The modes in brief
Text-to-video (video from text). You write a description, the model invents everything: the hero’s appearance, the setting, the angle, the light.
Image-to-video (video from a photo). You upload an image, it becomes the first frame. The model adds motion, while you have set the look.
Comparison
| From text | From a photo | |
|---|---|---|
| Control over the look of the frame | low | high |
| Freedom and unexpected ideas | high | lower |
| Product accuracy | no, the model invents it | yes, your real product |
| Same character across scenes | hard | easy, with one image |
| Attempts until the result | more | fewer |
| What you need | only text | an image plus text about the motion |
When to choose what
From a photo:
- ads and product cards: product video with AI;
- a character in several scenes: character consistency;
- animating old and family photos: how to animate a photo with AI;
- video from a banner or an illustration.
From text:
- atmospheric scenes: nature, city, weather;
- looking for ideas and drafts;
- abstract and fantastic scenes where the exact look does not matter.
The «image first, then video» approach
For most tasks it pays to split the work:
- Make the frame as an image in Nano Banana Pro: hero, product, setting, light. About 25 rubles, quick to redo.
- Once you like the frame, upload it to a video model and describe only the motion and the sound.
This way you fine-tune the look on a cheap image rather than on expensive clips.
How to write a prompt for video from a photo
In the prompt, do not describe again what is already in the image. Write only:
- what moves and how;
- the camera move;
- the sound;
- what must stay unchanged.
The woman slowly turns her head toward the camera and smiles, a light breeze moves her hair. Static camera. The face stays the same. Ambient: quiet street sounds.
The less motion, the less the model changes the source. Ready prompts: Kling 3.0, Veo 3.1.
How to write a prompt for video from text
Describe everything: shot and camera, hero, action, place, light, style, sound. In detail: how to write video prompts.
What it costs
| Step | Model | Approximately |
|---|---|---|
| First frame | Nano Banana Pro, 2K | ~25 rub. |
| Video 6 s, draft | Seedance 1.5 Pro, 480p with sound | ~30 rub. |
| Video 6 s, 1080p with sound | Veo 3.1 Fast | ~126 rub. |
| Video 6 s, people | Kling v3, 1080p with sound | ~168 rub. |
Prices on KADR (kadr-ai.ru), October 2026. This is not a public offer.
In short
Video from text gives freedom, video from a photo gives control. For ads, products, characters and animating photos choose image-to-video: first an image for 25 rubles, then the clip. For atmospheric scenes and looking for ideas, text-to-video will do. In a prompt for video from a photo, describe only the motion, the camera and the sound.
