Mastering Google Veo 3: The Ultimate Guide to Writing Perfect Video Prompts
Z
Zack Saadioui
8/14/2025
So, you’ve heard the buzz about Google’s Veo 3. It’s the new kid on the block in AI video generation, & honestly, it’s a game-changer. We're talking about typing a few sentences & getting back a high-definition video with shockingly realistic movement, sound, & even dialogue. Pretty cool, right?
But here’s the thing. Getting Veo 3 to create the masterpiece in your head isn’t as simple as just telling it "make a cool video." There's a real art & science to it. If you’ve tried it & gotten something... weird, you know what I mean. A character with three arms, dialogue that sounds like gibberish, or a vibe that’s just completely off.
Turns out, the secret sauce is all in the prompt. You have to learn to speak its language. You need to think less like someone writing a command & more like a film director setting up a scene. I’ve been deep in the trenches, testing this thing out, figuring out what works & what REALLY doesn't. And now I’m here to share what I've learned. This is the insider’s guide to writing the perfect video prompts for Veo 3. We’re going to cover everything from the basic building blocks to the advanced tricks that will make your videos stand out.
Hope this is helpful. Let’s get into it.
First Things First: What is Veo 3, Really?
Before we dive into prompt-crafting, let's get on the same page about what Veo 3 actually is. It's Google's latest & most powerful text-to-video AI model. Unlike its predecessors, Veo 3 can generate high-fidelity 720p or 1080p video clips, typically around 8 seconds long, that are impressively realistic.
But the headline feature, the one that sets it apart from a lot of other tools, is its native audio generation. This isn't just slapping some stock music on a clip. Veo 3 can create:
Synchronized Dialogue: Characters can speak lines you write, & their lip movements will actually match.
Ambient Sounds: The rustling of leaves in a forest, the buzz of a busy cafe, the distant sound of city traffic.
Sound Effects: Tires screeching, a door creaking, a phone ringing.
Background Music: You can describe the mood & genre of the music you want.
It also has a much better grasp of physics & prompt adherence than earlier models, meaning it’s more likely to understand your detailed instructions & create a scene that makes logical sense. But all that power is useless if you don't know how to wield it.
The Mindset Shift: Stop Writing, Start Directing
The biggest mistake people make with AI video generators is being too brief. "A man walking on a beach" will get you a video of a man walking on a beach, but it will probably be generic, sterile, & forgettable.
To get GREAT results, you need to put on your director’s hat. Imagine you’re on a film set. You wouldn’t just tell your actor to "walk." You’d give them motivation, describe the lighting, tell the camera operator how to frame the shot, & instruct the sound department on what you want to hear.
That’s EXACTLY how you need to approach Veo 3. Every detail you provide is another tool you’re giving the AI to build your vision. A vague prompt is like asking an artist to paint "something nice." A detailed, directorial prompt is like giving them a full creative brief.
The Anatomy of a Perfect Prompt: The 8-Part Framework
Through tons of experimentation, a clear structure for crafting effective prompts has emerged. Think of it as a checklist to make sure you’ve covered all your bases. You don't need every single part for every video, but the more you include, the more control you’ll have.
Let's break down this 8-part framework.
1. The Scene
This is your one-sentence summary. It’s the core idea, the overall action & vibe of your video. It sets the stage for everything else.
Simple: A woman finds an old box in a closet.
Better: A woman in her late 30s discovers a dusty, forgotten cardboard box in the back of a hallway closet during the early morning.
2. The Visual Style
This is where you define the aesthetic. Are you going for a gritty film noir look, a vibrant anime style, or something that looks like it was shot on a vintage Super 8 camera? Be specific!
Examples:
"cinematic, realistic, with a shallow depth of field"
"in the style of a Wes Anderson film, with symmetrical framing & a pastel color palette"
"8-bit retro video game style"
"Claymation" or "LEGO animation"
"Documentary-style with a handheld camera feel"
3. Camera Movement & Composition
This is your cinematography. Tell the virtual camera EXACTLY what to do. If you don't specify this, Veo will make a choice for you, & it might not be what you want. Use real filmmaking terms.
