Direct answer
A good H3 prompt is a production plan, not a pile of adjectives
This MiniMax H3 prompt guide treats each prompt as a production plan: assign every reference a single role, describe the video as timed shots, separate physical sound from audience-only music, and lock the few details that must not drift. Start with subject + action + setting, then add camera, timing, sound and explicit continuity constraints.
- Best default structure
- References → shots → soundscape → music
- Base modes
- Text, first-frame, first-and-last-frame
- Reference mode sections
- Definitions, summary, retention, detail, sound
- Strongest control unit
- One observable action + one camera move per shot
- Audio separation
- Physical sound vs audience-only music
- Examples in this guide
- 20 playable prompt-and-output pairs
| Mode | Choose it when | Anchor syntax | Primary risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Text to Video | The scene can be specified entirely in words. | No visual anchor | Ambiguous identity, staging or art direction |
| First / Last Frame | Composition must start, finish or transition at exact images. | <Picture 1>, then optional <Picture 2> | Weak motion path between the anchors |
| Reference to Video | Identity, wardrobe, motion, camera or audio comes from references. | <Subject N>, <Picture N>, <Video N>, <Audio N> | One reference silently controls too many traits |
Official syntax
MiniMax H3 Prompt Guide: The Three-Field Prompt Structure
MiniMax H3 uses a three-field prompt structure: integrated_multimodal_description defines the audiovisual timeline, overall_soundscape describes persistent environmental and physical sound, and non_diegetic_music controls audience-only background score.
- integrated_multimodal_description
- The main audiovisual timeline. It describes what appears on screen, what happens over time, camera movement, shot changes, dialogue, and synchronized events.
- overall_soundscape
- The persistent sound environment of the scene, including ambience, physical action sounds, and non-verbal human sounds.
- non_diegetic_music
- Audience-only background score that exists outside the fictional world of the scene.
integrated_multimodal_description: [Shot 1] Subject, action, setting, framing, camera movement and synchronized events. overall_soundscape: Physical and environmental sounds. non_diegetic_music: Audience-only score, or N/A.
subject_definitions: Define <Subject N> from each source. summary: State the reference-generation task. retention_analysis: List what each source preserves or transfers. detailed_description: Write the target video shot by shot. overall_soundscape: Physical and environmental sounds. non_diegetic_music: Audience-only score, or N/A.
The field names above follow MiniMax’s published H3 prompt-writing guides. A first-frame prompt should identify the opening picture before the description; first-and-last-frame prompts should map both pictures and describe the transition path between them.
Workflow
Write the prompt in six passes
- 1
Choose the minimum mode
Use reference mode only when a reusable identity, object, motion, camera pattern or sound source must be preserved.
- 2
Assign every reference one job
State what each picture, video or audio source controls—and what it does not control.
- 3
Write a one-sentence target
Define subject, action, place, visual treatment and the intended change across the clip.
- 4
Build a timed shot plan
Give each shot an observable action, framing, camera move and transition. Use a small shot budget.
Run a First Draft
You now have enough structure to test a first version. Generate the shot before adding audio and continuity constraints, then compare the result with the refinements in Steps 5 and 6.
Use your own draft or start with the example below. The goal is not to perfect the prompt yet—it is to see which parts of the visual plan the model follows before you add the final control layers.
- 5
Separate sound from score
Put physical and environmental audio in overall_soundscape; put audience-only music in non_diegetic_music.
- 6
Add locks and exclusions
Lock identity, geometry, text and final frame. Name the most likely failures in an AVOID line.
Do not invent a negative_prompt field
H3’s published formats do not define one. Put short constraints next to the affected shot, inside retention rules, or in a final AVOID line.
Prompt library
20 MiniMax H3 prompts with playable outputs
Each example preserves the base creative brief and adds a production-control block: a narrower mode, timeline, reference roles, continuity locks, sound behavior and the failure to avoid.
Brand Films & Cinematic Content
EXAMPLE 01 · REFERENCE TO VIDEO
Vintage Binocular Brand Film
Reference inputs




Why the upgrade helps
The added timeline separates search, focus and settle beats while treating the binocular mask as an immutable composition lock.
Failure addressed
The lens mask drifts or the lettering warps during whip transitions.
Optimized production promptExpand
Use Images 1–4 as sequential keyframes, seen through a vintage binocular viewfinder searching for the MINIMAX installation. Open out of focus with subtle handheld shake, then push in quickly and rack focus onto Image 1. Between keyframes, use fast binocular-scan transitions with whip movement, motion blur, optical smearing, and brief exposure flicker. Cut at peak blur, then settle and snap back into focus. Keep the twin circular lens mask absolutely fixed throughout: identical position, scale, feathered black vignette, and edge softness, with no warping or drift. Only the image inside the mask may move. In Image 2, let the fabric move gently in the wind while the MINIMAX lettering follows the folds and remains legible. In Image 3, the subject should feel like a stylish passerby caught by chance, walking, turning, and swinging their arms naturally. In Image 4, the subject adjusts their glasses or lifts their chin slightly with a cool, effortless fashion-campaign attitude. Red typography should resolve with the focus: begin slightly blurred and at low opacity, then fade into clarity over 0.3–0.5 seconds. A subtle vertical slide or slight tracking expansion is allowed. Fade it out before the next transition or let motion blur carry it away. No spins, bounces, or large fly-ins/outs. Visual language: a voyeuristic, Wes Anderson-inspired 35 mm film look with fine grain, soft highlight halation, restrained color, and red typographic accents. Minimal, premium, lightly playful. Do not add people, vehicles, buildings, or logos. Preserve the core composition and the MINIMAX installation exactly. PRODUCTION CONTROL MODE: Reference to Video. Assign Images 1–4 only as sequential visual anchors. TIMELINE: 0–3s search and rack focus; 3–10s two fast scan transitions; 10–15s settle on the final mark. CONTINUITY LOCKS: the twin circular mask, vignette softness and installation lettering never change geometry. CAMERA: handheld micro-shake inside the mask only; cut at peak motion blur. AUDIO: wind, cloth movement and two short optical whooshes; restrained low pulse, no dominant score. END FRAME: hold the final mark sharp for one second. AVOID: mask drift, melted text, cross-dissolves and extra subjects.
Base creative promptExpand
Use Images 1–4 as sequential keyframes, seen through a vintage binocular viewfinder searching for the MINIMAX installation. Open out of focus with subtle handheld shake, then push in quickly and rack focus onto Image 1. Between keyframes, use fast binocular-scan transitions with whip movement, motion blur, optical smearing, and brief exposure flicker. Cut at peak blur, then settle and snap back into focus. Keep the twin circular lens mask absolutely fixed throughout: identical position, scale, feathered black vignette, and edge softness, with no warping or drift. Only the image inside the mask may move. In Image 2, let the fabric move gently in the wind while the MINIMAX lettering follows the folds and remains legible. In Image 3, the subject should feel like a stylish passerby caught by chance, walking, turning, and swinging their arms naturally. In Image 4, the subject adjusts their glasses or lifts their chin slightly with a cool, effortless fashion-campaign attitude. Red typography should resolve with the focus: begin slightly blurred and at low opacity, then fade into clarity over 0.3–0.5 seconds. A subtle vertical slide or slight tracking expansion is allowed. Fade it out before the next transition or let motion blur carry it away. No spins, bounces, or large fly-ins/outs. Visual language: a voyeuristic, Wes Anderson-inspired 35 mm film look with fine grain, soft highlight halation, restrained color, and red typographic accents. Minimal, premium, lightly playful. Do not add people, vehicles, buildings, or logos. Preserve the core composition and the MINIMAX installation exactly.
EXAMPLE 04 · REFERENCE TO VIDEO
Desert Fashion Campaign
Reference inputs




