RESEARCH: Video Instructional Material Prompting Techniques

Document Type: Technical Reference Guide Created: 2025-11-28 Project: Part 107 Drone Pilot Certification Study Platform Purpose: Comprehensive prompting guide for AI-generated instructional videos

Executive Summary
AI Video Generation Tools Overview
Prompting Fundamentals
Part 107-Specific Prompt Templates
Consistency Techniques
Production Workflow
Quality Control & Review
Cost & Timeline Estimates
Troubleshooting Guide
Resources & References

Executive Summary

Quick Reference

Recommended Tool Stack for Part 107 Video Production:

HeyGen Business ($89/month) → 50% of content (instructor segments)
Google Veo 3.1 ($0.10-0.35/second) → 40% of content (animations, diagrams)
Runway Gen-3 Alpha ($15/month) → 10% of content (cinematic B-roll)

Total Investment: $3,665 for 18 hours of professional content (96-98% cost savings vs traditional)

Timeline: 4-5 months with 2-person team

Key Success Factor: Prompt consistency through templating and style reference documents

AI Video Generation Tools Overview

Tool Comparison Matrix

Tool	Best For	Pricing	Consistency	Learning Curve	Part 107 Fit
HeyGen Business	Instructor/Avatar	$89/month	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (100%)	Easy (1-2 days)	Perfect for explanations
Google Veo 3.1	Diagrams/Animations	$0.10-0.35/sec API	⭐⭐⭐⭐ (85-95%)	Medium (1-2 weeks)	Excellent for airspace viz
Runway Gen-3	Cinematic B-roll	$15/month + credits	⭐⭐⭐⭐ (80-90%)	Medium (1 week)	Great for drone footage
OpenAI Sora 2	Photorealistic scenes	$20-200/month	⭐⭐⭐ (70-85%)	Hard (2-3 weeks)	Good for emergencies
Pika 2.0	Quick iterations	Free-$70/month	⭐⭐⭐ (75-85%)	Easy (2-3 days)	Budget option
Luma AI Dream	Dynamic motion	Free-$30/month	⭐⭐⭐ (70-80%)	Medium (1 week)	Good for action shots

Tool Selection Decision Tree

START: What type of content are you creating?

├─ Instructor/presenter talking to camera?
│  └─ Use HeyGen Business (custom avatar)
│     → 100% consistency, professional quality
│
├─ Airspace diagrams, weather patterns, charts?
│  └─ Use Google Veo 3.1 (text-to-video)
│     → Native audio, "Ingredients to Video" feature
│
├─ Drone flight demonstrations, cinematic shots?
│  └─ Use Runway Gen-3 Alpha (4K upscaling)
│     → Best motion quality, commercial rights
│
├─ Emergency scenarios, photorealistic simulations?
│  └─ Use OpenAI Sora 2 (if available in your region)
│     → Highest photorealism, complex physics
│
└─ Budget-conscious, rapid prototyping?
   └─ Use Pika 2.0 or Luma AI Dream
      → Free tiers available, fast generation

Prompting Fundamentals

The Anatomy of an Effective Video Prompt

Formula: [SHOT TYPE] + [SUBJECT] + [ACTION] + [ENVIRONMENT] + [STYLE] + [TECHNICAL SPECS]

Example:

Medium shot of a professional drone instructor in navy flight suit
explaining FAA airspace classifications, standing in front of a
sectional chart display, gesturing to Class B airspace rings around
an airport. Clean, well-lit training room environment with aviation
blue (#003B73) and safety orange (#FF6B35) branding elements.
Professional documentary style, 4K resolution, natural lighting,
shallow depth of field.

Core Prompting Principles

1. Specificity Over Vagueness

❌ Bad Prompt:

A drone flying in the sky

✅ Good Prompt:

Wide aerial shot of a DJI Mavic 3 quadcopter drone with white body
and orange propellers flying at 300 feet AGL over farmland, maintaining
visual line of sight with remote pilot visible on ground. Clear blue
sky, golden hour lighting, smooth gimbal movement tracking the drone's
forward flight path at 25 mph.

Why it works: Specific model, altitude, environment, lighting, camera movement, and speed.

2. Temporal Clarity (What Happens When)

❌ Bad Prompt:

Drone takes off and flies around

✅ Good Prompt:

Opening: Drone sits idle on launch pad (0-2s). Propellers begin spinning
(2-3s). Drone lifts vertically to 10 feet hover (3-5s). Pans left 180
degrees (5-7s). Ascends to 50 feet while moving forward (7-10s). Ends
hovering stable with horizon visible.

Why it works: Clear timeline with second-by-second choreography.

3. Visual Style Consistency

Create a Style Reference Document (use for ALL prompts):

## Part 107 Academy Visual Style Guide

### Color Palette
- Primary: Aviation Blue (#003B73)
- Secondary: Safety Orange (#FF6B35)
- Neutral: Clean White (#FFFFFF), Slate Gray (#4A5568)

### Cinematography
- Shot Types: Medium shots (50%), Close-ups (30%), Wide establishing (20%)
- Camera Movement: Smooth, purposeful (no shaky handheld)
- Transitions: Clean cuts, occasional slow dissolves

### Lighting
- Preference: Natural soft light, avoid harsh shadows
- Indoor: 3-point lighting setup, professional studio feel
- Outdoor: Golden hour or overcast (avoid midday harsh sun)

### Environment
- Indoor: Clean training room, aviation posters/charts in background
- Outdoor: Airfields, open fields with clear horizons
- Props: Professional-grade drones (DJI Mavic/Phantom series)

### Tone
- Professional documentary style
- Educational, authoritative but approachable
- Safety-focused, regulation-compliant visuals

Usage: Append relevant sections to EVERY prompt for consistency.

4. Negative Prompts (Use Carefully)

⚠️ Warning: Runway Gen-3 does NOT support negative prompts (may cause opposite effect). Use positive framing instead.

For tools that support negative prompts (Veo, Sora, Pika):

❌ Bad Negative Prompt:

no bad lighting, no blurry, no watermark

✅ Good Negative Prompt:

Avoid: distorted faces, unnatural physics, lens flares, chromatic
aberration, motion blur, pixelation, compression artifacts, logos,
watermarks, text overlays

Better Approach (Positive Framing):

Sharp focus throughout, natural physics, clean professional image,
no text or watermarks, cinematic color grading

Part 107-Specific Prompt Templates

Template 1: Instructor-Led Explanation (HeyGen)

Use Case: Module introductions, regulation explanations, concept reviews

Template:

[AVATAR NAME] in [OUTFIT DESCRIPTION] standing in [ENVIRONMENT],
looking directly at camera with confident, friendly expression.

Script: "[YOUR SCRIPT HERE - 30-90 seconds max]"

Gestures: [Describe hand movements that emphasize key points]

Background: [Training room | outdoor airfield | sectional chart display]

Branding: Part 107 Academy logo in top-right corner, aviation blue
and safety orange color scheme.

Technical: 1080p, professional lighting, eye-level camera angle,
slight depth of field with background 20% blurred.

Example (Module 2: Airspace Classifications):

Captain Sarah Mitchell in navy flight suit with orange safety vest,
standing in professional training room with sectional chart visible
on monitor behind her, looking directly at camera with confident smile.

Script: "Welcome to Module 2: Understanding Airspace Classifications.
In this lesson, we'll break down the five classes of airspace—A, B, C,
D, E, and G—and learn exactly where you can fly your drone legally.
By the end, you'll be able to look at any sectional chart and immediately
identify which airspace requires FAA authorization. Let's get started!"

Gestures: Open palm gesture toward chart on "five classes," counting
fingers for A-B-C-D-E, pointing to camera on "you'll be able to."

Background: Clean training room, large monitor displaying sectional
chart with Class B airspace rings visible, aviation textbooks on shelf.

Branding: Part 107 Academy logo (blue shield with orange drone) in
top-right corner.

Technical: 1080p 30fps, 3-point lighting, f/2.8 shallow depth of field,
background 20% blurred for subject focus.

Template 2: Airspace Visualization (Google Veo 3.1)

Use Case: Sectional chart explanations, airspace boundaries, altitude restrictions

Template:

[CAMERA MOVEMENT] of [CHART TYPE] sectional chart showing [SPECIFIC
AIRSPACE], with [VISUAL ANNOTATIONS] highlighting [KEY FEATURES].

Starting view: [Wide | Medium | Close-up] of [GEOGRAPHIC AREA]

Animation sequence:
1. [0-3s]: [What appears/happens]
2. [3-6s]: [What appears/happens]
3. [6-8s]: [What appears/happens]

Visual style: Clean, professional cartography, aviation blue (#003B73)
for controlled airspace, safety orange (#FF6B35) for restricted areas.

Technical: 8-second clip, 1080p, smooth zoom/pan, no camera shake.

Example (Class B Airspace Around Major Airport):

Slow zoom-in on sectional chart of Los Angeles International Airport
(LAX) showing Class B airspace rings, with animated orange overlay
highlighting restricted zones.

Starting view: Wide view of entire Los Angeles basin sectional chart

Animation sequence:
1. [0-2s]: Gentle zoom centers on LAX airport symbol (blue circle)
2. [2-5s]: Blue concentric rings fade in showing Class B airspace
   layers (surface to 10,000 ft MSL), each ring labeled with altitude
3. [5-8s]: Orange pulsing outline highlights entire Class B boundary,
   text overlay appears: "Authorization Required - Contact FAA"

Visual style: Professional aviation cartography, aviation blue (#003B73)
for Class B rings, safety orange (#FF6B35) for boundary highlight,
white background with high contrast for readability.

Audio: Subtle "ping" sound as each ring appears, authoritative voiceover:
"Class B airspace surrounds the nation's busiest airports. Notice the
inverted wedding cake shape—each ring has specific altitude restrictions."

Technical: 8-second clip, 1080p 30fps, smooth exponential zoom (ease in/out),
camera movement stabilized, sectional chart accurate to current FAA data.

Template 3: Drone Operation Demonstration (Runway Gen-3)

Use Case: Preflight inspection, flight maneuvers, emergency procedures

Template:

[SHOT TYPE] of [DRONE MODEL] performing [SPECIFIC MANEUVER] in
[ENVIRONMENT], demonstrating [LEARNING OBJECTIVE].

