Story prompt

Vidu AI Cinematic Trailer Prompt Recipe

Use this cinematic trailer recipe to build a Vidu AI AI video prompt with subject, action, camera, lighting, style, and constraints.

Copy-ready prompt

Subject: a lone explorer standing on a cliff edge. Action: looking toward a distant storm as their coat moves in the wind. Scene: a vast mountain landscape at dusk. Motion: wide establishing shot with a slow crane forward. Look: cinematic trailer, epic scale, realistic atmosphere. Lighting: dramatic backlight, storm clouds, soft rim light. Format: 8 seconds, 16:9. Negative: shaky camera, extra people, warped horizon, unreadable symbols.
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Prompt notes

  • This version separates subject, action, scene, motion, look, and negative constraints.
  • subject: a lone explorer standing on a cliff edge
  • action: looking toward a distant storm as their coat moves in the wind
  • setting: a vast mountain landscape at dusk
  • camera: wide establishing shot with a slow crane forward
  • lighting: dramatic backlight, storm clouds, soft rim light
  • style: cinematic trailer, epic scale, realistic atmosphere
  • negative: shaky camera, extra people, warped horizon, unreadable symbols
  • aspectRatio: 16:9
  • duration: 8 seconds
  • Trailer prompts work better with one clear dramatic action.
  • Too many story beats in one prompt can make the scene incoherent.

Use this when

  • You need a dramatic scene opener, trailer beat, mood board clip, or story concept shot.
  • The main goal is scale, atmosphere, and a single readable emotional action.
  • The prompt should avoid trying to tell the entire story in one generation.

How to adapt each field

subject

Use one main figure or object. Trailer prompts become weaker when too many characters compete.

action

Pick a single dramatic action that can be understood without dialogue.

setting

Use one cinematic environment with clear scale and horizon cues instead of multiple story locations.

camera

Wide establishing shots and slow camera moves help communicate scale.

lighting

Backlight, rim light, weather, and sky detail create the trailer mood.

style

Use cinematic words for scale, atmosphere, realism, and genre tone.

negative

Constrain shaky camera, extra people, warped horizons, and unreadable symbols.

Drafting workflow

  1. Write the emotional beat in one sentence before adding visual style.
  2. Keep the subject, setting, and camera motion stable.
  3. Check whether the horizon and main silhouette remain readable.
  4. Build a trailer sequence from several single-beat prompts instead of one crowded prompt.

Useful variations

Sci-fi teaser

Replace the mountain with an alien landscape and keep the action simple.

Fantasy opener

Use castle ruins, torchlight, and a slow reveal instead of storm clouds.

Documentary drama

Reduce stylized language and use grounded natural light.

Cinematic Trailer prompt FAQ

Why not put the whole trailer story in one prompt?

Short video models are easier to direct when each prompt contains one scene beat. Build sequences from multiple stable shots.

What should a trailer prompt prioritize?

Prioritize subject silhouette, setting, camera motion, and lighting. Dialogue, symbols, and complex plot details can wait.

How do I make the scene feel larger?

Use wide framing, environmental scale, distant weather or landmarks, and slower camera movement.

Related prompt pages

Kling AI Cinematic Trailer version Hailuo AI Cinematic Trailer version Wan AI Cinematic Trailer version Vidu AI prompt guide

Independent prompt drafting aid. Verify final prompts inside the current model interface.