Why Your Hailuo Prompts Fail (And How to Fix Them)
You’ve tried Hailuo AI and gotten… not quite what you expected. Maybe your videos look too cartoonish. Perhaps the character keeps changing from scene to scene. Or maybe the AI just completely ignored half your prompt and did its own thing.
Here’s the truth: Hailuo AI (also called MiniMax) can create stunning, cinema-quality videos, but only if you know how to communicate with it properly. The difference between “meh” results and jaw-dropping outputs isn’t the AI, but your prompt.
New to Hailuo? Start with our guide to using Hailuo AI for the basics. This article delves deeper into prompt engineering, providing the actual formulas and techniques that consistently produce professional results.
You’ll learn the exact prompt structure used by top creators, discover how to fix the “cartoon look” problem, master camera movement keywords that actually work, and avoid the mistakes that waste your credits.
The proven Hailuo AI prompt formula (that actually works)
After analyzing hundreds of successful Hailuo prompts from top creators, one formula consistently delivers professional results.
The 6-part formula reimagined
[CAMERA TYPE + MOVEMENT],
[AGE]-year-old [SUBJECT] with [DISTINCTIVE FEATURE] wearing [CLOTHING],
[ACTION VERB] [SPECIFIC MOVEMENT],
in [SPECIFIC LOCATION] at [TIME], [WEATHER/ATMOSPHERE],
[LIGHT SOURCE] creating [LIGHT EFFECT],
[STYLE REFERENCE], [MOOD], photorealistic [RESOLUTION]
Think of building a Hailuo prompt like directing a film crew. Each part gives specific instructions to a different “department.”
The formula in action: Before vs. After
Pro tip: The priority hierarchy
When you’re short on space (under 40 words), prioritize in this order:
1. Subject (who/what) - Never skip this
2. Action (what they’re doing) - Makes it dynamic
3. Camera (how we see it) - Defines the shot
4. Lighting (photorealistic keywords) - Prevents cartoon look
5. Scene (where) - Can be simplified
6. Style (the feel) - Can be minimal
Original Hailuo prompt templates to try (copy and customize)
Ready to test the formula? Here are original prompts across different settings and styles. Copy these, customize the details to match your vision, and generate your first professional-quality Hailuo video.
Template 1: Urban nightlife
Setting: City street Style: Neo-noir, cinematic
Full Prompt: “Medium tracking shot following a lone figure in a dark coat walking down rain-slicked Tokyo alley at night, neon signs reflecting in puddles of pink and blue light, steam rising from street vents, camera moves parallel to subject from side angle, moody film noir atmosphere with high contrast, photorealistic, shot on Arri Alexa.”
Customization tips: - Change location: “Paris boulevard,” “New York subway entrance,” “Hong Kong market street” - Adjust clothing: “red leather jacket,” “business suit,” “hoodie and backpack” - Modify weather: “light snow falling,” “heavy rain,” “misty fog” - Change neon colors: “green and orange,” “purple and yellow”
Template 2: Nature documentary style
Setting: Wildlife/natural environment Style: National Geographic, realistic
Full Prompt: “Wide establishing shot of misty mountain valley at sunrise, camera slowly pans right to reveal elk herd grazing in meadow below, golden morning light filtering through fog, natural documentary cinematography, soft focus on distant peaks, serene and peaceful atmosphere, 8k photorealistic, natural lighting”
Customization tips: - Change animals: “wolf pack,” “eagle soaring,” “dolphins swimming,” “bear fishing” - Different landscapes: “African savanna,” “Arctic tundra,” “tropical rainforest,” “desert oasis” - Time variations: “sunset,” “midday harsh light,” “overcast morning” - Add weather: “light rain falling,” “wind rustling grass,” “snow drifting”
Template 3: Fantasy adventure
Setting: Magical/fantastical world Style: Epic fantasy, cinematic
Full Prompt: “Wide shot of ancient stone temple emerging from jungle mist, camera crane shot rising to reveal massive carved statues covered in glowing vines, mysterious purple crystals pulsing with light, explorer in weathered leather gear approaching entrance with torch, dramatic volumetric lighting through tree canopy, epic fantasy atmosphere with parthttps://drive.google.com/file/d/1nNFPj40H7083LXLf-JC1yGqAM629fRm4/view?usp=drive_linkicle effects, hyper-detailed”
Customization tips: - Change architecture: “ice palace,” “floating sky castle,” “underground cavern city” - Modify lighting colors: “golden magical aura,” “blue ethereal glow,” “red mystical energy” - Different characters: “wizard in robes,” “armored knight,” “elven scout” - Add creatures: “dragon circling above,” “griffins perched on pillars”
Template 4: Retro/vintage aesthetic
Setting: 1970s-80s nostalgic Style: Vintage film, grainy
Full Prompt: “Medium shot of vintage red convertible cruising down coastal highway at golden hour, driver with sunglasses and flowing scarf, palm trees swaying in background, camera tracking shot from side keeping pace with car, warm orange and pink sunset sky, vintage 1970s film aesthetic with natural grain texture, nostalgic summer mood, soft focus”
Customization tips: - Change vehicle: “classic motorcycle,” “VW bus,” “old pickup truck” - Different decades: “1950s diner aesthetic,” “1960s mod style,” “1990s grunge vibe” - Location shifts: “desert road,” “mountain pass,” “city boulevard” - Color grading: “faded Kodachrome tones,” “Polaroid-style colors,” “sepia warmth”
Fixing the “cartoon look” problem
One of the most common complaints: “My Hailuo videos look too animated/cartoonish.” Here’s how to fix it.
