Veo 3.1 on VidAU: Full Beginner Tutorial to Create Cinematic AI Videos

What is Veo 3.1?

Veo 3.1 is a high-fidelity AI video model designed to create cinematic scenes with realistic physics, lighting and camera motion. Unlike standard AI generators that focus on simple movement, Veo simulates depth, texture, reflections and world behavior, making the final clip feel like it was filmed with a real camera rather than rendered. It replaces the need for film sets, locations, props and actors. Describing the scene in words is enough for Veo to build a believable world.

This makes Veo especially valuable for creators, marketers and filmmakers who want to test visual ideas instantly and produce campaign-ready footage without studio production. Many teams use it as the fastest way to move from concept to usable video.

Most AI video tools animate a subject. Veo builds the entire environment around the subject. It understands how light scatters on different materials, how shadows respond to distance, how objects carry weight in motion and how camera language shapes a cinematic moment. These differences become noticeable when the scene needs emotion, realism or brand quality rather than simple movement.

Veo is the strongest option on VidAU when the goal is realism. It is ideal for storytelling ads, lifestyle scenes, brand mood films, sports visuals, fashion shots and wide environmental footage. Faster or simpler models are useful for concepts and drafts, but when a moment needs to look real, Veo performs at the highest tier.

Veo 3.1 Availability on VidAU

Veo 3.1 is now fully active inside AI Video on VidAU. Creators can generate cinematic scenes directly in the native workspace without switching tools or using external editors. The model sits in the same panel as Sora 2 and other generators, so once you open AI Video, you can select Veo 3.1 from the dropdown and begin producing high-fidelity motion footage immediately.

Step-by-Step Tutorial for Using Veo 3.1 on VidAU

Step 1 — Open Veo 3.1

Begin by signing in to your VidAU dashboard. From the left sidebar, open the Generative AI section and select AI Video. If you are not already on the creation page, click Create AI Video to load the workspace. At the top of the interface, open the model dropdown and switch to Veo3.1.

Once Veo 3.1 is active, the header reflects the model name and the workspace updates to support Veo-based generation. You now see the prompt field, the frame upload area and the full settings panel where you configure aspect ratio, resolution, duration and quantity. This screen is the starting point for building the video.

Step 2 — Choose the Veo 3.1 Model Version

After Veo 3.1 loads, you arrive at the Model Version panel. This is where you decide whether the generation should prioritize realism or speed. The workflow may look simple, but this choice influences the final result more than any other setting.

Selecting Quality tells Veo to focus on cinematic detail. It enhances surface texture, material realism, lighting accuracy, shadows, reflections, and the overall depth of the scene. If you are producing brand campaigns, client work, cinematic storytelling or ads that will run on paid platforms, this is the version built for that outcome. Quality mode takes longer, but the trade-off is a polished look that feels publish-ready.

Selecting Fast shifts the model into an efficiency mode. Instead of pushing visual depth to the limit, it renders quickly and uses fewer credits per attempt. This is the version you use when you are still exploring your idea, trying different visual styles, testing prompts or iterating toward the final direction. Many users treat Fast as the drafting phase and Quality as the finishing phase. You experiment freely without wasting credits, then switch to Quality when you are confident in the prompt and framing you want.

The choice here directly affects realism, render speed and credit usage. For real marketing or commercial work, Quality is the practical option. For experimentation, Fast gives more flexibility while you refine the idea. Once the model version aligns with your goal, you move to the next step, where you describe the video scene in the prompt.

Step 3 — Set Up Your Prompt and Frame Images

The prompt is where you describe the scene you want Veo to generate. Write what the viewer should see, not what you feel about the video. Focus on the subject, the action taking place, the environment around it, the lighting style and the way the camera should move. Keep sentences short and visual.

An example that fits product advertising would be: “Fitness smartwatch resting on a gym bench, sweat droplets visible, dramatic side lighting, slow camera push-in, shallow depth of field.” This format gives Veo an exact picture instead of an emotional idea. Lines like “make it cinematic” or “make it attractive” do not help the model. The goal is to show the shot with words.

