Video Generator

Generate professional short-form videos with native audio using Google's Veo 3.1 API via the same Gemini API key used for image generation.

Prerequisites & Setup

API Key

Uses the same key as the image-prompt-generator skill. If you already have GEMINI_API_KEY set, you're ready.

If not:

1. Go to Google AI Studio
2. Sign in with your Google account
3. Click "Create API Key"
4. Copy the generated key

export GEMINI_API_KEY=your_api_key_here

Install Dependencies

pip install google-genai

No additional dependencies beyond what the image skill already requires.

Available Models

Video Parameters

Latency

Video generation is async — expect 11 seconds to 6 minutes depending on server load. The script polls automatically and saves when ready.

Workflow Overview

1. Define the Concept — What story does the video tell in 4-8 seconds?
2. Storyboard the Shot — Camera, motion, subject, environment
3. Add Audio Direction — Dialogue, sound effects, ambient sound
4. Generate Video — Run via API
5. Iterate — Adjust prompt based on results

Prompt Rules (From Research)

Before diving into the workflow, internalize these rules from extensive testing across Veo, Runway, and Sora:

1. 150-300 characters is the sweet spot. Under 100 = generic. Over 400 = the model drops elements unpredictably.
2. One shot = one action. Don't pack multiple scene changes or style shifts into one prompt. One camera move + one subject action.
3. Describe what you want, not what you don't want. Use the --negative flag for exclusions, not the main prompt.
4. Treat audio as a separate layer. Write audio cues in their own sentences, not mixed into visual descriptions.
5. Use colon syntax for dialogue. A man says: "Hello!" prevents subtitle artifacts. Without the colon, text may appear on screen.
6. Keep dialogue under 7 words per line. Longer speech causes lip-sync drift or rushed garbling.
7. Start simple, then layer. Begin with a basic prompt, evaluate, then add one variable at a time.
8. Slow camera movements win. Fast pans and spins break output. Use tight framing for perceived speed.

See references/prompt-engineering-research.md for the complete research.

Step 1: Define the Concept

A good video prompt answers three questions:

• What's happening? (action/motion)
• Where? (environment/setting)
• What does it sound like? (audio landscape)

Unlike images, video is temporal. Think in terms of movement and change, not a static composition.

Good concepts for 8-second clips:

Step 2: Storyboard the Shot

Structure your prompt with cinematic language. Veo responds well to film terminology:

Camera Language

Motion Description

Be explicit about what moves and how:

Lighting & Atmosphere

Step 3: Add Audio Direction

Veo 3.1 generates synchronized audio natively. This is a major differentiator — use it.

Three Types of Audio Cues

1. Dialogue — Use colon syntax before quotes (prevents subtitle artifacts):

A barista says: "Here you go!" as she slides a latte across the counter.

Keep lines under 7 words for clean lip-sync. One sentence max per 8-second clip.

2. Sound Effects — Describe specific sounds:

The sound of a match striking, then a candle flame flickering to life.

3. Ambient Sound — Set the sonic environment:

Birds chirping in the background, distant traffic hum, morning atmosphere.

Audio Tips

• Be specific: "the crunch of gravel underfoot" beats "footstep sounds"
• Layer audio: combine ambient + specific sounds for depth
• Match audio to motion: "a door creaks open" timed with the visual action
• Dialogue should be short — 1-2 sentences max for 8 seconds

Step 4: Craft the Full Prompt

Prompt Structure (5-Element Priority)

Structure prompts in this order of priority — you don't need all five every time:

1. Shot Specification — camera work, framing, movement
2. Setting & Atmosphere — location, time, weather, lighting
3. Subject & Action — who/what, described in beats
4. Audio Layer — dialogue, SFX, ambient (separate sentences)
5. Style/Grade — artistic treatment, lens, color

[Shot type + camera movement]. [Setting and lighting]. [Subject doing action].
[Audio: what you hear]. [Style/grade].

Example Prompts

Podcast promo (16:9):

A close-up tracking shot of a vintage microphone in a warmly lit podcast studio.
Steam rises slowly from a coffee mug beside it. Morning sunlight filters through
blinds, casting soft stripes across the desk. The sound of a quiet room — a clock
ticking, the faint hum of equipment. Cinematic, intimate, inviting.

Social teaser — vertical (9:16):

A hand reaches into frame and opens a leather-bound journal on a wooden desk.
The pages flutter briefly before settling on a page covered in handwritten notes.
A pen is set down beside the book. The sound of pages rustling, a pen clicking,
and soft ambient music. Warm overhead lighting, shallow depth of field.

Newsletter header — ambient loop (16:9):

A static wide shot of rain falling on a large window. Behind the glass, a blurred
cityscape with warm lights. Water droplets slide slowly down the pane. The sound of
steady rain and distant muffled city noise. Moody, contemplative, cozy.

