Sora 2 prompt guide: How to write better prompts for AI video generation

Prompts are everything in Sora 2. Your video is only as good as your prompt. If the prompt’s off, the output will be too, no matter how fancy the tool.

But what makes a “bad” prompt? Is it too short and vague, like “a girl walking in a city”?

Or too descriptive, made up of 3 paragraphs and a screenplay?

The truth sits somewhere in the middle. A good prompt is clear, focused, and gives Sora just enough to understand your vision without choking it with details.

Before you prompt

Before you start prompting, picture the scene in your head. What’s happening? What’s the emotion? What’s the setting? Capture that essence in a few strong sentences. If you’re too general, Sora will improvise; if you’re too rigid, the details will get lost, and the model will not be able to keep up. Both have value. Try both. See which fits your project.

In the beginning, leave some space for Sora to interpret. You might get lucky with something fresh, or you might end up with a disaster, but you’ll always learn from the experiment.

And lastly, be ready to iterate. Each prompt gives a new output, and often, the small adjustments you make will bring the final version to life. By the third or fourth try, you’ll start noticing patterns: which words give you better results, which ones confuse the model, and how to use language as your lens.

Short Prompt Example:

In a 90s handheld interview, an old Japanese fisherman stands by the dock and says, ‘The sea was wilder back then.’

Why does this prompt work?

• “90s handheld interview” sets the style and visual tone. The model will choose camera type, lighting, and color grading that match vintage footage: slightly grainy textures, natural light, and shaky motion that feels authentic.
• “an old Japanese fisherman stands by the dock” defines the subject and environment with just enough detail to ground the scene. It tells Sora the main focus (the fisherman) and the location (the dock), while leaving space for creative interpretation like what the dock looks like or what the man wears.
• “and says, ‘The sea was wilder back then.’” adds dialogue and mood. Sora 2 will likely sync the lip movement and tone closely, though emotional nuance and exact timing may still vary.

This prompt will reliably generate a short clip that matches the described setup and atmosphere. However, it might not align perfectly with your vision since several key details are open-ended. The prompt doesn’t mention time of day, weather, background motion, camera angle, outfit, or emotional tone, so Sora will make creative guesses. If you care about those details, include them in your next iteration.

Weak vs strong prompts

A vague prompt makes the model guess what you want. A detailed prompt gives it direction. But too many details means the model cannot follow your line thought.

Weak: “Someone lights a candle.”

Strong: “Close-up of hands striking a match and lighting a candle; wax melts slowly as the flame steadies in soft focus.”

Weak: “A cozy room.”

Strong: “A small room lit by a warm lamp, a blanket on a couch, and a cat sleeping.”

Strong prompts work because they replace vague adjectives (“nice,” “beautiful,” “cozy”) with clear visuals, things Sora can actually show. They include specific actions (“pours coffee,” “lights a candle”) instead of generic verbs (“does,” “moves”). They give context (lighting, texture, and emotion) in a few strong phrases, not long sentences.

Weak prompts make the AI guess. Strong prompts guide it like a camera operator.

You don’t need to write long descriptions; just give specific direction using what’s visible, what moves, and what mood you want to capture.

Every now and then, Sora nails the vibe on its own, like it just gets it. But if you want a specific look or moment, give it direction. The more you guide, the closer you’ll get to what’s in your head.

In a nutshell

The best thing you can do now is experiment.

Play with short prompts, long prompts, weird prompts. See what kind of chaos or beauty you get. You might write three perfect lines and hate the result, or type five random words and get something that blows you away. Both are wins.

This is the fun part: figuring out your own “prompt style.” Every creator will find a different rhythm between control and randomness. So go explore and let Sora surprise you.