How Do I Use the AI Video Generator Kling?

How do I make a video with Kling AI?

Make a video with Kling AI by selecting a generation mode, defining the scene or supplying a starting image, writing a specific motion prompt, and generating a clip within the chosen model’s limits. Treat the first generation as a draft: review what changed, then refine the smallest part of the instruction that needs correction.

1. Choose the model and mode. The Kling 4.0 guide supports text-to-video and image-to-video, with durations from 3 to 30 seconds, resolutions of 720p, 1080p, and 4K, and up to 10 keyframe inputs. VIDEO 3.0 supports text-to-video, image-to-video, start-and-end-frame generation, native audio, and multi-shot generation, with durations from 3 to 15 seconds. These are model-specific options, so check the selected model before planning the clip.
2. Define the visual target. For text-to-video, describe what should appear and how the scene should look. For image-to-video, provide an image that already contains the scene you want to animate. If using reference assets, state the job of each one—for example, preserving a character’s appearance or guiding action pacing.
3. Write the motion and camera direction. Name what moves, how it moves, and whether the camera stays still, pans, tracks, pushes in, pulls out, or orbits. Kling 4.0’s guide lists those camera directions as supported choices.
4. Set output options and generate. Pick a duration and resolution that suit the intended use, and choose audio options if the model offers them. Before generating, estimate the credits required from the model’s pricing information.
5. Review and refine. Check subject appearance, movement, framing, and scene continuity. Change one prompt element at a time so the next result tells you whether that revision helped.

The Kling 4.0 User Guide advises describing visual details as explicitly as possible so the model has less to infer. For a first clip, a short, single action is easier to diagnose than a long sequence with multiple changes.

Should I use text-to-video or image-to-video in Kling?

Use text-to-video when you need Kling to create the scene from a description, and image-to-video when you already have a scene image and want to direct its motion. The practical difference is how much visual information the prompt must supply: text-to-video establishes the scene, while image-to-video starts from one.

The Kling AI Image-to-Video Guide gives a compact formula: “Subject + Movement, Background + Movement.” Because the input image already establishes much of the scene, adding a long description of visible details can distract from the action the clip needs to perform.

Image-to-video is a strong fit when preserving the starting composition matters. Keep the requested action plausible for the subject’s pose and surroundings. The guide warns that a prompt that substantially diverges from the source image may lead to a camera cut or transition, and complex physical actions can be difficult to generate reliably.

Text-to-video gives more room to define a scene from scratch, but also asks the model to interpret more details. If a particular character or object must remain recognizable as the scene changes, VIDEO 3.0’s guide says subject and element references can help maintain traits through camera movement and scene development. Kling’s character consistency guide describes an Elements workflow that accepts 1–4 reference images; selecting the referenced subject as an element and describing its action gives the model clearer continuity instructions.

How do I write a Kling prompt that gets the motion and camera movement right?

Write a Kling prompt by separating the subject’s action from the camera’s action, then adding only the scene details needed to make the shot clear. A prompt should tell the model what moves and how the viewer sees that movement—not bury the requested action in abstract mood words.

1. Lock the subject. Name the main person, animal, or object and the visual traits that matter. If appearance must stay consistent, provide a reference and say what it should preserve.
2. Use one clear action. Choose a concrete verb and a visible change: “The paper boat drifts across the pond” gives a more direct instruction than “A peaceful, dreamy scene.” For image-to-video, keep the action compatible with what the image shows.
3. Give the camera its own instruction. Separate subject movement from camera movement. For example: “The cyclist rides toward the bridge; the camera tracks alongside.” Kling 4.0 lists push-ins, pull-outs, pans, tracking shots, and orbit shots as supported directions.
4. Specify relevant scene details. State important lighting, setting, or background movement when the model needs them. The Kling 4.0 guide recommends explicit visual detail and warns that negative prompts can increase the likelihood of errors; clear affirmative instructions are the more dependable starting point.
5. Reduce competing directions. Give the clip one primary action and one camera move, then add complexity only if the result handles the basics. This keeps a failed generation easier to diagnose.

For example, a text-to-video prompt can follow this pattern: “A red paper kite rises above a grassy hill at sunset; the fabric ripples in the wind; the camera slowly pushes in.” For image-to-video, strip the scene description back to what changes: “The kite lifts and sways; grass bends gently in the breeze.” The first prompt creates a scene; the second directs motion inside an existing one.