Google Veo 3.1 prompts, shortcuts and features

Seven-part prompt

Directed shots instead of random output.

[Style]. Subject: [who/what, with 2-3 visual details]. Action: [one clear action]. Setting: [place, time of day]. Camera: [shot size, angle, ONE movement, lens]. Lighting: [source and mood]. Audio: [ambience, sound effects, music or "no music"].

Dialogue line

Lip-synced speech timed inside the clip.

Medium close-up of [speaker], [description]. They say: "[line of dialogue]". Audio: [room tone], no music.

Timestamp multi-shot

Several cuts inside one generation.

[00:00-00:02] Wide shot of [scene]. [00:02-00:04] Close-up on [detail]. [00:04-00:06] Reverse shot of [reaction]. [00:06-00:08] Slow pull-back revealing [payoff]. Audio: [sound bed].

Negative prompt

Removes unwanted text, people or styles.

subtitles, captions, on-screen text, watermark, extra people, cartoon style

Image-to-video continuation

Animates your still without redrawing it.

Continuation of the reference image. [Subject] slowly [action]. [Background element] moves gently. Camera: subtle push-in. Audio: [ambience].

Static / locked-off shot

Use as written in the Camera part of the prompt.

Static locked-off shot, tripod, no camera movement.

Slow push-in (dolly in)

Use as written in the Camera part of the prompt.

Slow dolly-in toward the subject's face.

Pull-back (dolly out)

Use as written in the Camera part of the prompt.

Slow dolly-out revealing the full room.

Pan left / right

Use as written in the Camera part of the prompt.

Slow pan from left to right across the skyline.

Tilt up / down

Use as written in the Camera part of the prompt.

Tilt up from the feet to the face.

Tracking shot

Use as written in the Camera part of the prompt.

Side tracking shot following the rider at the same speed.

Crane shot

Use as written in the Camera part of the prompt.

Crane shot starting low at ground level and rising high above the crowd.

Aerial / drone view

Use as written in the Camera part of the prompt.

Aerial drone shot gliding over the river at sunrise.

Arc / orbit

Use as written in the Camera part of the prompt.

Smooth 180-degree arc around the singer.

POV shot

Use as written in the Camera part of the prompt.

First-person POV walking through the bazaar.

Handheld

Use as written in the Camera part of the prompt.

Handheld camera, slight natural shake, documentary feel.

Rack focus

Use as written in the Camera part of the prompt.

Rack focus from the diya in the foreground to the priest behind.

Extreme close-up

Use as written in the Camera part of the prompt.

Extreme close-up of the eye, iris filling the frame.

Low angle

Use as written in the Camera part of the prompt.

Low-angle shot looking up at the temple tower.

Bird's-eye view

Use as written in the Camera part of the prompt.

Bird's-eye view of the mandala drawn on the floor.

Over-the-shoulder

Use as written in the Camera part of the prompt.

Over-the-shoulder shot from the student toward the teacher.

Shallow depth of field

Use as written in the Camera part of the prompt.

Shot on an 85mm lens look, very shallow depth of field.

Wide-angle lens

Use as written in the Camera part of the prompt.

Wide-angle lens, deep focus, the whole courtyard sharp.

Sound effects

Synchronised SFX.

Audio: brass bell struck once, echo fading through the stone hall.

Ambience

Background bed under the action.

Audio: distant traffic, ceiling fan hum, birds outside.

Silence or no music

Stops Veo adding a score.

Audio: soft vinyl crackle, no music.

Text to video

Clip with audio.

First frame to video

Image comes to life.

First and last frames

Controlled transition.

Reference images

Consistent subject or product.

Extend

Longer scenes.

Edit

Revised footage.

Old sailor dialogue (native speech)

Category: dialogue-driven. Shows the official prompt structure in practice.

A medium shot frames an old sailor with a weathered face and a thick white beard. He holds his pipe in one hand and gestures towards the churning sea with the other. Dialogue: "This ocean, it's a force, a wild, untamed might. And she commands respect at all times." Audio: Crash of waves, distant gull cries, the creaking of an old wooden boat under his feet, a low gust of wind.

Candy keyboard (sensory sound)

Category: dialogue-driven. Shows the official prompt structure in practice.

