Why Prompts Matter
The quality of your AI Selects output depends directly on the quality of your input. Learning to write effective natural language prompts is the single highest-leverage skill for getting value from AI editing tools.
Anatomy of a Good Prompt
A good prompt has three components: what you are looking for (the subject), how it should look (the quality or composition), and the context (when or where in the project). Combining all three dramatically improves accuracy.
Common Mistakes
The most common mistake is being too vague. Requesting all the good shots will return inconsistent results because good is subjective. Instead, describe specific qualities: well-lit close-up shots with clear eye contact and a natural smile.
Advanced Techniques
Advanced users chain multiple prompts to narrow results progressively. Start broad, then refine. This mirrors how an experienced editor would manually review footage, starting with a rough pass and then doing detailed selects.
Prompt Templates
Keep a prompt library for recurring project types. Wedding editors, for example, can maintain prompts for standard moments like first look reactions, ring exchanges, and group photos. Reusing proven prompts saves time and ensures consistency.