Add photorealism keywords
Include these terms in your style/mood section:
- photorealistic
- hyper-detailed
- shot on Arri Alexa (professional cinema camera)
- 8k resolution
- cinematic movie style
- natural lighting
- real-world physics
Specify realistic lighting
Instead of: “good lighting,” Use: “natural window light, soft shadows, realistic skin tones.”
Working example
Before (cartoonish): “A man walking in a park”
After (photorealistic): “Medium shot of a 35-year-old man in casual clothes walking through a park on an overcast day, shot on Arri Alexa, photorealistic, natural lighting, subtle film grain, cinematic documentary style”
Solving the character consistency challenge
Creating consistent characters across multiple Hailuo clips is notoriously tricky. Here’s what actually works.
Be hyper-specific about your character
Don’t say: “a woman”
Instead: “A 40-year-old woman named Sarah with shoulder-length auburn hair, a small mole above her left eyebrow, wearing a worn brown leather jacket and blue jeans”
Copy-paste the EXACT description
For every clip featuring the same character, copy the exact character description. Don’t paraphrase. Don’t change a single word.
Clip 1 prompt: “Medium shot of [EXACT CHARACTER DESCRIPTION] walking into coffee shop, morning light through window, handheld camera”
Clip 2 prompt:
“Close-up of [EXACT CHARACTER DESCRIPTION] sitting at a table, stirring coffee, soft natural lighting”
Anchor with a unique feature
Give your character ONE unchangeable identifier:
- ((woman with distinctive silver locket necklace))
- ((man with scar across right eyebrow))
- ((child wearing red baseball cap))
The double parentheses + unique feature helps Hailuo maintain consistency.
Image-to-video prompting (the game-changer)
Hailuo’s image-to-video feature gives you way more control than text-only prompts, but you need to prompt differently.
How it works
Upload an image (up to 20MB, high-resolution recommended), then write a prompt that describes ONLY the motion and changes you want to see.
Image-to-video prompt structure
Don’t describe the image (the AI can already see it)
Do describe the action:
“The woman slowly raises her right arm, reaching toward the sunlight filtering through the trees. Her hair gently sways in the breeze. Camera pushes in slowly while maintaining focus on her face.”
Real examples
Image: A dragon illustration
Prompt: “The dragon breathes fire from its mouth, scales glimmering in the firelight, background smoke slowly rising. End with the dragon shaking its head like a dog drying itself.”
Image: Woman standing on a cliff
Prompt: “Her dress and hair flow dramatically in the strong wind. The camera slowly orbits around her while she gazes at the distant horizon. Waves crash against rocks below.”
Pro tips for image-to-video
- Use high-resolution images (at least 1080p)
- Simple backgrounds animate better than complex ones
- Be specific about which part of the image should move
- Expect to iterate; your first attempt might need refinement
Advanced prompt techniques from top creators
Split-screen videos
Hailuo can create split-screen effects using this structure:
“The scene is divided into two parts, left and right, separated by a boundary.
[Left side description]. [Right side description].”
Example: “The scene is divided into two parts, left and right, separated by a white vertical line. The left side shows a sunny beach with a person running. The right side shows the same person in a winter coat walking through a snowy forest.”
Using cinematic terminology
These professional terms produce sophisticated results:
- Dutch angle - Tilted camera for unease/tension
- Rack focus - Shift focus from foreground to background
- Match cut - Transition technique between shots
- Establishing shot - Wide shot setting the scene
- Insert shot - Close-up detail
Example: “Dutch angle close-up of detective’s face, shadows crossing his features, rack focus from his worried expression to crime scene photo in background”
Emotion-driven prompts
Including emotional descriptors helps Hailuo understand tone:
“Tense atmosphere,” “dreamlike quality,” “chaotic energy,” “serene mood,” “melancholic feeling”
Example: “Close-up of elderly man looking at old photographs, melancholic mood, soft window light creating gentle shadows, shallow focus on his contemplative expression, camera drifts slowly right”
Recap and final thoughts
- Use the proven formula: [Camera Shot + Motion] + [Subject + Description] + [Action] + [Scene + Description] + [Lighting] + [Style/Mood] consistently produces professional results.
- Start with what matters: Hailuo’s attention mechanism prioritizes the FIRST elements in your prompt, so put your main subject or action first.
- Fix the cartoon look: Add “photorealistic,” “shot on Arri Alexa,” “natural lighting,” and “8k resolution” to prompts for realistic rendering.
- Character consistency requires precision: Write exact character descriptions once, then copy-paste them into every prompt without changing a word.
- Image-to-video is your secret weapon: Upload high-res images and prompt only the motion. This gives you maximum control over the final look.
- Start practicing now: Pick one example prompt from this guide, customize it for your idea, and generate your first improved video today.
The difference between mediocre and professional Hailuo videos isn’t about luck; it's about understanding how to communicate your vision clearly. Now you have the formula, the examples, and the troubleshooting knowledge—time to create.
Want even more control over your AI video workflow? VEED’s AI Video Generator offers a different approach with built-in editing tools that complement Hailuo’s raw generation power.