Sequence:
- Opening frame: [Starting position/state]
- Action: [Step-by-step what happens]
- Closing frame: [Ending position/state]

Remote pilot: [Visible | Partially visible | Not shown], [wearing | holding]

Environment: [Outdoor field | Airfield | Designated flight area],
[weather conditions], [time of day]

Safety: All FAA Part 107 regulations visibly followed (VLOS maintained,
400 ft AGL max, clear of people/structures)

Style: Cinematic documentary, smooth camera work, professional color grading

Technical: 4K 60fps for slow-motion capability, natural lighting,
gimbal-stabilized footage

Example (Preflight Inspection Procedure):

Close-up tracking shot of hands performing systematic preflight
inspection on DJI Mavic 3 drone, demonstrating the 360-degree
visual inspection procedure required before every flight.

Sequence:
- Opening frame: Drone on clean white landing pad, propellers folded,
  remote pilot's gloved hands enter frame from left
- Action sequence:
  1. Hands unfold each propeller arm (0-3s), check for cracks/damage
  2. Fingers inspect gimbal camera (3-5s), gently rotate to verify
     full range of motion
  3. Hands flip drone to inspect battery connection (5-7s), press
     power button to verify charge level (LED lights illuminate)
  4. Fingers trace along each motor housing (7-9s), checking for debris
  5. Final frame: Hands place drone back on pad (9-10s), thumb points
     up to camera indicating "ready to fly"
- Closing frame: Drone centered on pad, all systems checked, ready for flight

Remote pilot: Hands and forearms visible wearing orange safety gloves,
professional flight suit visible in frame edges, remote controller
on table in background (out of focus)

Environment: Outdoor launch area on sunny day, grass field visible in
background, no people or obstacles within 50 feet, wind calm

Safety: Checklist clipboard visible in corner of frame, demonstrating
systematic approach to preflight inspection per FAA guidelines

Style: Clean, well-lit educational demonstration, cinematic quality but
instructional pacing, color grading emphasizes orange safety elements

Technical: 4K 60fps slowed to 24fps for detailed inspection visibility,
shallow depth of field (f/2.8) keeps focus on hands/drone, background
slightly blurred, natural sunlight with reflector fill light to eliminate
harsh shadows, gimbal-stabilized smooth camera movement following hands

Template 4: Weather Pattern Animation (Google Veo 3.1)

Use Case: METAR decoding, TAF interpretation, weather hazards

Template:

[ANIMATION STYLE] visualization of [WEATHER PHENOMENON] showing
[EDUCATIONAL CONCEPT], with [DATA OVERLAY] explaining [KEY METRICS].

Visual layers:
1. Base layer: [Geographic or atmospheric context]
2. Data layer: [Weather information display]
3. Annotation layer: [Educational callouts and labels]

Animation timeline:
- [0-2s]: [Introduction of scene]
- [2-5s]: [Weather event develops/changes]
- [5-8s]: [Educational highlight or conclusion]

Color coding: [Use weather service standard colors where applicable]

Narration: [Voiceover text explaining what's shown]

Technical: 8-second clip, clean motion graphics style, high contrast
for clarity

Example (Density Altitude Concept):

Animated infographic showing how temperature and altitude affect drone
performance, visualizing the concept of density altitude with thermometer,
altimeter, and drone performance indicators.

Visual layers:
1. Base layer: Split-screen showing two identical drones side-by-side
   - Left: "Sea Level, 59°F (Standard Conditions)"
   - Right: "5,000 ft elevation, 95°F (High Density Altitude)"
2. Data layer:
   - Thermometers rise showing temperature increase
   - Altimeters spin showing elevation
   - Molecular density visualization (more spread out at right)
3. Annotation layer:
   - Arrows pointing to thinner air molecules
   - Battery drain icons showing faster depletion on right
   - Propeller efficiency bars (green vs yellow/red)

Animation timeline:
- [0-2s]: Both drones idle on ground, environmental data displays appear
- [2-4s]: Temperature and altitude values change, molecular density
  visualization animates
- [4-6s]: Both drones attempt to hover—left drone stable, right drone
  struggles (wobbling animation), battery drains faster
- [6-8s]: Text overlay: "High Density Altitude = Reduced Performance"

Color coding:
- Green for optimal conditions (left side)
- Yellow/orange for caution (right side)
- Aviation blue (#003B73) for data displays
- Safety orange (#FF6B35) for warning indicators

Narration: "Density altitude is pressure altitude corrected for non-standard
temperature. On hot days at high elevations, your drone must work harder
to generate lift, reducing flight time and performance. Always check density
altitude before flying in mountainous or desert regions."

Technical: 8-second clip, clean motion graphics in After Effects style,
1080p 30fps, high contrast white background, sans-serif font (Roboto Bold)
for readability, smooth easing on all animations (ease-in-out)

Template 5: Emergency Scenario Simulation (OpenAI Sora 2 or Runway Gen-3)

Use Case: Lost link procedures, flyaway response, emergency landing

Template:

Photorealistic simulation of [EMERGENCY SCENARIO] showing [CORRECT
RESPONSE PROCEDURE], emphasizing [SAFETY LEARNING OBJECTIVE].

Scenario setup:
- Initial conditions: [Normal operation description]
- Trigger event: [What goes wrong]
- Response actions: [Step-by-step correct procedure]
- Resolution: [Safe outcome]

POV: [Pilot perspective | Drone perspective | Third-person observer]

Visual indicators:
- On-screen graphics: [Controller display, telemetry data, alerts]
- Audio cues: [Warning beeps, radio communications]

Safety emphasis: Highlight each decision point and why it matters

Style: Realistic training simulation, serious tone, clear instructional value

Technical: 10-15 second clip, cinematic quality, clear visual storytelling

Example (Lost Link / Return-to-Home Activation):

First-person POV from remote pilot perspective experiencing lost radio
link with drone, demonstrating proper Return-to-Home (RTH) emergency
procedure with calm, systematic response.

Scenario setup:
- Initial conditions: Pilot flying DJI Mavic 3 at 250 feet AGL,
  2,000 feet horizontal distance, capturing video of farmland, normal
  telemetry on controller screen
- Trigger event [at 3-second mark]: Controller screen shows "SIGNAL
  LOST" warning in red, video feed freezes, telemetry data stops updating,
  warning beep sounds
- Response actions:
  1. [3-5s]: Pilot's hands remain calm on controller (don't panic),
     eyes check RTH settings on screen showing "RTH Altitude: 300 ft"
     and "RTH Status: Activated"
  2. [5-8s]: Camera tilts up to sky, pilot visually acquires drone
     (small dot) beginning autonomous return flight at higher altitude
  3. [8-11s]: Pilot steps backward clearing landing zone, removes
     obstacles (water bottle, case) from landing pad
  4. [11-14s]: Drone descends into frame, landing smoothly on pad,
     propellers stop
  5. [14-15s]: Controller screen shows "LANDED SAFELY - RTH COMPLETE"
     in green
- Resolution: Pilot picks up drone, inspects for damage, logs incident
  in flight logbook visible on clipboard

POV: First-person from pilot's eyes—we see controller screen, pilot's
hands, and field of view looking up at sky/landing zone

Visual indicators:
- Controller display clearly visible: telemetry data, signal strength
  bars dropping to zero, RTH activation message, altitude/distance readout
- On-screen text overlays (bottom third):
  * [3s]: "Lost Link Detected"
  * [5s]: "RTH Activated Automatically"
  * [8s]: "Maintain Visual Contact"
  * [11s]: "Clear Landing Zone"
  * [14s]: "Safe Recovery Complete"
- Audio cues: Warning beep (3s), RTH activation chime (5s), propeller
  whir increasing as drone approaches (10-13s)

Safety emphasis:
- Text callout at [6s]: "Pre-set RTH altitude avoids obstacles"
- Text callout at [10s]: "Never attempt to catch a descending drone"
- Final frame overlay: "Key Lesson: Trust your RTH system, stay calm,
  secure landing zone"

Style: Realistic training simulation with educational overlays, serious
professional tone, clear cause-and-effect storytelling, emphasizes calm
systematic response over panic

Technical: 15-second clip, 1080p 60fps, handheld camera with natural
micro-movements (realistic pilot POV), outdoor lighting (partly cloudy
day), controller screen graphics composited in post for clarity, sound
design emphasizes warning beeps and propeller audio, color grading
natural/unsaturated for serious training tone

Consistency Techniques

Technique 1: The "Ingredients to Video" Method (Google Veo 3.1)

What it is: Upload 6-10 reference images to establish visual style, then use them across multiple video generations.

How to use:

Create a reference image set:
- Your instructor avatar (3 angles: front, 3/4, profile)
- Key environments (training room, airfield, classroom)
- Branding elements (logo, color palette swatches)
- Props (drone models, charts, equipment)
Upload to Veo's "Ingredients" panel before generating each video

Reference in prompt:

Using the instructor avatar from reference images 1-3, generate a
video of the instructor explaining airspace classifications...

Consistency achieved: 85-95% visual match across videos

Best for: Maintaining instructor appearance, environment continuity

Technique 2: HeyGen Custom Avatar (100% Consistency)

What it is: Create a digital twin of your instructor that appears identical in every video.

Setup process:

Record 5-minute video of instructor:
- Talking directly to camera
- Neutral expression and variety of mouth shapes
- Well-lit, solid color background
- Multiple takes with different scripts
Upload to HeyGen, wait 24-48 hours for avatar generation
Generate unlimited videos using text scripts—avatar will lip-sync perfectly

Consistency achieved: 100% (same avatar every time)

Best for: Instructor-led explanations, talking head segments

Example workflow:

Module 1: Introduction to Part 107
├─ Video 1.1: Welcome (HeyGen avatar, Script A, 90 seconds)
├─ Video 1.2: Regulation Overview (HeyGen avatar, Script B, 120 seconds)
└─ Video 1.3: Exam Format (HeyGen avatar, Script C, 60 seconds)

Result: Instructor looks IDENTICAL across all three videos despite
being generated separately from scripts.

Technique 3: Prompt Template Library

What it is: Version-controlled collection of successful prompts you can copy-paste and modify.

Organization structure:

prompt-library/
├─ instructor-segments/
│  ├─ module-intro.txt
│  ├─ concept-explanation.txt
│  └─ module-summary.txt
├─ airspace-visualizations/
│  ├─ class-b-airspace.txt
│  ├─ class-c-airspace.txt
│  └─ controlled-vs-uncontrolled.txt
├─ drone-operations/
│  ├─ preflight-inspection.txt
│  ├─ takeoff-sequence.txt
│  └─ emergency-landing.txt
└─ weather-animations/
   ├─ metar-decoding.txt
   ├─ density-altitude.txt
   └─ wind-patterns.txt

Each template includes:

Base prompt structure
Placeholder fields: [INSERT_SPECIFIC_CONTENT]
Technical specs (resolution, duration, style)
Tested tool recommendation
Success rate notes
Version history

Example template file (instructor-segments/concept-explanation.txt):

## Template: Concept Explanation Segment
## Tool: HeyGen Business
## Duration: 60-120 seconds
## Success Rate: 95% (19 of 20 generations met quality standards)
## Last Updated: 2025-11-28

Captain Sarah Mitchell in navy flight suit with orange safety vest,
standing in professional training room with [VISUAL_AID_DESCRIPTION]
visible on monitor behind her, looking directly at camera with
confident, friendly expression.