Why the upgrade helps
The production block fixes each reference to one job and defines the action chain so the bag remains part of the story instead of becoming a packshot.
Failure addressed
Wardrobe, bag geometry or character identity changes between the trunk and walk-away beats.
Optimized production promptExpand
Create a premium 16:9 landscape fashion film. Use Image 1 for the overall mood, location, and film texture; Image 2 for the talent; Image 3 for the bag; and Image 4 for the closing brand mark. This is a fashion campaign for the clothing and bag. The tone is elevated, cool, and restrained, but the edit should still feel lively and fashion-forward—not like a conventional narrative film or an e-commerce ad. Keep the story simple: beside a vintage car on a desert highway, a woman walks to the rear of the car, opens the trunk, takes out a black bag, shares a quiet beat with the man standing nearby, then leaves carrying the bag. Integrate the clothing and bag naturally into the performance so they feel like part of the characters’ identity. PRODUCTION CONTROL MODE: Reference to Video. Image 1 controls desert location and film texture; Image 2 the woman; Image 3 the black bag; Image 4 the closing mark. ACTION ORDER: approach trunk → open trunk → lift bag by its handle → brief eye contact → walk away. CAMERA: three restrained editorial setups, never more than one move per setup. PRODUCT LOCK: preserve bag silhouette, material, hardware and color. AUDIO: desert wind, trunk latch, footsteps on gravel; minimal music. END FRAME: clean brand mark after the walk-away. AVOID: extra products, wardrobe swaps and e-commerce turntable shots.
Base creative promptExpand
Create a premium 16:9 landscape fashion film. Use Image 1 for the overall mood, location, and film texture; Image 2 for the talent; Image 3 for the bag; and Image 4 for the closing brand mark. This is a fashion campaign for the clothing and bag. The tone is elevated, cool, and restrained, but the edit should still feel lively and fashion-forward—not like a conventional narrative film or an e-commerce ad. Keep the story simple: beside a vintage car on a desert highway, a woman walks to the rear of the car, opens the trunk, takes out a black bag, shares a quiet beat with the man standing nearby, then leaves carrying the bag. Integrate the clothing and bag naturally into the performance so they feel like part of the characters’ identity.
EXAMPLE 05 · REFERENCE TO VIDEO
Cyber-Grunge Fashion Film
Reference inputs


Why the upgrade helps
A fixed identity sheet and bounded glitch moments keep the fashion subject readable while preserving the analog aggression.
Failure addressed
Glitch effects obscure the face or mutate the coat and sunglasses.
Optimized production promptExpand
Use Image 1 as the reference for texture and mood, and Image 2 for the subject’s appearance. Generate a 15-second, 16:9 fashion short. Preserve the subject’s identity: long platinum-blonde hair, narrow black vintage sunglasses, a glossy black patent-leather trench coat, a cool, self-assured expression, and orange firelight reflected across the coat. Style: fast-cut fashion film on analog stock, set against a nighttime blaze with black smoke and orange-red flames. Layer in VHS glitches, CCTV signal interruptions, 1990s film grain, scanlines, chromatic aberration, light leaks, flash-to-white transitions, and subtle frame jitter. PRODUCTION CONTROL MODE: Reference to Video. Image 1 controls texture and fire-lit mood; Image 2 controls identity, hair, sunglasses and coat. TIMELINE: 0–4s close-up identity lock; 4–10s two fashion poses with hard cuts; 10–15s walking hero shot. EFFECT RULE: glitches may affect signal and background, not facial geometry or garment construction. CAMERA: handheld 35mm language with two deliberate flash cuts. AUDIO: fire crackle, low industrial beat and one tape-stop accent. AVOID: face replacement, coat color changes, continuous glitch overlays and unreadable silhouettes.
Base creative promptExpand
Use Image 1 as the reference for texture and mood, and Image 2 for the subject’s appearance. Generate a 15-second, 16:9 fashion short. Preserve the subject’s identity: long platinum-blonde hair, narrow black vintage sunglasses, a glossy black patent-leather trench coat, a cool, self-assured expression, and orange firelight reflected across the coat. Style: fast-cut fashion film on analog stock, set against a nighttime blaze with black smoke and orange-red flames. Layer in VHS glitches, CCTV signal interruptions, 1990s film grain, scanlines, chromatic aberration, light leaks, flash-to-white transitions, and subtle frame jitter.
Visual Concepts & Motion Design
EXAMPLE 06 · REFERENCE TO VIDEO
Retro Anime Crime Title Sequence
Reference inputs





