The Rise of AI Imagery & Filmography: With Prompting Tips
Before we dive into this article below is a video showcasing AI Cinematography Ads potential using Runway Gen 3, Midjourney, and Adobe Design Tools:
Visual storytelling, a craft rooted in human history for centuries, has evolved from cave paintings to cinematic masterpieces. Today, artificial intelligence (AI) is driving the next revolution, transforming how stories are told through images, videos, and music. In this article, we explore the evolution of AI-powered image and video generation using diffusion models like Runway, Midjourney, Stable Diffusion, DALL·E 3, Sora, and Google DeepMind’s Veo 2. We also highlight the open-source Wan2.1 and Google’s music generation model, Lyria. Traditional tools like Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Premiere Pro, Canva, and Final Cut Pro are now complemented by AI, amplifying creative possibilities. From marketing automation to ultra-low-cost filmography, AI is reshaping storytelling while keeping human creativity at its core.
The Evolution of Visual Storytelling
Humans have always craved stories, a story is often the next thing we seek after food as kids. Visual storytelling, whether through ancient art or modern films, remains the most powerful way to convey a message. The digital era introduced revolutions like image editing software (Adobe Photoshop, Canva) and advanced video editing platforms (Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro), democratizing professional-grade visuals. Now, AI diffusion models are pushing boundaries further, enabling anyone to create photorealistic images, videos, and soundtracks from text prompts. These tools slash time to create from months to minutes while delivering unprecedented quality, making visual storytelling faster, cheaper, and more accessible.
ChatGPT Crisp Text Image Generation Breakthrough
In March 2025, OpenAI released a transformative update to ChatGPT, powered by GPT-4o, introducing native image generation with remarkably clear text rendering. Gone are the days of garbled text like “Hpapy Bthdiary” instead of “Happy Birthday.” GPT-4o produces signs, menus, logos, and infographics with text as sharp as if designed by a human.
How It Works?
The breakthrough lies in GPT-4o’s training on joint text and image distributions, enabling it to understand the semantic relationship between language and visuals. As noted in Maginative, this ensures accurate text placement in images, such as a product mockup with a perfectly typed label or an educational diagram with legible annotations (Medium: Inside GPT-4o’s Image Generation). Unlike traditional diffusion models, GPT-4o uses an autoregressive approach, building images layer by layer, top-to-bottom, for precise control over text and composition.
GPT-4o also leverages conversational context, analyzing user-uploaded images or chat history to maintain consistency across iterations (OpenAI's Announcement). This is ideal for refining designs, like tweaking a video game character’s appearance over multiple prompts (LearnPrompting). It can handle up to 20 objects in a single image—far surpassing the 5-8 object limit of earlier models—making it a powerful tool for complex scenes.
Possible Use Cases
The ability to generate crisp text unlocks endless possibilities:
Marketing Materials: Create social media posts, banners, or product mockups with clear branding.
Educational Content: Design infographics or diagrams with precise labels for classrooms or online courses.
Creative Projects: Craft comic strips, invitations, or memes with readable dialogue and captions.
Beyond standalone image creation, GPT-4o integrates with automation platforms like make.com and n8n.io, as well as Anthropic’s Model Context Protocol, to streamline marketing workflows. For example, a high-level headline and schedule on Google Sheets can trigger automated generation of posts, images, and videos. A notable case is Andy Lo’s AI Bedtime Story project, showcased on his YouTube channel in the video AI Bedtime Story. It uses Google’s Gemini 2.0 Flash Diffusion Model, Fish Audio, and n8n to create a fully automated storytelling pipeline from a minimal plan.
Another compelling example is a tutorial by Hidden Space, detailed in this video, combining Midjourney and Runway diffusion models with traditional tools like Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Premiere Pro. This approach demonstrates how a strong foundation in marketing, storytelling, and filmography, paired with AI, can produce breathtaking results, such as the cinematic short film showcased in this video, at a fraction of the time and cost.
Google DeepMind’s Veo 2 and Lyria: Video and Music Generation
Google DeepMind is a major player in AI-driven storytelling, with its latest offerings, Veo 2 and Lyria, pushing the boundaries of video and music generation.
Veo 2: Cinematic Video Generation
Released in December 2024, Veo 2 is Google DeepMind’s state-of-the-art video generation model, capable of producing high-quality videos up to 4K resolution and over two minutes long. Unlike its predecessor, Veo, it excels in understanding real-world physics, human expressions, and cinematographic techniques, reducing hallucinations like extra limbs or distorted objects. Veo 2 acts like a virtual cinematographer, interpreting prompts with precise camera angles, lenses, and effects. For example, a prompt like “a low-angle tracking shot with an 18mm lens of a drifting car” results in a stylized, realistic scene with accurate motion and lighting. It supports a wide range of styles, from photorealistic to animated, and is available via Google’s VideoFX tool, with plans to integrate into YouTube Shorts and Vertex AI in 2025. All videos are watermarked with SynthID to mitigate deepfake risks.
Lyria: AI Music Generation
Lyria, introduced in November 2023, is Google DeepMind’s cutting-edge music generation model that creates high-quality music, including instruments and vocals, from text prompts. Collaborating with YouTube, Lyria powers tools like Dream Track, which generates 30-second soundtracks in the style of artists like Charlie Puth or T-Pain for YouTube Shorts. Lyria’s ability to handle complex musical elements—beats, harmonies, and lyrics—sets it apart from simpler speech generation models. Like Veo 2, Lyria uses SynthID watermarking for responsible use. Its applications include creating background music for videos, generating instrumental tracks from hummed melodies, or producing full songs with AI-generated vocals.
