What is Sora and How to Create Realistic High-Quality Videos with It?

It's been a long time that video production with artificial intelligence has been considered one of the most attractive fields of technology. OpenAI Sora is one of the most advanced text-to-video models that can create very realistic and natural scenes just by receiving a few lines of text. However, to achieve realistic results, special attention must be paid to the details of designing prompts (text instructions), technical settings, and even post-production stages.

In this article, we will examine methods to achieve the highest level of realism in videos produced with Sora, suggested output settings, tips related to screenplay and rhythm of a three-minute video, and how to combine this tool with other artificial intelligence technologies such as Midjourney and Runway. Finally, we will review the current limitations of Sora and solutions to address them.

Table of Contents

• Increasing Realism in Videos Produced with Sora
• Suggested Settings for Resolution, Frame Rate, and Output
• Best Practices for Creating an Engaging Three-Minute Video
• Combining Sora with Other AI Tools
• Post-Production and Final Editing Tips
• Sora's Limitations and Solutions
• Conclusion

Increasing Realism in Videos Produced with Sora

1. Use Precise and Descriptive Prompts

   The more details your prompt has about the scene, subjects, and lighting, the more realistic result Sora will produce. It's better to use present tense and write precise specifications; for example:

   «A woman in a black leather jacket and red dress walks confidently on a neon-lit street in Tokyo at night, with the reflection of light on the wet ground visible.»

   Adding details related to light (like «golden sunset light with long shadows» or «soft indoor light») and camera angle («close-up shot», «wide aerial view») helps increase realism.

2. Use Cinematic Terms in Prompts

   Mentioning the camera type, filming style, or frame rate can create a cinematic look. For example, write:

   «Filmed with a 35mm camera, shallow depth of field, 24 frames per second.»

   These cues exist in Sora's training data and affect the output style. You can also specify the video type, like «documentary style» or «movie trailer», to make the result more natural.

3. Use Reference Images

   Sora can use images or videos as input along with text. If you've previously created an image of a character or environment in Midjourney or DALL·E, you can give it to Sora to produce a video based on it. This method ensures consistency in face, color, and style throughout the video.

4. Focus on Natural Movements

   Frame quality is important, but smooth movement is the main factor of realism. It's better to describe natural and calm movements, like:

   «She slowly turns her head and smiles.»

   Fast or cluttered movements may cause distortions. If the video is too slow, you can slightly increase its speed in final editing.

5. Use the «Realistic» Style

   In Sora settings, the default or Original style is the best option for creating real videos. Artistic or fantasy styles like «Film noir» or «Cardboard art» are suitable for specific purposes, but if the goal is to recreate reality, choose the normal mode.

6. Produce Multiple Different Outputs

   To get the best result, produce several versions of a scene and select the most realistic one. Sora allows producing multiple versions of each prompt, and you can use the best output as a base and refine its details.

Suggested Settings for Resolution, Frame Rate, and Output

To achieve the highest quality, follow these settings:

• Resolution: 1080×1920 pixels (Full HD) – current maximum resolution of Sora

• Aspect Ratio: 16:9 for horizontal, 9:16 for vertical videos

• Frame Rate: 30 frames per second for natural movement

• File Format: MP4 with H.264 codec

• Color Settings: Rec.709 (HDTV standard)

• Audio: Sora doesn't produce audio yet; you need to add music, speech, or effects later.

Sora often performs these settings automatically, but checking the final output quality is important. Using Full HD at 30fps usually creates clear and smooth videos.

Best Practices for Creating an Engaging Three-Minute Video

Since Sora produces a maximum of about 20 seconds of video per generation, you need to divide the three-minute video into several short sections.

1. Design Screenplay and Storyboard

   Specify the story or message and divide it into several 20 to 30 second sections. Design each section like an independent scene to have more control over quality.

2. Writing Prompts for Each Scene

   Write each prompt like a short scenario and focus only on one event. Keep the description of characters the same in all scenes to keep faces consistent.