A keyboard whose keys are made of brightly colored candy, glistening under soft studio light. Hands type rapidly across the surface. Each keystroke produces sweet, crunchy candy-breaking sounds. Audio: Crunchy, sugary typing sounds, delighted giggles in the background, a faint pop song humming.

Claymation camping dialogue

Category: dialogue-driven. Shows the official prompt structure in practice.

Stop motion claymation style. Inside a small tent at twilight, a wide-eyed clay camper sits opposite a grumpy clay bear. Camper says cheerfully: "I'm one with nature now!" Bear deadpans: "Nature would prefer personal space." Audio: Soft crackling campfire outside, distant owl, exaggerated claymation breath sounds.

Off-road rally (layered sound)

Category: action. Shows the official prompt structure in practice.

An 8-second hardcore off-road rally sequence. Three mud-caked 4x4 vehicles power across a wide river crossing, water spraying violently from oversized tires. Wide tracking shot from the riverbank, then a low-angle hero shot following the lead vehicle. Audio: Roaring V8 engines, sloshing water, gravel impacts, tire chain rattles, occasional driver shouts from inside the cabin.

1980s office worker (film grain)

Category: cinematic. Shows the official prompt structure in practice.

Retro cinematic aesthetic, shot as if on 1980s color film with subtle grain. Medium shot of a tired corporate worker in his late thirties, loosened tie and rolled-up shirt sleeves, rubbing his temples in exhaustion in front of a bulky beige 1980s CRT computer. The cluttered office is late at night, papers stacked beside a half-empty coffee mug. Static camera, no movement. Lighting: harsh fluorescent overhead tubes mixed with the green glow of the monochrome monitor washing over his face. Environment: dim cubicle, blinds half drawn, distant rain against the window. Audio: low hum of CRT and fluorescent buzz, soft mechanical keyboard taps in another room, faint AM radio playing a melancholy jazz tune. Dialogue: (under his breath) "Just one more report... one more."

Lone hiker crane reveal

Category: cinematic. Shows the official prompt structure in practice.

Epic fantasy cinematic style, awe-inspiring atmosphere. Subject: a lone hiker in a weathered green parka and heavy boots, backpack silhouetted against the sky, standing on a narrow rocky ledge. Action: hiker pauses and lifts gaze across the abyss. Camera: crane shot starting low at the hiker's feet and ascending high above to reveal a colossal mist-filled canyon stretching to the horizon at sunrise. Lighting: soft golden morning light skimming the canyon rim, deep blue shadows in the valley below, volumetric god-rays slicing through the mist. Environment: vast rocky canyon, layered fog drifting through pine-covered cliffs. Audio: thin alpine wind, distant raven caw echoing across stone, faint rustle of nylon parka, hushed orchestral swell as the camera rises.

Rainy bus window (shallow focus mood)

Category: quiet-moments. Shows the official prompt structure in practice.

Moody cinematic style, cool blue tone palette, melancholic atmosphere. Subject: a young woman in her mid-twenties, dark hair tucked behind one ear, faint earphones in, gazing out a fogged bus window. Her reflection is faintly visible on the rain-streaked glass. Action: she traces a single line through the condensation, then lets her hand fall. Camera: tight close-up with very shallow depth of field, 85mm lens look, soft static framing. Lighting: cool blue ambient bath from passing streetlights, occasional warm amber from shopfronts smearing across the glass. Environment: interior of a city bus at night during a heavy rainstorm, blurred neon outside dissolving into bokeh. Audio: steady patter of rain on the bus roof, low diesel engine rumble, distant wet tire hiss, soft indie piano theme bleeding from her earphones.

Film noir detective two-shot

Category: dialogue-driven. Shows the official prompt structure in practice.

Film noir cinematic style, high contrast shadows, smoky atmosphere. Subject: a weathered detective in a rumpled trench coat sits behind a cluttered wooden desk, a mysterious woman in a long black coat stands in the doorway, half in silhouette. Action: detective looks up wearily from a stack of case files as the woman steps into the light. Camera: medium two-shot, slight low angle on the detective, framed through window-blind shadows. Lighting: single warm tungsten desk lamp, hard venetian-blind slats striping their faces, deep ink-black shadows. Environment: 1940s private investigator's office, ceiling fan turning slowly, rain-streaked window behind. Audio: distant city rain, ticking wall clock, the slow turn of the ceiling fan, faint mournful saxophone bleeding through the wall. Dialogue: Detective (weary): "Of all the offices in this town, you had to walk into mine." Woman (slight mysterious smile): "You were highly recommended."

