blog/skills/sora2-video.md

Skill: Video Generation with OpenAI Sora 2

Generate trailer clips, gameplay-style footage, and cinematic sequences using OpenAI's Sora 2 API. This skill covers the API workflow, prompting patterns, and cost management for game development use.

Overview

Sora 2 generates 5-20 second video clips from text prompts or still images. For game studios, it's useful for:

• Trailer pre-visualisation (storyboard frames as video)
• Marketing clips before the game is playable
• Concept videos to test art direction
• Social media content

Prerequisites

• OpenAI API key with Sora access
• Set OPENAI_API_KEY environment variable

API Reference

Create a video

curl -X POST "https://api.openai.com/v1/videos/generations" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $OPENAI_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "model": "sora-2",
    "prompt": "Your prompt here",
    "size": "1920x1080",
    "duration": 10,
    "n": 1
  }'

Response includes a generation ID. Video generation takes 2-10 minutes.

Check status

curl "https://api.openai.com/v1/videos/generations/{generation_id}" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $OPENAI_API_KEY"

Poll until status is "completed". The response includes a download URL.

Download

curl -o output.mp4 "{video_download_url}"

Image-to-video

Animate a still image:

curl -X POST "https://api.openai.com/v1/videos/generations" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $OPENAI_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "model": "sora-2",
    "prompt": "Camera slowly pulls back, revealing the full village. Waves lap at the shore.",
    "image": "{base64_or_url_of_image}",
    "size": "1920x1080",
    "duration": 5
  }'

This is powerful for animating your generated concept art or key art frames.

Models

Model	Quality	Speed	Cost
sora-2	High	2-5 min	~$0.10-0.20/clip
sora-2-pro	Highest	5-10 min	~$0.50-1.00/clip

Use sora-2 for iteration and pre-vis. Use sora-2-pro for final trailer clips only.

Prompting for Game Trailers

Structure

[Camera movement] + [Subject action] + [Environment] + [Lighting/mood] + [Style]

Example: Opening shot

Slow aerial drone shot descending toward a cluster of thatched-roof huts
on a tropical island shoreline. Crystal clear turquoise water, white sand
beach, palm trees swaying gently. Golden hour sunlight, long shadows.
Stylised 3D game engine quality, warm colour palette. No text overlays.

Example: Character reveal

Medium shot of a young Polynesian woman standing on a cliff edge, looking
out over an ocean dotted with volcanic islands. Wind blowing her hair.
She turns to face the camera with a calm, determined expression. Sunset
light behind her. Stylised 3D render, game cinematic quality.

Example: Action sequence

Wide shot of three outrigger canoes racing across open ocean toward a
volcanic island. Waves crashing, spray in the air. Warriors paddling
in unison. Storm clouds building on the horizon. Dynamic camera
tracking the lead canoe. Stylised game engine quality.

Cultural Guardrails

If your game draws from real cultures, set explicit rules:

• No anachronistic elements (modern objects, wrong architectural styles)
• Research your references --- use authentic building styles, clothing, tools
• Avoid stereotypes --- specific cultural elements, not generic "exotic"
• No sacred symbols used decoratively without understanding their meaning

Workflow for Trailer Storyboards

1. Write the storyboard --- list each shot with description, duration, and camera movement
2. Generate key frames using image generation (see Image Generation skill)
3. Animate key frames using Sora 2's image-to-video
4. Generate original clips for shots that don't need a specific starting frame
5. Review and iterate --- regenerate clips that don't match the vision
6. Compile in a video editor (DaVinci Resolve, Premiere, etc.)

Cost Management

Scenario	Estimated Cost
1 test clip (sora-2, 5s)	~$0.10
10-clip exploration session	~$1.00
20-clip trailer storyboard	~$2-4
Final 5-clip trailer (sora-2-pro)	~$2.50-5.00

Tips:

• Use sora-2 (not pro) for all iteration
• Keep clips to 5-10 seconds --- shorter clips have better coherence
• Generate 2-3 variants per shot and pick the best
• Only use sora-2-pro for the final selected shots

Common Mistakes

Mistake	Fix
Overly long prompts	Keep under 200 words. Focus on what's visible.
Requesting specific text/UI	Sora can't render readable text. Add text in post.
Not specifying art style	Always end with style direction ("stylised 3D", "game engine quality")
Using sora-2-pro for iteration	Expensive and slow. Use sora-2 until you're happy with the prompt.
Ignoring cultural accuracy	Set guardrails before generating. Review outputs for stereotypes.
Not tracking costs	Log every generation with model, duration, and cost.

Related Skills

• Image Generation --- create key frames to animate with Sora
• Concept Art Pipeline --- character and asset design workflow