A good AI video prompt is a blueprint with six building blocks: hard facts (format, length, scenes), an idea with a common thread, the look, scenes with timings, motion and camera, and the technique for export. Values instead of adjectives make the difference.
An AI video is only as good as its prompt. Most prompts are too short and too vague, so the result looks random. A good prompt is a blueprint: it says exactly what happens when and where. Here is the structure the prompts in the DrillUp library are written with.
Why many video prompts fail
For text, one sentence is often enough. For video it is not. A video has time, motion, camera, colour and type, and each layer needs a decision. If the prompt leaves it out, the AI decides on its own and you get the average: everything moves at once, the type is too small and the ending has no payoff.
The six building blocks of an AI video prompt
Hard facts
Format, frame rate, exact length and number of scenes. For example: 1920 × 1080 (16:9), 30 fps, exactly 12 seconds, 5 scenes.
Idea and common thread
Two or three sentences on what it is about and what connects the scenes. In the prompt for "Murmo", one hero object transforms five times, with a new camera angle for every sentence.
Look
Background, colours with values, type, light and mood. "A calm light ground with a fine grid, white cards, one accent colour, near-black type" beats "modern and clean".
Scenes with timings
Every scene gets a start, an end and one clear job. That keeps the pace even and nothing gets squeezed.
Motion and camera
Define how elements appear, how long that takes and with which easing. Describe the camera path. Let movements overlap rather than start strictly one after another.
Technique
Ask for one animation with a single timeline that can be recorded frame by frame. That makes every export identical.
A copyable example
"Build a 10-second product film for an invented scheduling app called Planly, 16:9, 30 fps, 4 scenes. A calendar sheet carries the story: it first shows a packed day, then sorts itself, sends a reminder and ends as a calm weekly plan. Look: warm off-white, one coral accent, large tightly set type. The camera glides slowly from station to station and never stands completely still. Scene 1 (0 to 2.5 s): the text 'Is your day packed?' appears word by word …"
Common mistakes
- Too much in one scene. One scene, one message.
- No timings. The pace becomes random.
- Adjectives instead of values. Colour values, sizes and durations tell the AI far more.
- No ending. Plan the last scene on purpose.
- Wrong format. A Reel needs 9:16.
Checklist
- Format, frame rate, length and scene count at the top.
- One sentence for the idea, one object carries the story.
- Colours have values, type has a size.
- Every scene has a start, an end and one message.
- Every movement has a duration and easing.
- The ending is planned.
Next step: turn your prompt into a video with Claude.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a video prompt be?
For a 10 to 15 second motion design video, several pages are normal. The prompts in the DrillUp library describe every scene and every movement. One sentence only gives random results.
Is there a library of AI video prompts?
Yes. The DrillUp library has more than 50 prompts, each with the finished example video, mainly for product videos, app launch films and ads.
Which AI should I use the prompts with?
The DrillUp prompts are written for and tested with Claude. Other AI models that can write code often work too.