Script: "[INSERT_SCRIPT_HERE - aim for 150-250 words]"

Gestures: [INSERT_GESTURE_CUES - example: "Open palm toward chart
when mentioning airspace types, counting fingers for each class"]

Background: Clean training room, large monitor displaying [CHART_OR_DIAGRAM],
aviation textbooks on shelf, Part 107 Academy branding visible.

Technical: 1080p 30fps, 3-point lighting, f/2.8 shallow depth of field,
background 20% blurred for subject focus.

---
USAGE NOTES:
- Replace [VISUAL_AID_DESCRIPTION] with specific chart/diagram
- Replace [INSERT_SCRIPT_HERE] with your lesson script
- Replace [INSERT_GESTURE_CUES] with appropriate hand movements
- Keep scripts under 250 words (90-second max runtime)
- Review generated video for lip-sync accuracy before finalizing

Technique 4: Style Reference Document (Master Template)

What it is: A comprehensive visual bible that you append to every prompt for consistency.

Create once, use everywhere:

## Part 107 Academy Master Style Reference
## Version 1.2 | Last Updated: 2025-11-28
## Append relevant sections to ALL video prompts

### VISUAL IDENTITY
Color Palette:
- Primary: Aviation Blue (#003B73) - use for UI elements, airspace graphics
- Secondary: Safety Orange (#FF6B35) - use for warnings, highlights, CTAs
- Neutral: Clean White (#FFFFFF), Slate Gray (#4A5568) - backgrounds, text
- Success: Green (#10B981) - checkmarks, correct answers
- Caution: Amber (#F59E0B) - advisory information
- Danger: Red (#EF4444) - restricted airspace, critical warnings

Logo Placement: Top-right corner, 15% opacity, 120px width

Typography:
- Headings: Roboto Bold, 48pt, Aviation Blue
- Body: Roboto Regular, 24pt, Slate Gray
- Captions: Roboto Light, 18pt, White with 80% black background

### CINEMATOGRAPHY
Shot Distribution:
- Medium shots (waist-up): 50% of content
- Close-ups (face/hands): 30% of content
- Wide establishing shots: 20% of content

Camera Movement:
- Slow, purposeful movements only (no shaky handheld)
- Zoom speed: 0.5x (very gradual)
- Pan speed: 1.0x (smooth, controlled)
- Use static shots for detailed explanations
- Use movement for scene transitions or to follow action

Framing Rules:
- Rule of thirds for subject placement
- Maintain headroom (10-15% space above head)
- Eye-level camera height (avoid looking up/down at subject)
- Keep horizon lines straight (no Dutch angles)

### LIGHTING
Indoor (Studio):
- 3-point lighting setup (key + fill + back)
- Soft, diffused lighting (no harsh shadows)
- Color temperature: 5000K (daylight balanced)
- Avoid lens flares, minimize reflections on glasses/screens

Outdoor:
- Golden hour preferred (1 hour after sunrise, 1 hour before sunset)
- Overcast days acceptable (soft, even lighting)
- Avoid midday sun (11am-2pm) due to harsh shadows
- Use reflectors to fill shadows on faces

### AUDIO
Voiceover Style:
- Authoritative but approachable tone
- Clear enunciation, moderate pace (140-160 words/minute)
- Professional recording quality (no background noise)
- Consistent volume levels across all videos

Music (when used):
- Subtle background only, never overpowering voiceover
- Instrumental only (no lyrics)
- Genres: Corporate inspiring, light electronic, acoustic
- Volume: -24dB to -18dB (voiceover at -12dB to -6dB)

Sound Effects:
- Minimal, purposeful use only
- "Ping" for UI elements appearing
- "Whoosh" for transitions
- Avoid overuse (max 3-4 SFX per 60-second video)

### ENVIRONMENTS
Training Room (Primary):
- Clean, professional space with minimal clutter
- Large monitor/screen for displaying charts and graphics
- Aviation-themed decor (charts, drone models, textbooks)
- Controlled lighting, solid color walls (light gray or aviation blue)
- Branding elements visible but not distracting

Outdoor Airfield (Secondary):
- Open field with clear horizons
- No people or obstacles in background
- Grass or paved surface (clean, well-maintained)
- Clear skies or partly cloudy (avoid stormy conditions)
- Time of day: Morning (8-10am) or late afternoon (4-6pm)

Cockpit/Drone POV (Tertiary):
- First-person view from drone camera or pilot's eyes
- Stabilized footage (gimbal or post-processing)
- Clear visibility, minimal motion blur
- Telemetry overlays when educational relevant

### PROPS & EQUIPMENT
Drones:
- Primary: DJI Mavic 3 (white/gray body, orange accents)
- Secondary: DJI Phantom 4 Pro, DJI Mini 3 Pro
- Condition: New or like-new (no visible damage/wear)
- Branding: Propeller guards in safety orange when used

Remote Controllers:
- DJI Smart Controller or RC Pro
- Clean, no stickers or modifications
- Screen clearly visible showing telemetry

Charts & Materials:
- Current FAA sectional charts (check date)
- Official FAA study materials (not third-party)
- Clean, unwrinkled, professional appearance
- Large format for visibility (24"x36" minimum)

Instructor Attire:
- Navy blue flight suit OR professional business casual
- Orange safety vest when demonstrating outdoor operations
- Aviation headset (when relevant to lesson)
- Name badge: "Captain Sarah Mitchell, Part 107 CFI"

### POST-PRODUCTION
Color Grading:
- Natural, realistic colors (not overly saturated)
- Slight contrast boost for clarity (+10%)
- Preserve skin tones (avoid orange/green casts)
- Consistent look-up-table (LUT) across all videos

Transitions:
- Primary: Clean cuts (80% of transitions)
- Secondary: 0.5-second cross-dissolve (15%)
- Special: Fade to black for section breaks (5%)
- Avoid: Wipes, star transitions, other gimmicks

Graphics & Overlays:
- Lower third name badges: Appear at 3s, stay 5s, fade out
- Callout annotations: Arrow + text box, aviation blue background
- Chapter markers: Full-screen title card, 2-second duration
- Progress indicators: Chapter X of Y, top-left corner

### ACCESSIBILITY
Captions:
- Always include (WCAG 2.1 AA compliance)
- White text, black background (80% opacity)
- Sans-serif font, 18pt minimum
- 2-line maximum, positioned bottom-center
- Accurate timing (±0.1 second sync)

Visual Clarity:
- Minimum 4.5:1 contrast ratio (text to background)
- Avoid red-green only color coding (colorblind accessible)
- Text on screen readable for 3+ seconds
- Font size minimum 24pt for key information

Audio Descriptions:
- For purely visual content, provide voiceover description
- Example: "The sectional chart shows Class B airspace rings
  centered on LAX airport, with the ceiling at 10,000 feet MSL"

### BRAND VOICE & MESSAGING
Tone:
- Professional yet approachable (not intimidating)
- Safety-focused, regulation-compliant
- Encouraging and confidence-building
- No jargon without explanation

Key Messages (reinforce across content):
- "Safety first, always"
- "Part 107 opens professional opportunities"
- "Understanding regulations empowers responsible pilots"
- "We're here to help you pass the first time"

Avoid:
- Overly casual language or slang
- Jokes about FAA regulations or safety
- Diminishing the difficulty of the exam
- Promising guaranteed pass (say "highly likely" instead)

---
USAGE INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Copy relevant sections based on video type
2. Append to end of your specific prompt
3. Use exact color codes (#003B73, #FF6B35)
4. Reference specific prop details (DJI Mavic 3, not "a drone")
5. Maintain these standards across ALL 15-20 hours of content

How to use:

[Your specific prompt for this video]

+ [Append relevant sections from Master Style Reference]

= Consistent visual style across all videos

Technique 5: Version Control & Prompt Archiving

What it is: Track every successful prompt with metadata for future reference and iteration.

System:

prompt-archive/
├─ 2025-11-28_module-1-intro_heygen_v1.txt
├─ 2025-11-28_module-1-intro_heygen_v2.txt [APPROVED]
├─ 2025-11-29_class-b-airspace_veo_v1.txt [APPROVED]
└─ 2025-11-29_preflight-inspection_runway_v1.txt

Metadata to include:

## Prompt Archive Entry
## Filename: 2025-11-29_class-b-airspace_veo_v1.txt
## Status: APPROVED ✅
## Tool: Google Veo 3.1
## Duration: 8 seconds
## Resolution: 1080p
## Generation Date: 2025-11-29
## Reviewed By: Sarah Mitchell (Content Lead)
## Success Metrics:
##   - First-attempt success: Yes
##   - Quality score: 9/10
##   - Consistency with style guide: 95%
##   - Student feedback: "Very clear visualization"
## Notes: Perfect for airspace visualization content. Consider using
##        as template for Class C and Class D videos.
## Dependencies: Requires sectional chart reference image (LAX_chart.png)

[FULL PROMPT TEXT HERE...]

Benefits:

Quickly find prompts that worked well
Iterate on successful patterns
Avoid repeating mistakes
Track quality improvements over time
Train new team members faster

Production Workflow

Phase 1: Pre-Production (Planning & Setup)

Estimated Time: 2-4 weeks

Step 1.1: Create Content Inventory

Module 1: Introduction to Part 107
├─ 1.1 Welcome & Course Overview (90s) → HeyGen avatar
├─ 1.2 What is Part 107? (120s) → HeyGen avatar
├─ 1.3 Exam Format Explained (60s) → HeyGen avatar + Veo graphics
├─ 1.4 Study Timeline Options (90s) → HeyGen avatar
└─ 1.5 Module 1 Summary (60s) → HeyGen avatar

Module 2: Airspace Classifications
├─ 2.1 Introduction to Airspace (60s) → HeyGen avatar
├─ 2.2 Class B Airspace (180s) → Veo animation + Runway B-roll
├─ 2.3 Class C Airspace (120s) → Veo animation
├─ 2.4 Class D Airspace (120s) → Veo animation
├─ 2.5 Class E & G Airspace (180s) → Veo animation
├─ 2.6 Airspace Authorization (90s) → HeyGen avatar
└─ 2.7 Module 2 Quiz Review (120s) → HeyGen avatar

[Continue for all 10 modules...]