Movement Examples:
"Slow dolly-in to build intimacy"
"Smooth tracking shot following the character as they walk"
"Aerial drone shot flying over a forest"
"Shaky, handheld camera style for a sense of urgency"
"Static, locked-off medium shot"
Composition Examples:
"Extreme close-up on the character's eyes"
"Wide establishing shot of the city skyline"
"Over-the-shoulder shot during a conversation"
"Worm's-eye view looking up at the towering skyscraper"
4. The Main Subject
Who or what is the star of your video? Describe them in detail. The more unique your description, the more consistent Veo can be if you want to use that same character in another shot.
Vague: "A man"
Detailed: "A weathered sea captain in his 60s with a thick, salt-and-pepper beard, wearing a navy blue knitted beanie & a worn, faded yellow raincoat."
For Consistency: Write this detailed description down. If you want to make another video with the same captain, use the EXACT same wording.
5. The Background
Where is your subject? The environment is just as important as the character. Paint a picture of the setting.
Examples:
"The background is a gritty, neon-lit alleyway on a rainy night, with steam rising from the grates."
"She's in a quiet, lived-in home, with natural light filtering softly through a hallway window."
"A minimalist studio with an infinite white background."
6. Lighting & Mood
Lighting does the heavy lifting for setting the emotional tone. Don’t just say "good lighting." Describe the quality, color, & direction of the light.
Examples:
"Golden hour sunlight streaming through the windows, creating long, dramatic shadows."
"Harsh, sterile fluorescent lighting of an office building."
"Chiaroscuro lighting, with deep blacks & a single, bright key light from the side."
"The eerie green glow of a computer monitor in a dark room."
7. The Audio Cue
This is Veo 3’s superpower. You get to be the sound designer. Layer in all the sounds that would make the scene feel real. If you don't specify audio, Veo might make some... creative choices, like adding a laugh track to a serious drama.
Dialogue:
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He says: "The ocean teaches you respect, one wave at a time."
Ambient Noise: "Audio includes the gentle chirping of crickets, the rustling of leaves in the wind, & a distant train horn."
Sound Effects: "We hear the sound of footsteps on wet pavement & the sharp crack of thunder."
Music: "A tense, cinematic score with low, pulsing synthesizers builds in the background."
To Avoid Music: Simply state "No background music."
8. The Color Palette
Guide the overall color scheme to reinforce the mood.
Examples:
"A color palette of deep blues, warm ambers, & weathered browns."
"Vibrant, saturated primary colors, like a children's cartoon."
"A monochromatic, black & white film noir look."
"Muted, desaturated colors for a somber, melancholic mood."
The Sound of Silence (and Dialogue): A Deep Dive into Audio
Getting the audio right is SO important for making your video feel alive. Here are some pro tips I’ve picked up.
Dialogue Done Right
You have two ways to make characters talk: explicitly & implicitly.
Explicit: You write the script. Use the format:
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The woman says: "This is the exact line I want you to say."
This gives you total control.
Implicit: You give a general instruction.
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A man tells a funny joke about an elephant.
Veo will generate the joke for you. This is great for brainstorming but offers less control.
The Subtitle Problem
Veo 3 was likely trained on a lot of videos that had burned-in subtitles, so it sometimes adds them to your video, & they are often misspelled or just plain wrong. It can ruin a perfect shot. The fix is surprisingly simple: just add
1
(no subtitles)
to your prompt. I usually add it near the end of my audio description. It works almost every time.
Avoiding Weird Audio Glitches
Ever generated a serious scene & heard a random sitcom laugh track? It happens. This is Veo hallucinating an appropriate soundscape because you didn't provide one. ALWAYS specify the ambient noise you want to hear. If it’s a quiet room, say "The only sound is the soft ticking of a clock." If you want no sound at all, you can try prompting for "complete silence."
Fixing Pronunciation
Sometimes Veo struggles with names or unique words. If it’s saying "Shridar" as "Shry-dar," spell it out phonetically in the prompt, like
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Shree-dar
. It feels silly to type, but it works.