Why the upgrade helps
The upgrade protects the graphic system by separating layout assembly, credits and character silhouettes into beat-driven layers.
Failure addressed
Credits become gibberish or the sequence turns into conventional anime footage.
Optimized production promptExpand
Create a 15-second, 16:9 opening-title sequence for a stylish crime mystery. Draw from retro Japanese animation titles, hard-edged silhouettes, comic-book collage, asymmetric split screens, bold geometric color fields, English credit typography, sparse katakana accents, and a noir-jazz sensibility. Aim for 60% suspense and 40% jazz: mysterious, cool, agile, and urban—never horror, heavy drama, or a cheerful jazz music video. Build the sequence as motion-graphics collage: linework appears over black, split-screen boundaries snap into place, then color blocks and frames assemble piece by piece. Character silhouettes, prop close-ups, and English credits slide, pop, and reveal through masks on the beat. Keep it designed and graphic, not like conventional narrative animation. Credits must be clean and legible. Animate thin frames drawing on, names sliding in, letters appearing one at a time, or color blocks revealing type, then hold briefly. Do not introduce Chinese text, garbled characters, or misspellings. Each role and each name appears once only; do not assign multiple roles to the same name. Vary the transitions: circular vinyl-record wipes, vertical car-door cuts, long character shadows wiping frame, red-line slices, oversized letter masks, split-screen reconfigurations, hard color-block cuts, and tiled frames snapping into place. Keep every transition crisp, rhythmic, suspenseful, and collage-driven. No soft dissolves or fluid morphs. BGM: an original 15-second title cue, 60% suspense and 40% jazz. Use a low drone, tense string pizzicato, cool synth pulses, low kick, sparse brushwork, fragments of walking bass, short baritone-sax phrases, and clipped brass accents. Build suspense with low frequencies and hi-hat in the first 2 seconds; bring in the low beat at 3 seconds, jazz-bass movement at 6 seconds, and a short sax/brass riff at 10 seconds. Freeze the final 2 seconds on a tense chord and drum hit. Keep it mysterious and criminally cool, never upbeat, and do not imitate an existing melody. PRODUCTION CONTROL MODE: Reference to Video. Images 1–5 define graphic language, character silhouettes, palette and credit layout; do not combine identities across references. SHOT PLAN: black-and-white linework → geometric split-screen assembly → prop close-ups → final ensemble title. TYPOGRAPHY LOCK: exact English credit strings supplied in the prompt, one credit per card, minimum one-second hold. MOTION: masks, slides and snap cuts on beat; no fluid morphing. AUDIO: brushed drums, upright bass and clipped brass accents. AVOID: narrative lip sync, 3D rendering, horror imagery and decorative fake text.
Base creative promptExpand
Create a 15-second, 16:9 opening-title sequence for a stylish crime mystery. Draw from retro Japanese animation titles, hard-edged silhouettes, comic-book collage, asymmetric split screens, bold geometric color fields, English credit typography, sparse katakana accents, and a noir-jazz sensibility. Aim for 60% suspense and 40% jazz: mysterious, cool, agile, and urban—never horror, heavy drama, or a cheerful jazz music video. Build the sequence as motion-graphics collage: linework appears over black, split-screen boundaries snap into place, then color blocks and frames assemble piece by piece. Character silhouettes, prop close-ups, and English credits slide, pop, and reveal through masks on the beat. Keep it designed and graphic, not like conventional narrative animation. Credits must be clean and legible. Animate thin frames drawing on, names sliding in, letters appearing one at a time, or color blocks revealing type, then hold briefly. Do not introduce Chinese text, garbled characters, or misspellings. Each role and each name appears once only; do not assign multiple roles to the same name. Vary the transitions: circular vinyl-record wipes, vertical car-door cuts, long character shadows wiping frame, red-line slices, oversized letter masks, split-screen reconfigurations, hard color-block cuts, and tiled frames snapping into place. Keep every transition crisp, rhythmic, suspenseful, and collage-driven. No soft dissolves or fluid morphs. BGM: an original 15-second title cue, 60% suspense and 40% jazz. Use a low drone, tense string pizzicato, cool synth pulses, low kick, sparse brushwork, fragments of walking bass, short baritone-sax phrases, and clipped brass accents. Build suspense with low frequencies and hi-hat in the first 2 seconds; bring in the low beat at 3 seconds, jazz-bass movement at 6 seconds, and a short sax/brass riff at 10 seconds. Freeze the final 2 seconds on a tense chord and drum hit. Keep it mysterious and criminally cool, never upbeat, and do not imitate an existing melody.
EXAMPLE 07 · TEXT TO VIDEO
Hand-Drawn Kitchen Creature
Why the upgrade helps
The added encounter arc gives the creature one clear action per beat and isolates practical room sound from non-diegetic music.
Failure addressed
The creature becomes frightening or the phone-camera realism turns into polished advertising.
Optimized production promptExpand
15 seconds, 16:9 landscape. Blend live-action footage of a small kitchen at dusk with hand-drawn luminous animation. The last sunset light lingers at the window. The lived-in kitchen contains an old wooden table, a half-washed mug, a lightly fogged glass bottle, and a hanging dish towel. Shoot as if someone is filming one-handed on a phone: subtle hand tremor, hesitant close-focus pulls, backlit exposure breathing, and slightly coarse noise in the shadows. It should feel like an astonishing event captured in a rush at home, not a carefully dressed commercial. Do not show giant eyes, split mouths, fangs, threatening behavior, lunges, sudden black frames, or jump scares. Use only room tone, cloth friction, a soft mug clink, faucet drips, the camera operator’s footsteps and quiet breathing, plus gentle electronic tones and tiny vocalizations from the drawn creatures. PRODUCTION CONTROL MODE: Text to Video. TIMELINE: 0–4s hesitant kitchen discovery; 4–9s luminous creature crosses the table; 9–13s it reacts to a mug clink; 13–15s operator steadies the phone. CAMERA: one-handed phone, delayed autofocus and exposure breathing. SOUND: room tone, faucet drip, cloth friction, mug clink, footsteps and breathing; only tiny electronic creature tones, no score. CONTINUITY: kitchen layout and sunset direction remain stable. AVOID: giant eyes, fangs, lunges, jump cuts to black and studio lighting.
Base creative promptExpand
15 seconds, 16:9 landscape. Blend live-action footage of a small kitchen at dusk with hand-drawn luminous animation. The last sunset light lingers at the window. The lived-in kitchen contains an old wooden table, a half-washed mug, a lightly fogged glass bottle, and a hanging dish towel. Shoot as if someone is filming one-handed on a phone: subtle hand tremor, hesitant close-focus pulls, backlit exposure breathing, and slightly coarse noise in the shadows. It should feel like an astonishing event captured in a rush at home, not a carefully dressed commercial. Do not show giant eyes, split mouths, fangs, threatening behavior, lunges, sudden black frames, or jump scares. Use only room tone, cloth friction, a soft mug clink, faucet drips, the camera operator’s footsteps and quiet breathing, plus gentle electronic tones and tiny vocalizations from the drawn creatures.
EXAMPLE 08 · TEXT TO VIDEO
Neon Laundromat Encounter
Why the upgrade helps
A chase-and-settle timeline makes the apparition readable without losing the observational late-night phone aesthetic.
Failure addressed
The laundromat becomes too glossy or the creature teleports between washers.
Optimized production promptExpand
15 seconds, 16:9 landscape. Combine a live-action late-night laundromat with hand-drawn luminous animation. The small self-service laundromat has gently flickering fluorescent lights, running washers, plastic baskets, a worn bench, and one sock on the floor. Keep the space quiet and faintly nostalgic. Use a one-handed phone-camera feel with visible shake, exposure fluctuation under white fluorescent light, environmental reflections in glass, and delayed autofocus at close range. Avoid polished commercial composition; it should feel like an authentic late-night encounter, filmed while following a strange apparition. PRODUCTION CONTROL MODE: Text to Video. TIMELINE: 0–4s establish the flickering laundromat; 4–10s follow one luminous drawing past two washers; 10–13s it pauses at the lone sock; 13–15s it disappears behind a basket. CAMERA: handheld follow with one delayed focus pull. SOUND: washer rumble, fluorescent buzz, basket scrape and quiet footsteps; no cinematic score. CONTINUITY: washer positions, bench and sock remain fixed. AVOID: commercial symmetry, teleportation, horror behavior and multiple creatures competing for attention.
Base creative promptExpand
15 seconds, 16:9 landscape. Combine a live-action late-night laundromat with hand-drawn luminous animation. The small self-service laundromat has gently flickering fluorescent lights, running washers, plastic baskets, a worn bench, and one sock on the floor. Keep the space quiet and faintly nostalgic. Use a one-handed phone-camera feel with visible shake, exposure fluctuation under white fluorescent light, environmental reflections in glass, and delayed autofocus at close range. Avoid polished commercial composition; it should feel like an authentic late-night encounter, filmed while following a strange apparition.
EXAMPLE 09 · REFERENCE TO VIDEO
Cyber-Grunge Rap Music Video
Reference inputs


