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Prompt writing

Your brief is the production prompt: it should tell Reela what video to make without relying on an earlier conversation. Include the final requirements, relevant facts, and any exact wording that matters—not a transcript of how you reached them.

Prefer the user's language

Write the production prompt in the user's language by default. Do not translate it into English unless the user asks. The prompt's language is separate from the video's spoken or on-screen language; state those requirements explicitly when they differ.

Describe the video, not just a shot

Start with the subject, the kind of video, the audience, and what viewers should understand or do. Add the spoken language and intended platform when relevant.

“An unusual owl on a branch, cinematic close-up” describes an image. It loses the intent of “a narrated 90-second portrait video explaining what makes one unusual owl species special.” Keep that intent in the prompt even if you also describe individual shots.

Choose one primary goal. A short video rarely has room for a brand introduction, a full tutorial, a price comparison, and an event promotion at once.

Carry forward the final decisions

When turning a conversation into a brief:

  • Include the latest agreed requirements. If landscape changed to portrait, write only portrait.
  • Preserve distinctive requests and important wording. Do not reduce “explain what makes this species unusual” to “show the animal.”
  • Replace “as above,” “use the second option,” and “keep the previous ending” with the actual requirements or text.
  • Leave out greetings, discarded alternatives, credit estimates, validation results, and requests to confirm payment.
  • Resolve contradictions before submitting. If one rule takes priority over another, say which one and where it applies.

Do not fill gaps with invented facts or decisions. Ask about missing information that would materially change the video; leave choices the user has delegated open for creative development.

Separate instructions, facts, scripts, and references

These inputs serve different purposes. Label them explicitly rather than putting everything under “reference.”

Production instructions say what to make and how to use the materials. For example: “Explain the three setup steps in order. Do not mention pricing.”

Factual background supplies information the video may draw on. Include the relevant text, names, numbers, dates, and conditions—not just a document title, link, or filename. State whether these are the only permitted facts. Background text is not automatically a script to read aloud.

Script to use supplies narration or dialogue. Mark the beginning and end of the script and state whether it must be used verbatim, may be lightly edited, or may be freely adapted. Identify speakers for dialogue. Put directions about rewriting outside the script block so they are not mistaken for spoken words.

Style reference or example illustrates an approach, not necessarily the content to reproduce. Explain what to borrow—such as short sentences or a question-led opening—and what not to copy, such as names, claims, or plot details. If a passage must actually be spoken, label it as a script, not a reference.

Keep facts separate from creative freedom: permission to make the presentation livelier is not permission to invent offers, features, qualifications, or results.

Make each requirement explicit and scoped

Use short, self-contained instructions, preferably one requirement per line. Avoid relying on a heading alone to explain what a line governs.

Cover the choices that matter to this video; you do not need to specify every item:

  • Structure: what comes first, which points follow, and what the ending should achieve. Distinguish a required sequence from an example sequence.
  • Opening and ending: say when a rule applies only to the first few seconds or the final call to action, rather than the whole video.
  • Visuals: required subjects, settings, colors, and style; separately list forbidden visual elements. Distinguish real footage from illustrative generated scenes.
  • On-screen text: specify subtitles, titles, exact text, and their language. “No subtitles” and “no text anywhere on screen” are different requirements.
  • Speech: specify the narration or dialogue language, who speaks, and whether original speech must remain. “No off-screen narrator” still allows character dialogue; “no generated speech” does not.
  • Other sound: describe background music, ambient sound, and sound effects separately when their use matters. “No background music” does not mean “no sound.”
  • Pacing: describe the desired rhythm, pauses, or sentence length. If exact words must fit a fixed duration, read them aloud first and allow time to understand the visuals.

For example, replace “quiet, no text, keep her voice” with “Preserve the interviewee's original speech. Do not add narration, background music, or sound effects. Do not display subtitles, titles, or other on-screen text.” Use this stronger wording only if it reflects what the user actually wants.

Explain what to do with supplied media

For each attached file, describe its role and any restrictions:

  • Must it appear in the video, or is it only a visual reference?
  • Should its original sound be kept or discarded? Which speakers or passages must remain or be excluded?
  • Must the original sequence be preserved, or may excerpts be selected and reordered?
  • May generated scenes supplement it? Are there required moments, time ranges, or proportions?

For a supplied song, distinguish a music video built around the song from a video that merely uses it as background music. For a song to be generated, describe the song's theme, language, style, and any required lyrics separately from the video's visual requirements.

Attach the files using the appropriate CLI options. Mentioning a filename in the prompt does not attach the file, and describing a visual technique does not replace selecting a compatible --visual option. See reela create -h for supported combinations.

Use a compact prompt structure

Use the sections you need and omit the rest. These headings are writing aids, not required CLI fields.

Video: Subject, format, audience, and the main takeaway or action.
Delivery: Duration, aspect ratio, spoken language, and target platform if relevant.
Content and structure: Essential points, their order, opening, and ending.
Facts: Relevant source content and limits on what may be claimed.
Script: Exact narration or dialogue, with permission or limits for rewriting.
Materials: Each attachment's purpose, audio treatment, and editing restrictions.
Visuals: Required look and content; prohibited imagery.
On-screen text: Required wording, language, and text restrictions.
Sound and pacing: Voices, music, ambience, effects, rhythm, and pauses.
Creative freedom: What may be chosen freely and what must not change.

Keep duration and aspect ratio consistent with --duration and --layout. Use --prompt-file for a longer prompt; the file should contain the actual production request, not a conversation log.

Example: a self-contained production prompt

This fictional event example separates facts, production rules, and exact wording without prescribing every shot:

Video: Make a friendly invitation to a community book swap for nearby residents.
The main takeaway is that visitors bring one book and take home another.
Delivery: 30 seconds, portrait, spoken English.

Facts: The event is Saturday, 14 November 2026, from 10 am to noon,
at Maple Community Hall. Admission is free. Bring one book to exchange.
Use only these event facts. Do not invent an address, booking link, or other activities.

Structure: Open by explaining the exchange, then give the time and location.
End by inviting viewers to bring a book.

Narration: Write a short original narration from the facts above.
The final spoken sentence must be exactly: "Bring a book. Find your next read."

Materials: No event photos or footage are supplied.
Visuals: Use illustrative scenes of books and reading, not purported event footage.
Do not depict a recognizable venue or invent signage for Maple Community Hall.
On-screen text: Show the event date, time, and venue exactly as stated in Facts.
On-screen text must be in English. Do not add other factual claims.
Sound: Use one warm narrator and soft instrumental background music.
Do not add character dialogue or sound effects.
Pacing: Leave enough time to read the event details.
Creative freedom: Choose the shots and transitions; keep the facts and final line unchanged.

Check the prompt before previewing the cost

Read only the prompt and attachments, without the preceding conversation. Can someone identify the requested video, the essential content, how each source is used, and what must not change?

Check that:

  • The final request still preserves the user's purpose and distinctive requirements.
  • Facts, instructions, exact scripts, and style examples are clearly distinguished.
  • There are no unresolved alternatives, contradictions, or references to missing context.
  • Attached files, visual options, duration, and aspect ratio match the written request.
  • Required spoken wording fits the duration, and unsupported claims have been removed.

--dry-run validates the request and estimates credits; it does not generate a video or verify factual accuracy, intent preservation, or visual quality. Check the brief yourself before submitting. When acting for a user, obtain authorization before a paid submission; the CLI does not obtain it for you.