Stage-to-crowd 180° arc

Category: dialogue-driven. Shows the official prompt structure in practice.

Photorealistic cinematic concert style, dramatic stage lighting. Subject: a female pop star with shoulder-length dark hair and a sequined jacket, singing into a vintage chrome microphone. Action: she sings with eyes closed, then opens them as the camera arcs around her, ending with her view facing a sea of fans. Camera: smooth 180-degree arc shot starting on the front-facing close-up and circling around to a POV shot from behind her shoulders. Lighting: single dramatic front spotlight transitioning to bright stage lights with lens flare facing the crowd. Environment: dark concert stage with a roaring audience of silhouettes and phone lights below. Audio: live drum kit pulse, electric guitar sustain, crowd cheering and chanting rising in intensity, microphone reverb tail. Dialogue: she sings "when you look me in the eyes, I can see a million stars."

Jungle explorer timestamp sequence

Category: cinematic. Shows the official prompt structure in practice.

Cinematic adventure style, warm jungle palette, sense of discovery and wonder. Multi-shot sequence with timestamp prompting: [00:00-00:02] Medium shot from behind a young female explorer with a leather satchel and messy brown hair in a ponytail, as she pushes aside a large jungle vine to reveal a hidden path. [00:02-00:04] Reverse shot of the explorer's freckled face, her expression filled with awe as she gazes upon ancient, moss-covered ruins in the background. [00:04-00:06] Tracking shot following the explorer as she steps into the clearing and runs her hand over the intricate carvings on a crumbling stone wall. Emotion: wonder and reverence. [00:06-00:08] Wide, high-angle crane shot, revealing the lone explorer standing small in the center of the vast, forgotten temple complex, half-swallowed by the jungle. Lighting: dappled tropical sunlight breaking through canopy. Audio: the rustle of dense leaves and distant exotic bird calls; in the final beat a swelling, gentle orchestral score begins to play.

Bioluminescent shaman portrait

Category: portrait. Shows the official prompt structure in practice.

Hyper-realistic, cinematic portrait style. Subject: a wise, androgynous shaman of indeterminate age. Their weathered skin is etched with intricate, bioluminescent circuit-like tattoos that pulse with a soft cyan light, deep set eyes, long silver braided hair adorned with small bone beads, draped in dark layered ceremonial robes. Action: the shaman opens their eyes slowly and inhales, the tattoos brightening with the breath. Camera: tight close-up portrait, very shallow depth of field, slow imperceptible push-in. Lighting: dominant key from the cyan tattoo glow on the face, deep negative-fill shadow on the opposite side, faint rim from above. Environment: pitch-dark sacred chamber, faint ember sparks floating in the air. Audio: low resonant hum from the tattoos, faint distant ritual chant, slow controlled breathing, occasional ember crackle. Dialogue: (in a calm whisper) "The threads are listening tonight."

Hidden data chip macro

Category: action. Shows the official prompt structure in practice.

Cinematic thriller style, tight and tense atmosphere. Subject: a pair of black-gloved hands working over an ancient, leather-bound book; a small metallic data chip the size of a fingernail. Action: the gloved hand carefully slices open the spine of the book with a scalpel; the hand then delicately extracts the tiny metallic data chip hidden within the binding; the body tenses, listening. Camera: extreme close-up macro on the hands and scalpel, very shallow depth of field, slow drift-in. Lighting: single warm desk-lamp pool from frame-right, deep shadows around the edges. Environment: dimly lit private study, dust motes drifting, blurred shelves of leather books in the background. Audio: the soft crisp slice of the scalpel through old leather, dry paper crinkle, the metallic click of the chip lifting free, distant clock ticking, a sudden creak of a floorboard down the hall causing the hands to freeze.

Bioluminescent forgotten city

Category: experimental. Shows the official prompt structure in practice.

Cinematic dark-fantasy style, eerie and otherworldly atmosphere, painterly color palette. Subject: a rain-slicked, crumbling cobblestone street in a forgotten city shrouded in perpetual twilight, giant bioluminescent mushrooms of teal and magenta sprouting from cracked asphalt and broken balconies. Action: a slow forward dolly down the empty street, gentle drip of water off mushroom caps, a single glowing spore drifts past camera. Camera: low wide tracking shot at puddle level, slight Dutch tilt, anamorphic widescreen feel. Lighting: pulsating bioluminescent glow as the main key, faint moonlight diffused through fog as fill, mushroom caps casting soft colored pools on wet stone. Environment: derelict gothic buildings choked with vines, broken neon signs in an unknown script, distant towering ruins. Audio: dripping water, low ambient drone, faint distant wind chime, the soft pulse hum of the mushrooms breathing in sync with their glow.

