AI Video Prompt Commands: what it does
Lists of “500 AI video prompt commands” such as /droneshot, /dollyin and /goldenhour are everywhere right now. Here is what they really are: none of the AI video tools (Google Flow, Gemini, Veo, ChatGPT) has video commands like these, and typing /droneshot doesn’t switch a camera mode on. What works is the idea behind each one, written out in plain words: “aerial drone shot”, “the camera slowly pushes in toward the subject”, “warm golden-hour sunlight”. Google’s own prompt guide for Veo asks for exactly that: the subject and what it does, the place, the camera position and movement, the framing, the light and mood, the style and, for models that make sound, the audio. The builder above does the writing for you. Describe your scene, tap the commands you want from 13 groups (shots, camera moves, timing, light, places, people, lifestyle, tech, products, styles, effects and sound), and copy a prompt in that order, ready to paste into Google Flow, Gemini or any other AI video tool. You can also copy it as a request for ChatGPT, which turns your choices into a longer, more detailed prompt. Below the builder, every command is listed with the words to write instead.
How to use it
- Describe what happens in your video in a few words, and add a line of speech if someone talks.
- Tap the commands you want: one shot, one camera movement, and any light, place, style, effect and sound. Use the search box to find one such as /dollyin.
- Read the prompt as it builds, in the order Google recommends for Veo: shot and subject, action and place, camera, light, style, sound.
- Copy it into Google Flow, Gemini or another AI video tool, or copy it as a request for ChatGPT to expand it first.
Every AI video prompt command, and what to write instead
The shorthand on the left is what the viral “prompt command” lists share. AI video tools don’t run them as commands, so write the words in the middle column in your prompt. They are also what the builder above adds for you. 166terms in 13 groups.
Cinematic shots
How much of the scene the camera sees, and from where. Start every prompt with one.
| Shorthand | Write this in your prompt | Good for |
|---|---|---|
/establishingshot | Wide establishing shot | Opening a scene, showing where we are |
/droneshot | Aerial drone shot | Big landscapes, cities, property tours |
/aerialshot | High aerial view | Showing scale and layout from above |
/topshot | Top-down overhead shot | Food, desks, flat lays, maps |
/wideangle | Wide-angle shot | Rooms, crowds, dramatic perspective |
/longshot | Full-body long shot | A person and their surroundings |
/mediumshot | Waist-up medium shot | Talking, presenting, everyday action |
/closeup | Close-up shot | Faces, emotion, product details |
/extremecloseup | Extreme close-up | Eyes, textures, tiny details |
/overtheshoulder | Over-the-shoulder shot | Conversations, screens, point of view |
/lowangle | Low-angle shot | Making a subject look powerful |
/highangle | High-angle shot | Making a subject look small or calm |
/pov | First-person point-of-view shot | Seeing through someone’s eyes |
/fpvshot | Fast FPV drone shot | Energetic fly-throughs |
/dutchangle | Tilted Dutch-angle shot | Tension, unease, action |
/portraitcloseup | Shallow-focus portrait close-up | Profile videos, interviews |
Camera movements
How the camera moves during the clip. One clear movement works better than several.
| Shorthand | Write this in your prompt | Good for |
|---|---|---|
/panleft | the camera pans slowly to the left | Revealing what is beside the subject |
/panright | the camera pans slowly to the right | Following a view across a scene |
/tiltup | the camera tilts up | From feet to face, or base to top of a building |
/tiltdown | the camera tilts down | From the sky down to the subject |
/zoomin | slow zoom in | Drawing attention to one detail |
/zoomout | slow zoom out revealing the surroundings | Ending a clip, showing context |
/dollyin | the camera slowly pushes in toward the subject | Building emotion or focus |
/dollyout | the camera slowly pulls back away from the subject | Endings, loneliness, reveals |
/trackingshot | tracking shot following the subject from the side | Walking, running, vehicles |
/orbitshot | the camera orbits slowly around the subject | Products, heroes, 360° views |
/craneup | crane shot rising up and over the scene | Grand reveals, openings |
/handheld | handheld camera with natural slight shake | Vlogs, documentary, realism |
/static | static camera on a tripod, no movement | Talking heads, timelapses, calm scenes |
/whippan | fast whip pan | Energetic transitions |
/rackfocus | focus shifts from the foreground to the background | Moving attention between two things |
/dollyzoom | dolly zoom (vertigo effect) | Shock or realisation moments |
/arcshot | the camera moves in a half circle around the subject | Dramatic product or character intros |
/gimbal | smooth gimbal movement | Clean, floating walk-throughs |
Action & timing
Speed and timing effects. Combine with what your subject is doing.