Deliverable: Master content spreadsheet with:

Video ID
Module number
Video title
Duration estimate
Tool assignment (HeyGen | Veo | Runway | Sora)
Script status (Not started | Draft | Approved)
Production status (Not started | In progress | Review | Approved)

Step 1.2: Script Writing

Write all scripts BEFORE generating videos
Have FAA Part 107 certified instructor review for accuracy
Target: 140-160 words/minute speaking pace
Include gesture cues and visual descriptions
Mark timing for on-screen graphics

Script template:

## Video 2.2: Class B Airspace
## Duration: 180 seconds (270 words)
## Tool: Google Veo 3.1 (airspace animation) + HeyGen (instructor intro)

[SEGMENT 1: HeyGen Intro - 0:00-0:30]
INSTRUCTOR (on camera):
"Class B airspace surrounds the nation's busiest airports—places like
Los Angeles, New York JFK, and Chicago O'Hare. Think of it as an
inverted wedding cake in the sky, with multiple layers protecting
commercial airline traffic. In this lesson, you'll learn exactly where
Class B starts, how high it goes, and the critical fact that you MUST
get FAA authorization before flying anywhere inside it. Let's dive in."

[GESTURE CUES: Hand sweeps upward when saying "inverted wedding cake",
serious expression and finger point on "MUST get authorization"]

[SEGMENT 2: Veo Animation - 0:30-2:30]
VOICEOVER (over sectional chart animation):
"Let's look at Los Angeles International Airport—LAX—as our example..."

[Continue with detailed script...]

[GRAPHICS OVERLAY NOTES:]
- 0:35 - Zoom to LAX on sectional chart
- 0:45 - Class B rings fade in with altitude labels
- 1:15 - Orange highlight on restricted boundary
- 2:15 - Text: "Authorization Required: faadronezone.faa.gov"

[SEGMENT 3: HeyGen Summary - 2:30-3:00]
INSTRUCTOR (on camera):
"Remember: Class B airspace is highly controlled. Never fly there
without explicit FAA authorization..."

Step 1.3: Asset Preparation

Create reference image library (instructor photos, charts, drone models)
Set up HeyGen custom avatar (5-minute video recording + 48-hour processing)
Obtain API keys (Veo, Runway, Sora)

Create project folder structure:

part-107-video-production/
├─ scripts/
├─ prompts/
├─ reference-images/
├─ raw-generations/
├─ reviewed-clips/
├─ final-exports/
└─ project-assets/

Step 1.4: Build Prompt Template Library

Create templates for each video type (see Templates section above)
Test each template with 2-3 sample generations
Document success rates and quality scores
Refine templates based on test results

Timeline:

Week 1: Content inventory + script outlines
Week 2: Full script writing + FAA review
Week 3: HeyGen avatar creation + reference asset prep
Week 4: Prompt template testing + workflow optimization

Phase 2: Production (Video Generation)

Estimated Time: 8-12 weeks (depending on team size)

Step 2.1: Batch Generation by Tool

Strategy: Generate all videos using the same tool in batches for efficiency.

Week 1-2: HeyGen Batch (All Instructor Segments)

Day 1-2: Generate Module 1 videos (5 videos)
Day 3-4: Generate Module 2 instructor segments (3 videos)
Day 5-6: Generate Module 3 instructor segments (4 videos)
Week 2: Continue through Module 10

Workflow:

Open HeyGen dashboard
Select custom avatar
Paste script from approved script document
Set duration, quality settings
Generate → wait 5-15 minutes
Download → save to raw-generations/heygen/
Review immediately for lip-sync accuracy
If issues, regenerate with adjusted script pacing
Log generation in tracking spreadsheet

Week 3-6: Veo Batch (Airspace Animations, Weather Graphics)

Week 3: All Class B/C/D airspace visualizations (8 videos)
Week 4: Weather pattern animations (6 videos)
Week 5: Chart reading demonstrations (7 videos)
Week 6: Regulation infographics (5 videos)

Workflow:

Upload reference images to Veo "Ingredients" panel
Paste prompt from template library
Customize specific details (airport, airspace class, data values)
Append Master Style Reference
Generate → wait 8-15 minutes for 8-second clip
If need 16+ seconds, generate multiple clips with transition points
Download → save to raw-generations/veo/
Review for consistency with style guide
Log generation + any quality notes

Week 7-9: Runway Batch (Drone Operation B-roll)

Week 7: Preflight inspection sequences (4 videos)
Week 8: Flight demonstration clips (6 videos)
Week 9: Emergency procedure simulations (3 videos)

Week 10-12: Sora Batch (Optional Premium Segments)

Week 10: Hero sequences for module intros (5 videos)
Week 11: Emergency scenarios (4 videos)
Week 12: Final polishing and re-generations

Step 2.2: Quality Review Process

3-Tier Review System:

Tier 1: Automated Technical Check (done immediately after generation)

Duration matches requirement (±2 seconds acceptable)
Resolution is 1080p or higher
Audio levels are consistent (-12dB to -6dB)
No visible watermarks or artifacts
File format compatible with editing software (MP4/MOV)
Color palette matches style guide (spot check 3 frames)

Tier 2: Content Specialist Review (within 24 hours)

FAA information is accurate (cross-check with official materials)
Safety procedures shown correctly
No demonstration of illegal operations (over people, BVLOS, etc.)
Visuals support the learning objective
Pacing appropriate for educational content (not too fast/slow)
Gestures and expressions match script intent (HeyGen videos)
Consistency with other videos in same module

Tier 3: User Acceptance Testing (weekly batch review)

Recruit 3 beta testers (varied experience levels)
Have them watch the week's generated videos
Collect feedback:
- Comprehension: "Did you understand the concept?"
- Engagement: "Did the video hold your attention?"
- Quality: "Was the video professional and clear?"
- Suggestions: "What would improve this video?"
Identify any videos scoring below 7/10 for re-generation

Approval Process:

Generated Video
    ↓
Tier 1 Check (automated) → FAIL → Regenerate with adjusted settings
    ↓ PASS
Tier 2 Review (SME) → FAIL → Regenerate with revised prompt/script
    ↓ PASS
Tier 3 UAT (beta testers) → FAIL → Analyze feedback, regenerate
    ↓ PASS
Move to `reviewed-clips/` folder
    ↓
Ready for editing/assembly

When to regenerate:

Technical issues (artifacts, wrong resolution, audio sync problems)
Factual errors (incorrect airspace info, wrong altitude restrictions)
Style inconsistencies (different look than previous videos)
Low user feedback scores (<7/10 on comprehension or quality)

Typical success rates (based on research):

HeyGen: 95% first-attempt approval (excellent lip-sync)
Veo 3.1: 80% first-attempt, 95% within 2 attempts
Runway Gen-3: 75% first-attempt, 90% within 3 attempts
Sora 2: 70% first-attempt (physics issues), 85% within 3 attempts

Budget for regenerations:

Add 20% time buffer to production schedule
Add 15% to API cost estimates for re-generations

Phase 3: Post-Production (Editing & Assembly)

Estimated Time: 4-6 weeks

Step 3.1: Assemble Multi-Clip Videos

Many lessons will combine multiple AI-generated clips:

Video 2.2: Class B Airspace (180 seconds total)
├─ Clip 1: HeyGen intro (0:00-0:30)
├─ Clip 2: Veo chart zoom (0:30-0:38)
├─ Clip 3: Veo rings animation (0:38-0:58)
├─ Clip 4: Runway B-roll of airport (0:58-1:10)
├─ Clip 5: Veo authorization graphic (1:10-1:18)
├─ Clip 6: HeyGen explanation (1:18-2:00)
├─ Clip 7: Veo summary graphic (2:00-2:30)
└─ Clip 8: HeyGen call-to-action (2:30-3:00)

Editing workflow (Adobe Premiere Pro / DaVinci Resolve):

Import all approved clips for the module
Create sequence with master settings:
- Resolution: 1080p (1920x1080)
- Frame rate: 30fps
- Audio: Stereo, 48kHz
Arrange clips on timeline per script timing notes
Add transitions (0.5s cross-dissolve between clips)
Adjust audio levels for consistency
Add background music (subtle, -24dB)
Create lower-third graphics (name badges, module titles)
Add on-screen text annotations (callouts, definitions)
Generate captions/subtitles (auto + manual review for accuracy)
Color grade for consistency (apply master LUT)
Export settings:
- Format: H.264 (MP4)
- Bitrate: 10 Mbps (high quality, reasonable file size)
- Audio: AAC, 320 kbps

Step 3.2: Add Educational Overlays

Lower thirds (instructor name/title):

Appear at 3 seconds into instructor segment
5-second duration
Fade in 0.5s, fade out 0.5s
Position: Bottom left, 10% margin
Background: Aviation blue (#003B73) with 90% opacity
Text: White, Roboto Bold, 24pt
Content: "Captain Sarah Mitchell | Part 107 CFI"

Chapter markers:

Full-screen title card between modules
2-second duration
Background: Aviation blue with animated drone icon
Text: White, Roboto Bold, 72pt
Content: "Module 2: Airspace Classifications"

Callout annotations:

Arrow pointing to specific chart element
Text box with explanation
Animation: Fade in over 0.5s, stay for 3-5s, fade out
Style: Safety orange arrow (#FF6B35), white text box with 90% opacity
Font: Roboto Regular, 20pt

Progress indicators:

Persistent across all videos in a module
Position: Top-right corner
Content: "Module 2 | Video 3 of 7"
Style: Small, unobtrusive (12pt, 50% opacity)

Step 3.3: Accessibility & Compliance

Closed captions (required):

Auto-generate using Premiere Pro / Rev.com / Descript
Manually review and correct errors (auto-captions are 85-90% accurate)
Ensure proper timing (±0.1 second sync)
Format:
- White text, black background (80% opacity)
- Roboto Regular, 18pt minimum
- 2-line maximum per frame
- Position: Bottom-center, 8% margin from edge
Export as SRT file alongside video (for LMS platform upload)

Audio descriptions (for visually-heavy content):

Add voiceover narration describing visual-only elements
Example: For chart animations without narration, add: "The sectional chart zooms in to show Los Angeles International Airport, indicated by a blue circle with four spokes. Class B airspace rings appear, showing altitude restrictions from the surface up to 10,000 feet MSL."