3. Maintaining Continuity and Consistency Between Scenes

   For character or location consistency, use the last frame of the previous scene as a reference image in the next scene. Keep light, color, and camera angle the same to make cuts look more natural.

4. Adjusting Rhythm and Engagement

   In a three-minute video, variety in shots and cuts is very important. Change angle or scene every 5 to 10 seconds so the viewer doesn't get bored. You can use multiple different outputs for different angles of a scene.

5. Adding Text and Graphics in the Editing Stage

   Sora is weak in producing text on images, so it's better to add texts and captions in the editing stage. In the prompt, you can consider empty space for inserting text.

6. Maintaining Visual Harmony

   From the beginning, choose a unified color palette or visual style and stick to it in all scenes. If you intend to produce a documentary or advertising style, maintain that mood until the end.

7. Reviewing and Revising Each Section

   After producing each scene, check its quality and if you see a problem in frames or details, reproduce only that part. This method saves time and increases final quality.

Combining Sora with Other AI Tools

Midjourney and DALL·E

These tools are excellent for creating high-detail images. You can design the desired character or environment in Midjourney and give it as input to Sora to convert the same image to video.

🔶 Read more: How to Create Unique Images with Midjourney?

Runway ML

The Runway platform has tools like Gen-2 and video editing features. You can use Runway to edit videos produced by Sora; like removing background, increasing frame rate, or enhancing image clarity. Also, there's the possibility to combine Sora output with real videos in Runway.

Traditional Editing Software

After producing scenes in Sora, edit them in software like Premiere Pro, Final Cut, or DaVinci Resolve. In this stage, you can add sound, effects, color, and texts to the video and prepare the final output for publication.

Enhancement and Audio Tools

To increase video clarity (e.g., from 1080p to 4K), you can use tools like Topaz Video Enhance AI. Also, for voiceover, use AI in producing music, effects, or narration.

Combining multiple AI tools makes the final output look much more professional and realistic.
 

Post-Production and Final Editing Tips

1. Use Sora's internal tools like Re-cut, Remix, Blend, and Loop to edit the video before exporting.

2. Save all clips with specific names and order so they can be easily arranged in editing software.

3. Place scenes in the timeline and use cuts or soft fades between them.

4. Adjust timing; sometimes shortening a few seconds from each scene improves the rhythm.

5. Make colors and light uniform so all scenes are coordinated.

6. In this stage, add titles, captions, and logos.

7. Take Sound Design seriously; sound is half of the video's realism.

8. Save the final output with 1080p and 30fps settings and check its quality on multiple devices.

Sora's Limitations and Solutions

• Video Length: Currently, each output is maximum 20 seconds. For longer videos, build multiple sections and combine in final edit.

• Face and Location Consistency: To maintain consistent character appearance, use reference images or identical prompts.

• Physics and Interactions: In complex movements, details may not be displayed correctly; try to use simpler movements.

• Text and Symbols: Texts are usually unreadable; better to add them in the editing stage.

• Noise or Flicker: If frame jumps or noise is observed, the problem can be solved with soft editing or reproducing the scene.

• Content Limitations: Sora limits violent, nude, or real face content; therefore, use fictional equivalents.

• Credits and Account Limitations: In beta versions or Plus/Pro plans, there are credit limits and you need to be careful with usage.

Conclusion

By following the above tips, you can produce realistic, engaging, and professional videos using OpenAI Sora and other AI tools.

The key to success is:

• Write prompts precisely and purposefully,
• Use reference images for visual consistency,
• Benefit from optimal settings like 1080p and 30fps,
• And take editing and sound stages seriously.

Combining Sora, Midjourney, Runway, and classic editing software can create an output that, from the viewer's perspective, has no difference with real videos. With precise planning and adhering to best practices, even a three-minute AI-produced video can look completely natural, professional, and impactful.