Text-to-Video — Become an expert in AI video generation

THE Text-to-Video is experiencing incredible progress and seems to be the area of ​​AI that will evolve the most in 2025. Its principle is simple: from a simple textual description (a prompt), it generates a short animated video clip corresponding to the intention described. It all depends on one determining element: the prompt. In this article, find out how to write effective prompts, add camera movements and structure your description to obtain high-quality renderings.

What is Text-to-Video and why should you care?

Text-to-Video allows you to transform a text (prompt) into a video sequence. Advances in AI offer ever more realistic or, on the contrary, very artistic results (cartoon, pixel art, etc.). The main advantage is twofold:

• You generate sequences in minutes.
• You create an advertisement, a teaser, a mini music video or a corporate spot, without the need for technical equipment or a large budget.

Example: Teaser for a tourist destination

Text-to-Video Basics

Before diving into creating video sequences using AI, let’s go through the essential concepts that will help you achieve the most relevant results.

What is a prompt?

In the context of AI, a prompt is the textual description that you submit to the model to specify the desired result. For text-to-video, the prompt must indicate the scene, style, characters and, where applicable, the camera movement or the atmosphere (cinematic, cartoon, realistic, etc.).

What is negative prompt?

THE negative prompt (or “negative keywords”) is the list of terms or elements that you do not want to appear in the video. For example :

• “blurry” (vague)
• “warped” (deformed)
• “distorted” (distorted)
• “extra limbs” (excess members)

Example :
Negative prompt: “blurry, oversaturated, warped face, extra limbs”

The negative prompts are used to limit visual artifacts and anomalies.

The best AI video generation tools

Many platforms today offer the ability to convert a simple text prompt into a quality video sequence. Some solutions stand out for their advanced features, their flexibility and the quality of their visuals. The six best star actors of the text-to-video : Pika Labs 2.0, Runway ML Gen 3, Kling 1.6, VEO 2 (Google), Sora (OpenAI) and Dream Machine (Luma).

To find out more, read our guide to the best AI video generation tools.

How to structure a good prompt for text-to-video?

A prompt well organized is more precise and limits surprises in the rendering.

The basic structure of a good prompt

A recommended approach is to separate the description into several parts:

1. Subject : character, object, animal, etc.
2. Subject Description : details on pace, posture, etc.
3. Subject Movement : action or movement of the subject, if necessary.
4. Environment : interior, exterior, general atmosphere.
5. Camera movement : pan, tilt, rotate, zoom, etc.
6. Lighting : sunset, neon, chiaroscuro…
7. Atmosphere : emotion (energy, solemn, magical, etc.).

The typical formula for a text-to-video prompt:

(Subject + Movement) + (Environment) + (Lighting + Style + Camera Movement + Atmosphere)

Stay clear and concise

• Avoid long complex sentences.
• Example : “A futuristic city skyline at night, camera slowly zooms in, neon lights, cinematic style.”

Indicate the style or mood

• Style : realistic, cartoon, anime, Pixar-like, oil painting…
• Atmosphere : mysterious, epic, fun, minimalistic…

Example (English + FR):
“in a dark fantasy style, high contrast lighting, dramatic tone”

Describe the main topic

• Who ? (character, object)
• What ? (action, context)
• Or ? (decor, environment)

Example :
“A medieval knight standing in a thunderstorm, holding a glowing sword, cinematic lighting”

Adding camera movements

Camera movements are crucial to bringing the video to life. Here are some examples (with translation): Pan:

• Tilt: “camera pans from left to right”
• Rotate (orbital): “camera tilts upward/downward”
• Zoom In / Out: “camera rotates 360° around the subject”
• Dolly/Tracking: “camera slowly zooms in (or out)”
• Example of camera movements: “camera moves forward along the ground”

“A lonely cowboy in a vast desert, camera starts with a slow tilt from boots up to his face, then rotates 360° around him, realistic style.“

Why are prompts so important in text-to-video?

Precision = Coherence

• : The more detailed your description is (without excess), the more the AI ​​sticks to your vision. Time saving
• : A prompt that is too vague often leads to fruitless back-and-forths. Creative power
• : Prompts are the language of communication with the AI; they are the essence of your video project. Examples of detailed prompts (Text-to-Video)

Here are some complete prompts, in English (with translation), adaptable according to the tool (Pika Labs, Runway ML, etc.).

Example A: Futuristic urban scene

“A wide shot of a futuristic city skyline at night, neon signs everywhere, camera pans from left to right with a slight tilt upward, cinematic lighting, realistic style.”

“A medieval knight standing on a floating rock island in the sky, camera slowly zooms in, dramatic fantasy lighting, high contrast.”