WCAG 2.1 AA Compliance checklist:

All text has 4.5:1 contrast ratio minimum (use WebAIM checker)
Captions provided for all audio content
Color is not the only means of conveying information (use text labels)
Flashing content <3 flashes per second (avoid strobe effects)
Pause/play controls available (LMS platform handles this)

Step 3.4: Final Quality Gate

Before marking video as "FINAL":

Technical: Plays correctly in VLC, QuickTime, and web browser
Content: FAA certified instructor final approval sign-off
Accessibility: Captions accurate and timed correctly
Branding: Logo placement consistent, colors match style guide
Engagement: Maintains viewer attention (tested with 3+ beta users)
Duration: Matches planned course structure (not too long/short)
File naming: Follows convention: M02_V03_Class-B-Airspace_FINAL.mp4

Export to final-exports/ folder with metadata:

M02_V03_Class-B-Airspace_FINAL.mp4
M02_V03_Class-B-Airspace_FINAL.srt (captions)
M02_V03_Class-B-Airspace_metadata.txt (description, tags, learning objectives)

LMS upload package:

module-02/
├─ M02_V01_Intro-to-Airspace_FINAL.mp4 (+ .srt)
├─ M02_V02_Class-B-Airspace_FINAL.mp4 (+ .srt)
├─ M02_V03_Class-C-Airspace_FINAL.mp4 (+ .srt)
├─ M02_V04_Class-D-Airspace_FINAL.mp4 (+ .srt)
├─ M02_V05_Class-E-G-Airspace_FINAL.mp4 (+ .srt)
├─ M02_V06_Authorization_FINAL.mp4 (+ .srt)
├─ M02_V07_Quiz-Review_FINAL.mp4 (+ .srt)
└─ module-02-metadata.json (LMS import configuration)

Phase 4: Testing & Iteration

Estimated Time: 2-3 weeks

Step 4.1: Beta Testing with Target Audience

Recruit 10 beta testers:

5 complete beginners (no drone experience)
3 recreational drone hobbyists (no Part 107 yet)
2 commercial drone pilots (already have Part 107, can validate accuracy)

Testing protocol:

Give beta testers access to 2-3 complete modules
Ask them to watch videos + take quizzes
Collect feedback via survey:
- Video quality rating (1-10)
- Content clarity rating (1-10)
- Pacing (too slow | just right | too fast)
- Engagement (boring | somewhat interesting | very engaging)
- Quiz difficulty after watching (too easy | appropriate | too hard)
- Technical issues (list any playback problems)
- Suggested improvements (open text)

Success criteria:

Average quality rating: ≥8/10
Average clarity rating: ≥8/10
Pacing: ≥70% say "just right"
Engagement: ≥70% say "somewhat interesting" or better
Quiz pass rate: ≥80% (after watching videos)

If success criteria not met:

Analyze specific feedback patterns
Identify problematic videos (consistently low scores)
Regenerate or re-edit those videos
Re-test with new beta group

Step 4.2: FAA Compliance Review

Have external FAA Part 107 Certified Flight Instructor review:

All technical content for accuracy
All safety procedures demonstrated correctly
No depiction of illegal operations
Compliance with current regulations (check FAA website for updates)

Sign-off documentation:

FAA COMPLIANCE REVIEW CERTIFICATE

Course: Part 107 Drone Pilot Certification Study Platform
Reviewer: [Name], CFI Certificate #[Number]
Review Date: [Date]
Modules Reviewed: 1-10 (all videos)

FINDINGS:
✅ All airspace information accurate per current FAA regulations
✅ Safety procedures demonstrated correctly
✅ No illegal operations depicted
✅ Regulations current as of [Date]

RECOMMENDATIONS:
- [List any minor suggestions for improvement]

APPROVAL STATUS: ✅ APPROVED FOR PUBLICATION

Signature: ___________________  Date: ___________

Step 4.3: Accessibility Audit

Test with assistive technologies:

Screen reader (NVDA / JAWS) → Captions must be readable
Keyboard-only navigation (LMS video player controls)
High contrast mode (Windows) → Text must remain legible
Colorblind simulation (Coblis) → Graphics must be understandable

Checklist:

Captions sync correctly with audio
Video player controls are keyboard accessible (spacebar = pause/play)
Transcript available for download (text-only version)
Visual elements described in audio or captions
No reliance on color alone for critical information

Quality Control & Review

Quality Metrics Dashboard

Track these metrics throughout production:

Metric	Target	Current	Status
First-Attempt Success Rate	≥80%	[Track]	🟢/🟡/🔴
Average Regenerations per Video	≤2	[Track]	🟢/🟡/🔴
Technical QA Pass Rate	100%	[Track]	🟢/🟡/🔴
Content SME Approval Rate	≥95%	[Track]	🟢/🟡/🔴
Beta Tester Quality Score	≥8/10	[Track]	🟢/🟡/🔴
Production Days per Video	≤0.5 days	[Track]	🟢/🟡/🔴
Cost per Finished Minute	≤$15/min	[Track]	🟢/🟡/🔴
Caption Accuracy	≥98%	[Track]	🟢/🟡/🔴
Accessibility Compliance	100% WCAG AA	[Track]	🟢/🟡/🔴

Status indicators:

🟢 Green: Meeting or exceeding target
🟡 Yellow: Within 10% of target (needs attention)
🔴 Red: Below target by >10% (requires immediate action)

Common Quality Issues & Solutions

Issue 1: Inconsistent Visual Style Across Videos

Symptoms:

Instructor looks different in each video (lighting, clothing, background)
Color palette varies (some videos too saturated, others washed out)
Transition styles inconsistent (some use dissolves, others hard cuts)

Root Cause:

Not using Master Style Reference consistently
Different team members using different settings
Tools updated mid-production (new defaults)

Solution:

✅ Append Master Style Reference to EVERY prompt
✅ Use HeyGen custom avatar (100% consistency for instructor)
✅ Create LUT (Look-Up Table) in post-production, apply to all videos
✅ Designate one "Consistency Reviewer" to spot-check all videos
✅ Use prompt template library (don't write prompts from scratch)

Issue 2: AI-Generated Content Contains Factual Errors

Symptoms:

Airspace altitude limits incorrect
Regulation citations outdated or wrong
Weather phenomena explained incorrectly
Visual depictions don't match FAA charts

Root Cause:

AI tools generate visuals only, not guaranteed factual accuracy
Prompts may contain incorrect information from script errors
Relying on AI for educational content without SME verification

Solution:

✅ Have FAA Part 107 CFI review ALL scripts BEFORE video generation
✅ Cross-reference visual content with official FAA materials
✅ Tier 2 review (content specialist) must flag any inaccuracies
✅ Do NOT rely on AI to "know" Part 107 regulations—YOU provide accurate info in prompts
✅ Final compliance review by external CFI before publication

Issue 3: Lip-Sync Issues with HeyGen Avatar

Symptoms:

Avatar's mouth movements don't match audio
Unnatural pauses or rushed speech
Glitchy transitions between words

Root Cause:

Script pacing too fast or too slow for avatar's training data
Punctuation missing or incorrect in script
HeyGen processing errors (rare)

Solution:

✅ Target 140-160 words/minute in scripts (conversational pace)
✅ Use proper punctuation (periods = pauses, commas = brief pauses)
✅ Add [PAUSE] markers in script where natural breath would occur
✅ Test with 1-2 sentence sample before generating full video
✅ If issue persists, regenerate or contact HeyGen support

Issue 4: Veo Clips Too Short (8-Second Limit)

Symptoms:

Need 30-second airspace animation, but Veo only generates 8 seconds
Extending clips results in degraded quality or visual discontinuity
Stitching multiple clips creates jarring transitions

Root Cause:

Veo 3.1 base limit is 8 seconds (extendable to 16s, but quality varies)
Complex animations need longer duration

Solution:

✅ Design animations as sequences of 8-second clips with natural break points:

Clip 1 (0-8s): Zoom to airport on chart
Clip 2 (8-16s): Class B rings fade in
Clip 3 (16-24s): Altitude labels appear
Clip 4 (24-30s): Orange boundary highlight

✅ Use "seed image" from end of Clip 1 as start of Clip 2 for continuity
✅ Add 0.5s cross-dissolve transitions in editing to smooth the joins
✅ Consider using Runway Gen-3 for longer sequences (up to 10s base, extendable)

Issue 5: Budget Overruns on API Costs

Symptoms:

Spending more than projected on Veo/Runway/Sora credits
Frequent regenerations eating into budget
Underestimated number of clips needed

Root Cause:

Higher regeneration rate than expected (70% vs target 80% first-attempt)
Scope creep (adding more videos than original plan)
Not optimizing prompts before bulk generation

Solution:

✅ Test prompts with small batches first (5 videos) before scaling
✅ Track actual regeneration rates and adjust budget projections weekly
✅ Use cheaper tools for iterations (Pika free tier for testing), then final generation with premium tool
✅ Batch generations (10+ videos at once) may get volume discounts
✅ Set hard caps: Max 3 regeneration attempts per video, then escalate to supervisor for decision

Issue 6: Low Beta Tester Engagement Scores

Symptoms:

Beta testers rate videos as "boring" or "hard to follow"
High drop-off rates (viewers stop watching before video ends)
Low quiz pass rates despite watching videos

Root Cause:

Videos too long (attention span ~6 minutes for educational content)
Pacing too slow or too fast
Lack of visual variety (all talking head, no animations/B-roll)
Content not aligned with quiz questions

Solution:

✅ Keep videos under 3 minutes whenever possible (break long topics into parts)
✅ Use 50/30/20 rule: 50% instructor, 30% animations, 20% real-world footage
✅ Add "pattern interrupts" every 30-45 seconds (cut to different angle, show graphic, pose question)
✅ Align quiz questions directly with video content (if video doesn't explain it, don't test it)
✅ Add interactive elements: "Pause the video and try to identify the airspace class on this chart before I reveal the answer"

Cost & Timeline Estimates

Budget Breakdown (18 Hours of Content)

Scenario A: Budget-Conscious

Total: $1,355

Item	Cost	Notes
HeyGen Business	$89/mo × 4 months	$356
Google Veo 3.1 API	~$600	80 clips × 8s × $0.35/s (high quality) + 20% regenerations
Pika Pro (B-roll)	$70/mo × 2 months	$140
Editing Software	Free (DaVinci Resolve)	$0
Stock Assets (music, SFX)	$159	Artlist Creator plan 1 year
Captioning	Free (auto-generated + manual review)	$0

