The release of Google Veo 3.1 in October 2025 fundamentally transformed how we approach AI video generation. We've moved beyond the era of "random generation" into what I call the "Director's Chair" era—where creators have unprecedented control over every aspect of their AI-generated videos.
What makes Veo 3.1 revolutionary is its Audio-Visual Simultaneity—the ability to generate sound and visuals in a single pass. This isn't just a technical improvement; it's a paradigm shift. The new "Ingredients" workflow further enhances this control, allowing you to feed the system reference images that maintain consistent characters and environments throughout your video.
If you're a filmmaker, marketer, or creator migrating from Sora or Runway to the Google ecosystem (Vertex AI, Gemini, Google Flow), this guide will help you master Veo 3.1's unique prompting language and workflow.
The Anatomy of a Veo 3.1 Prompt
The most effective Veo 3.1 prompts follow this core formula:
[Cinematic Style] + [Subject & Character Details] + [Action/Movement] + [Environment/Lighting] + [Audio Cues] + [Technical Parameters]
For example:
"A Wes Anderson-style shot [cinematic style] of a middle-aged professor with round glasses [subject] walking briskly through [action] a symmetrical library with warm amber lighting [environment]. The sound of his leather shoes echoes on the marble floor [audio cue]. Filmed with an anamorphic lens, slight dolly movement [technical parameters]."
Unlike earlier AI video models that worked well with comma-separated lists of descriptors, Veo 3.1 prefers full sentences with cause-and-effect relationships. This reflects its advanced natural language processing capabilities.
The "Meta-Framework"
The GitHub user snubroot developed a powerful 7-component framework that consistently produces high-quality results with Veo 3.1:
The key syntax innovation in this framework is the use of explicit spatial references. Adding phrases like "(that's where the camera is)" dramatically improves Veo's understanding of perspective and framing.
Text-to-Video: Writing the Screenplay
Dialogue & Lip-Sync
Veo 3.1's lip-sync capabilities are remarkably accurate when you follow this specific syntax:
Character Name [Visual Description] looks at camera and says: "Spoken line here."
For example:
"Sarah [30s, business attire, red hair] looks at camera and says: 'Our quarterly results exceeded expectations.'"
The colon (:) and quotes ("") are crucial triggers for the lip-sync model. Without them, the character might not speak at all, or the words might appear as on-screen text.
Sonic Landscaping (Audio-First Prompting)
Veo 3.1's audio-visual simultaneity allows for what I call "sonic landscaping"—using sound to drive visual elements. For example:
"A crystal wine glass shatters on marble floor, the sound reverberating through the empty ballroom."
This prompt generates both the sound of breaking glass and the visual of glass shards scattering—perfectly synchronized.
For precise audio timing, use timestamp cues:
"A peaceful forest scene with birds chirping, then a sudden thunderclap at 0:04 causes animals to scatter."
Cinematic Vocabulary
Veo 3.1 responds exceptionally well to professional cinematography terms:
Camera Movement:
Lens Choices:
Example:
"A telephoto lens captures a marathon runner crossing the finish line, using a slow-motion dolly movement that tracks alongside the athlete."
Image-to-Video: The "Ingredients" & "Frames" Workflows
Ingredients to Video (Consistency Mode)
The "Ingredients" workflow lets you upload up to 3 reference images:
Instead of describing appearances (which are now defined by your reference images), focus on describing interactions:
"[Ingredient A] runs through [Ingredient B] with the lighting of [Ingredient C]."
For example, if your ingredients are:
Your prompt might be:
"The woman walks confidently through the office, shadows casting dramatic patterns across her face as she approaches the conference room."
Frames to Video (Trajectory Control)
The "Frames" workflow allows you to upload a first frame and last frame, then describe the transition between them:
"The camera slowly orbits around the subject as his expression changes from joy to concern."
This is perfect for:
Advanced Features & Editing
Temporal Control (The "Extend" Feature)
Veo 3.1 limits single generations to 30 seconds, but the "Extend" feature allows you to create longer narratives by generating from the last frame of a previous clip.
