Sora 2 and Sora 2 Pro bring filmmaking instincts into the world of AI. These models understand motion, framing, and light the way creators do, through rhythm, reaction, and detail. With the right language, you can guide it like a camera crew, shaping not just how the scene looks but how it feels.
This guide shows you how to get there, from cinematic camera prompts to realistic physics, intentional sound, and smart exclusions. Whether you’re crafting a branding ad, a music video, or a cinematic short, these techniques will help you build scenes that move with purpose.
These tips aren’t in a manual. They come from real creative testing. Use them to refine, experiment, and push your results further.
1. Cinematic language prompting
Sora 2 is excellent with camera movement and motion. It understands cameras the way filmmakers do, so lead with the frame. Borrow language from cinematography and structure your prompts like a shot list to help guide the AI.
Tip: Keep descriptions simple, use plain language, and iterate with small changes, one at a time, e.g., lens, angle, etc.
Prompt ingredient examples to build your scene
Subject or action: subject-focused, natural framing at eye-level
Setting or time: rainy night, sunlit morning, misty dawn
Camera and lens: medium close-up, shallow depth of field, 35mm lens, 24mm, portrait
Motion path: steady dolly-in, handheld camera pushing in slowly, crane, gimbal
Lighting and/ or texture: golden-hour, glistening sunshine, soft side light, harsh spotlight, reflective surfaces
Tone and style: moody, vibrant, cinematic realism
Creative guidance
This technique is great for product shots or interviews, and less for fast-moving or chaotic scenes.
When writing cinematic prompts, think like a director describing a shot to a camera crew, not like a novelist. Be specific about what the camera does, how the light behaves, and where the subject sits in the frame. That’s what helps Sora 2 understand intent.
Sample prompt: Musician at work
A musician sits in a dim studio. The camera locks at eye level, medium close-up, 35mm lens. Warm key light hits from camera left, rim light traces the outline of the headphones. Background softly falls out of focus — just enough to see cables and gear blur into texture. A slow dolly-in as the subject exhales before answering. Micro dust in the air catches the glow.
2. Improved realism
According to OpenAI’s own product page, Sora 2 understands physics better than ever, so if you need movement like bouncing a ball or inflating an object, then this is the model for you.
Sora 2 captures motion the way we experience it, such as touch, tension, and timing. Every surface reacts, every object carries weight, and every frame feels anchored in the real world. When physics makes sense, the story does too.
This is not great for fantasy scenes that are too abstract or defy physics, but perfect for moving vehicles, liquids, sports, and stunts.
Creative guidance
Realism lives in the small details. Think about resistance and weight like how things slide, shake, or hold tension before they settle. The hesitation before a fall, the stretch of fabric, the pause between impact and recovery. Use verbs that describe movement and timing: “drifts, slides, swings, flickers”. They give Sora a sense of pacing that adjectives can’t.
With these details, Sora 2 will give you something believable and yet beyond your imagination. Let things behave the way they would in real life, and the story will move on its own.
However, as creators, we also need to understand that you won’t get the best results on your first try. You need time, patience, and a passion to create. Text prompts are guides.
Tip: If the scenes you want to create are complex, break them into multiple generations and stitch the visuals together later.
Prompt ingredient examples to build your scene
Materials: solid or flexible, slick or coarse, soaked or sun-dried, soft or metallic, rough or polished,
Weight: heavy or light
Movement: bounce, splash, slide, stumble, sway, ripple, spin, etc.
Forces: wind pressure or resistance, surface tilt, uneven ground, shifting light
Causality: actions flow naturally, so a missed catch means the ball ricochets, not vanishes, or a dropped cup shatters, not vanishes.
Sample prompt: Dance practice
A dancer slides across a dusty floor. Her heel catches on a loose board, she steadies herself, then spins back into rhythm. The camera circles low, following the echo of movement in her reflection.
3. Negative prompting
OpenAI has been open about the models’ shortcomings and the improvements they are trying to make. Telling Sora what not to do can help prevent known pitfalls. Creators just have to be careful not to overspecify exclusions, or their negative prompts will be ignored.
Creative guidance
OpenAI didn’t include seeds or negative promoting in their official documentation, but experimenting with the model shows that adding exclusions can work and are best paired with positive cues, too.
Tip: The key is balance. Give clear guidance without overloading the model with restrictions. Avoid long lists of don’ts. Instead, use short, purposeful exclusions like “no motion blur” or “avoid camera shake.” Keep it conversational and clear.
Prompt ingredient examples to build your scene
Positive cues: subject, tone, style, lighting, camera movement
Negative cues: things to avoid (inconsistencies, distortions, unrealistic actions)
Balance: For every don’t, add a do. This helps Sora prioritize what matters most
Sample prompt: Product reveal
A smartwatch rotates slowly against a black backdrop.
Positive: soft spotlight, 50mm macro lens, sharp reflections, floating motion
Negative: no motion blur, avoid distorted logo, no visible camera shake
4. Adding audio intentionally
Sora 2 generates incredible synchronized dialogues and amazing soundscapes. This includes script, tone, and pacing.
Timing can help Sora 2 and Sora 2 Pro to align cuts and gestures to audio. You can also give a simple transcript with character names and indicate with you want pauses, what emotion you want to show, or when the dialogue should overlap (use this one sparingly!)
Prompt ingredient examples to build your scene
Who speaks: off-screen narrator, main character
What they say: 1–2 short lines of dialogue or narration
Tone and pacing: sarcastic, relaxed, urgent, whispered
SFX: kettle whistling, distant traffic, loud rain, door creak
Music: gentle piano, ambient hum, low electronic pulse
Timing cues: footsteps align with dialogue, car passes mid-sentence, pause before punchline
Sora 2 is best for dialogue-driven content like documentaries, comedy skits, and short ads. Anywhere timing and emotion work together. If your scene doesn’t need speech, consider another Artlist model better suited for silent or music-only visuals.
Sample prompt: the coffee shop moment
Two friends sit by a fogged window, morning light streaming in.
Who speaks: Emma, Leo
What they say: Emma (softly): “You still take sugar?”
Leo (smiling): “Trying not to.” [pause] “Still failing.”
Tone: warm, relaxed, familiar
SFX: quiet clinking cups, faint city hum outside, rain tapping glass
Music: lo-fi acoustic, slow rhythm
Timing: the line lands as steam curls up; laugh overlaps kettle whistle.
Tip: Keep the dialogue brief, as the model can sometimes paraphrase. Make sure to check lip syncing, regenerate if necessary, and be prepared to refine sound levels in post-production.
From generation to creation
Sora 2 changes how you bring ideas to life by blending direction, design, and detail into one creative language. Use these tips and the Artlist AI Video Generator to start creating visuals now.
Every frame starts with a prompt. Every story comes alive with sound. Artlist and Sora 2 can help you turn both into something unforgettable.
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