From Static to Motion with Leonardo AI | Make Cinematic Loops

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Platform details referenced below reflect Leonardo.Ai’s published “Video” (Motion) guidance (Motion 2.0, Smooth Video FPS, download format, and workflow notes). Always confirm your current UI and plan entitlements inside Leonardo before a production run.

Updated for 2026-01-27

From Static to Motion: Shortform AI Video Loops

Leonardo Video (Motion 2.0) workflow for clean, loopable clips that support music, narrative, and brand assets

Leonardo’s Video tool supports image-to-video and (with Motion 2.0) prompt-directed motion; downloads are .mp4; Motion 2.0 offers Fast (480p) and Quality (720p) options and a Smooth Video toggle for higher frame rate output. Source: Leonardo.Ai Help Center. (See citations at the end of this page.)

Quick Start (5–10 minutes)

If you do nothing else, run this minimum loop once and save your prompt notes.

Minimum loop


Pick one strong still (clean focal point, readable silhouette).

Open Video on that image (Library or Image Creation tool).

Use Motion 2.0, select a Motion Control preset (optional), and describe desired motion in the prompt bar.

Generate Fast (480p) for testing; switch to Quality (720p) for final.

Toggle Smooth Video if you want higher FPS output (useful for scroll feeds).

Download .mp4, name it with versioning, then sync it to audio in CapCut (or your editor).

Fast prompt template (Motion 2.0)

Scene: [what we see, in visual terms]
Action: [what moves + how]
Camera: [dolly / zoom / pan / orbit / tracking shot]
Details: [smoke drift, fabric flutter, particles, fog, light sweep]
Style: [cinematic lighting, color palette, shot type]

Leonardo explicitly notes video prompt structure differs from image prompting: describe the scene, then the actions, then camera movement details. Motion Control presets can also handle camera movement without heavy prompting.

Print Worksheet Jump to Worksheet

Why Motion Matters (Brand Use, Not Hype)

Motion earns attention because it creates a moment. You are not “adding animation.” You are building a repeatable shortform asset that supports a release, a product, or a narrative.

  • Music drops: looped teaser that matches the hook or the beat switch.
  • Product pages: a moving “hero” visual that makes the offer feel real.
  • Story worlds: consistent locations, symbols, and mood that signal your universe.
  • Series strategy: one visual style that can scale across 10–50 releases.

Step 1: Build the Right Base Image

Great motion starts with a still that has structure.

Base image criteria

  • Single focal point (your eye lands fast).
  • Readable silhouette (subject separated from background).
  • Implied motion (wind, fabric, smoke, posture, particles).
  • Clean negative space (room for on-screen text if needed).

Avoid clutter. Motion tends to break first in busy scenes.

File naming rule

motion_scene_01_base.jpg
motion_scene_01_prompt_v1.txt
motion_scene_01_fast480_v1.mp4
motion_scene_01_quality720_v2.mp4

Versioning is how you turn “cool outputs” into a repeatable style library.

Step 2: Generate Video in Leonardo (Motion 2.0)

Access paths

  • From Library / Community / Image Creation: open the image, then choose the Video / Image-to-Video option.
  • From AI Creation tool: switch to the Video tab and add a start frame for image-to-video.

Leonardo describes both “Video tool modal” and “Video tab” entry points.

Output settings that matter

  • Fast vs Quality: Fast (480p) for iteration; Quality (720p) for keepers.
  • Smooth Video: higher FPS output option for Motion 2.0 (useful for feeds).
  • Private Mode: keep generations out of public/community visibility (plan-dependent).

Leonardo notes Motion 2.0 base FPS vs Smooth Video FPS, and that downloads are .mp4.

Step 3: Motion Prompt Enhancement

Motion 2.0 gives you two control surfaces: Motion Control presets and the prompt bar. Use both, but keep prompts clean.

Recommended prompt structure

Scene: a lone figure on a rooftop in rain, neon city behind
Action: rain streaks, coat fabric fluttering, light haze drifting
Camera: slow dolly in, slight pan right
Details: particles, mist, lens bloom, subtle handheld feel
Style: cinematic lighting, high contrast, teal/amber palette, low angle

Leonardo’s guidance: describe the scene, describe actions, then camera movement details. Motion Control can replace some camera text when you want consistency.

Movement cue library

  • fabric flutter / coat sway
  • smoke drift / fog roll
  • particle haze / ember trails
  • hair sway (subtle)
  • light sweep / reflections

These cues are practical because they “fit” many scenes and tend to look natural when restrained.

