# Hailuo / MiniMax Video — Video Model Knowledge

## Provider
MiniMax (China)

## Type
Diffusion

## Strengths

- **Free tier** available
- Decent text-to-video
- Asian features render well
- Up to 6-second clips
- Image-to-video supported
- Active development

## Weaknesses

- Limited English documentation
- Variable quality (some hit-or-miss)
- Less control than premium models
- Less reliable for complex scenes

## Best Practices

1. Keep prompts concise
2. Single clear subject and action
3. Static or minimal camera movement
4. Image-to-video for better control
5. Test multiple times for best take

## Prompt Anatomy

```
[Subject description]
[Single action]
[Camera note]
[Style note]
Duration: Ns
```

## Sample Prompt

```
A young man in dark coat standing by a rainy window, slowly turning
his head to look toward the door. Camera static medium shot. Warm
interior lighting. Cinematic style. Duration: 5s.
```

## Best Use Cases

- Free / low-budget projects
- Concept testing
- Social media B-roll
- Asian content (where features render well)
- Quick experimentation

## Aspect Ratios

- 16:9, 9:16, 1:1

## Common Mistakes

- Long verbose prompts
- Multiple complex actions
- Expecting Hollywood quality on free tier
- Not iterating (quality variable)

## Pricing tier
Free tier / $ paid

## Speed tier
Medium — 1-3 minutes

## Summary

Hailuo is best when budget is constrained. For premium output, use Veo or Kling. For experimentation, Hailuo's free tier is valuable.