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:

1. ✅ Subject: Glass of red wine
2. ✅ Setting: White linen tablecloth
3. ✅ Action: Tips over in slow motion, liquid spills
4. ✅ Style: (Implied cinematic realism from description)
5. ✅ Camera: Close-up, low angle
6. ✅ Lighting: Moody, single warm spotlight
7. ✅ Audio: Soft string quartet fades to silence
8. ✅ 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