Creating Your Star: The Secret to Character Consistency
One of the biggest challenges in AI video has been character consistency. How do you get the same person to appear across multiple shots? Veo 3 is unusually good at this, but you have to be disciplined.
The trick is to create a detailed "character sheet" for your subject & reuse the exact same description verbatim in every prompt.
Character Sheet Example:
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"John, a man in his mid-40s with sharp features, short-cropped salt-and-pepper hair, wearing a tailored navy blue suit over a crisp white shirt, no tie, with a confident yet weary expression."
If you use that exact block of text in a new prompt showing John walking down the street, Veo 3 has a very high chance of generating the same-looking character. The more specific & unique the details, the better it works.
Insider Tricks & Advanced Techniques
Ready to go from good to great? Here are a few more advanced tips.
Negative Prompts: What NOT to Include
You can tell Veo what to avoid. But don't use words like "no" or "don't." Instead, just list the concepts you want to exclude.
Instead of: "A forest scene, don't show any buildings."
Use:
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Prompt: "A dense, ancient forest." Negative Prompt: "buildings, roads, man-made structures, urban"
This helps steer the AI away from unwanted elements without confusing it.
Mastering the Selfie-Style Vlog
Veo 3 can create surprisingly authentic-looking selfie videos. The key is to describe the action of vlogging itself.
Unlock the Style: Start your prompt with "A selfie video of..." or "A handheld selfie-style shot of..."
Show the Arm: For realism, add details like "He holds the camera at arm's length, his arm is clearly visible in the frame." This is what separates a selfie from a simple close-up.
Natural Gaze: People don't stare blankly into the camera. Add "She occasionally glances into the camera before looking back at the scenery."
The Power of Iteration
Your first prompt is almost never your last. Think of it as a conversation. The AI will give you something, & you respond by refining your prompt.
Lighting too dark? Add "bright, natural lighting."
Movement too fast? Change "fast dolly" to "slow, deliberate dolly."
The vibe feels off? Add more specific mood & color palette words.
Don't be afraid to generate a few versions & tweak the prompt each time. This iterative process is where the magic happens.
Integrating AI Into Your Business: Beyond Just Video
Creating a stunning product demo with Veo 3 is an amazing first step. But what happens next? A potential customer watches that video on your website, & they're impressed. They have questions. They're ready to engage. This is where the power of AI automation can connect the dots.
While Veo is handling your video content, you need a way to capture the interest it generates. Here's the thing, you can't be available 24/7 to answer questions. But an AI can. This is where a tool like Arsturn becomes incredibly valuable. You can build a custom AI chatbot, trained on your own business data—your product specs, your pricing, your company's story.
Imagine this workflow:
You create a fantastic marketing video with Veo 3.
A visitor watches it on your site at 2 AM. They're excited but have a specific question about compatibility with their system.
Instead of having to search your FAQ page or send an email into the void, they're greeted by an Arsturn chatbot.
The chatbot, trained on your data, provides an instant, accurate answer, engaging the lead while they're at their peak interest. It can even schedule a follow-up call with a human sales rep.
By connecting powerful content creation tools like Veo with smart customer engagement platforms like Arsturn, you're building an automated system that not only attracts customers but also nurtures them. Arsturn helps businesses build these no-code AI chatbots that boost conversions & provide a personalized customer experience, ensuring the traffic your great videos generate doesn't go to waste. It’s about creating a seamless journey from initial spark to meaningful connection.
Wrapping It All Up
Look, learning to write prompts for an AI like Veo 3 is a new skill. It takes a bit of practice & a shift in mindset. But it’s not magic. It's about being descriptive, thinking like a filmmaker, & being intentional with your instructions.
Start with the 8-part framework. Be OBSESSIVELY detailed. Direct the camera, the lighting, the actors, & the sound. Don't forget to tell the AI what you don't want to see. And most importantly, have fun with it & iterate. The difference between a mediocre AI video & a mind-blowing one is almost always just a few extra lines of well-crafted text.
I hope this was helpful and gives you a solid starting point for your own creations. Let me know what you think, and I'd love to see what you make