Use Cases for Veo 2 and Lyria
Film and Animation: Veo 2 can generate cinematic trailers or animated shorts, while Lyria adds custom soundtracks or sound effects.
Marketing: Create engaging video ads with synchronized music tailored to brand aesthetics.
Education: Produce explainer videos with clear visuals and thematic audio for enhanced learning.
Wan2.1: Open-Source Video Generation
The open-source community is advancing visual storytelling with Wan2.1, released couple of days ago to open-source. Wan2.1 specializes in creating consistent video sequences from first and last frames, offering flexibility for developers to build custom solutions. Its open-source nature allows creators to modify and integrate it into various workflows, making it a cost-effective alternative to proprietary models like Veo 2 or Sora. Wan2.1’s ability to generate realistic motion and maintain scene coherence makes it ideal for indie filmmakers and hobbyists.
Diffusion Models for AI Video Generation
AI video generation is advancing rapidly, with diffusion models like Midjourney, Runway, Wan2.1, Sora, and Veo 2 leading the charge. These models can generate hyper-realistic videos from text prompts or extend a single frame into a cohesive sequence, achieving quality previously unimaginable.
Key Models and Capabilities
Midjourney: Known for artistic, visually rich videos, ideal for creative storytelling.
Runway: Excels in generating consistent characters and objects across scenes, perfect for narrative videos.
Wan2.1: An open-source model offering flexibility for developers, with strong first-to-last frame consistency.
Sora: OpenAI’s text-to-video model produces up to 20-second clips at 1080p with complex camera movements and emotional depth.
Veo 2: Google DeepMind’s model delivers 4K videos up to two minutes, with advanced physics and cinematographic control.
These models minimize hallucinations when given proper context, ensuring accurate visuals. Some, like Runway and Veo 2, even generate sound effects, unlocking ultra-low-cost filmography for marketing, explainer videos, and tutorials. This technology, combined with Lyria for music, allows creators to transform ideas into high-quality, immersive videos with minimal resources, democratizing professional-grade storytelling.
Impact on Storytelling
AI video generation enables creators to:
Produce cinematic trailers or short films from text prompts.
Create dynamic explainer videos with synchronized visuals and audio.
Generate interactive storytelling experiences for gaming or virtual reality.
With the right prompting and planning, these tools deliver results that rival traditional filmmaking, making them invaluable for both amateurs and professionals.
Will This Replace Humans in Visual Storytelling?
AI visionaries often say, “AI won’t replace humans, but humans who use AI will.” The essence of storytelling lies in human creativity, experiences, and the ability to weave ideas into a compelling narrative. AI cannot replicate this spark. For example, giving these tools to someone without storytelling knowledge often yields below bar results, proving that human direction is irreplaceable.
AI’s true value is as a tool to automate repetitive tasks—like generating initial drafts, rendering text, or composing music—freeing humans to focus on what makes them unique: crafting meaningful stories. A skilled storyteller using AI can achieve results far superior to AI alone, blending technical precision with emotional depth.
Extra: Prompting Guide for Best Results in Image and Video Generation
To maximize the potential of AI tools like GPT-4o, Veo 2, and Wan2.1, effective prompting is key. Here’s a concise guide:
For Image Generation (GPT-4o, Midjourney)
Be Specific: Include details like style (e.g., photorealistic, Studio Ghibli), colors (hex codes), and aspect ratio (e.g., 16:9). Example: “A photorealistic hummingbird perched on a tree, vibrant colors, 16:9 ratio, soft lighting.”
Use Context: Reference previous images or conversation history for consistency. Example: “Refine the character from my last image, add a blue hat.”
Test Iteratively: Start broad, then refine. Example: “A logo for a tech startup” → “Make it minimalist, use #1E90FF blue, transparent background.”
For Video Generation (Veo 2, Runway, Wan2.1, Sora)
Describe Motion: Specify camera angles and movement. Example: “A vintage SUV speeding up a dirt road, camera follows behind, dust kicking up, warm sunset glow.”
Include Audio Cues: If supported, add sound effects. Example: “A spaceship landing, with a low hum and wind whooshing.”
Sequence Frames: For longer videos, break prompts into scenes. Example: “Scene 1: A time traveler in a glowing wormhole. Scene 2: They step into a futuristic city.”
For Wan2.1: Specify first and last frames for consistency. Example: “First frame: A knight in armor. Last frame: The knight slaying a dragon.”
Tips for All
Avoid Ambiguity: Clear, concise prompts reduce errors. Instead of “a cool scene,” say “a cyberpunk city at night with neon signs.”
Experiment with Styles: Try “Disney Pixar style” or “Van Gogh painting” for unique outputs.
Use Automation Tools: Platforms like make.com or n8n.io can chain prompts for batch generation.
Conclusion
AI is revolutionizing visual storytelling by making it faster, more accessible, and visually stunning. Tools like GPT-4o, Midjourney, Runway, Sora, Veo 2, Wan2.1, and Lyria empower creators to produce crisp text, smart images, cinematic videos, and immersive music with ease. While automation platforms and diffusion models streamline workflows, the human touch remains essential for crafting stories that resonate. By mastering AI tools and prompting techniques, storytellers can unlock new creative possibilities, ensuring that visual storytelling continues to captivate audiences in the digital age.