Why the upgrade helps
The upgrade assigns performance and texture references separately and reserves glitch effects for edit boundaries rather than identity frames.
Failure addressed
The performer loses lip sync or VHS effects cover the face during lyrics.
Optimized production promptExpand
Style: dark-pop / cyber-grunge / rap music video with photoreal high-fashion polish and the texture of a scanned film magazine—high contrast without looking cheap. Reference late-1990s to early-2000s indie magazines, photocopies, film scans, underground-music posters, and zine collage. Add coarse grain, subtle gate weave, halftone dots, rough print edges, and slight scan misregistration. Keep the edit fast and use hard cuts only—no fades or soft transitions. Match the typographic treatment and surface texture of the reference images. PRODUCTION CONTROL MODE: Reference to Video. Image 1 controls performer identity and wardrobe; Image 2 controls cyber-grunge texture and lighting. PERFORMANCE: preserve mouth timing and eye line during every lyric beat. EDIT: three performance setups with hard cuts; use VHS breakup only for six-frame transitions. CAMERA: low-angle push, side-profile tracking, final locked close-up. AUDIO: retain the supplied vocal as foreground; add restrained industrial room tone without changing voice character. AVOID: face occlusion, extra performers, continuous scanlines over lips and unsynchronized cuts.
Base creative promptExpand
Style: dark-pop / cyber-grunge / rap music video with photoreal high-fashion polish and the texture of a scanned film magazine—high contrast without looking cheap. Reference late-1990s to early-2000s indie magazines, photocopies, film scans, underground-music posters, and zine collage. Add coarse grain, subtle gate weave, halftone dots, rough print edges, and slight scan misregistration. Keep the edit fast and use hard cuts only—no fades or soft transitions. Match the typographic treatment and surface texture of the reference images.
EXAMPLE 10 · REFERENCE TO VIDEO
Green-Screen to Fairytale Composite
Why the upgrade helps
A clean subject-preservation rule and explicit keying order prevent the green-screen replacement from altering performance.
Failure addressed
Edges shimmer, the subject changes pose or the new environment leaks green spill.
Optimized production promptExpand
Remove the green screen background of Video 1 and turn it into a fairy tale-like background similar to Video 2. The background elements need to completely match the actions of the characters in Video 1. Modify the lighting of the characters in Video 1 so that it completely matches the background. reference videos PRODUCTION CONTROL MODE: Reference to Video editing. Video 1 supplies all subject motion, timing and camera behavior. Replace only the green background with the fairytale environment; preserve subject pixels, silhouette, face, wardrobe and choreography. COMPOSITE: remove green spill, match contact light and add shallow atmospheric depth behind the subject. AUDIO: retain original dialogue and performance timing. END FRAME: preserve the source pose exactly. AVOID: re-animating the subject, changing camera motion, edge halos and added foreground objects crossing the face.
Base creative promptExpand
Remove the green screen background of Video 1 and turn it into a fairy tale-like background similar to Video 2. The background elements need to completely match the actions of the characters in Video 1. Modify the lighting of the characters in Video 1 so that it completely matches the background. reference videos
EXAMPLE 11 · FIRST & LAST FRAME
Animated Gallery Poster
Reference inputs

Why the upgrade helps
The upgrade establishes an exact animation hierarchy so the poster remains a designed composition rather than dissolving into a generic motion graphic.
Failure addressed
Typography reflows, gallery text changes or every layer moves at once.
Optimized production promptExpand
Animate the source artwork as a motion poster while preserving its white gallery border, inner frame, red/white/black palette, 3D collectible-figure look, and original layout. Add a light, playful type-on sound whenever text appears. PRODUCTION CONTROL MODE: First & Last Frame. Image 1 is the immutable layout and typography reference. ANIMATION ORDER: background grain breathes → one image panel slides six percent → headline reveals by mask → date line fades in → all motion settles. TEXT LOCK: preserve every supplied word, line break and alignment. CAMERA: none; animate design layers only. AUDIO: one soft gallery-room tone and a restrained paper sweep. AVOID: camera zooms, new text, font substitution, liquid morphs and simultaneous motion on all layers.
Base creative promptExpand
Animate the source artwork as a motion poster while preserving its white gallery border, inner frame, red/white/black palette, 3D collectible-figure look, and original layout. Add a light, playful type-on sound whenever text appears.
AI-Native Storytelling
EXAMPLE 12 · REFERENCE TO VIDEO
Snowy Bamboo Wuxia Mystery
Reference inputs