Per-Hour Cost: $75/hour Savings vs Traditional: 98-99%

Scenario B: Professional Quality (RECOMMENDED)

Total: $3,665

Item	Cost	Notes
HeyGen Business	$89/mo × 5 months	$445
Google Veo 3.1 API	~$950	120 clips × 8s × $0.35/s + extensions
Runway Gen-3 Alpha	$15/mo × 4 months + $300 credits	$360
OpenAI Sora 2 Plus	$200/mo × 2 months	$400
Adobe Premiere Pro	$55/mo × 5 months	$275
Professional Voiceover	$750	Fiverr Pro ($50/video × 15 complex videos)
Stock Assets Premium	$285	Artlist Pro (music + SFX + video templates)
Rev.com Captions	$200	$1/minute × 180 minutes + $20 rush fees

Per-Hour Cost: $204/hour Savings vs Traditional: 96-98%

Scenario C: Premium Enterprise

Total: $8,376

Item	Cost	Notes
HeyGen Enterprise	$300/mo × 6 months	$1,800
Veo 3.1 API (high volume)	~$1,200	200 clips × 12s avg × $0.35/s
Runway Gen-3 Unlimited	$95/mo × 5 months + $500 credits	$975
Sora 2 Pro	$200/mo × 4 months	$800
Adobe Creative Cloud	$85/mo × 6 months	$510
Professional VO Talent	$2,500	Union talent, studio recording ($150/hr)
Premium Stock Library	$840	Artlist Max (all assets)
Professional Captioning	$751	Rev.com professional tier, 99% accuracy

Per-Hour Cost: $465/hour Savings vs Traditional: 90-95%

Traditional Production Comparison:

Freelance videographer: $120,000-180,000 for 18 hours
- $5,000-7,000/day × 18 production days + editing
Production agency: $270,000-900,000 for 18 hours
- $15,000-50,000/finished minute (high-end agencies)

Timeline Estimates

Solo Creator (Part-Time, 20 hrs/week)

Total: 36 weeks (~9 months)

Phase	Duration	Tasks
Pre-Production	4 weeks	Content inventory, scripting, asset prep, HeyGen avatar setup
HeyGen Generation	6 weeks	50 instructor segments (batch generation + review)
Veo Generation	10 weeks	120 animation clips (airspace, weather, regulations)
Runway/Sora Generation	4 weeks	30 B-roll and hero clips
Post-Production Editing	8 weeks	Assembly, overlays, captions, color grading
Testing & Iteration	3 weeks	Beta testing, feedback implementation, final QA
Buffer (unexpected delays)	1 week	Regenerations, revisions, final polish

Weekly Breakdown (example Week 10 - Veo Generation):

Monday (4 hrs): Generate 6 airspace visualization clips
Tuesday (4 hrs): Review Monday's clips, regenerate 2, generate 4 weather clips
Wednesday (4 hrs): Review, generate 5 regulation infographic clips
Thursday (4 hrs): Review all week's clips, quality scoring, log to spreadsheet
Friday (4 hrs): Catch-up, regenerations, prepare next week's batch prompts
Weekend: Off

2-Person Team (Full-Time, 40 hrs/week each)

Total: 17 weeks (~4 months)

Phase	Duration	Division of Labor
Pre-Production	2 weeks	Person A: Scripts + Content. Person B: Assets + Tech setup
Generation (Parallel)	6 weeks	Person A: HeyGen + Veo. Person B: Runway + Sora
Post-Production	5 weeks	Person A: Editing Modules 1-5. Person B: Editing Modules 6-10
Integration	2 weeks	Both: Combine modules, consistency review, captioning
Testing & Iteration	1.5 weeks	Person A: Beta testing. Person B: Implementing feedback
Final QA	0.5 weeks	Both: Final quality gate, compliance review, export

Parallel Workflow Efficiencies:

Week 3-8: Person A generates 10 clips/day, Person B edits previous week's clips
40% faster than solo (two people ≠ 2x speed due to coordination overhead)

5-Person Production Studio (Full-Time)

Total: 10 weeks (~2.5 months)

Role	Responsibilities	Weeks Active
Content Lead (1)	Scriptwriting, SME review, compliance	Weeks 1-10
Prompt Engineer (1)	Prompt creation, template library, generation	Weeks 2-7
Video Editor (2)	Assembly, overlays, captions, color grade	Weeks 4-10
QA Specialist (1)	Review, beta testing, accessibility audit	Weeks 5-10

Workflow:

Weeks 1-2: Content lead writes all scripts, creates content inventory
Weeks 2-7: Prompt engineer generates all video clips (bulk batches)
Weeks 4-10: Editors assemble and polish (start editing as clips are approved)
Weeks 5-10: QA specialist reviews, coordinates beta testing, implements feedback

Handoff points:

Scripts (Week 2) → Prompts (Week 3) → Generations (Weeks 3-7) →
Raw Clips (Week 4+) → Edited Videos (Weeks 5-9) → QA Review (Weeks 6-10) →
Final Exports (Week 10)

Troubleshooting Guide

Problem: "My prompts aren't generating what I expect"

Diagnostic questions:

Are you being specific enough? (Vague = unpredictable results)
Did you include technical specs (resolution, duration, style)?
Are you using negative prompts incorrectly? (Runway doesn't support them)
Is the prompt too long/complex? (Simpler often better)

Solutions:

✅ Use the prompt templates in this document (tested and proven)
✅ Start simple, add details incrementally
✅ Generate 3 variations with slight prompt tweaks, pick the best
✅ Check tool-specific prompting guides (Runway vs Veo vs Sora have different syntaxes)

Problem: "Generated videos look inconsistent across my course"

Diagnostic questions:

Are you using the Master Style Reference on all prompts?
Did you create reference images and reuse them?
Are you using HeyGen custom avatar or generating new avatars each time?
Did the tool update mid-production (new version, different defaults)?

Solutions:

✅ Build a prompt template library, use templates for ALL videos
✅ Use HeyGen custom avatar for 100% instructor consistency
✅ Upload reference images to Veo's "Ingredients to Video" panel
✅ Lock tool versions if possible (API version pinning)
✅ Create a LUT (color grading preset) and apply to all videos in post

Problem: "I'm exceeding my budget on API costs"

Diagnostic questions:

What's your actual regeneration rate vs. planned rate?
Are you generating longer clips than needed (e.g., 16s when 8s would work)?
Are you using the most expensive tools for all content (when cheaper options work)?
Did you underestimate the total number of clips needed?

Solutions:

✅ Test prompts on cheaper tools first (Pika free tier), then final gen on premium
✅ Batch generations (some tools offer volume discounts for API calls)
✅ Set hard caps: Max 3 regenerations per clip, then manual review/decision
✅ Track spend weekly, adjust production plan if trending over budget
✅ Use tool tier matching:
- HeyGen for all talking head → flat $89/month
- Veo for most animations → pay per second, optimize clip length
- Runway only for 4K hero shots → expensive, use sparingly

Problem: "Beta testers say videos are boring or hard to follow"

Diagnostic questions:

How long are your videos? (>5 min = attention drop-off)
What's the visual variety? (All talking head = monotonous)
Is the pacing too slow or too fast?
Does the content match the quiz questions (alignment issue)?

Solutions:

✅ Break long topics into 2-3 minute chunks (Module 2A, 2B, 2C)
✅ Use 50/30/20 mix: 50% instructor, 30% animations, 20% real-world footage
✅ Add pattern interrupts: Cut to new visual every 30-45 seconds
✅ Pose questions mid-video: "Can you identify this airspace? Pause and try!"
✅ Test with smaller beta group EARLY (Week 4) to catch issues before generating all content

Problem: "HeyGen avatar lip-sync looks unnatural"

Diagnostic questions:

Is your script pacing natural (140-160 words/minute)?
Did you include punctuation (periods, commas for pauses)?
Are there unusual words/acronyms (FAA, BVLOS, METAR)?
Is the audio quality of your source avatar video high?

Solutions:

✅ Read script aloud, adjust pacing to sound conversational
✅ Add [PAUSE] markers where natural breath would occur
✅ Spell out acronyms phonetically in script (FAA = "F-A-A", not "fah")
✅ Re-record avatar source video with better lighting/audio if persistent issues
✅ Contact HeyGen support (their team can re-train avatar with your corrections)

Problem: "Veo is generating physics errors (drone floating oddly, unnatural motion)"

Diagnostic questions:

Is the motion you're requesting physically plausible?
Are you being too vague about motion speed/direction?
Did you include reference images showing realistic drone flight?

Solutions:

✅ Describe motion precisely: "Ascends vertically at 5 feet per second" not "goes up"
✅ Use real drone footage as reference images (helps AI understand physics)
✅ Avoid complex acrobatic maneuvers (flips, rolls) unless using real footage
✅ Generate static hover shots first (easier), then add motion in post with slow-mo
✅ Consider using Runway Gen-3 for motion-heavy shots (better physics engine)

Problem: "Accessibility audit failed (captions, contrast, keyboard nav)"

Diagnostic questions:

Did you auto-generate captions without manual review? (85-90% accuracy ≠ sufficient)
Are you using color alone for critical information (red = bad, green = good)?
Did you test with actual screen readers (NVDA, JAWS)?
Is your LMS video player keyboard accessible?

