reducing ambiguity.

However, establishing an organization method can assist with effectively conveying ideas and make future iteration easier. We recommend trying this structure if you're new to generative media:

The camera [motion description] as the subject [action].
[Additional descriptions]

Example Prompts:

"The camera slowly pushes in as the person scales the giant soda."

Image Input

Result

Camera pushing in as person scales giant soda

"Handheld camera: The man stands still as the crowd moves around him. He starts yelling as the camera slowly zooms out. Natural camera shake."

Image Input

Result

"Whip pan to painting of a fox. Whip pan back to the woman with a curious expression. Whip pan back to the fox painting, the fox is moving."

Image Input

Result

Advanced Techniques

Sequential Prompting

Sequential prompting provides an order of events for temporal control. This can be done through natural language, or by providing rough timestamps for an action to occur:

Natural language:

X occurs, then Y occurs. Finally, Z occurs.

Timestamps:

[00:01] X occurs. [00:03] Y occurs. [00:04] Z occurs.

For best results, consider if the requested sequences make sense with the selected duration. You may opt for higher durations for more complex sequences.

Creating Longer Sequences

Create longer sequences by extracting the last frame of a completed generation and using that as the image input for a new video.

To extract the last frame:

Move the playback scrubber to the very end of the completed video
Select "Use" from beneath the video
Select "Use current frame"

This will load in the selected frame into the current model. Once the generation completes, you can combine both clips in a video editor to adjust timing and remove the shared frame.

Pro Tips

Combine Different Terms

Combining terms is encouraged, especially for cinematic sequences. Mix camera angles, motion, composition, and other elements to create your unique shot.

Describe Motion Phases

When prompting for dramatic motion that moves through the frame, describe what's in view or what gets revealed at each phase of the movement.

Static Camera Tips

For static shots, describe the motion that should occur within the scene. Try adding: "The camera is entirely motionless for the duration of the scene."

Focus on Motion

For Image to Video, focus almost exclusively on motion. Your image already defines composition and style — use your prompt to describe what should happen.

Start Simple

Start with a simple prompt focusing on critical motion components, then add more detail to refine. This helps you understand how changes affect results.

Check Motion Cues

Input images can contain implied motion through blur or poses. Prompting for contradicting motion may require more iteration.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I combine different terms in my prompt?

Yes—combining terms is encouraged, especially for cinematic sequences. Gen-4.5 Text to Video has excellent prompt adherence, so you can mix complex camera angles, motion, composition, and other elements to create your unique shot.

When prompting for dramatic motion that moves through the frame, describe what's in view or what gets revealed at each phase of the movement.

How do I consistently receive scenes with a true static or motionless camera?

Video models are designed to create immersive, high-fidelity motion, which can make achieving static shots challenging for certain camera angles or scenes, most notably establishing or wide landscape shots.

To more consistently generate static camera shots, describe the motion that should occur within the scene and how elements enter and/or exit the frame.

Additionally, static shots are most consistently achievable when reinforced through natural language. As an example, you can try adding the following to your prompt:

The camera is entirely motionless for the duration of the scene, with movement only occurring from the subject.

For near-perfect generations with subtle unwanted motion, we recommend leveraging stabilization features available in most local video editors.

Why am I having challenges receiving the desired motion with a certain image?

Input images can contain implied motion through elements like motion blur, mid-action elements and poses, or directional lines. Prompting for motion that contradicts these visual cues may require more iteration to achieve your desired result.

If you're not getting the motion you want after several iterations, check your input image for implied motion cues and consider using Text/Image to Image to remove or minimize cues before generating.

Why did I receive an unwanted cut in my video?

Receiving unwanted cuts in your video may indicate that your image and prompt combination would benefit from a higher duration.

First, try increasing the duration to iterate for a seamless shot. If cuts continue to occur, check your prompt for phrasing that might indicate a cut and consider adding a prompt component like "Continuous, seamless shot" to your input.

How do I minimize camera motion for my shot?

Video models are designed to produce motion, so ensuring that you describe what motion should occur within the frame is important to receiving shots with less motion.

However, this alone may not result in a perfectly still shot. You can try adding prompt elements like the examples below to further reinforce minimal motion:

•The locked-off camera remains perfectly still.
•The camera must start and end on the exact same frame to create a perfect loop.
•Minimal subject motion only.

Using these methods to reduce camera motion and then stabilizing the shot in a video editor can help achieve the desired effect. Alternatively, consider using the Animate Frames app using the same image for both inputs for even more control.

Related Resources

Introduction to Prompting

Learn the fundamentals of AI video prompting

Gen-4.5 Guide

Advanced techniques for video generation

Ready to Start Creating?

Head over to Runway and start experimenting with Text to Video and Image to Video using the techniques you've learned.

Go to Runway