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Posted on • Originally published at openvideos.ai

How I structure 9:16 AI short prompts with a timed beat sheet

Originally published at openvideos.ai.

If you generate a 16:9 clip and crop it for TikTok / Reels / Shorts, the model composed for a wide stage. Heads get clipped and the payoff lands in the wrong third of a phone screen.

I write vertical shorts as a timed beat sheet instead: one subject, one location, and costume/camera changes on a clock.

The skeleton

[Title / vibe]
0s–Xs, [Shot size], [Look A + one action + light]
Xs–Ys, [Camera move], [Transition / look B]
Ys–Zs, [Pull back], [Finale pose + light accent]
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Rules that matter in 9:16:

  • One identity across beats (the tall frame magnifies face drift)
  • Explicit shot sizes: medium → close-up → medium
  • One camera verb per beat
  • Name the second when the outfit/light changes

A verified 10s run

On OpenVideos I ran Seedance 2.0 (seedance-2-t2v) as text-to-video:

Setting Value
Duration 10s
Aspect 9:16
Resolution 480p
Audio on
Credits (registry) 520 (= 10 × 52 at 480p)

Prompt (abridged structure — full text on the canonical post):

  1. 0–3s medium / eye level — plain ruqun, warm light, small hem lift
  2. 3–7s push to close-up — tear/splash into cheongsam, hard contrast
  3. 7–10s pull back — embroidered battle look, cold metal accents, pose that loops

That “look A → transition hit → finale pose” template also remaps to streetwear, beauty, or product unbox. Keep the clock; swap the world.

Compose in the prompt, not only the picker

Setting aspect_ratio: 9:16 is necessary but not enough. Prefer medium/close-up, put the face in the upper third, leave a quiet band for captions, and favor vertical motion over long lateral pans.

Full annotated prompt, failure table, and the playable result live on the original guide:

AI Short Video Prompts for 9:16

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