10 Best Practices for Using Sora 2 AI Video Generator

1. Master Prompt Engineering

The quality of your output depends heavily on prompt quality. Follow these principles:

✅ Good Prompt Structure

[Subject] + [Action] + [Setting] + [Style] + [Camera movement] + [Lighting]

Example: "A majestic lion walking through tall savanna grass at golden hour, cinematic wide shot with slow zoom, warm sunset lighting, photorealistic"

❌ Poor Prompt

"Lion video" - Too vague, lacks detail

2. Use Specific Camera Terminology

Sora 2 understands professional camera language. Leverage this for better control:

Shot types: Close-up, medium shot, wide shot, extreme wide
Camera movements: Pan left/right, tilt up/down, dolly in/out, crane shot
Angles: Low angle, high angle, bird's eye view, Dutch angle
Lens effects: Shallow depth of field, bokeh, lens flare

3. Optimize Video Length

Sweet spot: 15-30 seconds
While Sora 2 can generate up to 60 seconds, quality tends to be highest in the 15-30 second range. For longer content:

Break into multiple clips and stitch together
Use video-to-video for transitions
Focus on key moments rather than continuous action

4. Leverage Style References

Mention specific visual styles for consistent results:

🎬 Cinematic Styles

• Film noir
• Cyberpunk
• Wes Anderson aesthetic
• Studio Ghibli style

🎨 Art Styles

• Watercolor painting
• Oil painting texture
• Pixel art
• Minimalist design

5. Perfect Your Lighting Descriptions

Lighting dramatically affects mood and realism:

Golden hour: Warm, soft morning/evening light
Blue hour: Cool twilight tones
Volumetric lighting: God rays, dust particles
Neon lighting: Urban night scenes
Studio lighting: Three-point lighting setup

6. Use Negative Prompts Effectively

Specify what you don't want to avoid common issues:

Negative prompt: "blurry, distorted faces, unnatural motion, flickering, watermark, text overlay, compression artifacts"

7. Batch Generate for Variations

Don't settle for the first result. Generate 3-5 variations of each prompt to:

Compare different interpretations
Select the best physics and motion
Find unexpected creative solutions
Build a library of options for editing

8. Optimize for Your Export Format

Use Case	Recommended Settings
Social Media	1080p, 30fps, 9:16 vertical
YouTube	4K, 60fps, 16:9 landscape
Presentations	1080p, 30fps, 16:9
Web Banner	720p, 24fps, custom aspect

9. Maintain Temporal Consistency

For best results across frames:

✓ Avoid: Complex multi-character interactions in one shot
Instead: Focus on single subject or simple interactions

✓ Prefer: Continuous motion over sudden changes
Instead: Smooth camera movements and gradual transitions

10. Build a Prompt Library

Save successful prompts for reuse and iteration. Organize by:

Subject type (people, animals, objects, landscapes)
Style category (realistic, artistic, animated)
Scene complexity (simple, moderate, complex)
Performance metrics (generation time, quality score)

Pro Tip: The 80/20 Rule

80% of your result quality comes from 20% of your effort. Focus on:

Clear subject definition (what)
Specific action/motion (how)
Detailed environment (where)
Visual style reference (style)

Common Mistakes to Avoid

❌ Overly Complex Prompts

Keep prompts under 200 words. Too much detail can confuse the model.

❌ Ignoring Aspect Ratios

Always specify your target aspect ratio in the prompt or settings.

❌ Not Using Seed Values

Save seed values for successful generations to recreate similar results.

Conclusion

Mastering Sora 2 is an iterative process. Start with these best practices, experiment extensively, and refine your approach based on results. The key is understanding that AI video generation is part art, part science - combine technical precision with creative experimentation.

Ready to Create?

Get started with Sora 2 today. Find working invite codes and join thousands of creators.

Find Invite Codes →