Antique compass push-in

Category: cinematic. Shows the official prompt structure in practice.

Cinematic mystery style, warm candlelit palette, slow dramatic pacing. Subject: a tarnished antique brass compass with a cracked glass face, lying on a dusty parchment map covered in faded ink markings, a single flickering candle beside it. Action: the compass needle twitches, then begins to spin slowly. Camera: slow dramatic zoom-in starting wide showing the map, candle, and weathered wooden desk, then smoothly pushing into the spinning needle until the brass casing fills the frame. Lighting: warm flickering candlelight as the only source, hard amber falloff into deep blacks, soft caustics on the brass. Environment: an explorer's study at night, leather-bound books and a quill in a brass inkwell just out of focus. Audio: the soft tick of the compass needle against glass, candle flame flutter, distant rolling thunder, low ominous string drone rising as the camera pushes in.

Interrogation rack focus

Category: dialogue-driven. Shows the official prompt structure in practice.

Cinematic crime-drama style, harsh high-contrast lighting, sweat-and-grain texture. Subject: a seasoned detective in his fifties with stubble and a rumpled grey shirt, opposite a nervous informant in his thirties with sweat beading on his forehead. Action: detective leans forward across a metal table; informant flinches, looks down, then up. Camera: medium shot, then a slow rack focus shift from the detective in the foreground to the informant in the background. Lighting: single bare overhead bulb swinging slightly, hot specular on foreheads, deep black surrounds, faint blue spill from a one-way mirror. Environment: a dimly lit interrogation room, chipped concrete walls, a cup of cold coffee on the table. Audio: the slow swing creak of the bulb, the buzz of the filament, distant muffled radio chatter from the hallway, the informant's shallow breathing. Dialogue: Detective: "Your story has holes." Informant: "I'm telling you everything I know."

Raindrop on rose macro

Category: nature. Shows the official prompt structure in practice.

Hyper-realistic macro cinematic style, jewel-like color saturation. Subject: a single glistening drop of rain mid-fall, and a vibrant crimson red rose with velvet petals beaded with smaller droplets. Action: the drop strikes the upper petal, the petal trembles slightly and bends, sending two tiny secondary droplets skittering down the petal edge. Camera: extreme close-up macro, static lock-off, ultra shallow depth of field with only the impact petal in razor focus. Lighting: soft overcast diffused key from camera-left, faint cool rim from behind to catch the droplet's silver edge. Environment: a quiet garden after a passing shower, soft green bokeh of foliage in the background. Audio: an isolated crisp water-drop impact, a delicate petal rustle, faint distant rainfall, soft birdsong in the distance, gentle wind through leaves.

Rose bud time-lapse

Category: nature. Shows the official prompt structure in practice.

Cinematic botanical time-lapse style, painterly soft palette. Subject: a single red rose bud, its petals tightly closed at the start. Action: the flower slowly and gracefully unfurls over the course of the shot, petals rotating open in stages to reveal the vibrant inner layers, the stem subtly straightening toward the light. Camera: locked-off static close-up, no movement, perfectly centered on the bud. Lighting: warm soft directional sunlight slowly drifting from camera-left to camera-right across the frame, suggesting hours passing. Environment: studio black backdrop with a faint warm gradient, isolating the rose. Audio: a slow sustained ambient pad, subtle crackling and creaking of petal fibers stretching open, faint distant garden hum, a gentle final exhale as the flower reaches full bloom.

City day-to-night time-lapse

Category: cinematic. Shows the official prompt structure in practice.

Cinematic urban time-lapse style, rich color contrast between warm day and cool night. Subject: a bustling modern city skyline with glass skyscrapers, a winding elevated highway in the foreground. Action: a time-lapse of the city as day transitions to night — the sun sets casting long golden shadows across rooftops, then the city lights begin to twinkle on window by window, streams of car headlights forming red and white light trails along the highway. Camera: locked-off static wide shot, no movement. Lighting: from harsh midday daylight, through warm golden hour, into deep blue twilight, then sodium-orange streetlamp blanket. Environment: a metropolis viewed from a distant elevated rooftop, scattered clouds streaking across the sky. Audio: a sweeping cinematic orchestral score rising slowly, layered with distant city ambient hum, faint sirens passing far below, a soft wind across the rooftop.