| Shorthand | Write this in your prompt | Good for |
|---|---|---|
/slowmotion | in slow motion | Splashes, hair, sport, emotion |
/ultraslowmo | in extreme slow motion, every detail visible | Drops, sparks, impacts |
/timelapse | as a timelapse, hours passing in seconds | Clouds, cities, flowers, building work |
/hyperlapse | hyperlapse moving forward through the scene | Travel and city walks |
/fastmotion | sped up, fast motion | Busy work, cleaning, crowds |
/freezeframe | action freezes mid-moment while the camera keeps moving | Jumps, splashes, peak moments |
/reverse | played in reverse | Surprising, playful clips |
/bullettime | bullet-time effect, the camera circles a frozen moment | Action highlights |
/speedramp | speed ramps from normal to slow motion at the key moment | Sports and dance edits |
/impactshot | dramatic impact moment with debris in the air | Landings, hits, crashes |
Light & mood
The light changes the whole feel of a clip. One or two at most.
| Shorthand | Write this in your prompt | Good for |
|---|---|---|
/goldenhour | warm golden-hour sunlight | Portraits, travel, romance |
/bluehour | soft blue-hour light after sunset | Cities, calm, melancholy |
/backlight | backlit with a glowing rim of light | Silhouettes, hair light, drama |
/lowlight | dim low-light scene | Night, intimacy, suspense |
/neonlight | pink and blue neon lighting | Cyberpunk, nightlife, music |
/candlelight | warm flickering candlelight | Dinners, cosy scenes, history |
/moody | moody, dark and atmospheric | Thrillers, dramatic stories |
/highcontrast | high-contrast lighting with deep shadows | Bold, graphic looks |
/softlight | soft, diffused natural light | Beauty, products, interviews |
/hardlight | hard direct sunlight with crisp shadows | Summer, fashion, street |
/godrays | sun rays streaming through the haze | Forests, churches, magic |
/volumetricfog | volumetric fog catching the light | Mystery, fantasy, concerts |
/silhouette | the subject as a dark silhouette against a bright sky | Endings, anonymity, sunsets |
/studiolight | clean three-point studio lighting | Products, talking heads |
Landscape & nature
Where it happens. Pick a place or describe your own.
| Shorthand | Write this in your prompt | Good for |
|---|---|---|
/mountainview | in the mountains with snowy peaks | Adventure, travel, epic openings |
/oceanview | by the open ocean with rolling waves | Calm, freedom, travel |
/forestwalk | in a green forest with tall trees | Nature, wellness, fantasy |
/waterfall | next to a waterfall in a lush jungle | Relaxing loops, travel |
/sunrise | at sunrise | New beginnings, mornings |
/sunset | at sunset | Endings, romance, warmth |
/beachview | on a sandy beach with clear turquoise water | Holidays, summer |
/desertshot | in a vast desert with sand dunes | Epic, lonely, cinematic |
/rainyday | on a rainy day with wet reflections | Moody, cosy, city |
/storm | under dark storm clouds with lightning | Drama, danger |
/snowyforest | in a snowy forest, snow falling gently | Winter, holidays |
/northernlights | under the northern lights | Wonder, travel |
/lakeshore | on a calm lake shore with mirror reflections | Peaceful, slow scenes |
/flowerfield | in a field of wildflowers | Spring, fashion, romance |
Urban & city
City places. Combine with a light (neon, blue hour) for a strong look.
| Shorthand | Write this in your prompt | Good for |
|---|---|---|
/cityscape | with a city skyline in the background | Business, ambition, openings |
/nightcity | in a city at night with glowing lights | Nightlife, music, mood |
/skyscraper | among tall glass skyscrapers | Corporate, scale |
/streetview | on a busy city street | Street style, everyday life |
/trafficshot | above busy traffic with light trails | Energy, time passing |
/alleyshot | in a narrow alley with brick walls | Street, mystery, music |
/rooftopview | on a rooftop overlooking the city | Lifestyle, ambition |
/neonsign | under glowing neon signs | Night, food stalls, cyberpunk |
/metrostation | in a metro station as a train arrives | Commutes, stories |
/marketvlog | in a lively street market with stalls | Food, travel vlogs |
/cafe | in a cosy café | Lifestyle, work, dates |
People & action
What your subject does. Pick one, or type your own action in the subject box.
