From One Claim to Four Shots: A Simple Storyboard Template for Short Videos

If your generations feel “random,” the problem is usually structure, not style. When you write prompts like marketing copy, the model doesn’t know what to film. A more reliable approach is to storyboard first: split your idea into four shots, then write each shot like a director’s instruction. The result looks less like a single gamble and more like edit-ready footage. To quickly generate those shot blocks, teams often start with the AI Video Generator and treat each shot card as a separate production request.

1) Start with one clear promise

Don’t try to say three things in one video. Lock a single promise:

• - Who is this for?
• - What problem does it solve?
• - What outcome do they get?

When the promise is narrow, the visuals become obvious.

2) Use a 4-shot structure that works across niches

For a 15–25 second short, this structure is easy to produce and easy to edit:

• - Hook (1–2s): result-first or a strong contrast
• - Show (4–8s): the product/method working
• - Proof (3–6s): comparison, data, or social proof
• - CTA (1–2s): one action and one reason

Each section becomes a separate clip you can replace without restarting.

3) Write “shot cards,” not long paragraphs

For each shot, write four lines:

• - Camera: locked / slow push-in / gentle pan
• - Subject action: one clear action (tap, open, pour, swipe, compare)
• - Atmosphere: one small element (soft daylight, clean studio, minimal props)
• - Constraints: stable, subtle motion, no warping, keep text readable

If something goes wrong, change one line, not everything.

Copy-paste shot card examples

Hook card:

• - Camera: slow push-in, stable
• - Subject action: reveal the outcome in one gesture
• - Atmosphere: clean background, soft light
• - Constraints: subtle motion, no warping, keep text readable

Proof card:

• - Camera: locked, close-up
• - Subject action: side-by-side comparison or quick measurement
• - Atmosphere: minimal props
• - Constraints: clear labels, no jitter

4) Generate options, then edit like a human

Instead of chasing the perfect single take, create a small set:

• - 3 hook variants
• - 2 show variants
• - 2 proof variants
• - 2 CTA variants

That’s already 24 combinations in editing. You’re turning uncertainty into choice.

5) Keep the “series DNA” constant

If you publish weekly, consistency matters more than novelty. Fix your pacing, framing, subtitle style, and brand colors. Then only swap the topic details. Viewers recognize a format, and your production time drops dramatically.

Common mistakes (and quick fixes)

• - Too many ideas: cut to one promise and one proof.
• - Too much motion: remove “dynamic,” add “subtle” and “stable.”
• - Messy framing: crop tighter and simplify the background.

A 5-minute checklist before you generate

• - One promise, one proof point
• - One camera move per shot
• - One subject action per shot
• - One stability constraint (“stable,” “no jitter”)
• - A consistent subtitle safe zone

Storyboard prompting is a mindset shift: you stop hoping for a perfect video and start building a controlled set of shots you can assemble into a reliable post.

If you have extra time, generate one additional proof block and one additional CTA block. Those two pieces often decide trust and clicks, and they’re usually faster to refine than the entire “show” segment.

If your storyboard includes a still-based opener (like a product hero or title card), you can animate it into a consistent hook using Image to Video AI before you generate the rest of the sequence. And if your format relies on a face delivering lines, pairing your final voice track with Lip Sync can make the whole storyboard feel more natural on-screen.