model guide
Sora 2: AI Video Model Guide
Sora 2 guide with supported durations, parameters, Kansova credit costs, prompts, limitations, and alternatives.
TL;DR
OpenAI's Sora 2 for cinematic short clips with strong scene understanding, billed per second on Kansova.
Who this is for
- Creators who want cinematic motion and scene coherence in short clips.
- Marketing teams producing premium product or brand moments.
- Designers testing ambitious text-to-video concepts before committing to production.
Best for / Not best for
Best for
- Cinematic text-to-video
- Complex scene descriptions
- Short premium clips
- Concept validation with high fidelity
Not best for
- Bulk low-cost drafts
- Long-form video
- Exact on-screen text
- Guaranteed real-person likeness
Parameters
| Parameter | Supported value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Duration | 4, 8, 12, 16, or 20 seconds | Requests are snapped to the nearest supported duration. |
| Input | Text or reference image | Image-to-video availability depends on provider mode. |
| Aspect ratio | 16:9 or 9:16 | Choose for the target channel. |
| Processing | Asynchronous | Kansova polls task status until completion. |
| Access | Sora 2 public; Sora 2 Pro pending | Pro tier stays hidden until provider billing is verified. |
Pricing
Kansova bills generations in credits. Pro is $19/month for 750 credits; Studio is $39/month for 1,700 credits.
| Generation | Kansova credits | Cost methodology |
|---|---|---|
| 4-second clip | 32 credits | About $0.32 provider cost |
| 8-second clip | 64 credits | About $0.64 provider cost |
| Per requested second | 8 credits | About $0.08/sec provider cost |
Comparison
| Dimension | Sora 2 | Seedance 2.0 | Minimax H3 | Seedance Mini |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary strength | Cinematic scenes | Finished creative | High resolution | Fast drafts |
| Kansova access | Available | Available | Available | Available |
| Duration options | 4-20 seconds | 5-15 seconds | Up to 15 seconds | 5-15 seconds |
| Kansova cost | 8 credits/sec | 5-10 credits/sec | 11 credits/sec | 3-5 credits/sec |
| Best workflow | Premium moments | Campaign output | 2K product shots | Drafts and social |
Prompt examples
- 01
A barista pours latte art in a sunlit specialty cafe, slow cinematic dolly, shallow depth of field, warm film tones. - 02
Drone-style reveal of a coastal villa at golden hour, waves breaking below, smooth continuous camera path. - 03
A dancer's silk dress flows in slow motion against a dark studio backdrop, single dramatic spotlight. - 04
Rain falls on a neon-lit city street at night, reflections on wet pavement, moody cinematic tracking shot. - 05
A chef plates a fine-dining dish, macro detail of garnish placement, soft directional kitchen light.
Known limitations
- Duration is snapped to fixed tiers of 4, 8, 12, 16, or 20 seconds.
- Small text, logos, and fine typography may not render accurately.
- Real-person likeness and certain content categories are restricted by the provider.
- Queue time depends on upstream provider load.
Alternatives
Frequently asked questions
How many credits does Sora 2 use?
Kansova currently charges 8 credits per requested second, snapped to 4, 8, 12, 16, or 20 second tiers.
Is Sora 2 Pro available?
Not yet. It stays hidden until the provider billing tier is verified against real invoices.
Can I animate a still image with Sora 2?
Image-to-video is available when the provider mode supports it; otherwise use Seedance or Minimax for reference-image workflows.
Last updated
2026-08-05
Sources and methodology
Parameters were checked against the provider API material supplied to Kansova and the live Kansova controls on 2026-07-06. Reference API costs are planning figures from the supplied provider catalog, not a separate charge billed by Kansova.
- EvoLink API documentation index
Provider documentation used to verify Seedance modes and parameters.
- Kansova product facts
Canonical list of supported workflows and current limitations.
- Kansova pricing
Current subscription and monthly credit allowances.