The short answer
You can’t follow a current, working tutorial to generate a new video with OpenAI Sora: OpenAI says the Sora web and app experiences ended on April 26, 2026, and the Sora API was discontinued on September 24, 2026. Older guides may describe real Sora workflows, but their instructions and API examples are no longer a route to generating new videos through those OpenAI services. (help.openai.com)
That means this tutorial focuses on what you can do now: check for saved Sora work, understand why older API instructions are obsolete, and prepare a video prompt you can adapt to another currently available tool. The prompt example below is illustrative; it has not been tested in Sora.
If you already created videos with Sora
OpenAI’s discontinuation help page says you can export Sora content by visiting sora.chatgpt.com/sunset and selecting Export. OpenAI says it will email you when the export is ready and recommends exporting as soon as possible. It also says any final export window, if offered, will be announced by email; don’t assume a future window will be available. (help.openai.com)
- Go to the Sora export page linked above.
- Select Export.
- Watch for OpenAI’s email with instructions to retrieve the export.
- Save the exported files somewhere you control.
Is there a production Sora API?
Not through the discontinued OpenAI Sora API. OpenAI’s help page gives September 24, 2026, as the API discontinuation date. It would therefore be misleading to present older POST /v1/videos examples, model names, or polling instructions as a current OpenAI production workflow. (help.openai.com)
OpenAI’s archived Sora 2 prompting guide contains API details, but the page itself warns that it is archived and may refer to outdated models or APIs. Treat it as historical reference, not as confirmation that those requests still work. (developers.openai.com)
The research for this article also did not establish a current TokenForge Cloud Sora-compatible API. Don’t assume a provider supports Sora just because an older article mentions an API or a model name. Before building an integration, verify the provider’s current documentation for the exact model, endpoint, access requirements, request and response format, and billing. No Sora API price or working Sora API request is supplied here.
Plan a video prompt you can reuse elsewhere
Although you can’t generate a new video through the discontinued Sora services, this prompt structure can help you brief another video-generation tool:
- Subject: What should appear?
- Action: What should happen, and how should it move?
- Setting: Where and when does the scene take place?
- Camera: What framing or movement do you want?
- Visual treatment: Describe the lighting, mood, and style.
- Keep it focused: Start with one clear shot, then add details only when they matter.
Illustrative prompt—not tested in Sora:
A close view of a ceramic cup on a café counter as an espresso machine pours coffee into it. Steam curls upward. Warm morning light falls across the counter. The camera slowly pushes in; quiet, naturalistic film style.
The subject is the cup and espresso machine; the action is the pour; the café counter establishes the setting; the slow push-in specifies camera movement; and warm morning light and naturalistic style describe the look. This is a planning example, not a guarantee of any particular video from another tool.
What to do next
- Want your old Sora creations? Use OpenAI’s export instructions and save the files you retrieve. (
help.openai.com) - Want to generate a new video? Choose a currently available video tool and follow that provider’s current instructions; don’t treat old Sora tutorials as current access guidance.
- Building production software? Don’t deploy a Sora API integration based on archived examples. Confirm that your chosen provider currently offers the specific video model and API you need before writing code.
OpenAI’s announcement pages also state that the Sora product is no longer available, consistent with the discontinuation dates in its help article. (openai.com)
Sources
What to know about the Sora discontinuation — OpenAI Help Center