Ray3 Guide & Tools

TL;DR

Ray3 moves fastest when you split ideation and finishing: draft three directions, pick a winner, then upgrade to hi-fi or HDR/EXR only when needed. Use the built-in tools on this site to standardize prompts, translate camera language, and document every render.

Start with Tutorials · Explore Prompt Library

Why It Matters

• Ray3 rewards precise camera phrasing—shot size, movement, lighting—so you avoid vague, drifty outputs.
• Draft Mode pricing lets you test pacing and coverage before you pay for high-detail renders.
• HDR/EXR support keeps highlights intact for color and VFX teams, lowering redo cycles later.
• A disciplined prompt archive compounds over time, cutting the ramp for collaborators.

How to Get Value Fast

1. Map your project into 3–5 key shots with shot size and movement locked.
2. Generate Draft Mode versions first, logging prompts and parameters as you go.
3. Promote selected clips to hi-fi or HDR/EXR depending on finishing needs.
4. Cut, grade, and annotate successes so the next iteration starts from proof.

Toolkit Highlights

• Prompt → Shotlist translates a single treatment into a 3–5 shot plan with duration and notes you can paste into Ray3.
• Camera Phrase Helper rewrites loose language into standardized push/pull/track/orbit cues.
• HDR/EXR Checklist keeps handoffs consistent across editorial, grade, and comp.
• Parameter Cards capture prompt, fps, bit depth, and notes so you can reproduce wins.

Tips for Staying Efficient

• Lead with camera constraints; add styling once the move and scale are correct.
• Keep Draft runs under 8 seconds to iterate quickly, unless you specifically need longer motion.
• Use volumetric, rim, or neon lighting keywords sparingly—one dominant lighting cue per shot keeps Ray3 on track.
• Group prompts by campaign or client to build reusable shot libraries.

Pitfalls to Avoid

• Overloading prompts with adjectives before locking camera language causes floaty results.
• Jumping to hi-fi too soon wastes budget and traps you in micro-detail iterations.
• Forgetting to log version data makes it hard to defend quality decisions to stakeholders.
• Mixing color spaces between tools can produce banding; align on ACES or sRGB from the start.

Checklist

• Project brief translated into shot sizes, movements, and durations.
• Prompt library tagged by genre, movement, and lighting.
• Draft Mode budget allocated vs. hi-fi upgrades.
• HDR/EXR finishing path decided with grading team.
• Analytics hooks ready: prompt_copy, tool_open_shotlist, tool_open_camera_helper.

FAQ

How do I keep Ray3 outputs consistent?
Lock your prompt scaffolding (shot size, movement, lighting) and reuse Parameter Cards across variations.

Do I need HDR/EXR every time?
No. Use HDR/EXR for anything that will be graded, composited, or archived; otherwise a high-bit-depth mezzanine suffices.

Where do I track API updates?
Visit the Ray3 API tracker; it lists status, payload contracts, and migration steps.

What if Draft Mode still drifts?
Trim prompts to the essentials, stabilize movement words, and reference-match using the Camera Phrase Helper before re-running.