Why the upgrade helps
Reference roles, dialogue ownership and shot/reverse-shot rules keep the wuxia exchange coherent and faces consistent.
Failure addressed
Speakers swap lines, snow direction changes or the scene becomes an action fight.
Optimized production promptExpand
A 16:9 cinematic wuxia mystery set in a bamboo forest at night. Use a low-saturation palette of cold blue, ink green, charcoal, and gray. Thin mist fills the forest and fine snow drifts through the air. The mood is austere, lethal, and controlled, with the tension of a martial-arts sect investigating a case and exchanging secret intelligence. Deep in the forest, dense vertical bamboo fills the background while cold white mist-light glows in the distance. Soft, out-of-focus leaves partially obscure the foreground, creating the sense of watching from within the grove. A cool, soft front-side key lights the actors’ faces; backlight keeps the foreground dark and the distance luminous. Use shallow depth of field so leaves, snow, and bamboo dissolve into soft bokeh. Prioritize facial close-ups and measured shot/reverse-shot coverage. Keep the rhythm restrained but tense. Photoreal period-drama production value, cinematic lighting, and no modern elements. No subtitles, on-screen text, watermarks, modern clothing or architecture, animation styling, over-smoothed skin, bright daylight, or comic performance. PRODUCTION CONTROL MODE: Reference to Video. Image 1 controls environment, wardrobe palette and bamboo density; Image 2 controls both named character identities only if both are visible there, otherwise assign each face explicitly. SHOT PLAN: wide two-shot → speaker A close-up → speaker B close-up → guarded two-shot. DIALOGUE: prefix every line with the speaker name and delivery; only the speaking character moves their lips. CAMERA: restrained 50–85mm coverage, no orbit. SOUND: light snow, bamboo creak, cloth movement and quiet breath; no heroic score. AVOID: combat choreography, modern props, subtitles and face smoothing.
Base creative promptExpand
A 16:9 cinematic wuxia mystery set in a bamboo forest at night. Use a low-saturation palette of cold blue, ink green, charcoal, and gray. Thin mist fills the forest and fine snow drifts through the air. The mood is austere, lethal, and controlled, with the tension of a martial-arts sect investigating a case and exchanging secret intelligence. Deep in the forest, dense vertical bamboo fills the background while cold white mist-light glows in the distance. Soft, out-of-focus leaves partially obscure the foreground, creating the sense of watching from within the grove. A cool, soft front-side key lights the actors’ faces; backlight keeps the foreground dark and the distance luminous. Use shallow depth of field so leaves, snow, and bamboo dissolve into soft bokeh. Prioritize facial close-ups and measured shot/reverse-shot coverage. Keep the rhythm restrained but tense. Photoreal period-drama production value, cinematic lighting, and no modern elements. No subtitles, on-screen text, watermarks, modern clothing or architecture, animation styling, over-smoothed skin, bright daylight, or comic performance.
EXAMPLE 13 · REFERENCE TO VIDEO
Vertical Family Confrontation
Reference inputs


Why the upgrade helps
The optimized version binds each speaker to a side of the room and a line-delivery rule, reducing identity and dialogue swaps.
Failure addressed
The older woman and Qin Haoxuan exchange voices or the vertical framing cuts off reactions.
Optimized production promptExpand
A 9:16 vertical family-confrontation scene with grounded live-action performances, set in a Chinese family home or small restaurant. Use warm interior light, red decorations and calligraphy in the background, shallow depth of field, intense emotion, and tight pacing. Performance: natural short-form drama, never theatrical. Qin Haoxuan argues back with anger, hurt, and urgency. The older woman questions him in a sharp, forceful, relentless tone. Build the confrontation steadily. Shoot mainly in medium-close shots with frequent shot/reverse-shot cutting. Keep the setting lived-in and realistic. No sci-fi, period costume, or animation styling. Do not show subtitles, added text, platform watermarks, or stickers. PRODUCTION CONTROL MODE: Reference to Video, 9:16. Image 1 controls Qin Haoxuan; Image 2 controls the older woman and home/restaurant setting. BLOCKING: Qin remains frame left, older woman frame right. SHOT PLAN: medium two-shot → Qin close-up → older woman close-up → final two-shot. DIALOGUE: label speaker, exact line and emotion before every sentence; only that speaker lip-syncs. CAMERA: eye-level, reaction-first cutting, protected headroom for vertical crop. AUDIO: room tone, tableware and natural voices; no melodramatic score. AVOID: subtitles, stickers, beauty filters and theatrical gestures.
Base creative promptExpand
A 9:16 vertical family-confrontation scene with grounded live-action performances, set in a Chinese family home or small restaurant. Use warm interior light, red decorations and calligraphy in the background, shallow depth of field, intense emotion, and tight pacing. Performance: natural short-form drama, never theatrical. Qin Haoxuan argues back with anger, hurt, and urgency. The older woman questions him in a sharp, forceful, relentless tone. Build the confrontation steadily. Shoot mainly in medium-close shots with frequent shot/reverse-shot cutting. Keep the setting lived-in and realistic. No sci-fi, period costume, or animation styling. Do not show subtitles, added text, platform watermarks, or stickers.
EXAMPLE 14 · REFERENCE TO VIDEO
Vampire Romance Short Drama
Reference inputs


