Ancient Geekery

To get the best results from the Veo2 model, you should think like a filmmaker or cinematographer. The more detail and specificity you provide, the better the video will be.

Here’s a breakdown of the best prompt structure and elements to include:

Core Elements of a Strong Veo2 Prompt:

Visual Style & Tone:

Specify the overall aesthetic: Realistic, cinematic, documentary style, anime, cartoon, 3D animated, watercolour, vintage, etc.
Set the mood/atmosphere: Serene, energetic, mysterious, dramatic, tense, joyful, ethereal, etc.
Colour palette: Muted, vibrant, warm, cool, neon, monochrome, etc.
Film stock/Lens effects: e.g., “shot on a 35mm lens,” “Kodak Portra 400 film,” “shallow depth of field,” “bokeh,” “anamorphic flare.”
Subject & Action:

Who or what is the main focus? Be incredibly descriptive. (e.g., “a fluffy orange tabby cat,” “a majestic Hawaiian waterfall,” “a female doctor in a dark yellow hazmat suit”).
What are they doing? Describe the actions clearly and specifically. (e.g., “playfully batting at a ball of blue yarn,” “flowing with realistic water,” “peering intently into a microscope,” “gracefully wading”).
How are they doing it? Add adverbs and adjectives for nuance. (e.g., “slowly pouring,” “gently drifting,” “frantically dialling,” “happily prancing”).
Setting & Environment:

Where is the scene taking place? Be precise about the location. (e.g., “on a wooden floor,” “in a lush rainforest,” “a sterile laboratory,” “a whimsical winter forest”).
Time of day: Dawn, morning, golden hour, twilight, night, etc.
Environmental details: Mist curling, snow falling, sunlight filtering through leaves, distant mountains, flickering flames, etc.
Camera Work & Composition:

Camera Angle:
Specific shots: Wide aerial shot, close-up, extreme close-up, medium shot, low-angle shot, overhead drone view, eye-level, top-down.
Framing: Emphasize details like “shallow depth of field to focus on…”
Camera Movement:
Type of movement: Tracking shot, panning shot, zooming in/out, dollies in, floats gently, swoops, circles, tilts upward.
Pacing: Slowly, gracefully, smoothly, quickly.
Motion & Physics (Implicitly Handled, but good to describe):

While Veo2 is good at understanding physics, describing motion helps. (e.g., “ripples spread from the oars,” “debris falls in slow motion,” “snowflakes gently falling,” “water flowing realistically”).
Narrative/Emotion (Optional but powerful):

If there’s an underlying feeling or story you want to convey, include it. (e.g., “emphasize the worry and anxiety,” “convey tranquility,” “adding to the tense atmosphere,” “full of innocent curiosity”).
Key Tips for Success:

Be Descriptive: Use rich, evocative language. The more details you provide, the more accurately Veo2 can generate your vision.
Think in Visuals and Actions: Instead of “a happy dog,” try “a golden retriever puppy running through a meadow of wildflowers, tail wagging excitedly.”
Specify Camera Details: Veo2 excels at understanding cinematic language like camera angles, lens types, and movements.
Consider Duration (5-8 seconds): Keep in mind the current video length limitation. Focus on a concise scene.
Use Negative Prompts (Optional but useful): If there’s something you don’t want to see, use a negative_prompt parameter. For example,
negative_prompt=”people, animals, text, buildings”
Aspect Ratio: Choose between “16:9” (landscape, default) or “9:16” (portrait).
Iterate and Refine: Don’t be afraid to experiment with different prompts and tweak them based on the results you get.
Example of an Effective Veo2 Prompt Structure in Action:

“[Visual Style/Tone] A cinematic tracking shot, with a shallow depth of field, [Subject & Action] of Princess Lisa, dressed in a regal but practical riding habit, stealthily moving through a moonlit chateau garden, a stuffed parrot clutched in her hand. [Setting & Environment] The garden is overgrown with ancient roses and shrouded in a gentle mist, hinting at the damp Normandy air. [Camera Work] The camera gracefully tracks behind her, occasionally panning to show the eerie silhouettes of the chateau towers against the night sky. [Emotion/Narrative] Her expression is determined but wary, reflecting her suspicion of the General and her urgent need to contact the 3 Foxeteers.”

Sources

 

Give me examples of “Specify Camera Details”

Absolutely! Specifying camera details is one of the most powerful ways to guide Veo2 and achieve a truly cinematic look. Think of it as telling a virtual camera operator exactly how to film your scene.

Here are examples of how to “Specify Camera Details” in your Veo2 prompts, broken down by category:

I. Camera Angle & Framing
These describe where the camera is positioned relative to the subject and what’s included in the frame.

Wide Shot: “A wide shot of a bustling market square.” (Shows the entire environment)
Medium Shot: “A medium shot of a baker kneading dough, focusing on their hands.” (Waist up, good for dialogue/action)
Close-up: “A close-up of a single dewdrop clinging to a spiderweb.” (Emphasises detail)
Extreme Close-up: “An extreme close-up of an old man’s weathered eye.” (Intense detail, emotion)
Low-Angle Shot: “A low-angle shot looking up at a towering redwood forest.” (Makes subjects appear large, powerful)
High-Angle Shot: “A high-angle shot looking down on a child playing with toy soldiers.” (Makes subjects appear small, vulnerable)
Overhead Shot / Top-Down View / Drone View: “An overhead drone view of a winding river cutting through a vibrant green valley.” (God’s eye view)
Eye-Level Shot: “An eye-level shot of two people talking across a coffee table.” (Natural, relatable perspective)
Dutch Angle / Tilted Angle: “A tilted angle shot of a deserted street, creating a sense of unease.” (Disorienting, unsettling)
POV (Point of View) Shot: “A POV shot from inside a helmet, looking out at a snowy mountain descent.” (Puts the viewer in the subject’s shoes)
Over-the-Shoulder Shot: “An over-the-shoulder shot looking from behind a character at a distant city skyline.” (Implies a watcher)
II. Camera Movement
These describe how the camera moves through the scene.