“A big cat wearing a business suit, giving a presentation in a cartoon office, camera rotates 360° around the cat, bright colors, playful atmosphere.”

Design a

prompt clear and precise to generate a video can be complex: You need to think about the subject, visual style, camera movement, lighting, etc.

• Maybe you want several story ideas without writing everything yourself.
• In this case, seek help from a

conversational assistant (ChatGPT, Claude, etc.) can be an asset. He can: To propose

1. basic prompts that you will then refine. Goodbye
2. or extend your prompts, adding details (camera movements, visual style, atmosphere). Suggest you
3. keywords for your negative prompts (e.g. “blurry,” “warped,” “oversaturated”). The prompt to ask for help from ChatGPT or Claude

Here is an example of a prompt to submit to ChatGPT (or Claude) so that it can help you formulate a

prompt text-to-video in accordance with the advice in this article: Adapt the prompt to each tool

Each platform of

video generation (Pika Labs, Runway ML, Kaiber, Kling, etc.) has its specificities: Some limits concern the

• length of the prompt .Others require a
• specific syntax for camera effects. Tip:

Browse the documentation of each tool. Pika Labs offers “Pika Effects” (inflate, explode…), Runway ML has “Style Presets”, Kaiber integrates music into the prompt, etc. The advantages of using ChatGPT or Claude to generate text-to-video prompts

I find that using an AI to write prompts saves

a considerable amount of time . In addition, these tools are very inventive in suggesting ideas and details that one would not have thought of. I often ask the AI ​​to suggest several variations on the same theme, which then allows me to combine the best elements for an ideal prompt.Save time

• : you give the first draft of the prompt to the AI ​​and you just have to adjust it. Respect for best practices
• : you make sure that your prompt incorporates the recommended structure (negative prompt, style, etc.). Continuous improvement
• : ChatGPT or Claude can improve the prompt indefinitely, until the result meets your expectations. If you provide ChatGPT with the prompt “medieval knight in a post-apocalyptic desert”, it could respond:

I will help you create an ideal prompt for your original idea combining the medieval universe and the post-apocalyptic atmosphere.

Here is an initial proposal for a prompt, following the recommended structure:

“A medieval knight in rusted armor walking, vast post-apocalyptic desert with abandoned ruins and scattered machinery, harsh sunlight with orange dust particles, cinematic style inspired by Mad Max, slow tracking shot following the knight, desolate and mysterious atmosphere”

I can suggest several modifications depending on the aspect you want to emphasize:

For a more medieval look:

• Add “tattered cape flowing in the wind”
  Change the light: “golden hour lighting”
  Change the style: “medieval fantasy meets dystopian”
  For a more post-apocalyptic look:
• Add “radiation mask over helmet”
  Change the environment: “toxic wasteland with metal debris”
  Change the atmosphere: “radioactive and threatening”
  For a more dramatic effect:
• Change the camera movement: “low-angle dolly shot”
  Add an effect: “sand storm approaching”
  Change the lighting: “dramatic backlight through storms”
  What interests you most about these variations? I can tailor the prompt to your specific preferences.

Additional information for creating AI videos

Video duration

• Most AI generates short clips (3-5 seconds). Resolution
• Often capped at 720p or 1080p, few tools offer 4K. Iterations
• Do not hesitate to test the same prompt several times with slight adjustments in order to improve the rendering. Style vs. realism
• Current AI often excels in cartoon/animated styles rather than photo-realistic. On Runway ML or Kaiber, you can specify “cyberpunk”, “cartoon”, “film noir”, etc. to define the overall aesthetic. Commercial use or not
• Depending on the platform (Pika Labs, Runway, Kaiber, etc.), the license and the presence of a watermark vary. Check the conditions of use for all professional use. Prices
• Costs can quickly rise, especially for the most advanced models (Pika Labs, Runway ML, Kling), and we frequently hover around €50 per month to have sufficient credits to achieve satisfactory results. Conclusion

My opinion

Text-to-Video is a real revolution for content production: whether it’s product launches, converting an article into an animated sequence or producing a purely artistic clip. By assimilating the best practices of prompting — subject, movement, environment, camera, lighting, style, negative prompt — you access a wide variety of renderings, ranging from striking realism to dreamlike. Define your goal

• (promotion, storytelling, staging). Develop your prompt
• (subject, setting, style, camera movements, etc.). Experiment
• : test, adjust, refine. Take advantage of negative prompts
• to avoid blur, distortion or any other artifact. By following these recommendations, you will be able to create

compelling and relevant AI videos , with minimal effort and maximum impact. Happy creating!