Product reveal (16:9):

Camera slowly orbits a pair of wireless headphones placed on a dark marble surface.
Dramatic studio lighting with a single warm key light from the left. The headphones
cast a sharp shadow. Subtle electronic ambient music. Premium, minimal, modern.

Step 5: Generate via API

Running the Script

# Basic generation (8s, 720p, 16:9)
python scripts/generate_video.py "Your prompt here"

# Fast draft for iteration
python scripts/generate_video.py "Your prompt here" --model fast

# High quality vertical video for social
python scripts/generate_video.py "Your prompt" --aspect 9:16 --resolution 1080p

# Multiple variations to choose from
python scripts/generate_video.py "Your prompt" --count 2 --output ./videos

# Short clip with specific settings
python scripts/generate_video.py "Your prompt" --duration 4 --resolution 4k --name "hero-clip"

# Exclude unwanted elements
python scripts/generate_video.py "Your prompt" --negative "text overlays, watermarks, blurry"

Options:

Output: MP4 files with timestamp-based filenames.

Step 6: Iterate

After reviewing generated video:

• Motion wrong? Be more explicit about direction, speed, and sequence
• Audio off? Add or refine audio cues — the model needs clear direction
• Too much happening? Simplify. One clear action per clip works best
• Style drift? Add a negative prompt to exclude unwanted aesthetics
• Wrong mood? Adjust lighting and atmosphere descriptors

Iteration Strategy

1. Start with --model fast and --duration 4 for quick drafts
2. Refine the prompt through 2-3 fast iterations
3. Switch to --model standard with full duration/resolution for the final take
4. Generate 2 variations of the final prompt and pick the best

Negative Prompt Guide

Use --negative to steer away from common problems:

Prompting Principles

Think in Shots, Not Scenes

8 seconds is one shot. Don't try to cram a narrative arc — describe a single continuous moment.

Be Specific About Motion

Vague motion descriptions produce vague results. Describe what moves, how fast, and in which direction.

Layer Your Audio

Don't just describe one sound — create a soundscape:

The crackling of a vinyl record playing soft jazz,
a distant car horn outside the window,
the quiet clink of an ice cube in a glass.

Use Negative Prompts Proactively

Always include --negative "text, watermarks" at minimum. The model occasionally generates unwanted text overlays.

Use Cases by Content Type

Social Media (9:16, 4-8s)

Short, punchy, loop-friendly. Favor close-ups and strong motion.

python scripts/generate_video.py "Close-up of coffee being poured into a ceramic mug, steam rising, warm morning light. The sound of liquid pouring and a soft sigh." \
  --aspect 9:16 --duration 4 --resolution 1080p

Podcast/Newsletter Headers (16:9, 8s)

Ambient, atmospheric. Favor wide shots and subtle motion.

python scripts/generate_video.py "A vintage radio on a wooden shelf, dial slowly turning. Warm tungsten light. Soft static transitioning into faint music." \
  --resolution 1080p --name "podcast-header"

Product/Brand (16:9, 6-8s)

Clean, controlled, premium feel. Studio lighting, slow orbits.

python scripts/generate_video.py "Camera slowly orbits a leather notebook on a dark wood desk. Single warm key light. The sound of pages turning gently." \
  --resolution 4k --duration 6 --negative "text, watermarks, busy background"

Multi-Clip Consistency

When generating multiple clips for a project (e.g. a social series, product launch, or multi-shot sequence):

Lock Your Constants

Create a consistency block and repeat it verbatim across all prompts:

CHARACTER: A woman in her thirties with short silver hair and a black turtleneck
PALETTE: amber, cream, walnut brown, deep olive
LIGHTING: Soft key light from camera right, warm tungsten
STYLE: Cinematic, shallow depth of field, warm film grain
NEGATIVE: no subtitles, no on-screen text, no watermarks

Frame Chaining

For sequential shots, use the last frame of clip N as the reference image for clip N+1. This preserves subject orientation, lighting continuity, and motion vectors.

Consistency Checklist

• Same character description, word for word — never paraphrase between shots
• Same palette anchors (3-5 named colors)
• Same lighting direction and quality
• Same aspect ratio and resolution
• Same style/grade language
• "No subtitles, no on-screen text" included
• Simple wardrobe — solid colors and notable anchors (red jacket, silver pendant) are more consistent than busy patterns

Related Skills

• image-prompt-generator — Static images with the same API key and similar workflow
• youtube-title-creator — Pair video content with optimized titles
• social-content-creation — Use videos in platform-optimized posts

For prompt engineering research and advanced techniques, see references/prompt-engineering-research.md