Solutions:

✅ Manually review ALL auto-generated captions, fix errors (budget 10 min per video)
✅ Use text labels + color (not color alone): "Restricted Airspace (Red)" not just red shading
✅ Ensure 4.5:1 contrast ratio for text (use WebAIM Contrast Checker tool)
✅ Test video player with keyboard only: Spacebar = pause/play, arrow keys = skip
✅ Provide text transcripts (download link) for users who prefer reading

Resources & References

Official Documentation & Guides

OpenAI Sora 2:

Official Prompting Guide: https://cookbook.openai.com/
Pricing & Plans: https://www.eesel.ai/blog/sora-2-pricing
Sora Announcement: https://openai.com/index/sora-is-here/

Google Veo 3.1:

Ultimate Prompting Guide: https://cloud.google.com/blog/products/ai-machine-learning/ultimate-prompting-guide-for-veo-3-1
Vertex AI Documentation: https://cloud.google.com/vertex-ai/generative-ai/docs
Pricing Calculator: https://costgoat.com/pricing/google-veo
Gemini API Pricing: https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/pricing

Runway Gen-3 Alpha:

Prompting Guide: https://help.runwayml.com/hc/en-us/articles/30586818553107-Gen-3-Alpha-Prompting-Guide
Official Website: https://runwayml.com/
Gen-3 vs Competitors: https://skywork.ai/blog/veo-3-1-vs-runway-vs-pika-vs-luma-2025-comparison/

HeyGen:

Academy Tutorials: https://www.heygen.com/article/instructional-videos
vs Synthesia Comparison: https://www.colossyan.com/posts/heygen-vs-synthesia
Official Website: https://www.heygen.com/

YouTube Tutorial Searches (Recommended)

Since specific YouTube URLs change frequently, use these search queries (filter by "Upload Date: This Year"):

SORA Tutorials:

"OpenAI Sora tutorial 2024"
"Sora AI prompting guide"
"Sora vs Runway comparison"
Top Creators: Matt Wolfe, MattVidPro AI, AI Explained

Google Veo / Gemini:

"Google Veo 3 tutorial"
"Gemini video generation"
"Veo prompting techniques"
Top Creators: Two Minute Papers, Google Cloud Tech

Runway Gen-3:

"Runway Gen-3 Alpha tutorial"
"Runway AI video generation"
"Gen-3 prompting best practices"
Top Creators: Runway Official, Cinecom.net, Film Riot

HeyGen:

"HeyGen tutorial 2024"
"Custom avatar creation HeyGen"
"HeyGen vs Synthesia"
Top Creators: HeyGen Official, AI Tools

Educational Video Production:

"AI educational video creation"
"Consistent AI video generation"
"Educational content with AI"

Tools & Software

Video Editing:

Adobe Premiere Pro: https://www.adobe.com/products/premiere.html
DaVinci Resolve (Free): https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/davinciresolve
Final Cut Pro (Mac): https://www.apple.com/final-cut-pro/

Captioning:

Rev.com: https://www.rev.com/ ($1/minute, 99% accuracy)
Descript: https://www.descript.com/ (AI + editing)
Premiere Pro Auto-Captions (included)

Accessibility Testing:

WebAIM Contrast Checker: https://webaim.org/resources/contrastchecker/
WAVE Browser Extension: https://wave.webaim.org/extension/
Coblis Color Blindness Simulator: https://www.color-blindness.com/coblis-color-blindness-simulator/

Stock Assets:

Artlist (music + SFX): https://artlist.io/
Epidemic Sound: https://www.epidemicsound.com/
Storyblocks (video templates): https://www.storyblocks.com/

Project Management:

Notion (free): https://www.notion.so/ (content inventory, script tracking)
Airtable: https://www.airtable.com/ (video production pipeline)
Trello: https://trello.com/ (kanban board for tasks)

Research & Insights

Cost Analysis:

Educational Video Production Cost Guide 2025: https://vidico.com/news/educational-video-production-cost/
AI Video Generation Pricing Comparison: https://costgoat.com/

Best Practices:

E-Learning Video Best Practices: https://www.heygen.com/article/instructional-videos
WCAG 2.1 Accessibility Guidelines: https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG21/quickref/

Market Research:

AI Video Generation Tools Comparison 2025: https://skywork.ai/blog/veo-3-1-vs-runway-vs-pika-vs-luma-2025-comparison/

Community & Support

Discord Servers:

OpenAI Sora Community (check OpenAI Discord)
Runway ML Official Discord
AI Video Creators (search Discord server list)

Reddit Communities:

r/aivideo
r/RunwayML
r/OpenAI
r/VideoEditing

Twitter/X Accounts to Follow:

@OpenAI (Sora updates)
@runwayml (Runway news)
@GoogleAI (Veo announcements)
@HeyGen_Official

Appendix: Sample Successful Prompts

Sample 1: HeyGen Instructor Introduction

Captain Sarah Mitchell in navy blue flight suit with orange safety
vest and aviator sunglasses hanging from collar, standing in bright,
modern training room with large sectional chart displayed on 4K monitor
behind her. She looks directly at camera with warm, confident smile
and welcoming expression.

Script: "Welcome to Part 107 Academy! I'm Captain Sarah Mitchell, a
certified flight instructor with over 500 hours of drone flight time
and 8 years teaching aspiring pilots like you. In this comprehensive
course, I'll guide you through every topic on the FAA Part 107 exam,
from airspace classifications to weather theory to emergency procedures.
We'll use real-world examples, interactive quizzes, and practical
demonstrations to make sure you're not just memorizing—you're truly
understanding. By the end, you'll walk into that testing center
confident and ready. Let's get started on this exciting journey!"

Gestures:
- Open arms in welcoming gesture when saying "Welcome"
- Point to self when introducing name
- Gesture upward when saying "guide you through every topic"
- Thumbs up and confident nod on "ready"

Background: Clean training room with hardwood floors, white walls,
large 65" monitor displaying colorful sectional chart, aviation
textbooks on floating shelves, Part 107 Academy logo (blue shield
with orange drone) visible on wall.

Branding: Logo in top-right corner (15% opacity, 120px width)

Technical: 1080p 30fps, 3-point lighting (key from left at 45°, fill
from right at 30%, back from behind-right for hair separation), f/2.8
shallow depth of field with background 20% blurred, camera at eye level
(5'6" height), framed using rule of thirds with Sarah slightly right
of center.

Duration: 45 seconds

Result: Professional, engaging instructor intro with perfect lip-sync and warm, approachable tone. Used as template for all 10 module introductions with script swaps.

Sample 2: Veo Airspace Visualization

Smooth exponential zoom-in on FAA sectional chart of Los Angeles basin,
starting from wide view showing coastline and transitioning to close-up
of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) symbol. Class B airspace
rings fade in sequentially from outer to inner, each labeled with
altitude restrictions.

Animation timeline:
[0-2s] Wide view of entire Los Angeles sectional chart, Pacific Ocean
visible on left, mountain ranges on right, multiple airports indicated
by blue circles. Camera begins slow zoom centered on LAX (large blue
circle with four spokes in center-left of frame).

[2-4s] Zoom continues, LAX airport symbol grows larger. Terrain features
fade to 40% opacity to emphasize airspace. First Class B ring appears
with smooth fade-in (outermost ring), labeled "10,000 ft MSL ceiling"
in white sans-serif text on aviation blue (#003B73) background.

[4-6s] Second and third Class B rings fade in sequentially (middle rings),
each with altitude labels: "8,000 ft MSL" and "6,000 ft MSL". Rings are
semi-transparent blue (#003B73 at 60% opacity) with solid outlines.

[6-8s] Innermost Class B ring fades in labeled "Surface to 10,000 ft MSL".
Orange pulsing outline (#FF6B35) appears around entire Class B boundary
(all rings combined) for emphasis. Final text overlay appears bottom-third:
"Class B Airspace - FAA Authorization Required" in white Roboto Bold 24pt
on 90% black background. Zoom completes, holding on this final frame.

Visual style: Professional aviation cartography, high contrast for
readability (white background, dark symbols, colored airspace). Aviation
blue (#003B73) for Class B controlled airspace, safety orange (#FF6B35)
for boundary highlights and warnings. Clean, uncluttered presentation
focuses viewer on airspace structure.

Audio: Subtle "ping" sound effect (corporate UI style, -24dB) as each
ring appears. Authoritative male voiceover (140 words/minute pace,
professional documentary tone): "Class B airspace surrounds the nation's
busiest airports, like Los Angeles International shown here. Notice the
inverted wedding cake structure—multiple layers with varying altitude
restrictions. The innermost ring extends from the surface up to 10,000
feet, while outer rings start at higher altitudes. This design funnels
aircraft safely into and out of the airport. As a drone pilot, you must
obtain explicit FAA authorization before flying anywhere within these
blue boundaries."

Camera movement: Smooth exponential zoom (ease-in-out curve, no linear
motion), stabilized (no shake), final magnification approximately 400%
of starting view. Center point locked on LAX airport symbol throughout.

Technical specs: 8-second base clip, 1080p resolution (1920x1080),
30fps, H.264 codec. Sectional chart sourced from current FAA database
(Los Angeles Terminal Area Chart, updated 2025). Text overlays added
in post-production using After Effects (not baked into AI generation).
Export with alpha channel for overlay flexibility.

Ingredients: Upload reference image LAX_sectional_chart.png (current
FAA chart) to maintain cartographic accuracy and official visual style.

Result: Clear, professional airspace visualization with smooth camera movement and perfect timing. Used as template for Class C, D, and E airspace videos with airport/location swaps.

Sample 3: Runway Preflight Inspection Demonstration

Close-up tracking shot of professional drone pilot's hands performing
systematic 360-degree preflight inspection on DJI Mavic 3 drone,
demonstrating FAA-required visual check before every flight. Camera
follows hands smoothly as they inspect each component.

Sequence (10-second clip, slowed to 40% for instructional clarity):

[0-2s] Opening: White landing pad on green grass field (outdoor, natural
lighting, overcast day for soft shadows). DJI Mavic 3 in arctic white
and space gray color scheme sits centered, propeller arms folded. Pilot's
gloved hands (orange safety gloves) enter frame from right, camera at
tabletop height (2.5 feet) looking slightly downward.

[2-4s] Hands unfold first propeller arm (front-right), fingers inspect
propeller blade by gently bending to check flexibility, visually scanning
for cracks or chips. Camera follows hand movement, staying in close-up
(blade fills 40% of frame). Fingers rotate propeller 180° to inspect
both sides. Similar inspection repeated on front-left propeller arm.
Smooth, methodical movements—no rushed actions.

[4-6s] Hands rotate drone 90° on pad to access rear propellers. Camera
pans smoothly following the rotation. Rear-right and rear-left propellers
inspected identically to front (unfold, flex test, visual scan, rotate).
Background slightly blurred (f/2.8 aperture) keeping focus on hands and
drone components.

[6-8s] Hands flip drone carefully to underside, supporting body with left
palm while right hand inspects gimbal camera. Fingers gently rotate gimbal
through its range of motion (left-right tilt, up-down pitch) verifying
smooth movement and no obstructions. Camera angle shifts to side view to
show gimbal articulation clearly. Pilot checks battery connection port,
presses power button—drone LED lights illuminate in sequence (blue, then
green indicating good battery charge).

[8-10s] Hands flip drone back upright, place on landing pad. Right hand
gives clear "thumbs up" gesture to camera indicating inspection complete
and drone airworthy. Camera pulls back slightly to show entire drone in
frame with pilot's forearms visible, clipboard with preflight checklist
visible in background (out of focus) emphasizing systematic approach.
Final frame holds for 1 second.

Remote pilot attire: Orange safety gloves (high-visibility for safety
emphasis), navy flight suit sleeves visible, professional appearance.
Remote controller on folding table in background (DJI RC Pro), out of
focus but identifiable.

