Sora (OpenAI)

Sora is OpenAI's text-to-video model, known for its ability to generate high-fidelity, cinematic videos with realistic physics and complex scenes. VPA optimizes prompts specifically for Sora's strengths.

Key Characteristics

• Maximum prompt length: 1000 characters
• Video duration: Up to 60 seconds
• Resolution: Up to 4K
• Aspect ratios: 16:9, 9:16, 1:1

What Sora Does Well

• Physical realism: Accurate physics, gravity, motion
• Scene complexity: Multiple subjects, interactions
• Camera movement: Smooth, cinematic camera work
• Temporal coherence: Consistent subjects across frames
• Lighting: Realistic light behavior, reflections
• Detail: Fine textures, subtle movements

Prompt Structure for Sora

VPA structures Sora prompts in this order:

1. Subject & Action: What's happening and who's involved
2. Environment: Where the scene takes place
3. Camera & Motion: How we see it, how it moves
4. Lighting & Atmosphere: Mood and visual tone
5. Style & Quality: Aesthetic descriptors

Effective Vocabulary

Terms that work particularly well with Sora:

Camera Movement

• Tracking shot, dolly in/out, crane shot
• Smooth pan, slow push, orbital movement
• Steady, fluid, cinematic motion

Quality Descriptors

• Photorealistic, cinematic, film grain
• 8K, high detail, sharp focus
• Professional, production quality

Lighting Terms

• Golden hour, volumetric light, rim lighting
• Soft shadows, natural light, dramatic contrast
• Ambient occlusion, global illumination

Common Pitfalls

• Overloading prompts: Too many details can confuse
• Conflicting instructions: Contradictory descriptions
• Vague subjects: Be specific about what's in frame
• Ignoring physics: Impossible scenarios may break

Example Optimized Prompt

Here's an example of a VPA-optimized prompt for Sora:

A woman in a flowing red dress walks through a sunlit wheat field at golden hour. The camera tracks alongside her in a slow dolly movement, capturing her profile. Warm sunlight creates lens flares and rim lighting on her silhouette. Wheat stalks sway gently in the breeze. Shallow depth of field with soft bokeh. Cinematic, photorealistic, 35mm film aesthetic with subtle grain.