| Shorthand | Write this in your prompt | Good for |
|---|---|---|
/walking | walking toward the camera | Intros, confidence |
/running | running at full speed | Sport, urgency |
/jumping | jumping in the air | Joy, sport |
/dancing | dancing freely | Music, celebration |
/talking | talking directly to the camera | Explainers, UGC ads |
/laughing | laughing naturally | Friends, happy brands |
/thinking | looking away, deep in thought | Stories, ads, reflection |
/working | working at a laptop | Business, productivity |
/cooking | cooking in a kitchen, steam rising from the pan | Food, recipes |
/driving | driving a car, seen through the windscreen | Travel, ads |
/celebration | celebrating with friends, confetti in the air | Launches, parties |
/reaction | reacting with surprise | Hooks, reaction clips |
Lifestyle & daily
Everyday scenes that work well for vlogs, Reels and UGC-style ads.
| Shorthand | Write this in your prompt | Good for |
|---|---|---|
/morningroutine | starting a morning routine in a bright bedroom | Vlogs, wellness |
/coffeetime | pouring a coffee, steam rising | Cafés, slow mornings |
/workfromhome | working from home at a tidy desk by a window | Remote work, productivity |
/studywithme | studying at a desk with books and a lamp | Study content |
/gymworkout | working out in a gym | Fitness |
/yogapractice | doing yoga on a mat | Wellness |
/shopping | shopping, carrying bags down the street | Fashion, retail |
/travelvlog | filming a travel vlog, holding the camera at arm’s length | Travel |
/skincareroutine | applying skincare in front of a mirror | Beauty brands |
/mealprep | preparing healthy meals in containers | Food, fitness |
/eveningroutine | winding down in the evening with a book and warm lamp light | Calm vlogs |
Tech & digital
Screens and futuristic looks. Note: AI video can’t show your real app; use a screen recording for that.
| Shorthand | Write this in your prompt | Good for |
|---|---|---|
/hudinterface | surrounded by floating holographic interface panels | Sci-fi, tech brands |
/futuristicui | in a futuristic room with glowing screens | Tech intros |
/coding | at a desk with lines of code on the monitor | Developer content |
/datastream | with streams of glowing data flowing past | AI and data topics |
/digitalrain | with green digital rain falling in the background | Hacker look |
/cyberpunk | in a rainy cyberpunk city | Gaming, music |
/vrworld | wearing a VR headset inside a glowing virtual world | Tech, gaming |
/techsetup | at a clean desk setup with RGB lights | Gadget reviews |
Product & brand
For ads and product videos. Describe your product exactly; the AI can’t copy a real logo reliably.
| Shorthand | Write this in your prompt | Good for |
|---|---|---|
/productshot | on a clean pedestal, studio product shot | Hero shots for ads |
/unboxing | being unboxed by hands on a table | UGC, launches |
/closeupproduct | in macro detail showing the texture and finish | Premium products |
/handheldshot | held in a hand in natural light | Social ads, UGC |
/flatlay | in a flat lay with matching props | Beauty, food, stationery |
/360product | turning slowly on a turntable | Shop listings |
/logoreveal | appearing as a bold reveal at the end | Intros and outros |
/productinuse | being used in a real home setting | Showing benefits |
/beforeafter | shown as a before-and-after transformation | Cleaning, beauty, renovation |
/ugcstyle | filmed like a phone video by a real customer | Authentic-looking ads |
/commercial | in a polished TV-commercial style | Brand films |
Look & style
The overall look. Pick one style; mixing two (such as anime and claymation) rarely works.
| Shorthand | Write this in your prompt | Good for |
|---|---|---|
/cinematiclook | cinematic, shot on a cinema camera, 35mm lens | Making anything look like film |
/filmlook | shot on 35mm film | Nostalgic, warm |
/filmgrain | with subtle film grain | Texture, realism |
/vintage | vintage 1970s colours | Retro stories |
/vhs | like a 1990s VHS home video | Nostalgia, music |
/blackandwhite | in black and white | Timeless, dramatic |
/bokeh | shallow depth of field with soft bokeh | Portraits, products |
/documentary | documentary style, natural and observational | Real stories |
/animationstyle | as a colourful 2D animation | Explainers, kids |
/3danimation | as a 3D animated film | Characters, mascots |
/stopmotion | as a stop-motion animation | Playful brands |
/claymation | as claymation with handmade clay characters | Fun, charming |
/anime | in an anime style | Fan content, stories |
/pixelart | as retro pixel art | Gaming |
/papercraft | as a paper-cut craft animation | Kids, explainers |
/watercolor | as a moving watercolour painting | Art, calm |
/minimalist | minimalist, clean background, lots of space | Brands, tech |
Effects & weather
Extra detail in the air or the frame. One or two keep the clip clean.