Why the upgrade helps
The upgrade defines identity, consent-safe blocking and a compact emotional turn without relying on vague “dark romance” styling.
Failure addressed
Faces drift, the encounter becomes physically aggressive or the castle changes between shots.
Optimized production promptExpand
Create a 15-second, 9:16 live-action vampire-romance teaser for an international short-drama audience. Use Image 1 for the leads’ appearance and Image 2 for the setting. Preserve both identities throughout and maintain premium live-action production value. Story: an innocent human woman strays into a forbidden wing of an old castle and awakens a sleeping vampire noble. He senses that she carries a trace of an ancient war, which sparks dangerous fascination and a possessive need for control. She fears him but refuses to submit completely and pushes back against his dominance. Style: ReelShort / DramaBox vampire romance—darkly romantic, fate-bound, oppressive, and charged with dangerous attraction, with a strong hook and a high-impact turn. Keep it polished, restrained, and tightly paced like the opening 15 seconds of a breakout series. No gore, cheap horror, Halloween styling, or modern street aesthetic. Compose for TikTok / ReelShort / DramaBox. Favor medium-close shots, close-ups, and extreme close-ups that emphasize faces, eye contact, pressure, and relationship tension. PRODUCTION CONTROL MODE: Reference to Video, 9:16. Image 1 controls both lead identities and wardrobe; Image 2 controls castle architecture and lighting only. TIMELINE: 0–4s forbidden-wing discovery; 4–8s vampire wakes; 8–12s tense eye contact and verbal challenge; 12–15s she steps back while holding his gaze. CAMERA: three tight setups, no orbit. PERFORMANCE: fear and defiance through breath, eyes and small movements; maintain personal space. AUDIO: stone-room tone, fabric movement, one low pulse and clear dialogue. AVOID: biting, forced contact, facial transformation, subtitles and extra characters.
Base creative promptExpand
Create a 15-second, 9:16 live-action vampire-romance teaser for an international short-drama audience. Use Image 1 for the leads’ appearance and Image 2 for the setting. Preserve both identities throughout and maintain premium live-action production value. Story: an innocent human woman strays into a forbidden wing of an old castle and awakens a sleeping vampire noble. He senses that she carries a trace of an ancient war, which sparks dangerous fascination and a possessive need for control. She fears him but refuses to submit completely and pushes back against his dominance. Style: ReelShort / DramaBox vampire romance—darkly romantic, fate-bound, oppressive, and charged with dangerous attraction, with a strong hook and a high-impact turn. Keep it polished, restrained, and tightly paced like the opening 15 seconds of a breakout series. No gore, cheap horror, Halloween styling, or modern street aesthetic. Compose for TikTok / ReelShort / DramaBox. Favor medium-close shots, close-ups, and extreme close-ups that emphasize faces, eye contact, pressure, and relationship tension.
Product & E-Commerce Marketing
EXAMPLE 15 · REFERENCE TO VIDEO
Futuristic Eyewear Campaign
Reference inputs



Why the upgrade helps
The product lock separates eyewear geometry from model identity and reference-video pacing, which are otherwise competing controls.
Failure addressed
Lens shape changes across cuts or the two models merge into one identity.
Optimized production promptExpand
Create a premium 9:16 fashion-eyewear commercial. Match the reference video’s shot rhythm, edit speed, white-cyclorama look, and severe fashion attitude. Use a seamless minimal white studio with clean, bold, avant-garde art direction worthy of a global luxury campaign. Use Image 1 for the key visual: two full-body female models, one Black and one white, preserving their elevated wardrobe, body language, studio lighting, runway presence, and cool attitude. Use Image 2 for facial details. Both models wear futuristic luxury eyewear based on Image 3: wraparound curved lenses, a sharp cat-eye/goggle hybrid silhouette, mirrored reflections, streamlined temples, and the finish of a premium fashion accessory. PRODUCTION CONTROL MODE: Reference to Video, 9:16. Image 1 controls two-model composition and wardrobe; Image 2 controls facial identity; Image 3 controls eyewear geometry, lens curve, temple shape and finish. Video 1, if supplied, controls pacing only. SHOT PLAN: full-body duo → alternating eyewear close-ups → synchronized turn → final product-forward pose. PRODUCT LOCK: identical frame silhouette and mirrored finish in every shot. CAMERA: white-cyclorama dolly and one snap pan. AUDIO: dry studio footsteps and minimal percussive pulse. AVOID: model identity blending, extra glasses, floating product renders and warped temples.
Base creative promptExpand
Create a premium 9:16 fashion-eyewear commercial. Match the reference video’s shot rhythm, edit speed, white-cyclorama look, and severe fashion attitude. Use a seamless minimal white studio with clean, bold, avant-garde art direction worthy of a global luxury campaign. Use Image 1 for the key visual: two full-body female models, one Black and one white, preserving their elevated wardrobe, body language, studio lighting, runway presence, and cool attitude. Use Image 2 for facial details. Both models wear futuristic luxury eyewear based on Image 3: wraparound curved lenses, a sharp cat-eye/goggle hybrid silhouette, mirrored reflections, streamlined temples, and the finish of a premium fashion accessory.
EXAMPLE 16 · REFERENCE TO VIDEO
Ergonomic Chair Product Film
Reference inputs


Why the upgrade helps
Feature demonstrations are sequenced one at a time and tied to the same chair model, making technical claims visually legible.
Failure addressed
The chair changes model, adjustment mechanisms move impossibly or text appears misspelled.
Optimized production promptExpand
Product Feature Visualization Present a black Herman Miller ergonomic chair in a premium office with a full 360-degree product reveal. Cut to macro views of the breathable mesh back with airflow visualization, an engineering animation of the lumbar support and ergonomic curve, and demonstrations of multidirectional armrest and seat-height adjustment. Show designers, developers, and creative professionals working comfortably over long sessions. Include a 3D skeletal-support visualization that communicates all-day comfort, plus refined interior styling. End with the line: “WHERE INSPIRATION MEETS COMFORT.” Keep the direction minimal, cool-toned, professional, futuristic, and slow-paced. Use Image 1 for feature details and Image 2 for the product. PRODUCTION CONTROL MODE: Reference to Video, 9:16. Image 1 controls feature details and adjustment mechanisms; Image 2 controls the exact chair model, material and proportions. SEQUENCE: 360-degree reveal → mesh airflow macro → lumbar support animation → armrest adjustment → seated-use shot → skeletal-support overlay → closing line. CAMERA: one clean move per feature. PRODUCT LOCK: preserve frame, mesh, controls and black finish. TEXT: render exactly “WHERE INSPIRATION MEETS COMFORT” for the final 1.5 seconds. AUDIO: quiet office tone, mechanical clicks and restrained electronic bed. AVOID: invented controls, brand-logo changes and exaggerated medical claims.
Base creative promptExpand
Product Feature Visualization Present a black Herman Miller ergonomic chair in a premium office with a full 360-degree product reveal. Cut to macro views of the breathable mesh back with airflow visualization, an engineering animation of the lumbar support and ergonomic curve, and demonstrations of multidirectional armrest and seat-height adjustment. Show designers, developers, and creative professionals working comfortably over long sessions. Include a 3D skeletal-support visualization that communicates all-day comfort, plus refined interior styling. End with the line: “WHERE INSPIRATION MEETS COMFORT.” Keep the direction minimal, cool-toned, professional, futuristic, and slow-paced. Use Image 1 for feature details and Image 2 for the product.
Digital Experiences & Game Concepts
EXAMPLE 17 · REFERENCE TO VIDEO
Interactive Game Equipment UI
Reference inputs


