PROMPT WRITING · TEMPLATES · REVISIONS
MiniMax H3 Prompt Guide
Turn an idea into a clear video brief. Learn what to write, how to describe camera movement and audio, and how to revise a prompt when the result misses your intent.
Independent practical guide · Updated October 10, 2026
Start with a clear brief
How to Structure a Video Prompt
Write the shot in the order you would explain it to a collaborator. Put the main action ahead of the style labels.
Reusable template
[Subject] in [setting] performs [action]. The camera [framing + movement]. [Lighting and style]. [Audio]. Keep [essential details] consistent. End with [final composition].
Remove any field that does not help define this shot. Set resolution, aspect ratio, and duration in the generator controls.
Subject & Setting
Name the main subject and its position in the scene. Add background details only when they affect the shot.
A ceramic cup sits centered on a pale stone café counter.
Visible Action
Describe what changes during the clip. A small, observable action is easier to evaluate than a broad mood or story.
Steam rises from the cup and drifts toward the window.
Camera Direction
Specify framing and one main movement. Separate camera movement from the subject's movement.
The camera slowly pushes in from a medium shot to a close-up.
Lighting & Style
Describe the light source and the visual treatment. Replace repeated adjectives with details about light, texture, or contrast.
Soft morning window light, realistic ceramic texture, and a blurred background.
Audio
Name the sounds you want the scene to produce. Identify a speaker and quote any dialogue clearly.
Quiet café room tone and a faint espresso machine hum.
Consistency & Ending
Identify important details to preserve and describe the final composition. These are instructions, not guarantees.
Keep the handle shape consistent. End on a steady close-up of the cup.
Adjust Your Prompt to the Source Material
The writing task changes when a file already supplies the appearance, motion, or ending.
Text-Only Prompts
Build the visible scene in words: subject, setting, action, camera, lighting, and audio. Avoid leaving the main action implied by a phrase such as “cinematic product ad.”
A chef places a strawberry tart on a white plate. The camera stays in a close-up as powdered sugar falls, then settles.Open Text to Video →
Image Animation Prompts
Let the source image establish the starting appearance. Describe what should move and what should stay stable. Repeating every visible detail can distract from the motion brief.
Keep the bottle shape and cap consistent with the start frame. A narrow highlight moves across the glass while the camera slowly pushes in.Open Image to Video →
First & Last Frame Prompts
Describe the path between the two compositions. State whether the transition is continuous, which objects move, and how the shot reaches the ending frame.
Hold the opening street view briefly. Daylight fades as the shop windows illuminate. Keep the camera position aligned and transition smoothly into the supplied nighttime frame.Read the Keyframe Guide →
Reference Prompts
Use the preview labels to assign each uploaded file a role. Separate details borrowed from the references from the setting and action of the new shot.
Use Image 1 for the jacket design and Video 1 only for walking pace. Use the courtyard described in this prompt instead of the video's background.Open Reference to Video →
MiniMax H3 Prompt Examples to Copy
These are writing templates to adapt, rather than tested output guarantees. Image and reference examples need the source files described below.
Product Close-Up
A small brass reading lamp sits on a walnut desk in a quiet study. A hand enters from the right, clicks the switch once, and leaves the frame. The shade lights up, casting a warm pool of light across the wood. The camera stays in a locked medium close-up. Keep the lamp shape and arm position consistent. Include one switch click and low room ambience, with no music. End with the illuminated lamp fully visible. No text or extra objects.
Text to Video · H3 Standard · 16:9 · 768p · 5s
No source media needed. Notice how the sound and ending describe observable parts of the shot.
Animate a Product Photo
Use the start frame for the bottle's appearance. Keep its silhouette, cap, label placement, and proportions consistent. The bottle stays still while a narrow white highlight sweeps slowly across the glass. The camera makes a gentle push-in without orbiting. Dark studio background and crisp, restrained reflections. Quiet studio room tone, no dialogue or music. End with the entire bottle still visible.
Image to Video · H3 Standard · 16:9 · 768p · 5s
Upload a bottle photo as the start frame before generating. This template requests motion while limiting changes to the product.
Combine Appearance and Motion
Use Image 1 for the hiker's face, red jacket, and backpack. Use Video 1 only for the measured walking pace, not its location or camera movement. The hiker takes three steps along a wooded trail, then pauses beside a moss-covered rock. The camera remains in a steady wide shot. Dappled daylight, soft boot steps on dirt, and distant birds. Keep the outfit consistent with Image 1. End with the hiker standing fully in frame.