Step 4 — Upload Frame Images

You can upload a start frame to define how the opening shot should look. This is useful when you want Veo to match a specific product photograph, a face, a brand color style or a scene layout. If you upload an end frame as well, Veo will guide the video toward that visual, which creates a clear before-to-after progression. You are not required to upload both frames. Using only a start frame still gives Veo enough structure to shape the scene with high accuracy. If no frame is added, Veo builds the video entirely from the prompt, which gives more creative freedom but less control over precise appearance.

When the prompt reads like a real shot description and the frame images reflect the visuals you want to anchor, Veo will generate a cleaner result in fewer attempts. Once both pieces are ready, you move on to the visual settings such as aspect ratio, resolution and duration.

Step 5 — Set the Aspect Ratio

This setting determines how the video will appear on different platforms.
A 9:16 aspect ratio prepares the video for mobile-first feeds such as TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, filling the full vertical screen.
A 16:9 aspect ratio keeps the video in widescreen format, which fits YouTube, desktop viewing and website embeds.  Choosing the correct ratio at this stage prevents black bars, cropping and unwanted scaling during upload.

Step 6 — Set the Resolution

Resolution determines the clarity of the final output.
A 720p render is ideal during testing because it generates faster and uses fewer credits, which helps when you are still refining the prompt.
A 1080p render is best for publishing and paid campaigns because it reveals better textures, sharper edges and more visible depth.
A common workflow is to test ideas in 720p and generate the final approved version in 1080p.

Step 7 — Set the Duration

The duration defines the pacing of the scene.
Short clips feel punchy and are useful for hooks or performance-focused ads.
Longer clips allow space for storytelling, camera movement and environmental buildup.
You choose the duration based on what you want the viewer to feel within the first few seconds.

Step 8 — Set the Quantity

This setting controls how many variations Veo will produce from the same setup.
Generating a single video is useful when you are still shaping the idea and testing the prompt.
Generating multiple versions creates natural variations in motion, framing and timing without rewriting anything.
It shortens the A/B testing process because you get several options instantly instead of repeating the workflow manually.

Step 9 — Set the Seed

The seed setting influences randomness.
Leaving the field on “random” gives each video a fresh interpretation of the prompt, which is ideal when you want new discoveries and wider creative possibilities.
Entering a specific seed number reproduces the same foundational structure in every render, which helps when you need repeatable results across multiple versions.
Random unlocks exploration, while a fixed seed locks consistency.

Step 10 — Generate the Video

When all settings are ready, look at the credit indicator above the Generate button. It shows the exact number of credits required for the render based on your resolution, duration, model version and quantity. Once the credit requirement matches your plan, click Generate.

Veo 3.1 begins processing the prompt, the frames and the visual settings you selected. The rendering runs in the background, and a preview thumbnail appears when the video is complete. Open the finished clip and watch it fully. Pay attention to the realism of the environment, the accuracy of product or character details, the fluidity of camera motion and the pacing of the scene. If the idea feels right but some details need refinement, update the prompt, swap the frame image, tweak the duration or adjust the aspect ratio, then generate again. Veo works best through iteration rather than starting over.

When the result matches the creative direction, export the video as an MP4 or continue into Smart Editing, Subtitles or AI Voiceover to finalize the clip inside VidAU.

Conclusion

Veo 3.1 gives creators and brands a direct path to cinematic video production inside VidAU. There is no filming, no location setup and no editing software. You describe the scene in a prompt, anchor it with frame images if needed and configure the visual settings based on platform and creative intent. The model handles lighting, physics, composition and camera language on its own.

This workflow turns video creation into a fast, repeatable process. You move from concept to usable footage in minutes instead of planning shoots and scheduling resources. Whether the goal is a storytelling ad, a lifestyle scene, a brand mood film or a product showcase, Veo is built to deliver a polished moment that looks captured rather than generated.

When the render matches your direction, you can export immediately or continue inside VidAU to add subtitles, motion graphics or voiceover. Every finished clip becomes part of a scalable content library you reuse across platforms and campaigns.

The next step is simple: open AI Video, select Veo 3.1 and begin shaping your first scene.

Frequently Asked Questions