Why the upgrade helps
Timecoded UI states and an explicit separation between character and interface references keep the menu readable throughout the camera move.
Failure addressed
UI labels mutate, selections jump or the mechanical arm changes outside the selected equipment state.
Optimized production promptExpand
Use Image 1 for the character and Image 2 for the UI style. [0–2 seconds] High-angle overhead shot. The character sits on a vivid, highly saturated purple floor, looks up at camera, and matches Image 1. A game menu appears on the right: START NEW GAME, CONTINUE (highlighted), SETTINGS, EXIT GAME. Player profile MINIMAX appears top left. The cursor selects CONTINUE. [2–4 seconds] Smoothly push in to her right arm. A RIGHT ARM EQUIPMENT panel slides in from the right. PHANTOM GRIP is selected, then the selection moves to CHRONOS CLAW. Her mechanical hand reconfigures: fingers separate, new claw-like joints lock into place, and cyan LEDs flare brighter. [4–7 seconds] Arc smoothly to her left. An ARMAMENT CUSTOMIZATION grid slides in, showing hand, forearm, elbow, and upper-arm components. The selector cycles rapidly. Her left arm disassembles section by section: the forearm plate releases, new armor slides in, the elbow joint swaps, and the hand reconfigures, with exposed wiring and pistons visible during the change. [7–8.5 seconds] Pull back to a medium shot. CONFIRM CONFIG flashes; click it. All UI panels collapse inward and vanish. She uncrosses her legs and settles into a relaxed seated pose with one knee raised, lifting the prosthetic hand for a subtle post-configuration movement. [8.5–10 seconds] A LOADING bar appears along the bottom and races from 0% to 100%. The saturated purple environment darkens as shadows creep inward and warm golden light begins to bleed through. [10–15 seconds] As she stands, the full world loads around her: a dense cyberpunk slum with flickering neon, rain-wet streets, moving crowds, passing motorcycles, tangled overhead cables, and stacked buildings stretching toward futuristic towers. Settle into a third-person camera behind her. HUD elements fade in: minimap top right, health and ammo bottom left, then a mission marker. She steps into the street. PRODUCTION CONTROL MODE: Reference to Video. Image 1 controls character identity, pose and mechanical arm; Image 2 controls UI typography, grid and color. TIMELINE: 0–2s menu and CONTINUE selection; 2–4s right-arm panel and CHRONOS CLAW selection; 4–7s armament grid; 7–11s equipment locks into place; 11–15s street reveal with HUD. UI LOCK: exact labels, consistent panel margins and one active selection at a time. CAMERA: overhead push then controlled arc, no cuts during a UI state change. AUDIO: cursor ticks, mechanical locks and city ambience. AVOID: gibberish labels, extra menu items and arm changes before selection.
Base creative promptExpand
Use Image 1 for the character and Image 2 for the UI style. [0–2 seconds] High-angle overhead shot. The character sits on a vivid, highly saturated purple floor, looks up at camera, and matches Image 1. A game menu appears on the right: START NEW GAME, CONTINUE (highlighted), SETTINGS, EXIT GAME. Player profile MINIMAX appears top left. The cursor selects CONTINUE. [2–4 seconds] Smoothly push in to her right arm. A RIGHT ARM EQUIPMENT panel slides in from the right. PHANTOM GRIP is selected, then the selection moves to CHRONOS CLAW. Her mechanical hand reconfigures: fingers separate, new claw-like joints lock into place, and cyan LEDs flare brighter. [4–7 seconds] Arc smoothly to her left. An ARMAMENT CUSTOMIZATION grid slides in, showing hand, forearm, elbow, and upper-arm components. The selector cycles rapidly. Her left arm disassembles section by section: the forearm plate releases, new armor slides in, the elbow joint swaps, and the hand reconfigures, with exposed wiring and pistons visible during the change. [7–8.5 seconds] Pull back to a medium shot. CONFIRM CONFIG flashes; click it. All UI panels collapse inward and vanish. She uncrosses her legs and settles into a relaxed seated pose with one knee raised, lifting the prosthetic hand for a subtle post-configuration movement. [8.5–10 seconds] A LOADING bar appears along the bottom and races from 0% to 100%. The saturated purple environment darkens as shadows creep inward and warm golden light begins to bleed through. [10–15 seconds] As she stands, the full world loads around her: a dense cyberpunk slum with flickering neon, rain-wet streets, moving crowds, passing motorcycles, tangled overhead cables, and stacked buildings stretching toward futuristic towers. Settle into a third-person camera behind her. HUD elements fade in: minimap top right, health and ammo bottom left, then a mission marker. She steps into the street.
EXAMPLE 18 · REFERENCE TO VIDEO
Nike-Style Product Landing Page
Reference inputs

Why the upgrade helps
The upgrade turns a broad style reference into a bounded desktop interaction demo with protected product geometry and readable content states.
Failure addressed
The product deforms during scroll or the UI invents unreadable sections.
Optimized production promptExpand
Create a dynamic product-landing-page UI/UX demo inspired by Nike’s digital language, built around the product in Image 1. Use oversized, bold, italicized sans-serif typography and backgrounds that combine speed-driven light streaks with dark carbon fiber or breathable performance-mesh textures. Show a smooth, fast, powerful scroll through the page, plus high-impact hover interactions with scale-ups and color inversion. PRODUCTION CONTROL MODE: Reference to Video. Image 1 controls the exact product, color and proportions. TIMELINE: 0–3s hero enters; 3–8s one smooth page scroll; 8–12s two hover states; 12–15s product CTA settles. UI: use a fixed four-section page—hero, performance detail, material detail, CTA—with supplied copy only. PRODUCT LOCK: no geometry or logo changes during scroll. CAMERA: screen capture perspective, no physical camera shake. AUDIO: subtle interface ticks and one restrained speed whoosh. AVOID: fake browser chrome, new products, illegible microcopy and nonstop parallax.
Base creative promptExpand
Create a dynamic product-landing-page UI/UX demo inspired by Nike’s digital language, built around the product in Image 1. Use oversized, bold, italicized sans-serif typography and backgrounds that combine speed-driven light streaks with dark carbon fiber or breathable performance-mesh textures. Show a smooth, fast, powerful scroll through the page, plus high-impact hover interactions with scale-ups and color inversion.
EXAMPLE 19 · FIRST & LAST FRAME
Automotive Website UI Animation
Reference inputs