Reference to Video · H3 Standard · 16:9 · 768p · 5s
Upload Image 1 (a hiker photo) and Video 1 (a walking clip). Check the preview labels before using this prompt.
Write Dialogue, Sound Effects, and Ambience
Describe what the viewer should hear as specifically as what they should see.
Dialogue
In a steady medium close-up, the passenger says, “I thought we had more time,” quietly, then looks out the window.
Keep the line short enough for the clip. Identify who speaks and how they deliver it; review the generated words and timing.
Sound Effects
As the box lands on the counter, include a soft cardboard tap. Keep the room ambience low.
Link a sound to a visible event. If a result adds an unwanted soundtrack, revise the audio instruction directly.
Ambience
Light rain, tires moving over wet asphalt, and a quiet engine. No dialogue or music.
Choose sounds that fit the setting. State whether music or speech should be absent when that matters to the shot.
Before-and-After Prompt Revisions
Change the instruction behind the problem. These writing comparisons illustrate clearer briefs; they do not represent measured generation results.
The camera direction is unclear
Before
A cinematic car video with dynamic camera movement.
After
A parked coupe stays still. The camera tracks slowly from the front wheel toward the driver's door at a low angle.
The rewrite separates a stationary subject from a moving camera and defines the direction of travel.
The shot asks for too much
Before
The chef enters, cooks dinner, serves it, talks to guests, and cleans the kitchen.
After
In a locked close-up, the chef pours chocolate over one plated dessert. End after the stream stops.
The rewrite isolates one visible event instead of trying to fit an entire sequence into a short clip.
The reference roles conflict
Before
Use all the references exactly, but change the outfit and location.
After
Use Image 1 for the face and hairstyle. Use Image 2 for the coat. Replace both backgrounds with a plain concrete gallery.
Each source controls a named detail, and the new background is explicitly defined.
Fix Common Prompt Problems
Use what you can observe in the result to decide which line to change next.
The subject changes shape
Simplify movement, keep the subject in frame, and name the essential shape or appearance details. For image-led shots, check that the source is clear and unobstructed.
The camera does something else
Remove competing moves. Replace “dynamic camera” with a direction such as a slow push-in or a left-to-right tracking shot.
The reference background carries over
Say which details to borrow and which setting to replace. Identify the reference by its preview label.
The clip ends before the action resolves
Reduce the action or choose more time in the generator. Describe a simpler final beat before adding more events.
Need upload, settings, or generation steps? Read the step-by-step MiniMax H3 tutorial.
Prompt Writing FAQ
Answers about prompt structure, source instructions, camera language, and revisions.
What should I include in a MiniMax H3 prompt?
Start with the subject and visible action, then add the setting, one camera direction, lighting, audio, and an ending when relevant. Include consistency instructions for details that matter. Use the template as a checklist, not a requirement to fill every field.
How long should my prompt be?
There is no ideal word count. Use enough detail to make the shot unambiguous, then remove repeated adjectives and instructions that do not change what the viewer sees or hears. A concise, specific brief is a useful starting point.
Should I describe an uploaded image again?
Usually, focus on changes: subject movement, camera behavior, light, and the ending. Name important details that should remain consistent, rather than repeating a full description of the source image.
How do I write camera instructions?
Describe the framing, direction, and pace. For example, “a slow push-in from a medium shot to a close-up” is clearer than “cinematic movement.” Start with one main move and inspect whether the generated camera follows it.
How should I prompt dialogue and audio?
Identify the speaker, quote the line, and describe the delivery. For effects or ambience, name sounds connected to the action and setting. Keep speech short enough for the selected duration, and review the final audio.
How do I refer to uploaded reference files?
Use the labels shown in the previews, such as Image 1 or Video 1. State which detail each file guides and which details should be ignored. Update those labels if you remove or reorder references.
Do consistency instructions guarantee unchanged text or faces?
No. They communicate your priorities, but generated details can still vary. Review faces, small lettering, packaging, and the final frame. When exact text matters, consider adding it afterward in a video editor.
What should I change when a prompt almost works?
Keep the successful parts and change the instruction responsible for the problem. Save the previous prompt and settings so you can compare the two results. Avoid changing the camera, action, audio, and references all at once.
Try One Prompt, Then Refine It
Choose a template, adapt it to your subject, and review one result. Keep a copy of the original brief so you can compare the next version.
Open the MiniMax H3 Generator →