majiayu000 Great Prompt Anatomy
Every solid Veo 3 prompt requires 8 mandatory components.
The 8 Must-Have Components
1. Subject
What it is: Who or what appears in the shot
Example: "A glass of red wine" or "Young couple under umbrella"
Why mandatory: Defines focal point; AI will invent subject if not specified
2. Setting
What it is: Where and when the scene happens
Example: "White linen tablecloth" or "Rain-soaked cobblestone street at dusk"
Why mandatory: Anchors spatial and temporal context
3. Action
What it is: What's unfolding in the scene
Example: "Tips over in slow motion" or "She adjusts umbrella, faint smile"
Why mandatory: Drives narrative momentum; static without action
4. Style/Genre
What it is: Visual aesthetic and mood category
Example: "Cinematic realism" or "Neo-noir with high-contrast shadows"
Why mandatory: Guides AI's aesthetic decisions; consistency requires explicit style
5. Camera/Composition
What it is: Shot size, angle, and movement
Example: "Close-up, low angle" or "Medium shot with gentle dolly-in"
Why mandatory: Defines cinematography; without this, AI chooses randomly
Reference: Use camera-movements skill for movement vocabulary
6. Lighting/Mood
What it is: Light sources and emotional tone
Example: "Moody with single warm spotlight" or "Soft natural sunlight, muted palette"
Why mandatory: Shapes atmosphere; lighting is 50% of visual impact
7. Audio
What it is: Dialogue, ambient sound, music cues
Formats:
- Dialogue:
He says: "We don't have much time." - Ambience: "Soft string quartet fades into silence"
- Clean frames: Add
(no subtitles)if dialogue without text overlay wanted
Why mandatory: Sound sells the scene; silence is also a choice that must be specified
8. Constraints
What it is: Prohibitions or exact requirements
Example: "(no subtitles)" or "exactly six candles on the table"
Why mandatory: Prevents unwanted elements; AI creative unless constrained
Complete Example
Basic Prompt (all 8 components):
Close-up, low angle. A glass of red wine tips over in slow motion on a white
linen tablecloth. Rich burgundy liquid spills and spreads. Lighting: moody,
with a single warm spotlight. Audio: soft string quartet fades into silence.
(no subtitles)
Component Breakdown:
- ✅ Subject: Glass of red wine
- ✅ Setting: White linen tablecloth
- ✅ Action: Tips over in slow motion, liquid spills
- ✅ Style: (Implied cinematic realism from description)
- ✅ Camera: Close-up, low angle
- ✅ Lighting: Moody, single warm spotlight
- ✅ Audio: Soft string quartet fades to silence
- ✅ Constraints: (no subtitles)
Audio Detail Patterns
Dialogue Format
- Standard:
Character name: "Dialogue text" - Example:
She whispers: "Stay a little longer."
Ambient Sound
- Be specific: "Hollow wind whistling through ruins" vs generic "wind"
- Layer sounds: "Soft rainfall, muffled footsteps, distant café hum"
Music
- Describe style and timing: "Soft piano underscore with subtle reverb"
- Note changes: "String quartet fades into silence"
Silence
- Specify explicitly: "No background music" or "Complete silence"
- Silence is intentional, not default
Subtitle Control
- Clean frames: Add
(no subtitles)after dialogue - Example:
He says: "Perfect timing." (no subtitles)
Styling & Realism Controls
Big-budget drama: "Shot on 50mm lens, soft natural light, muted color palette"
Gritty and raw: "Handheld camera shake, harsh fluorescent lighting, visible grain"
Stylized neo-noir: "High-contrast shadows with glowing neon signs, wet reflections"
Continuity rule: Repeat same visual cues across multiple prompts for recurring characters and consistent style.
Validation Checklist
Before releasing prompt, verify:
- All 8 components present
- Camera movement uses standardized vocabulary
- Audio format correct (dialogue with colon)
- Constraints explicitly stated
- Style clear and consistent
When to Read Extended Examples
For detailed examples of each component with variations, see: references/examples.md
Load examples.md when:
- Need inspiration for specific component
- Exploring different style approaches
- Learning genre-specific patterns
- Want to see complete prompt variations
Stay in SKILL.md when:
- Quick validation needed
- Basic understanding sufficient
- Working with familiar patterns