Why the upgrade helps
The improved prompt defines which UI layers move, by how much and in what order, while keeping the automotive image untouched.
Failure addressed
The car itself moves, the page layout reflows or typography becomes unreadable.
Optimized production promptExpand
Animate the website UI: the top headline slides down into place, the copy panel below slides up, and the car’s lights shift from dark to red. PRODUCTION CONTROL MODE: First & Last Frame. Image 1 is the locked page composition. ANIMATION ORDER: headline slides down 32px and settles → lower copy slides up 24px → car lights transition from off to red → all elements hold. CAMERA: none. LAYOUT LOCK: preserve car position, crop, typeface, line breaks and spacing. AUDIO: two soft UI swishes and a subtle electric light-up tone. AVOID: page scrolling, car movement, new copy, font changes and liquid transitions.
Base creative promptExpand
Animate the website UI: the top headline slides down into place, the copy panel below slides up, and the car’s lights shift from dark to red.
EXAMPLE 20 · FIRST & LAST FRAME
Rotating Product Page Reveal
Reference inputs

Why the upgrade helps
The upgrade gives the reveal a measured sequence and caps product rotation, preventing a simple layout animation from becoming a full 3D spin.
Failure addressed
The product rotates too far, typography collides or the final composition never settles.
Optimized production promptExpand
Reveal the layout from top to bottom. Upper and center typography slides down; lower typography slides up. Once the central product appears, let it rotate subtly. PRODUCTION CONTROL MODE: First & Last Frame. Image 1 controls the full layout, product geometry and typography. TIMELINE: 0–3s upper type enters downward; 3–6s lower type enters upward; 6–10s product fades to full visibility; 10–13s product rotates no more than 12 degrees; 13–15s everything holds. CAMERA: none. TEXT LOCK: exact supplied words, line breaks and alignment. AUDIO: soft interface rise and a single settle click. AVOID: 360-degree spin, perspective warping, added copy and continuous background motion.
Base creative promptExpand
Reveal the layout from top to bottom. Upper and center typography slides down; lower typography slides up. Once the central product appears, let it rotate subtly.
Debugging
MiniMax H3 Prompt Guide: Common Prompt Mistakes and Fixes
Use this part of the prompt guide after reviewing a generated result: match the visible failure to the smallest control-layer change that addresses it.
| Observed failure | Prompt-level fix |
|---|---|
| Character changes between shots | Assign identity to one <Subject N>; repeat the face, hair and wardrobe locks in each shot where they matter. |
| Reference motion is ignored | Assign <Video N> to body motion or camera motion explicitly instead of saying only “use this video.” |
| The edit feels chaotic | Reduce the shot budget, add timestamps and permit one primary camera move per shot. |
| First and last frames do not connect | Describe the continuous state change—pose, light, camera distance and environment—between both anchors. |
| Text becomes unreadable | Supply exact copy, lock line breaks and placement, and reserve at least one second of stillness. |
| The product changes shape | Treat silhouette, material, color, hardware and logo placement as immutable product geometry. |
| Dialogue moves to the wrong speaker | Give each speaker a stable ID and prefix every line with speaker, language and delivery. |
| Music overwhelms the scene | Move only audience-only score to non_diegetic_music and request a restrained mix. |
Preflight
Run this 10-point prompt check before generating
The generation mode matches the source material.
Every reference has one explicit role.
The target video is clear in one sentence.
Each shot contains an observable action.
Each shot uses at most one main camera move.
Important beats have timestamps or a sequence.
Identity, product geometry and text locks are explicit.
Physical sound is separated from audience-only music.
The AVOID line names only likely failures.
The last beat says how the video should settle.
Questions and answers
MiniMax H3 prompting FAQ
What does this MiniMax H3 prompt guide cover?+
This MiniMax H3 prompt guide explains the three-field prompt structure, mode selection, shot planning, sound and score separation, common prompt mistakes, and practical examples. The page also includes an inline prompt tester so you can apply the workflow without leaving the guide.
What is the best MiniMax H3 prompt structure?+
For text and keyframe workflows, write an integrated_multimodal_description with shot-by-shot action and camera instructions, then separate overall_soundscape from non_diegetic_music. Reference workflows should first define sources, their retained traits and the target task.
Should a MiniMax H3 prompt include timestamps?+
Use timestamps when timing, dialogue, transitions or several beats must happen in a fixed order. A simple single-action shot can work without them.
How do I keep a character consistent in MiniMax H3?+
Assign the person to one subject reference, state which identity traits must be retained, and avoid asking a second reference to control the same face. Repeat the identity lock when shot context changes.
How should I prompt camera movement?+
Name one concrete movement per shot—such as a slow axial push, lateral track or locked frame—and state the subject action separately. Avoid stacking several incompatible movements.
Where should dialogue and music go?+
Dialogue and sounds that exist inside the scene belong with the relevant shot or soundscape. Audience-only background score belongs in non_diegetic_music.
Do negative prompts work in MiniMax H3?+
The official prompt formats do not define a separate negative_prompt field. Put concise constraints in the relevant shot, retention rules or an AVOID line instead.
Why does MiniMax H3 ignore part of my prompt?+
The prompt is usually overloaded or ambiguous. Reduce competing style instructions, assign references narrowly, shorten the shot list and move the highest-priority continuity rules closer to the affected shot.
Can I copy the 20 prompts on this page?+
Yes. Start from the base prompt or the optimized production version, then replace subjects, references, timing and constraints with details from your own project.
Primary references
Sources and scope
The syntax and field definitions in this guide are grounded in MiniMax’s published model documentation. The production-control additions are editorial recommendations intended to reduce ambiguity; they are not new API fields or guaranteed model behavior.
Final test
Ready to Test Your Finished Prompt?
You have now added structure, timing, sound, and constraints. Run the finished version and compare it with your first draft.