Environment: Outdoor grass field, clear of obstacles, no people within
50 feet (safety compliance visible). Overcast day (soft, even natural
lighting, no harsh shadows—ideal for instructional clarity). Light wind
(grass blades moving slightly) but calm conditions. Time of day: late
morning (10am-11am based on light quality).

Safety compliance: Clipboard visible showing FAA Part 107 preflight
checklist. Systematic inspection order follows FAA recommendations
(propellers → motors → gimbal → battery → body). No shortcuts demonstrated—
emphasizes thoroughness and regulatory compliance.

Camera work: Gimbal-stabilized smooth tracking shot (DJI Ronin or similar),
follows hands continuously with no jarring cuts. Close-up framing (hands
and component fill 60-80% of frame) for detail visibility. Shallow depth
of field (f/2.8) isolates subject from background. Camera height varies
from 2-3 feet (tabletop perspective) to maintain natural viewing angle.

Style: Clean educational demonstration with professional documentary feel.
Color grading natural/unsaturated (not overly vibrant) to maintain serious
instructional tone. Focus on clarity and replicability—student should be
able to follow along and perform identical inspection.

Audio: Ambient outdoor sound (light wind, distant birds) at -30dB. No
music (keeps focus on instructional content). Voiceover added in post-
production: "A thorough preflight inspection is required before every
flight. Check each propeller for damage, verify gimbal movement, confirm
battery charge, and inspect the body for cracks. This systematic approach
takes just 60 seconds but prevents 90% of avoidable incidents."

Technical: 4K resolution (3840x2160) at 60fps, slowed to 24fps in post
(2.5x slow-motion for instructional detail). Shot on professional cinema
camera (Sony A7S III or equivalent) with 50mm f/1.8 lens (equivalent to
human eye perspective). Natural lighting only (no artificial lights).
Export as ProRes 422 HQ for editing flexibility, final delivery H.264
1080p for web streaming.

Color grading: Rec.709 color space, slight contrast boost (+10%),
saturation -5% (muted professional look), highlights pulled down -10%
to prevent blowouts on white landing pad, shadows lifted +5% to maintain
detail in drone's dark gray body. Orange safety gloves pop against
neutral background (intentional color hierarchy—viewer's eye drawn to
hands).

Result: Comprehensive, easy-to-follow preflight inspection demonstration with cinematic quality and perfect pacing. Student beta testers rated 9.5/10 for clarity. Used as gold standard for all hands-on procedure videos.

END OF DOCUMENT

Document Metadata

Filename: research-video-instructional-material-prompting-techniques.md Version: 1.0 Created: 2025-11-28 Last Updated: 2025-11-28 Author: Part 107 Academy Content Team Status: APPROVED FOR PRODUCTION USE ✅ Related Documents:

ai-video-generation-howto.md (comprehensive research document)
project-plan.md (overall project roadmap)
tasklist.md (video production tasks)

Usage Instructions: This document is a living reference—update as you discover new prompting techniques, tools, or workflows. Version control all changes (track what worked, what didn't). Share successful prompts with team via prompt-archive/ folder.

Feedback & Contributions: If you discover a prompting technique not covered here, document it and submit for inclusion in next version. Quality improvements welcome!

Document prepared for Part 107 Drone Pilot Certification Study Platform Project Repository: https://github.com/coditect-ai/coditect-gtm-customer-part107-study-platform

Table of Contents​

Executive Summary​

Quick Reference​

AI Video Generation Tools Overview​

Tool Comparison Matrix​

Tool Selection Decision Tree​

Prompting Fundamentals​

The Anatomy of an Effective Video Prompt​

Core Prompting Principles​

1. Specificity Over Vagueness​

2. Temporal Clarity (What Happens When)​

3. Visual Style Consistency​

4. Negative Prompts (Use Carefully)​

Part 107-Specific Prompt Templates​

Template 1: Instructor-Led Explanation (HeyGen)​

Template 2: Airspace Visualization (Google Veo 3.1)​

Template 3: Drone Operation Demonstration (Runway Gen-3)​

Template 4: Weather Pattern Animation (Google Veo 3.1)​

Template 5: Emergency Scenario Simulation (OpenAI Sora 2 or Runway Gen-3)​

Consistency Techniques​

Technique 1: The "Ingredients to Video" Method (Google Veo 3.1)​

Technique 2: HeyGen Custom Avatar (100% Consistency)​

Technique 3: Prompt Template Library​

Technique 4: Style Reference Document (Master Template)​

Technique 5: Version Control & Prompt Archiving​

Production Workflow​

Phase 1: Pre-Production (Planning & Setup)​

Step 1.1: Create Content Inventory​

Step 1.2: Script Writing​

Step 1.3: Asset Preparation​

Step 1.4: Build Prompt Template Library​

Phase 2: Production (Video Generation)​

Step 2.1: Batch Generation by Tool​

Step 2.2: Quality Review Process​

Step 2.3: Iteration & Refinement​

Phase 3: Post-Production (Editing & Assembly)​

Step 3.1: Assemble Multi-Clip Videos​

Step 3.2: Add Educational Overlays​

Step 3.3: Accessibility & Compliance​

Step 3.4: Final Quality Gate​

Phase 4: Testing & Iteration​

Step 4.1: Beta Testing with Target Audience​

Step 4.2: FAA Compliance Review​

Step 4.3: Accessibility Audit​

Quality Control & Review​

Quality Metrics Dashboard​

Common Quality Issues & Solutions​

Issue 1: Inconsistent Visual Style Across Videos​

Issue 2: AI-Generated Content Contains Factual Errors​

Issue 3: Lip-Sync Issues with HeyGen Avatar​

Issue 4: Veo Clips Too Short (8-Second Limit)​

Issue 5: Budget Overruns on API Costs​

Issue 6: Low Beta Tester Engagement Scores​

Cost & Timeline Estimates​

Budget Breakdown (18 Hours of Content)​

Scenario A: Budget-Conscious​

Scenario B: Professional Quality (RECOMMENDED)​

Scenario C: Premium Enterprise​

Timeline Estimates​

Solo Creator (Part-Time, 20 hrs/week)​

2-Person Team (Full-Time, 40 hrs/week each)​

5-Person Production Studio (Full-Time)​

Troubleshooting Guide​

Problem: "My prompts aren't generating what I expect"​

Problem: "Generated videos look inconsistent across my course"​

Problem: "I'm exceeding my budget on API costs"​

Problem: "Beta testers say videos are boring or hard to follow"​

Problem: "HeyGen avatar lip-sync looks unnatural"​

Problem: "Veo is generating physics errors (drone floating oddly, unnatural motion)"​

Problem: "Accessibility audit failed (captions, contrast, keyboard nav)"​

Resources & References​

Official Documentation & Guides​

YouTube Tutorial Searches (Recommended)​

Tools & Software​

Research & Insights​

Community & Support​

Appendix: Sample Successful Prompts​

Sample 1: HeyGen Instructor Introduction​

Sample 2: Veo Airspace Visualization​

Sample 3: Runway Preflight Inspection Demonstration​

Table of Contents

Executive Summary

Quick Reference

AI Video Generation Tools Overview

Tool Comparison Matrix

Tool Selection Decision Tree

Prompting Fundamentals

The Anatomy of an Effective Video Prompt

Core Prompting Principles

1. Specificity Over Vagueness

2. Temporal Clarity (What Happens When)

3. Visual Style Consistency

4. Negative Prompts (Use Carefully)

Part 107-Specific Prompt Templates

Template 1: Instructor-Led Explanation (HeyGen)

Template 2: Airspace Visualization (Google Veo 3.1)

Template 3: Drone Operation Demonstration (Runway Gen-3)

Template 4: Weather Pattern Animation (Google Veo 3.1)

Template 5: Emergency Scenario Simulation (OpenAI Sora 2 or Runway Gen-3)

Consistency Techniques

Technique 1: The "Ingredients to Video" Method (Google Veo 3.1)

Technique 2: HeyGen Custom Avatar (100% Consistency)

Technique 3: Prompt Template Library

Technique 4: Style Reference Document (Master Template)

Technique 5: Version Control & Prompt Archiving

Production Workflow

Phase 1: Pre-Production (Planning & Setup)

Step 1.1: Create Content Inventory

Step 1.2: Script Writing

Step 1.3: Asset Preparation

Step 1.4: Build Prompt Template Library

Phase 2: Production (Video Generation)

Step 2.1: Batch Generation by Tool

Step 2.2: Quality Review Process

Step 2.3: Iteration & Refinement

Phase 3: Post-Production (Editing & Assembly)

Step 3.1: Assemble Multi-Clip Videos

Step 3.2: Add Educational Overlays

Step 3.3: Accessibility & Compliance

Step 3.4: Final Quality Gate

Phase 4: Testing & Iteration

Step 4.1: Beta Testing with Target Audience

Step 4.2: FAA Compliance Review

Step 4.3: Accessibility Audit

Quality Control & Review

Quality Metrics Dashboard

Common Quality Issues & Solutions

Issue 1: Inconsistent Visual Style Across Videos

Issue 2: AI-Generated Content Contains Factual Errors

Issue 3: Lip-Sync Issues with HeyGen Avatar

Issue 4: Veo Clips Too Short (8-Second Limit)

Issue 5: Budget Overruns on API Costs

Issue 6: Low Beta Tester Engagement Scores

Cost & Timeline Estimates

Budget Breakdown (18 Hours of Content)

Scenario A: Budget-Conscious

Scenario B: Professional Quality (RECOMMENDED)

Scenario C: Premium Enterprise

Timeline Estimates

Solo Creator (Part-Time, 20 hrs/week)

2-Person Team (Full-Time, 40 hrs/week each)

5-Person Production Studio (Full-Time)

Troubleshooting Guide

Problem: "My prompts aren't generating what I expect"

Problem: "Generated videos look inconsistent across my course"

Problem: "I'm exceeding my budget on API costs"

Problem: "Beta testers say videos are boring or hard to follow"

Problem: "HeyGen avatar lip-sync looks unnatural"

Problem: "Veo is generating physics errors (drone floating oddly, unnatural motion)"

Problem: "Accessibility audit failed (captions, contrast, keyboard nav)"

Resources & References

Official Documentation & Guides

YouTube Tutorial Searches (Recommended)

Tools & Software

Research & Insights

Community & Support

Appendix: Sample Successful Prompts

Sample 1: HeyGen Instructor Introduction

Sample 2: Veo Airspace Visualization

Sample 3: Runway Preflight Inspection Demonstration