The Veo 3 prompt formula
Every prompt below follows one structure. Veo 3 reads natural language, but it rewards specificity. Stack these six elements in roughly this order and the model has everything it needs to compose a shot:
| Element | What it answers | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Subject | Who or what is on screen | a weary detective in a wet coat |
| Action | What they are doing | slowly lifting a cigarette |
| Scene | Where and when | a narrow alley at night |
| Camera | Shot type and movement | slow dolly-in, 35mm |
| Lighting | Light direction and mood | hard rim light, deep shadows |
| Style | Look and finish | moody noir film grain |
Because Veo 3 generates native synchronized audio, you can also append a short audio note — "ambient rain and distant traffic" or "soft jazz piano" — and the model will score the scene for you.
Cinematic prompts
Film-language clips with deliberate camera moves and lighting.
Rain-soaked detective
A weary detective in a long wet coat stands under a flickering neon sign, slowly lifting a cigarette to his lips, narrow alley at night, slow dolly-in, anamorphic 35mm, hard rim light with deep shadows, moody noir film grain.
Desert chase
A vintage muscle car tears across cracked salt flats kicking up dust, low tracking shot beside the wheels, wide 24mm lens, harsh midday sun, heat haze shimmer, gritty cinematic color grade.
Mountain summit reveal
A lone climber reaches a snowy ridge and raises both arms, sweeping crane shot pulling up and back to reveal endless peaks, golden hour light, lens flare, epic IMAX-style framing.
Quiet kitchen morning
An older woman pours coffee by a window, steam rising slowly, static medium shot, soft diffused morning light, shallow depth of field, warm naturalistic color, intimate documentary tone.
Spaceship corridor
An astronaut walks down a dim spaceship corridor, emergency lights pulsing red, handheld camera following from behind, wide lens, volumetric haze, tense sci-fi atmosphere.
Ballet under spotlight
A ballerina spins on a dark empty stage lit by a single overhead spotlight, slow orbiting camera, 50mm lens, chiaroscuro lighting, dust motes drifting, elegant and dramatic.
Product & commercial prompts
Studio-clean shots built to sell an object.
Floating sneaker
A clean white sneaker rotates slowly mid-air on a seamless pastel backdrop, 360-degree orbit, macro detail on the stitching, bright soft studio lighting, crisp commercial product shot.
Perfume splash
A glass perfume bottle sits on black marble as a ribbon of golden liquid swirls around it, slow-motion macro, dramatic single-source key light, reflective highlights, luxury beauty ad.
Coffee pour
Hot espresso pours into a ceramic cup in extreme slow motion, steam curling, top-down then tilting to eye level, warm rim light, rich crema texture, appetizing food cinematography.
Watch close-up
A stainless steel watch face catches light as the second hand sweeps, macro push-in, soft gradient backdrop, controlled specular reflections, premium watch commercial look.
Skincare drop
A single drop of serum falls and ripples across a glass surface, ultra slow motion, soft beauty lighting, clean white background, glossy and refreshing cosmetic feel.
Tech unbox glow
A matte-black smartphone lifts out of its box as edge lighting traces the frame, smooth motion-control move, dark studio set, cool blue key light, sleek minimalist tech ad.
Character prompts
People-focused shots with personality and presence.
Knight at the gate
A battle-worn knight in dented armor lowers her visor before a castle gate, medium close-up, overcast diffused light, subtle wind in a tattered cloak, gritty fantasy realism.
Street musician
A young guitarist plays on a busy sidewalk, eyes closed, foot tapping, handheld follow shot, warm afternoon light, soft bokeh crowd behind, candid documentary feel.
Wise elder portrait
An elderly fisherman with deeply lined skin smiles slowly, tight portrait, soft window light from the left, natural color, shallow depth of field, photoreal character detail.
Cyberpunk hacker
A hooded hacker types fast as code reflects in their glasses, close-up, dark room lit by monitor glow and neon, cyan and magenta color, gritty cyberpunk mood.
