About Prompt
- Prompt Type – Dynamic
- Prompt Platform – ChatGPT, Grok, Deepseek, Gemini, Copilot, Midjourney, Meta AI and more
- Niche – Video
- Language – English
- Category – Cinematic / Short Films
- Prompt Title – Sora Cinematic Video Prompt for YouTube Shorts
Prompt Details
This is followed by a detailed explanation of its structure and a ready-to-use example.
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### **Optimized Dynamic AI Prompt Template for Cinematic YouTube Shorts (Video Niche)**
This template is structured in a modular way, using bracketed `[variables]` that you can easily swap out to create endless variations of a core idea. This “dynamic” approach ensures consistency in style while allowing for creative flexibility.
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#### **//– TEMPLATE START –//**
**1. Core Concept & Narrative Hook:**
* **Scene:** A short, visually-driven narrative sequence focusing on the [emotional state, e.g., frustration, inspiration, nostalgia] of a [subject type, e.g., filmmaker, photographer, VFX artist, content creator].
* **Primary Subject:** [Detailed description of the main character or object, e.g., a young female filmmaker with tired eyes, a vintage 8mm film camera sitting on a dusty shelf, a sleek modern cinema rig].
* **Primary Action:** The subject is engaged in a [specific, micro-action, e.g., meticulously cleaning a camera lens, staring intently at a complex editing timeline, rewinding old film stock, unboxing a new piece of gear with reverence].
* **Narrative Arc (1-3 beats):**
* **Beat 1 (Hook):** [An establishing action or emotional state, e.g., A hand slams down on a desk in frustration next to a keyboard].
* **Beat 2 (Development):** [A moment of reflection or a changing action, e.g., The subject leans back, looks out a rain-streaked window, and a new idea dawns on them].
* **Beat 3 (Resolution/Punchline):** [A concluding action that resolves the micro-narrative, e.g., A confident smile appears as their fingers begin typing furiously on the keyboard, a single perfect shot is captured on the camera monitor].
**2. Visual Style & Aesthetics:**
* **Overall Mood:** [Choose 1-3 descriptors, e.g., Moody and contemplative, energetic and inspiring, nostalgic and dreamy, tense and suspenseful].
* **Cinematic Style:** Inspired by the aesthetic of [filmmaker or style, e.g., Christopher Nolan’s high-contrast realism, Denis Villeneuve’s atmospheric sci-fi, Wes Anderson’s symmetrical quirkiness, Ghibli’s enchanting realism].
* **Color Palette:** [Describe the dominant colors and temperature, e.g., Desaturated blues and cold cyans, warm tungsten oranges and deep shadows, a vibrant triadic color scheme, monochromatic with a single splash of red].
* **Film Stock / Texture:** [Specify the look of the “film,” e.g., Shot on 35mm film with noticeable grain, crisp and clean digital footage from an Arri Alexa, faded and light-leaked Super 8mm footage, high-fidelity IMAX quality].
**3. Cinematography & Camera:**
* **Shot Sequence:** A series of short, connected shots.
* **Shot 1:** [Shot type and movement, e.g., Extreme close-up, rack focus from the subject’s eye to a computer screen].
* **Shot 2:** [Shot type and movement, e.g., Slow dolly push-in on the [primary subject or object]].
* **Shot 3:** [Shot type and movement, e.g., Low-angle medium shot showing the subject’s determined expression].
* **Lens & Focus:** [Lens characteristics, e.g., Anamorphic lens creating cinematic horizontal flares and oval bokeh, shallow depth of field with a creamy, blurred background, deep focus with everything sharp, a fish-eye lens for a distorted perspective].
* **Camera Angle:** Primarily [angle, e.g., eye-level for intimacy, low-angle to empower the subject, high-angle to show isolation, Dutch angle for unease].
**4. Lighting:**
* **Time of Day / Setting:** [e.g., Late night in a dimly lit studio, golden hour with warm light streaming through a window, the sterile blue hour just before sunrise, a brightly lit professional set].
* **Lighting Style:** [Describe the quality and direction of light, e.g., Dramatic chiaroscuro with hard shadows, soft and diffused light from a large window, motivated lighting from a single practical source like a monitor or desk lamp, neon-drenched cyberpunk lighting].
* **Key Light Source:** [The main source of light, e.g., The glow of a single laptop screen, a vintage Edison bulb, volumetric sunbeams cutting through atmospheric dust, flickering candlelight].
**5. Environment & Setting:**
* **Location:** [Specific place, e.g., A cluttered and cozy editing suite, a minimalist and clean camera-testing studio, a rainy neo-noir city street at night, a vast and empty film soundstage].
* **Set Dressing & Details:** [Hyper-specific details that add to the story, e.g., Steam rising from a forgotten coffee mug, tangled cables and hard drives scattered across the floor, dust particles dancing in a single beam of light, schematics and storyboards pinned to a corkboard, reflections of code moving across eyeglasses].
