How to Write Sora AI Video Prompts: A Beginner's Guide

Six ordered slots produce reliable, cinematic Sora clips:

1. Shot type — wide, medium, close-up, extreme close-up, over-the-shoulder.
2. Subject and action — who is doing what, in one clear verb.
3. Environment — where and when, with one sensory detail.
4. Camera movement — static, dolly in, tracking, orbit, crane, handheld.
5. Lighting and mood — light source, direction, atmosphere.
6. Style and technical — film stock, lens, aspect ratio, duration.

• Movements: slow dolly in, tracking shot, orbit around subject, crane down, handheld follow, static locked-off.
• Shot types: extreme wide, wide, medium, medium close-up, close-up, macro.
• Framing: low angle, high angle, dutch angle, symmetrical, rule of thirds.
• Lens: 24mm wide, 35mm documentary, 50mm natural, 85mm portrait, macro, anamorphic.
• Look: shot on 16mm, shot on Alexa, cinematic film grain, natural color grade.

1. "Slow dolly in on a steaming cup of black coffee on a wooden cafe table, morning window light, shallow depth of field, cinematic 4K, 4 seconds."
2. "Handheld tracking shot following a lone hiker on a misty mountain ridge at dawn, wide lens, natural color, documentary style, 6 seconds."
3. "Macro close-up of raindrops hitting a green leaf in slow motion, soft overcast light, shallow focus, 5 seconds."
4. "Overhead orbiting shot of a colorful tabletop pasta scene being plated, warm kitchen lighting, food commercial style, 6 seconds."
5. "Low-angle tracking shot of a skateboarder rolling through a neon-lit Tokyo alley at night, wet pavement reflections, anamorphic lens flare, cinematic, 5 seconds."
6. "Static wide shot of an astronaut walking across a red Mars-like desert at golden hour, dust blowing gently, cinematic, 6 seconds."
7. "Slow push-in on a child's hand releasing a paper boat into a stream, soft morning light, gentle music mood, 5 seconds."
8. "Drone crane shot rising over a small fishing village at sunset, warm sky, calm sea, cinematic 21:9, 8 seconds."
9. "Locked-off medium shot of a barista pouring latte art in slow motion, moody overhead light, matte black backdrop, 4 seconds."
10. "Handheld POV walking through a bustling Marrakech spice market, warm tones, natural sunlight, documentary feel, 6 seconds."
11. "Animated 2D scene, hand-drawn Studio Ghibli style, wind blowing through a wheat field with a girl in a red dress standing still, soft light, 5 seconds."
12. "Product shot: slow 360-degree orbit around a matte gold wristwatch on black velvet, dramatic single-source light, macro lens, 6 seconds."

• Describing an image instead of a shot — no camera movement, no duration.
• Asking for too much action in a short clip ("she walks in, sits down, opens laptop, sighs, closes it").
• Vague lighting ("nice lighting") instead of specific ("side-lit by a single window").
• Ignoring aspect ratio — vertical, square, and cinematic all serve different platforms.
• No mention of pace — "slow", "smooth", "quick cut" dramatically change the feel.

When a clip is close but off, change one variable at a time: shot type, camera movement, or lighting. Sora rewards specific, isolated changes. If motion feels chaotic, remove one action. If it feels static, add a slow dolly. If it looks flat, add a specific light source and direction.