How do I Use Veo 3?

Veo 3 is Google’s advanced generative video model for creating high-quality clips—especially cinematic, film-style visuals.

The biggest difference between “random AI video” and something that actually feels directed is the prompt. So I don’t prompt Veo 3 casually—I prompt it like a shot list.

This is the system I use every time.

What I Use Veo 3 For

I mainly use Veo 3 for video generation—short cinematic sequences and concept visuals for content. The goal is simple: generate clips that look intentional, consistent, and usable with minimal fixing.

The Non-Negotiables I Always Include

1) Aspect ratio (first line)

I always state the output ratio upfront because it changes framing, composition, and how the subject reads.

• 9:16 for Reels/Shorts/Stories

• 16:9 for YouTube / cinematic landscape

2) Duration (seconds, always)

I choose the duration intentionally (not “whatever it gives”).

Common picks: 5s / 6s / 8s

Short enough to stay consistent, long enough for a real “shot.”

3) Audio (explicit)

If audio matters, I specify what kind.

• None (clean visual only)

• Ambient (rain, city hum, wind)

• SFX (whoosh, footsteps, door close)

• Dialogue (rare—only if needed)

Veo 3 supports native audio generation in supported flows, so it’s worth calling out when you want it.

Crisp and Clear Prompting: I Write “Shot Prompts”

My prompts read like a director’s brief—tight, specific, no fluff.

What I always define:

• Subject details: who/what, clothing/texture, emotion, what must be in focus

• Foreground + background: what exists close to camera vs far away

• Lighting: soft daylight / golden hour / low-key cinematic / neon night

• Depth of field: shallow bokeh vs deep focus

• Camera language: shot type, lens look, and camera movement

• Minor movements: blink, breath, fabric sway, wind, particles—small realism cues

Those micro-movements are important. They make the clip feel alive without turning it chaotic.

Negative Prompting (So It Doesn’t Get Weird)

Negative prompting is part of every Veo 3 prompt I write.

I tell it what to avoid—because in generative video, “what you don’t want” is just as important as what you do want.

My common “avoid” list includes:

• text/subtitles/logos/watermarks

• oversaturated HDR look

• flicker, jitter, shaky camera

• warped faces/hands

• random object changes or scene morphing

• unnatural physics

• heavy motion blur

This alone improves consistency a lot.

How I Iterate (Without Losing the Look)

Instead of rewriting everything, I lock the style and change one thing at a time:

• “Keep everything the same, change only the lighting to golden hour.”

• “Keep the same framing, change only the subject outfit.”

• “Keep the same scene, reduce saturation and remove HDR look.”

That “change only X” approach keeps the aesthetic stable and makes iteration efficient.

Why This Works

Veo 3 is high quality, but generative video is still compute-heavy and consistency takes iteration.

This shot-prompt system makes the model behave more like a production tool:

• clear output constraints (ratio, duration, audio)

• clear visual direction (lighting, DoF, camera)

• guardrails (negative prompts)

• controlled iteration (change-only-X)

Wrap-Up

I use Veo 3 for video generation, but the real secret is the prompting system: aspect ratio + duration + audio + shot direction + negative prompts + micro-movements.

That’s how you go from “AI clip” to something that feels like a real shot.