| Shorthand | Write this in your prompt | Good for |
|---|---|---|
/lensflare | with a soft lens flare | Sun, cinematic shine |
/doubleexposure | double exposure blending the subject with a landscape | Artistic intros |
/reflection | reflected in a puddle | Rainy, artistic shots |
/throughglass | seen through a rain-streaked window | Moody, cosy |
/smoke | with smoke drifting through the frame | Drama, music |
/fire | with sparks and embers flying | Action, power |
/particles | with glowing particles floating in the air | Magic, tech |
/snowfall | with snow falling | Winter |
/raindrops | in heavy rain | Mood, drama |
/underwater | underwater with light rays and bubbles | Swimming, ocean |
/foggy | in thick fog | Mystery |
/lighttrails | with long-exposure light trails | Cities, night |
/glitch | with digital glitch distortion | Tech, music |
Sound & music
Video models that make sound (such as Veo 3 in Google Flow and Gemini) follow audio described in words.
| Shorthand | Write this in your prompt | Good for |
|---|---|---|
/epicmusic | epic orchestral music | Trailers, openings |
/happyvibes | upbeat, happy music | Lifestyle, ads |
/sadbgm | soft, sad piano music | Emotional stories |
/tensionmusic | tense, suspenseful music | Thrillers, reveals |
/lofi | relaxed lo-fi beats | Study, cafés, chill |
/ambient | natural ambient sound of the place, no music | Realism, ASMR |
/asmr | close, crisp ASMR sounds | Unboxing, food, products |
/cityambience | city ambience: traffic and distant voices | Street scenes |
/naturesounds | birdsong and wind in the trees | Nature, calm |
/voiceover | a calm narrator voice-over | Explainers, stories |
/nomusic | no music, only sound effects | When you will add your own track |
Tips
- One shot, one camera move, one look. A prompt that asks for a drone shot, an orbit and a zoom at once usually gives a messy clip.
- Be specific about the subject: “a grey-haired fisherman in a yellow raincoat” works much better than “a man”.
- Choose the aspect ratio (landscape for YouTube, portrait for Reels and Shorts) in the video tool’s settings; writing “9:16” in the prompt is not reliable.
- For speech, put the exact words in quotes and keep them short: a few seconds of video only fits one short sentence.
- Generate two or three versions of the same prompt and keep the best one. Small changes in wording, like “slowly” or “gently”, change the motion a lot.
- AI video can’t show your real app, website or logo accurately. For product demos, film the real thing or record your screen, and use AI clips for the mood around it.
Frequently asked questions
Do slash commands like /droneshot work in Google Flow or Gemini?
No. Google Flow, Gemini and ChatGPT have no video commands like these. The text is read as part of your prompt, so “/droneshot” may nudge the result a little, but writing “aerial drone shot” in a full sentence gives the model a clear instruction. The builder above turns each shorthand into those words.
What should a good AI video prompt include?
Google’s Veo prompt guide lists the subject, the action, the context (where it happens), the style, the camera position and movement, the composition (such as wide shot or close-up), the ambiance (light and colour) and, for models with sound, the audio. You don’t need all of them, but the subject, action and one camera instruction make the biggest difference.
Can I use these prompts with ChatGPT?
Yes, to write and improve prompts. Tap “Copy as a ChatGPT request”, paste it into ChatGPT, and it will expand your choices into a detailed paragraph that you then paste into your video tool. Check what video features your ChatGPT plan offers in OpenAI’s help pages, because they change often.
How do I add sound or dialogue?
With a model that makes sound, such as Veo 3 in Google Flow or Gemini, describe it in words: the music (“soft piano”), the sounds (“rain on the window”) and any speech in quotes. Use “Someone says” in the builder for the speech and the Sound & music group for the rest.
Is anything I type sent to PrepMyPost?
No. The prompt is built by your browser on your device, and nothing is sent to our servers or to any AI service. It only goes where you paste it.