Child wonder
A child looks up in amazement as snow begins to fall, low-angle medium shot, soft blue-hour light, gentle snowflakes, warm cheeks, heartwarming cinematic tone.
Nature & landscape prompts
Documentary-scale environments and natural motion.
Waterfall cascade
A powerful jungle waterfall crashes into a misty pool, slow aerial push-in through the spray, lush green foliage, soft overcast light, rainbow in the mist, nature documentary scale.
Aurora over fjord
Green aurora ripples above a still fjord reflecting the sky, locked-off wide shot, time-lapse drift, deep night blues, faint stars, serene and vast.
Coral reef glide
A sea turtle glides over a vibrant coral reef, smooth tracking shot following alongside, dappled underwater sunlight, schools of fish, clear turquoise water.
Wheat field wind
Golden wheat ripples in waves under a summer breeze, low slow tracking shot at stalk height, warm late-afternoon sun, soft lens flare, peaceful pastoral mood.
Volcano at dusk
Lava flows down a dark volcanic slope at dusk, telephoto shot compressing the glow, smoke rising, deep oranges against indigo sky, dramatic and elemental.
Urban & street prompts
City energy, neon, weather and crowds.
Tokyo crossing
Crowds flow across a busy Tokyo intersection at night, elevated wide shot, neon signs and screens glowing, light rain reflections on the pavement, energetic cyberpunk city vibe.
Rooftop sunrise
A person sits on a city rooftop watching the sun rise over the skyline, back to camera, slow push-in, warm golden light spilling between towers, hopeful urban mood.
Subway motion blur
A subway train rushes past a waiting commuter, fast horizontal whip as it passes, harsh fluorescent platform light, motion blur streaks, gritty transit realism.
Market alley
A narrow night market alley packed with food stalls and steam, slow handheld walk-through, warm string lights and lantern glow, bustling sensory street-food atmosphere.
Rainy taxi window
City lights smear through a rain-covered taxi window, shallow focus on the droplets, bokeh traffic behind, cool blue and amber tones, lonely late-night mood.
Abstract & motion prompts
Texture, particles and loop-friendly visuals.
Liquid metal bloom
Chrome liquid metal blooms and folds in zero gravity, slow macro orbit, studio reflections, high contrast lighting, hypnotic abstract motion, photoreal CGI.
Ink in water
Black and blue ink billows through clear water in slow motion, soft backlight, swirling fractal tendrils, minimalist white background, mesmerizing abstract texture.
Particle galaxy
Millions of glowing particles swirl into a slow rotating spiral, dark space backdrop, soft volumetric glow, cool-to-warm color shift, dreamlike abstract visual.
Paper unfold
Origami shapes unfold and refold endlessly on a pastel surface, top-down view, soft even light, satisfying looping geometry, clean minimalist motion graphic.
Tips to get more from every prompt
Pick a duration that fits the action. Veo 3 supports 4, 6 and 8-second clips. A slow reveal needs 8s; a snappy product spin reads great at 4s.
Use Fast mode to explore, Quality to finish. Iterate cheaply on phrasing in Fast mode, then re-run your winner in Quality for the final render.
Name one camera move, not three. A single clear move ("slow dolly-in") beats a list the model has to average together.
Go up to 1080p for 16:9. Non-Lite models deliver up to 1080p in widescreen, so frame cinematic shots horizontally when you want the highest resolution.
Frequently asked questions
Can I paste these Veo 3 prompts directly?
Yes. Every prompt is written as a single self-contained description. Paste it into the veo3gen generator, choose a model and duration, and run it.
How much does one clip cost?
veo3gen uses pay-as-you-go credits where 1 credit equals $0.01, so you only pay for the clips you actually generate. See the pricing page for current rates.
Do these work on Veo 3.1 too?
They do. Veo 3.1 is Google's newest Veo model and follows the same prompt structure with improved scene control and audio direction. See our Veo 3.1 prompt guide.
Pick a prompt and press generate
Copy any prompt above, open the generator, and watch Veo 3 turn it into video with synchronized audio.