**6. Technical Specifications:**
* **Aspect Ratio:** 9:16 vertical orientation (Crucial for YouTube Shorts).
* **Resolution & Quality:** Photorealistic, hyper-detailed, 4K cinematic quality, professional color grade.
* **Pacing:** [e.g., Slow and deliberate, rhythmic and meditative, fast-paced with quick cuts to build energy].
* **Negative Prompt (Optional):** Exclude: [e.g., blurry footage, unnatural motion, cartoonish features, bad anatomy, watermarks, text].
#### **//– TEMPLATE END –//**
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### **How to Use This Dynamic Prompt**
1. **Start with the Core Concept:** Decide on the micro-story you want to tell. Is it about overcoming creative block? The joy of new gear? The nostalgia of old formats?
2. **Fill in the Blanks:** Go through each section and replace the bracketed `[variables]` with your specific choices. Be as descriptive as possible.
3. **Combine & Refine:** Once filled, you can copy and paste the entire text into the AI model. The structured sections help the AI understand the hierarchy and relationship between different elements.
4. **Iterate:** If the first result isn’t perfect, change just one or two variables (e.g., change the `[Lighting Style]` from “soft” to “dramatic” or the `[Camera Movement]` from “dolly push-in” to “orbital shot”) and regenerate. This modular approach makes iteration fast and effective.
This structure follows best practices by being highly specific, providing context, defining the visual language, and dictating technical parameters, giving the AI a clear and detailed blueprint to work from.
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### **Example Prompt: “The Breakthrough”**
Here is a practical example of the template filled out for a cinematic short film about a screenwriter’s moment of inspiration.
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**1. Core Concept & Narrative Hook:**
* **Scene:** A short, visually-driven narrative sequence focusing on the **frustration and subsequent breakthrough** of a **screenwriter**.
* **Primary Subject:** A **weary male screenwriter in his late 30s, with glasses and a 3-day beard**.
* **Primary Action:** The subject is **staring intensely at a blinking cursor on a blank page of a screenplay software**.
* **Narrative Arc (1-3 beats):**
* **Beat 1 (Hook):** An extreme close-up on the blinking cursor, rhythmic and maddening. The writer runs his hands through his hair in frustration.
* **Beat 2 (Development):** He leans back, defeated, and looks at a vintage film poster on his wall. His eyes trace the silhouette of the hero. A spark of an idea forms.
* **Beat 3 (Resolution/Punchline):** A slow, confident smile spreads across his face. His fingers land on the keyboard and begin to type with incredible speed and purpose.
**2. Visual Style & Aesthetics:**
* **Overall Mood:** **Moody and contemplative, ending on an inspiring, triumphant note**.
* **Cinematic Style:** Inspired by the aesthetic of **David Fincher’s high-contrast, controlled realism**.
* **Color Palette:** **Desaturated blues and cold cyans from the monitor, contrasted with a single source of warm tungsten orange from a desk lamp, deep shadows**.
* **Film Stock / Texture:** **Crisp and clean digital footage from an Arri Alexa, with a subtle, fine film grain added**.
**3. Cinematography & Camera:**
* **Shot Sequence:**
* **Shot 1:** **Extreme close-up on the blinking cursor, with the writer’s frustrated face blurred in the background. Rack focus to his tired eyes.**
* **Shot 2:** **Slow orbital shot around his head as he leans back in his chair, capturing his contemplative profile against the film poster.**
* **Shot 3:** **Low-angle medium shot from behind the monitor, showing his triumphant smile and the blur of his fingers typing furiously.**
* **Lens & Focus:** **Anamorphic lens creating cinematic horizontal flares from the desk lamp and monitor. Extremely shallow depth of field to isolate the character from his environment.**
* **Camera Angle:** Primarily **eye-level for intimacy**, switching to **low-angle to empower the subject during his breakthrough**.
**4. Lighting:**
* **Time of Day / Setting:** **3 AM in a dimly lit home office**.
* **Lighting Style:** **Dramatic chiaroscuro. Motivated lighting from the practical sources of the computer monitor and a single warm desk lamp, casting long shadows.**
* **Key Light Source:** **The cold, pale glow of the computer monitor screen illuminating his face, with a warm orange key light from a banker’s lamp just out of frame.**
**5. Environment & Setting:**
* **Location:** **A cluttered and cozy writer’s office.**
* **Set Dressing & Details:** **Stacks of books on screenwriting, crumpled paper on the floor, an overflowing ashtray (or coffee mug), storyboards and notes pinned haphazardly to a corkboard, reflections of the screenplay text moving across his glasses.**
**6. Technical Specifications:**
* **Aspect Ratio:** 9:16 vertical orientation.
* **Resolution & Quality:** Photorealistic, hyper-detailed, 8K cinematic quality, professional color grade.
* **Pacing:** **Slow and deliberate at the start, building to a fast, energetic conclusion.**
* **Negative Prompt:** Exclude: blurry footage, cartoon, deformed hands, text on screen is unreadable.