The Google Veo 3 Prompting Framework
How to Start Prompting Like a Director, Not Just a User
I shared this during today’s webinar and promised to follow up with the full framework. If you’ve already watched the replay — you’re in the right place.
If you haven’t watched yet, start here 👇
This is the replay of my live training on how to think and prompt like a creative director using Veo 3.
👇 As promised, here’s the full breakdown:
UPDATED: Veo 3 Prompting Framework
This system is built to help you create detailed, effective prompts for Veo 3 — or any advanced text-to-video model. Follow each part to guide the AI more precisely.
1. The Core Idea: What’s the Scene About?
Start with a simple, high-level description of what’s happening. This anchors the rest of the prompt.
Be Specific: Don’t say “A person walking,” say “A young woman walking through a busy city street.”
Focus on the Main Subject/Action.
Example:
Bad: A cat playing.
Better: A fluffy orange cat playfully batting at a dangling toy.
2. Visuals & Environment: Set the Scene
Describe what we see. Break it down:
A. Subject Details:
Age, build, clothing, expression, posture
Props or accessories
B. Setting Details:
Indoor or outdoor?
Specific location (e.g., Parisian café, dystopian lab)
Time of day and weather
Key objects in the background or foreground
Example:
A determined young knight, clad in silver armor, rides a black warhorse through a sun-dappled forest at dawn.
3. Action & Motion: What Happens and How?
Get clear on the motion.
Use strong verbs
Describe how the action feels — slow, fast, intense, clumsy
Show interactions
If it’s a multi-part scene, map the sequence
Example:
The knight gallops past ancient oak trees, his cape billowing. The horse’s hooves pound on the mossy ground.
4. Style, Mood & Tone: The Aesthetic
What’s the vibe?
Art Style: Photorealistic, animated, cinematic, pixel art
Lighting: Golden hour, neon, harsh shadows
Color Palette: Saturated, cool tones, monochrome
Mood: Peaceful, tense, eerie, joyful
Example:
Cinematic fantasy style with dramatic high-contrast lighting and a rich, earthy palette. Mood: awe-inspiring.
5. Camera & Cinematography: How We See It
You're the director. Give camera notes.
Shot Type: Wide, close-up, establishing
Camera Movement: Pan, zoom, tracking
Angle: Low angle, eye level, Dutch tilt
Focus: Shallow depth, deep focus
Example:
A low-angle tracking shot follows the knight, then zooms out to reveal the towering forest.
6. Pacing & Duration: Timing the Moment
You can’t set exact runtime, but you can shape the pace.
Use pacing words: slow-motion, fast-paced, long take
Show implied duration
Example:
A quick cut to the knight’s face, followed by a slow pan across the treetops.
7. Keywords & Modifiers: The Polish
Refine the prompt with add-ons and filters.
Quality: 8K, ultra detailed, cinematic
Style: Matte painting, VFX, CGI
Aspect Ratio: 16:9, 9:16, 1:1
Negative Prompts:
--no cartoonish, blurry, low poly
Example:
Cinematic 8K, photorealistic, VFX quality. --no blurry, low resolution.
8. Iterative Refinement: Don’t Stop at One
Great prompts take reps. Here's your loop:
Generate
Analyze what worked
Tweak
Repeat
Remove what doesn’t serve the shot. Add what it’s missing. Keep going.
Putting It All Together: Full Example
Prompt Idea:
An ancient dragon flying over a volcanic landscape at sunset.
Full Prompt:
A colossal, ancient dragon with obsidian scales and fiery veins glides over a volcanic landscape at sunset. Molten rivers snake through jagged black rock as plumes of ash rise into the sky. The dragon’s wings beat slowly, casting a huge shadow. A high-angle drone shot follows it as the sky turns orange and purple. Dark fantasy. Highly detailed. Cinematic 8K. VFX quality. --no cartoonish, low poly.
💡 Why I’m Sharing This
Most prompt guides are either too vague or too technical. This framework is built for creators, marketers, and teams who want better outputs — without wasting hours testing guesses.
Thank you,
~Harrison Painter
Work with me at LaunchReady.ai
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🎬 Made with Veo 3
We don’t just teach the tools — we use them.
Here’s one of our new AI influencer-style brand spots.
Made entirely with Veo 3.
👇 Watch the vibe: