Create Surreal Cityscapes with This Veo 3 Prompt

Introduction

Veo 3 gives creators the ability to design breathtaking video scenes with just a carefully crafted text prompt. By describing camera movements, lighting, sound, and even subtle environmental effects, you can bring cinematic visions to life. In this guide, we’ll explore how to use a highly detailed prompt to generate a futuristic cityscape where skyscrapers fold and twist into mesmerizing mirrored arcs.

The Prompt

Here’s the exact Veo 3 prompt you can use:

{
 "shot": { "composition": "skyscrapers folding toward camera in mirrored arcs", "lens": "24mm ultra wide", "frame_rate": "1000fps on fold, 60fps movement", "camera_movement": "crane dive, tilt spin, dolly into tunnel of mirrored towers" },
 "subject": { "description": "monolithic buildings twisting into fractal forms, floors reversing, glass rotating", "wardrobe": "", "props": "floating debris, lights, signage melting into reflections" },
 "scene": { "location": "dense futuristic city warped by gravitational shift", "time_of_day": "blue dusk into neon night", "environment": "sky fracture, fog drift, echoing skyline distortion" },
 "visual_details": { "action": "buildings invert, stretch, collapse inward, reform behind camera", "special_effects": "glass ripple, gravity warps, space fold trails", "hair_clothing_motion": "" },
 "cinematography": { "lighting": "low contrast urban glow, interior flicker, reflective pulses", "color_palette": "steel blue, neon chrome, void grey", "tone": "mind-bending, controlled chaos, synthetic surrealism" },
 "audio": { "music": "inverted drones with clockwork pulses and brass rumbles", "ambient": "deep urban echo, creaking steel, warped hum", "sound_effects": "glass bend, metal strain, gravity pops", "mix_level": "immersive reversed layers with low-end swells" },
 "dialogue": { "character": "", "line": "", "subtitles": false }
 }

Breaking Down the Prompt

Shot and Cinematography

This prompt sets up a 24mm ultra wide lens and dynamic camera movement—a crane dive, tilt spin, and dolly push—perfect for conveying scale and surreal motion. The high frame rate (1000fps) emphasizes the moment skyscrapers fold inward.

Subject and Scene

The subject isn’t a person but the environment itself. Skyscrapers twist into fractal forms, creating a sense of controlled chaos. The futuristic city at dusk transitions into neon night, making use of reflective surfaces, signage, and shifting light.

Visual and Audio Effects

The gravity warps and glass ripples add synthetic surrealism. Paired with ambient urban echoes and inverted drones, the sound design complements the visuals, making the viewer feel immersed in an otherworldly city collapse.

How to Use This Prompt in Veo 3

Step 1: Access Veo 3

Log into your Veo 3 Flow account and select Text-to-Video.

Step 2: Paste the Prompt

Copy the exact JSON prompt above into the text field.

Step 3: Choose Model Settings

Select either Quality Mode for cinematic results or Fast Mode for quick previews. Adjust duration and aspect ratio depending on whether you’re targeting a cinematic widescreen or vertical short format.

Step 4: Generate and Refine

Run the generation and preview the output. If you’d like more exaggerated distortions or a calmer pace, tweak frame rate, lighting, or sound design in the prompt.

Conclusion

This Veo 3 prompt unlocks a mind-bending cityscape filled with collapsing towers, reflective distortions, and immersive audio. By understanding how each parameter contributes to the final output, you can refine prompts to craft your own cinematic worlds.