Topview T1 text to video lets you type a scene and get a clip from words alone, with no image to upload. As of Oct 24, 2026, Topview publishes a 3,500-character prompt box, durations of 4, 8, 12, 15 and 30 seconds, and 720p or 1080p output (Topview's T1 page).
This guide is independent and not affiliated with Topview. Our studio does not run Topview T1, so nothing here is Topview T1 output.
At a glance
- Prompt box: up to 3,500 characters.
- Length: 4s, 8s, 12s, 15s or 30s.
- Frame: 16:9, 9:16, 1:1, 4:3, 3:4 or 21:9, at 720p or 1080p.
- Language: multilingual dialogue and subtitles.
- Price: only 1080p is published, at 2.2 credits per second.
What does Topview T1 text to video do?
Topview T1 text to video is one of three generation modes, next to Image to Video and Multi Reference. You describe a scene, pick settings, and Topview T1 generates the clip. The Topview T1 prompt is the only creative input, so it carries the whole shot.
Topview calls T1 a generation model for cinematic storytelling. Planning a whole short film or drama is left to its Film Studio and Drama Studio tools.
Topview's own flow has four steps: start with a story, plan your shots, generate with T1, then review, refine and repeat. Text to video is the "generate" step, and you will repeat it often. Each Topview T1 retake teaches you what the prompt actually controls.
If you already have a still image you want to animate, read our guide to Topview T1 image to video instead.
What limits apply when you use text to video with Topview T1?
Topview has published five limits that matter for a text prompt. It has not published other limits for Topview T1, such as per-mode limits.
| Setting | Published value |
|---|---|
| Prompt length | 3,500 characters |
| Duration | 4s, 8s, 12s, 15s, 30s |
| Aspect ratio | 16:9, 9:16, 1:1, 4:3, 3:4, 21:9 |
| Resolution | 720p (Everyday), 1080p (Recommended) |
| Language | Multilingual dialogue and subtitles |
Topview has not published a separate prompt limit or duration limit for text to video alone. It has also not published a 480p option for Topview T1.
You rarely need all 3,500 characters of a Topview T1 prompt. Length is not the goal. A clear order of ideas is.
How do you write a Topview T1 text-to-video prompt?
Write a Topview T1 text-to-video prompt in six parts: subject, action, camera, light, sound and exclusions. Put the most important idea first, since it is the easiest part to lose in a long paragraph.
Here is what each part does:
- Subject: who or what is in frame, with one or two visible details.
- Action: one clear thing that happens.
- Camera: one shot size and one movement, such as a slow push-in.
- Light: the source and time of day.
- Sound: ambience, music or a spoken line.
- Exclusions: what to leave out, such as "no text or subtitles".
Topview's own Topview T1 sample prompt follows this pattern. It ends with "No dialogue, subtitles, or text" and asks for a gentle push-in from a medium shot to a close-up.
Treat the six parts as a checklist, not a template. A Topview T1 prompt with only a subject and a camera move can still work, and you can add the rest after you see the first result.
Our example, which we have not run on Topview T1:
A fisherman mends a net on a wooden pier at dawn. His hands move slowly; gulls wheel behind him. Slow push-in from medium shot to close-up. Cold blue light turning gold. Soft waves, distant gulls. No text or subtitles.
For more full prompts, see our Topview T1 prompts guide.
How do you pace a longer clip into beats?
Pace a longer Topview T1 clip by writing one beat per action, in order, and giving each beat a short phrase. A beat is a single change in the picture: someone turns, a door opens, the camera moves.
Too many beats in a short clip tends to crowd the frame. Too few in a long clip tends to leave dead time. This table is our advice, not measured data.
| Duration | Suggested beats | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| 4s | 1 action | One look or gesture. Good for tests. |
| 8s | 1 to 2 actions | Add one camera move. |
| 12s | 2 to 3 actions | Mark each with "then". |
| 15s | 3 actions | Keep one location. |
| 30s | 3 to 5 actions | Label the beats in order. |
Use words like "first", "then" and "finally" to mark the order. Test the opening beat of your Topview T1 clip at 4 seconds before you pay for 30.
One honest caution. An early post on X reported that time cues in a photoreal text-to-video prompt were followed loosely. Treat timing words in a Topview T1 prompt as a request, not a guarantee, and check each retake against your beat list.