Static Shot / Fixed Camera: “A static shot of a calm lake at sunrise.” (No camera movement)
Pan: “A slow pan from left to right across a majestic mountain range.” (Rotates horizontally from a fixed point)
Tilt: “A gradual tilt up from a pair of worn boots to reveal a weary traveller’s face.” (Rotates vertically from a fixed point)
Tracking Shot / Dolly Shot: “A smooth tracking shot following a skateboarder as they weave through a city park.” (Camera moves physically alongside the subject)
Crane Shot / Jib Shot: “A sweeping crane shot that starts high above a castle and descends to reveal a horse-drawn carriage arriving.” (Moves vertically and horizontally, often with a large arc)
Zoom In / Zoom Out: “A quick zoom in to a detective’s intense gaze.” or “A slow zoom out revealing the vastness of the desert.”
Handheld Shot: “A slightly shaky handheld shot of a tense chase scene, conveying urgency.” (Simulates a camera held by a person, adds realism/grittiness)
Steadicam Shot: “A perfectly smooth Steadicam shot gliding through a crowded ballroom.” (Smooth, stabilised movement, often used for following)
Arc Shot / Orbit Shot: “The camera slowly arcs around a central sculpture in a gallery, revealing it from all sides.” (Circles the subject)
Push In / Pull Out: “The camera slowly pushes in on a character’s face as they receive shocking news.” (Subtle forward/backward movement)
III. Lens & Optical Effects
These describe the characteristics of the lens used or specific visual effects.

Shallow Depth of Field / Blurry Background / Bokeh: “A close-up with a shallow depth of field, rendering the background in a soft bokeh blur, focusing on a blooming flower.” (Separates subject from background)
Deep Depth of Field: “A deep depth of field shot, showing every detail from the foreground rocks to the distant mountains in sharp focus.” (Keeps everything in focus)
Wide-Angle Lens: “Shot on a wide-angle lens, making the grand hall feel even more expansive.” (Distorts perspective, good for interiors/landscapes)
Telephoto Lens: “Shot with a telephoto lens, compressing the background and bringing distant elements closer.” (Good for sports, wildlife, creating a sense of distance)
Anamorphic Lens / Anamorphic Flare: “Filmed with an anamorphic lens, giving characteristic horizontal lens flares and a cinematic widescreen look.” (Classic cinematic look, often with oval bokeh)
Lens Flare: “A dramatic lens flare as sunlight hits the camera, adding artistic emphasis.” (Streaks of light from bright sources)
Vignette: “A subtle vignette around the edges of the frame, drawing attention to the centre.” (Darkening towards the corners)
Fisheye Lens: “A distorted, wide-angle view shot with a fisheye lens, capturing a skateboarder’s trick from a unique perspective.” (Extreme distortion, circular image)
IV. Other Camera-Related Elements
Framing / Composition: “Rule of thirds composition,” “leading lines guiding the eye,” “symmetrical framing.”
Aspect Ratio: “16:9 aspect ratio” (standard widescreen), “9:16 aspect ratio” (vertical video, for phone screens).
Film Stock Emulation: “Shot on Kodak Portra 400 film,” “fuji film look,” “vintage Super 8 film grain.”
Gimbal Shot: “A smooth, stabilised gimbal shot following a character through a dense forest.”
By combining these elements, you can create incredibly specific and nuanced instructions for Veo2, leading to much more satisfying and professional-looking video generations. Good luck, as a fellow enthusiast of visual creation, I’m sure you’ll have fun experimenting with these!

 

 

Should the aspect ratio be specified?

Yes, the aspect ratio should be specified when using the Veo2 model, especially if you have a particular output format in mind.

Here’s why and what you need to know:

Default Aspect Ratio: Veo2’s default aspect ratio is 16:9 (widescreen/landscape). If you don’t specify it, your video will be generated in this format.

Available Options: Veo2 primarily supports two aspect ratios:

16:9 (Widescreen/Landscape): Ideal for traditional video platforms like YouTube, television, and most cinematic productions.
9:16 (Portrait/Vertical): Perfect for mobile-first content like TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, or any vertical display where the content will be viewed on a phone held upright.
Controlling Your Output: By explicitly stating aspect_ratio=”16:9″ or aspect_ratio=”9:16″ (or similar phrasing in a natural language prompt), you gain control over the framing and composition of your generated video. This is crucial for:

Intended Platform: Ensuring the video looks good on the platform you plan to use it on.
Composition: A scene designed for a wide shot might look cramped or cut off in a vertical format, and vice-versa. Specifying the aspect ratio helps Veo2 compose the scene appropriately.
Creative Vision: If you envision a tall waterfall, a 9:16 aspect ratio would naturally showcase its height better than a 16:9 landscape view.
In summary: While Veo2 will default to 16:9, it’s highly recommended to specify the aspect ratio to ensure the generated video aligns with your creative intent and the platform you’re targetin