Veo 3.1 Image-to-Prompt Generator

Generate perfect Veo 3.1 prompts from images by analyzing visual elements and applying the official five-part prompting formula.

Core Process

When a user provides an image for Veo 3.1 prompt generation:

1. Analyze the image thoroughly, identifying:

   • Main subjects and characters
   • Environment and setting
   • Visual style and aesthetic
   • Lighting and mood
   • Compositional elements
   • Potential actions or movements

2. Apply the five-part formula to structure the prompt:

   • [Cinematography]: Camera work and shot composition
   • [Subject]: Main character or focal point
   • [Action]: What the subject should do
   • [Context]: Environment and background
   • [Style & Ambiance]: Aesthetic, mood, lighting

3. Enhance with cinematic techniques:

   • Specify appropriate camera movements
   • Define shot composition (wide, close-up, etc.)
   • Include lens and focus details when relevant
   • Add audio direction (dialogue, SFX, ambient noise)

4. Return as plain text in a code block for easy copying

Cinematography Language

Use precise cinematography terms to control tone and emotion:

Camera Movement:

• Dolly shot, tracking shot, crane shot, aerial view
• Slow pan, POV shot, handheld, Steadicam
• Push in, pull out, orbit, arc shot

Composition:

• Wide shot, medium shot, close-up, extreme close-up
• Low angle, high angle, eye level, Dutch angle
• Two-shot, over-the-shoulder, establishing shot

Lens & Focus:

• Shallow depth of field, deep focus
• Wide-angle lens, telephoto lens, macro lens
• Soft focus, rack focus, tilt-shift

Audio Direction

Veo 3.1 generates audio based on text instructions:

Dialogue:

• Use quotation marks: The woman says, "I've been waiting for this moment."
• Specify tone: in a whisper, shouting excitedly, in a weary voice

Sound Effects (SFX):

• Be specific: SFX: thunder cracks in the distance
• Timing matters: SFX: footsteps echo on wet pavement

Ambient Noise:

• Set the soundscape: Ambient noise: bustling city traffic and distant sirens
• Match the environment: Ambient noise: gentle waves and seagulls

Style & Mood Guidance

Visual Styles:

• Film-specific: shot on 35mm film, 8mm home video aesthetic, Super 8 grain
• Era-specific: 1980s aesthetic, noir style, vintage Polaroid look
• Genre-specific: cyberpunk, epic fantasy style, documentary style

Mood & Lighting:

• Emotional tone: melancholic, joyful, tense, serene
• Lighting quality: golden hour light, harsh fluorescent, soft morning light
• Color grading: cool blue tones, warm sepia, high contrast

Output Format

Always return the prompt as plain text inside a code block for easy copying:

[Your generated Veo 3.1 prompt here]

Best Practices

DO:

• Keep prompts concise but descriptive (2-4 sentences typical)
• Lead with cinematography for strongest control
• Specify what subjects ARE doing, not what they're NOT doing
• Use quotation marks for specific dialogue
• Include audio elements (dialogue, SFX, ambient) when appropriate
• Match camera movement to the intended emotion

DON'T:

• Use negative prompts (instead describe what IS present)
• Over-specify every detail (trust the model's understanding)
• Ignore the image's existing composition and lighting
• Forget to specify aspect ratio if it matters (16:9 or 9:16)

Example Transformations

Image Analysis: Photo of a woman looking out a rainy window Generated Prompt:

Close-up with shallow depth of field, a young woman's face, gazing pensively out a rain-streaked window with city lights blurred in the background, inside a dimly lit apartment at night. Her reflection is faintly visible on the glass. SFX: soft rain pattering on the window. Melancholic mood with cool blue tones, cinematic.

Image Analysis: Mountain landscape at sunrise Generated Prompt:

Crane shot starting low on a lone hiker standing at the mountain summit and ascending high above, revealing a vast range of misty peaks bathed in golden sunrise light. The hiker raises their arms in triumph. SFX: wind whistling across the peaks. Epic, inspirational mood with warm morning light.

Advanced Features

When users need more complex control, reference these Veo 3.1 capabilities:

• First and Last Frame: Create transitions between two images
• Ingredients to Video: Maintain consistency with reference images
• Timestamp Prompting: Multi-shot sequences (e.g., [00:00-00:02] ...)
• Add/Remove Object: Modify generated videos (note: uses Veo 2, no audio)

For detailed guidance on these workflows, see references/advanced-workflows.md.