How do you write dialogue and name the language?
Write dialogue in quotation marks, say who speaks, and name the spoken language in plain words. Topview lists multilingual dialogue and subtitles for Topview T1, but it has not published which languages are supported.
Keep each line short. A Topview T1 dialogue prompt reads best when the speaker, the setting and the line sit in one or two sentences:
A woman in a rainy bus shelter turns to the man beside her and says in Spanish, "You came back." He nods. Medium two-shot, handheld, warm streetlight. Soft rain. No subtitles.
Say "no subtitles" if you do not want them. If you do, ask for subtitles in the same language as the speech.
Long speeches may sound rushed in a short Topview T1 clip. As a rule of thumb, give a line of about five to eight words at least four seconds.
How much does Topview T1 text to video cost?
Topview T1 text to video costs 2.2 credits per second at 1080p, which Topview lists for all plans. Topview's own example prices a 30-second 1080p clip at $6.60, which works out to $0.22 per second (Topview pricing).
| 1080p length | Credits at 2.2/s | Dollars at $0.22/s |
|---|---|---|
| 4s | 8.8 | $0.88 |
| 8s | 17.6 | $1.76 |
| 15s | 33 | $3.30 |
| 30s | 66 | $6.60 |
Topview has not published a 720p price for Topview T1. Confirm the cost in your Topview account before you generate at 720p. Topview's page also mentions a Project Cost Estimator that uses the 1080p rate.
Retakes add up in Topview T1 as in any video tool. If you test each idea three times, triple the numbers above. Topview has not published a free allowance for Topview T1, so budget every retake in credits.
Can you try Topview T1 text to video online, free, or download your clip?
You use Topview T1 text to video online in Topview's workspace at topview.ai. Topview has not published a free allowance for Topview T1 in the pages we checked, and it has not published download buttons or file formats for Topview T1.
If you search for a "free download", be careful. Topview T1 has no public API as of Oct 24, 2026, and its API page lists other video models but not T1. We do not cite sites that claim to run it.
In our studio, finished clips can be downloaded. That studio runs a third-party video model, not Topview T1.
How can you practice this prompt structure in our studio?
You can practice the same subject-action-camera-light-sound-exclusions structure in our text-to-video mode. It uses a third-party video model through an API, in two tiers: Standard for cheap drafts and Premium for final shots.
Here is a workflow that mirrors a Topview T1 text-to-video session:
- Open the generator and pick text to video.
- Paste a six-part prompt. Optionally add up to nine reference images.
- Choose a length of 4, 8, 12 or 15 seconds and an aspect ratio.
- Draft on Standard at 480p. Native audio is on by default.
- Change one part of the prompt, then retake.
- Move the best prompt to Premium for the final shot.
Standard costs 6 credits per second at 480p, so a 4-second draft is 24 credits. Signup includes 24 free credits, enough for one such clip. 1080p needs a paid plan; see pricing.
The studio is a practice space for the habits that carry over to Topview T1: ordering ideas, naming one camera move and changing one thing per retake. Results will not match what Topview T1 would produce from the same words. For the whole picture, visit our Topview T1 video hub.
FAQ
Is there a free Topview T1 text to video option?
Topview has not published a free allowance for Topview T1. Check the workspace and Topview's pricing page. Our studio gives 24 free credits at signup, but it does not run Topview T1.
How long can a text-to-video clip be in Topview T1?
Topview says Topview T1 reaches up to 30 seconds. The interface offers 4s, 8s, 12s, 15s and 30s.
Does Topview T1 support dialogue in other languages?
Topview lists multilingual dialogue and subtitles. It has not published a language list, so name the spoken language in your prompt and test a short line first.
What is the best resolution for Topview T1 text to video?
Topview recommends 1080p for Topview T1, and it is the only resolution with a published price. 720p is available, labeled Everyday.
Can I use Topview T1 through an API?
Not as of Oct 24, 2026. Topview's API page lists no Topview T1 model.
Ready to try it? Write your six-part Topview T1 prompt, run a 4-second draft, and change one thing per retake.
Sources checked Oct 24, 2026: Topview's public Topview T1 page, Topview's pricing page, Topview's OpenAPI page, and an early post on X.