The Discovery Agent is built to understand natural language—so you don’t need to use strict keywords or know how your archive is organized. But like any AI assistant, how you ask can shape what you get.
This guide shares a few simple tips to help you write better prompts, refine your search, and get straight to the moments you’re looking for.
Start with the why
Good prompts don’t just describe what you want—they explain why you want it. When the Agent understands the purpose, it delivers more relevant moments.
Here are some good examples of prompts that provide great context by explaining the type of content you are looking to create.
“I’m making a best-of compilation, so I need short, memorable quotes that sum up key achievements.” |
“I’m cutting a trailer, and need dynamic crowd reactions to match a fast-paced edit.” |
“I’m a researcher for a documentary about climate change, looking for insightful interviews and key visuals that explain the positive impact of wind turbines on reducing greenhouse gases.” |
“I’m putting together an event recap, so I’m looking for speaker highlights, applause moments, and people networking.” |
Tip: Add your use case—it helps the Agent prioritize tone, pace, and framing.
Give it context
The more background you provide, the better the Discovery Agent can tailor its search and deliver exactly what you need.
Think about who your audience is, where the content will be published, and the style or format you usually work with. Sharing these details helps the agent understand the bigger picture.
For example, if you’re creating content for:
Social media platforms like Instagram or TikTok where short, punchy clips work best
A documentary for fast channels requiring in-depth interviews and informative visuals
Include those details in your prompt.
If you have a creative brief or a set of instructions from your team, copy that into your query too. This helps the agent grasp your intent and focus on what matters most.
Be natural, but precise
The Discovery Agent is smart—but it’s not a mind reader. Vague or overly subjective prompts like “something cool” or “a nice clip” are open to interpretation and could lead to underwhelming results.
Here are some good examples of prompts that better guidance to the Discovery Agent by detailing types of moments or clips you are looking for rather than possible subjective statements.
“Looking for quotes where someone talks about overcoming self-doubt or imposter syndrome—ideally in a reflective tone.” |
“Clips showing crowded crosswalks, street vendors, traffic during rush hour—no skyline shots.” |
“Looking for moments where people are laughing, dancing, or celebrating in a casual setting.” |
“Find moments where the audience erupts in applause, or the keynote speaker delivers a bold, memorable line.” |
Tip: Break down abstract ideas into visuals, soundbites, or feelings.
Tell it what kind of content you want
Be clear about the format or type of moment you’re after. The Discovery Agent can return a sequence, a shot, a soundbite or even full videos—but it helps to be specific.
Looking for… | Try saying… |
A single shot (e.g. visual b-roll) | “I need a wide shot of a crowded train platform during rush hour—no dialogue, just ambient.” |
A moment (a short stretch of narrative or action) | “Show moments of someone prepping food in a kitchen—from chopping to plating.” |
A photo (a still image) | “A photo of a busy urban intersection at night—long exposure with light trails from traffic.” |
A soundbite (short spoken quote or moment) | “Find a soundbite where someone talks about overcoming self-doubt—under 10 seconds, emotionally delivered.” |
A full video (self-contained clip or story) | “Do we have a full video on our latest community outreach project—ideally under 2 minutes?” |
Use follow-ups to narrow your search
Think of it as a conversation. You don’t need to restart from scratch—just refine.
Include the following instructions straight up in your prompt or use them as follow-ups:
“Only show clips that are 3 minutes in duration”
“Show aerial shots, wide shots, close up shots”
“Only show results from the 1990s, only show results from last week, month or year”
Tip: The Agent remembers your previous prompt—so you can iterate naturally.
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If you have any further questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at support@momentslab.com — our team will be happy to help.