Subjects, Actions, and Scenes
Build grounded prompts by clarifying who is on screen, what they are doing, and where it happens. This flow keeps short clips focused and cinematic using production-tested prompt patterns.
Prompt formula
Subject + distinctive trait → action + emotion → setting + time → one sensory detail.
Keep each clause short for readability.
Subject tips
Lead with the who.
- Lead with who/what is on screen before style notes.
- Add age, role, attitude, and one distinctive detail.
- Keep one clear primary subject to avoid clutter.
Action tips
Make motion explicit.
- Verb first: lead sentences with the action so motion is prioritized.
- Sequence beats: split actions into short steps to keep pacing clear.
- Pair actions with emotion and duration: short clips need concise beats.
Scene & context tips
Place viewers in time and space.
- Anchor the where/when quickly: location, time, and weather set mood.
- Add one sensory detail: rain on glass, neon reflections, leaves drifting.
- Use era cues for vibe: medieval courtyard, 1920s jazz club, cyberpunk alley.
Subject starters
- People: joyful baker, seasoned detective, futuristic astronaut
- Animals: playful golden retriever puppy, sleek black panther
- Fantastical: miniature dragon with iridescent scales, ancient talking tree
- Objects: vintage typewriter, steaming coffee cup, weathered pirate ship
- Combos: friends around a campfire while a curious fox watches
Action ideas
- Basic moves: walking, running, flying, dancing, sitting still.
- Interactions: cooking, typing, cheering, negotiating, fixing a device.
- Emotion cues: nervous fidgeting, confident stride, surprised gasp.
- Micro-movements: hair rustling, fingers tapping, eyes blinking slowly.
- Transformations: flower blooming, ice melting, skyline lighting up at night.
Context starters
- Interiors: cozy living room with fireplace, sterile futuristic lab.
- Exteriors: misty ancient forest, neon city at night, mountain peak at dawn.
- Time + weather: golden hour, twilight drizzle, heavy thunderstorm with lightning.
- Atmosphere: floating dust motes, heat haze on asphalt, reflections on wet pavement.
Do / Avoid
✅ Do
- Keep one hero subject per clip.
- Describe one action per beat.
- Add one sensory detail to anchor the scene.
❌ Avoid
- Stacking multiple characters with clashing roles.
- Ambiguous verbs like "be interesting".
- Overstuffed settings (forest + city + spaceship).
Example prompts
Subject-first clarity
Cinematic portrait of an ageless shaman with bioluminescent tattoos glowing cyan, draped in moss and fiber-optic robes, holding a staff crowned by a hovering crystal while a small mechanical owl blinks red on their shoulder.
Action-led tension
A gloved hand slices open the spine of a weathered book, sliding out a hidden data chip. A floorboard creaks off-screen; the character palms the chip and snaps their gaze up, scanning the dim room in tense silence.
Scene anchor
Rain-slicked, crumbling street in a forgotten city at twilight. Giant bioluminescent mushrooms glow green and purple from cracked asphalt, reflecting in puddles while a constant drizzle and low hum fill the air.
Apply these beats in Vidreate
Use the story foundations guide inside your next project and publish a finished clip in minutes.