Google’s Veo 3: A Guide With Practical Examples
Let’s get right to it. Google’s Veo 3 is the latest AI video generator, and it does something most tools don’t—it outputs video with sound built in. Audio—dialogue, ambience, even music—comes baked in. That’s not typical. Veo 3 is accessed through Flow. You don’t buy Veo 3 alone; you subscribe to Google AI Ultra. It costs around $250 a month in the U.S.—$272 after taxes. No free tier. If you’re outside the U.S., you’re stuck waiting.
Why it matters
This matters because previously, you often had to handle visuals and audio separately. Runway and OpenAI’s Sora generate video, but they don’t include sound. You’d have to auto-generate voice, sync it manually, layer effects. With Veo 3, that’s one less hurdle. You can run spec ads, quick skits, entire social clips without juggling tools. It’s faster, more streamlined.
Flow works with “ingredients”—these are reusable elements like characters, props, or scenes. Set them up once and call them again. That helps if you want consistent visuals across multiple clips. No more rewriting every prompt from scratch just to keep someone’s hair color the same.
Prompt example + video
Here’s a hands-on example inspired by DataCamp’s tutorial, adapted with a solid prompt structure:
Prompt:
A crowded morning elevator in a sleek corporate building. Two sharply dressed colleagues stand close, trying to keep composure while cheek-to-cheek. One turns slightly toward the other and says, “I once sneezed in the all-hands and clicked ‘share screen’ at the same time. No survivors.” The other covers their mouth, suppressing laughter. The elevator dings and the doors open to a bustling foyer. Dialogue is dry and matter-of-fact; ambient chatter and soft elevator music in background. Mid-tone corporate lighting.
This mixes scene description, character action, dialogue, audio cues, mood, and even lighting decisions. It’s messy but anchored in detail. If you omit audio, the model often guesses—not always well. Include “elevator music” or “ambient chatter” so your audio doesn’t drift.
And here’s a relevant video walkthrough:
That clip walks through setting up Flow, writing prompts, tweaking camera movement, and seeing the resulting video output. It’s practical—less scripted polish, more how-to.
Common mistakes with prompts
Too much in one prompt: If you cram in multiple actions, Veo 3 tries to do everything and often misses things. Stick to one main action or punchline per prompt.
No audio direction: Trailers, background sounds—they all need cues. Skip them and the audio can feel wrong or be missing entirely.
No ingredients used: Characters shift appearances across clips. Reusing ingredients keeps visuals consistent.
No camera direction: Default shots are safe but flat. Asking for “slow dolly-in” or “handheld close-up” gives more dynamic visuals—and avoids generic framing.
What happens when you don’t structure prompts well
You end up with bland, mismatched output. Characters that look off. Audio that’s flat or out of sync. Shots that jump around with no cinematic cohesion. And every generation uses your credits. At $250 a month, that wastes money and time.
Deeper capabilities
Resolution and duration: Up to 1080p, 60 seconds. Enough for social posts, short ads, not feature films.
Image-to-video: Start with a still image. Flow can animate it. Useful for storyboarding.
Temporal consistency: Keeps character appearance stable over time, reduces morphing.
Camera tools: Dolly, pan, handheld, zoom—all via text prompts.
How it compares
Sora might edge out in realism. Runway shines on editing. But Veo 3 wraps together decent visuals, audio, and modular clips. Trade-off: costly, locked to U.S., but it speeds up iteration inside a single platform.
Who benefits
Agencies and marketing teams: Rapidly test ad ideas without hiring crews.
Solo creators: One interface, one subscription, one output with sound.
Educators / trainers: Explain concepts with moving visuals and voice easily.
Current limitations
Geographic restriction. U.S. only.
Beta-level quirks. Lip sync isn’t perfect, backgrounds loop awkwardly, dialogue delivery can feel flat.
Cost barrier. At over $250 a month, it’s aimed at professionals, not hobbyists.
Workflow tips
Define your what first. Use ingredients for characters, sets, props.
Add the how. Try camera movement or lighting after the base prompt works.
Include audio. Don’t assume the model “gets” ambience or tone.
Keep dialogue short. Long lines stretch sync.
Experiment with transitions. Flow can join clips more smoothly than piecing them later.
Final thoughts
Veo 3 is a shift in AI video—visual plus audio generation in one place. It pushes toward fewer tools, faster ideas. Ingredients give reusability. Price and geography limit access, but once you’re in, it speeds up content creation in a way that’s rare right now.