Step 4: Export and Format for Platforms

Export facts (Leonardo)

  • Download format: .mp4
  • Motion 2.0 resolution options: Fast (480p) and Quality (720p)
  • Frame rate notes: Motion 2.0 has a base FPS and a higher FPS option when Smooth Video is enabled

These points are documented in Leonardo’s Help Center “Video” guide.

Platform formatting (editing step)

  • Vertical (Reels / Shorts / TikTok): 1080×1920 timeline.
  • Horizontal (YouTube / site embeds): 1920×1080 timeline.

If your Leonardo output is not in the exact aspect ratio you need, place it on the correct timeline in CapCut (or your editor) and crop/scale intentionally.

Step 5: Sync the Loop to Music or Message

Sync is where “cool motion” becomes “release asset.”

  • Cut on the hook, the first downbeat, or the beat switch.
  • Use on-screen text only if it improves clarity (title, message, CTA).
  • Keep one visual rule consistent across your series (same font, same placement, same palette).

If you want tight sync, use waveform view in your editor and place visual transitions on musical landmarks.

GPT Motion Prompt Generator (Batch Variations)

Use GPT for controlled variation. You are not asking for random prompts—you are asking for three deliberate versions of the same scene.

Using this scene: [describe the still image]
Goal: create 3 Motion 2.0 prompts for Leonardo Video.

For each prompt include:
1) scene description (visual terms)
2) action/movement details (what moves + how)
3) camera movement (or say “use Motion Control preset: ____”)
4) color palette + lighting
5) one constraint to protect identity consistency (keep wardrobe, keep symbol, keep logo placement, etc.)

If you’re syncing to music, add: BPM, genre, and the timestamp of the hook. Ask GPT to recommend cut points.

Brand Consistency Visual Guide (So Your Loops Look Like “You”)

Lock these 5 every time

  • Palette: 2–3 main colors + one accent.
  • Lighting: pick a signature (high contrast, soft glow, neon rim, etc.).
  • Shot type: close / medium / wide (don’t rotate all three randomly).
  • Symbol: one recurring motif (mask, bee, halo, crown, sigil, etc.).
  • Typography rule: one font + one placement zone for captions.

Consistency guardrails


One scene family per campaign. Do not change world + wardrobe + palette in the same week.

One movement style. Choose subtle drift OR cinematic sweep—not both.

One CTA behavior. Same format for “watch / listen / shop / join.”

One export standard. Keep naming, versions, and file locations consistent.

Motion in the Launch Funnel

Platform Surface Use Case CTA Example
Shortform feeds (Reels / Shorts / TikTok) Hook teaser that leads to your primary link “Full track at the link. Tell me what line hit.”
YouTube video Looped visual + lyrics / captions “Watch the full story version.”
Shopify product page Hero motion clip that makes the offer feel real “See it in motion. Limited drop.”
Brand world / series page Recurring style that signals your universe “Start here. Follow the arc.”

Printable Motion Workflow Worksheet

Tip: click “Print Worksheet” in the Quick Start box to print cleanly.

Project info

Project / Campaign name: ______________________________

Track / Product name: ______________________________

Primary link destination: ______________________________

Signature palette (3 colors): ______________________________

Lighting style: ______________________________

Symbol / motif: ______________________________

Leonardo Video settings

Model: Motion 2.0 (or other): ______________________________

Mode: Image-to-Video or Text-to-Video: ______________________________

Quality: Fast (480p) / Quality (720p): ______________________________

Smooth Video: On / Off: ______________________________

Motion Control preset (if used): ______________________________

Final Motion 2.0 prompt

Scene:
Action:
Camera:
Details:
Style:
Constraints (to protect consistency):

Export + edit

Filename: ______________________________

Edit tool: CapCut / Premiere / DaVinci: ______________________________

Aspect ratio: 9:16 / 16:9: ______________________________

Sync point (timestamp): ______________________________

On-screen text (exact line): ______________________________

File System Best Practice

/PROJECT_FOLDER/
  /Motion_Bases/
    base_image_01.jpg
  /Motion_Prompts/
    prompt_notes_01.txt
  /Motion_Exports/
    fast480_v1.mp4
    quality720_v2.mp4
  /Edits_Final/
    vertical_1080x1920_v1.mp4
    horizontal_1920x1080_v1.mp4

If you cannot find a file in 10 seconds, your system is not ready to scale.

Sources referenced

  • Leonardo.Ai Help Center “Video” guide: Motion 2.0 availability, 5-second clips, Motion Control, Fast (480p) vs Quality (720p), Smooth Video toggle, frame-rate notes, and .mp4 download format. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}

Practical guidance on prompt phrasing and brand consistency is best-practice workflow advice, not a claim about platform guarantees. Always verify current UI labels and plan limits inside Leonardo before final production runs.