The formula
Eight fields, each with one job
| Field | Controls | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Subject | The person, object, or creature viewers follow | Several equal subjects without hierarchy |
| Action | What visibly changes during the shot | Abstract feelings without behavior |
| Camera | Path, speed, height, and endpoint | Stacking orbit, zoom, pan, and drone moves |
| Composition | Framing and visual priority | Contradictory shot sizes |
| Setting | Space, weather, surfaces, moving atmosphere | Decorative lists that do not affect action |
| Light | Direction, quality, color contrast | Five incompatible lighting styles |
| Style | Texture and production treatment | Artist-name soup |
| Sound | Specific audible events and room tone | Too many competing sounds |
A reusable blank template
[SUBJECT] [VISIBLE ACTION]. [CAMERA MOVE] from [STARTING COMPOSITION] to [ENDING COMPOSITION]. [SETTING + MOVING ATMOSPHERE]. [LIGHTING]. [VISUAL TREATMENT]. Audio: [2–3 SPECIFIC SOUNDS]. End with [CLEAR FINAL FRAME]. Keep identity, object geometry, and motion physically coherent.How to use the template
Fill the subject and action first. Read only those two fields and ask whether a stranger could storyboard what happens. Next choose one camera move that helps reveal the action. Add setting and light only after the motion is clear. Treat style as a finishing decision, not a substitute for staging.
For image-to-video, remove appearance details already visible in the source image. Spend your words on motion: what moves first, how fast, what stays fixed, how the camera reacts, and where the shot ends.