This "chain-prompting" technique works best when you maintain context while introducing new elements:
"EXTEND PREVIOUS: The character continues walking down the hallway, but now notices a strange light coming from under a door."
Instructional Editing
Veo 3.1 allows natural language editing of existing clips:
"EDIT: Remove the car from the background"
"EDIT: Change the tie color from blue to red"
"EDIT: Make the scene brighter"
This non-destructive editing preserves the original seed, maintaining consistency while making targeted changes.
Negative Prompting
These standard clean-up terms dramatically improve output quality:
no text overlays, no blurry background, no distorted limbs, no subtitles, no unnatural movements
The "no subtitles" parameter is particularly important when generating dialogue, as the model sometimes tries to display the spoken text on screen.
Competitor Comparison (Late 2025 Landscape)
FeatureGoogle Veo 3.1OpenAI Sora 2Runway Gen-3 / PikaAudioNative & Synchronized: Generates dialogue/SFX in-pass.Post-Process: Often requires external tools.Basic: Background music/simple SFX.Consistency"Ingredients": Multi-image reference system.Cameo/Seed: Good for single shots, harder for long narrative.Fine-tuning: Often requires training a custom model.ControlCinematic/Technical: High adherence to camera terms.Imaginative/Vibe: Best for surrealism and "dream logic."Motion Brush: Manual control over specific areas.WorkflowScript-Based: Feels like writing a screenplay.Visual-Based: Feels like describing a painting.Tool-Based: Feels like using VFX software.
I've found that Veo 3.1 excels in narrative and commercial applications where precise control and audio synchronization matter. Sora 2 remains superior for abstract and surreal content, while Runway/Pika offers the most granular manual control for VFX professionals.
Troubleshooting & Best Practices
The "Subtitle Hallucination" Problem
If dialogue appears as text on screen, add no subtitles, no text, no captions to your negative prompt. This is particularly common with instructional or educational content.
The "Static Camera" Fix
If your video looks like a still image with minimal movement, force camera motion with active verbs:
Hardware/Platform Access
You can access Veo 3.1 through:
The model performs best with at least 16GB of VRAM for local processing.
Final Thoughts
The key to mastering Veo 3.1 is adopting an "Audio-First" mental model. Don't think of it as an image generator that moves—think of it as a blind director who needs to hear the scene to visualize it.
When I describe sounds (footsteps, doors opening, glass breaking), Veo creates more physically accurate and compelling videos than when I focus solely on visual elements. This audio-visual simultaneity is what truly sets Veo 3.1 apart from its competitors.
FAQ: Google Veo 3.1
What's the maximum video length Veo 3.1 can generate?
Each generation is limited to 30 seconds, but you can use the "Extend" feature to chain multiple segments together for longer narratives. Some users have successfully created 3-5 minute videos using this technique.
Can Veo 3.1 generate specific celebrities or copyrighted characters?
No, like most commercial AI systems, Veo 3.1 has safeguards against generating recognizable celebrities or copyrighted characters. However, the "Ingredients" workflow allows you to upload reference images of your own actors or licensed characters.
How does Veo 3.1 handle different aspect ratios?
You can specify aspect ratios in your prompt: "16:9 cinematic widescreen," "9:16 vertical for mobile," or "1:1 square format." The default is 16:9 if not specified.
Is there a way to ensure consistent characters across multiple generations?
Yes, the "Ingredients" workflow is specifically designed for this. Upload a reference image of your character, then use that as Ingredient A across multiple generations.
What's the pricing model for Veo 3.1?
As of late 2025, Google offers three tiers: Standard ($0.25/generation), Professional ($0.50/generation with priority processing), and Enterprise (custom pricing with dedicated resources). Each "generation" is a 30-second clip.
Can I use Veo 3.1 for commercial projects?
Yes, Google allows commercial use of Veo 3.1 outputs under their standard terms. Enterprise customers receive additional licensing rights and indemnification.