Anime forest girl (explicit style)

Category: experimental. Shows the official prompt structure in practice.

Vibrant Japanese anime style, sharp clean line art, bright saturated colors, expressive cel-shaded faces, painterly background reminiscent of Studio Ghibli forests. Subject: a magical girl in her mid-teens with long flowing silver hair, glowing electric-blue eyes, a white and pale-blue ceremonial outfit with flowing ribbons, a tiny floating spirit creature drifting beside her shoulder. Action: she walks slowly through the forest, the wind lifting her hair, the spirit hopping playfully around her head; she pauses and reaches out to a glowing flower. Camera: smooth medium tracking shot from her side, slight parallax on the foreground ferns. Lighting: warm dappled sun shafts breaking through the canopy, soft volumetric god-rays catching airborne spores. Environment: a lush enchanted forest with oversized glowing flowers, ancient mossy stone lanterns, drifting pollen sparkles. Audio: a whimsical orchestral theme with woodwind and harp, soft footsteps on moss, the tinkling chime of the spirit's movement, a gentle breeze through leaves, the magical girl humming a soft melody.

Archive historian (character consistency)

Category: dialogue-driven. Shows the official prompt structure in practice.

Cinematic mystery drama style, dimly lit warm palette, classic European film grade. Subject: Clara, a historian in her early 30s, with observant dark brown eyes that hold a quiet intensity, chin-length black hair styled in a classic bob, dressed in a sophisticated dark navy-blue wool coat with a silk scarf patterned with subtle gold and cream designs tied around her neck. Action: she stands before a large ancient wooden table and carefully turns the fragile yellowed page of a massive leather-bound book, her expression one of deep concentration. Camera: medium shot, slow dolly-in. Lighting: a single beam of light from a high window casting visible dust motes, deep mahogany shadows surrounding her. Environment: a dimly lit grand Parisian archive, towering shelves of leather books, a brass desk lamp glowing faintly. Audio: the soft crinkle of ancient parchment, distant church bells outside, the slow tick of an antique pendulum clock, a low ambient cello drone. Dialogue: Clara, in a voice that is crisp and clear with a thoughtful analytical tone and a standard American accent, says: "It has to be here."

Alphabet object beat-cut with lower thirds

Official Google AI sample prompt.

The video shows items of the alphabet. An unusual item starting with each letter is shown sitting on a table (like a Capybara for C, disco globe for D and Lava Lamp for L). All 26 letters must be represented by 26 items with matching lower thirds displaying the letter. Only one item and lower third at a time. Each lower third must look like a black marker written on a slip of paper in the bottom left. Rapid fire, roughly 9 frames per item at 24FPS. Last frame is a slip of paper "THE END." The whole video is accompanied by calm smooth music.

Minimal prompt: astronaut POV on Mars

Official Google AI sample prompt.

Astronaut's POV on Mars

Marble chain-reaction single take

Official Google AI sample prompt.

A marble rolling fast on a chain reaction style track, continuous smooth shot

Word-by-word kinetic text sizzle

Official Google AI sample prompt.

word by word, one word on the screen at a time: did, you, know, that, this, model, can, do, pretty, good, text!? Each word appears with a different animated style, perfect pacing to a rhythm, sizzle reel.

Motion-tracked inner-monologue text

Official Google AI sample prompt.

Overlay motion-tracked, minimalist text commentary onto the physical environment of the video. This text represents [the subject] deadpan, immediate inner monologue that's observant, slightly absurd, and life-contemplating. Think "intrusive thoughts." Clean, white, lowercase sans-serif text (like Helvetica or Inter). The text hovers in 3D space, connected to the subjects being commented on via ultra-thin, crisp, white leader lines.

Iterative edit: move subject to a new place

Official Google AI sample prompt.

Transport the violin to a new environment

Iterative edit: make an object invisible

Official Google AI sample prompt.

Make the violin invisible

Iterative edit: change camera angle

Official Google AI sample prompt.

Change the camera angle so it's looking over the violinist's shoulder