en The AI Video Generation Studio
Runway ML is the world's most advanced AI video generation platform, enabling creators, filmmakers, and marketers to produce stunning cinematic video from text prompts, images, or existing footage. With Gen-3 Alpha — its flagship model — Runway delivers unprecedented motion quality, temporal consistency, and creative control. From Hollywood studios to solo content creators, Runway is redefining what's possible in video production.
Generate cinematic video clips from text descriptions alone. Describe the scene, motion, and mood and Runway renders it in seconds.
Learn moreAnimate any still image with AI-generated motion. Upload a photo or illustration and describe how it should move.
Learn morePrecisely control camera movements — dolly, pan, tilt, zoom, and orbit — for professional cinematic results.
Learn morePaint specific areas of your frame and define their motion direction. The most precise tool for controlling what moves and what stays still.
Learn moreTransform existing video footage with AI style transfer, motion retargeting, and scene modification.
Learn moreRemove unwanted objects from video, extend frames beyond their original borders, and fill gaps seamlessly.
Learn moreCopy these prompts directly into Runway ML. Each one is crafted to demonstrate a specific capability.
A lone astronaut walks across a desolate red Martian landscape at golden hour, dust swirling around their boots, cinematic wide shot, dramatic lens flare, slow motion
A breathtaking 10-second cinematic clip with realistic dust particle physics, atmospheric lighting, and smooth camera movement — suitable for a film trailer.
A luxury perfume bottle rotating slowly on a black marble surface, soft studio lighting, water droplets forming on the glass, macro close-up, commercial advertisement style
A polished product video loop perfect for social media ads, e-commerce pages, and brand campaigns — no physical shoot required.
Time-lapse of a cherry blossom tree blooming in a Japanese garden, petals falling in slow motion, soft morning light, peaceful and meditative atmosphere
A serene, high-quality nature video clip ideal for meditation apps, wellness brands, and ambient content.
Abstract fluid simulation, deep ocean blues and bioluminescent greens swirling together, microscopic scale, ultra high detail, mesmerizing loop
A hypnotic abstract video loop perfect for music visualizers, brand backgrounds, and digital art installations.
Aerial drone shot slowly rising above a modern glass skyscraper at dusk, city lights reflecting in the windows, golden hour sky, smooth upward camera movement
A cinematic architectural reveal video suitable for real estate marketing, corporate presentations, and brand films.
A fantasy warrior woman with flowing silver hair stands at the edge of a cliff overlooking a stormy sea, her cape billowing in the wind, epic fantasy atmosphere, dramatic lighting
A compelling character-driven video clip with realistic cloth physics and atmospheric effects — ideal for game trailers and fantasy content.
Create product ads, brand films, and social media video content without production crews.
DetailsRapidly prototype scenes, storyboards, and complex shots before committing to expensive production.
DetailsGenerate visually stunning music video concepts and abstract visual accompaniments.
DetailsCreate cinematic cutscenes, trailers, and concept animations for game development.
DetailsAnimate architectural renders and create walkthrough videos from static images.
DetailsAdd dynamic video backgrounds and transitions to elevate pitch decks and presentations.
DetailsRunway ML offers multiple model tiers. Here is what each one is best suited for.
Add specific camera directions to every prompt: 'slow dolly forward', 'gentle pan left', 'aerial crane rising'. Camera language is the single biggest factor in getting cinematic results.
Start with a strong still image (from Midjourney or a photo) and use Image to Video mode. This gives you control over the starting frame and produces more predictable, consistent results.
Unlike image generators, video prompts work best when focused on one main action or motion. Avoid describing too many simultaneous movements — pick the most important one.
For professional results, use Motion Brush to paint exactly which parts of the frame should move. This prevents unwanted motion artifacts and gives you surgical control over the animation.
Visit runwayml.com and sign up for free. The free plan gives you 125 credits to start — enough to generate several video clips and explore the platform's capabilities.
Start with Gen-2 on the free plan to learn the interface, then upgrade to Gen-3 Alpha for production-quality results.
Runway offers Text to Video, Image to Video, and Video to Video modes. For beginners, start with Image to Video — upload a still image and describe the motion you want to add.
Image to Video gives you more control over the starting frame, making it easier to get consistent results than pure text-to-video.
Describe the scene, motion, camera movement, and mood. Be specific about camera direction (slow zoom in, pan left, aerial rise), lighting conditions, and the overall cinematic style.
Add camera movement descriptors: 'slow push in', 'gentle pan right', 'aerial crane shot rising'. Camera language dramatically improves results.
In Gen-3 Alpha, use the Motion Brush to paint specific areas of the frame and define their movement direction. Use Camera Controls to set precise camera movements like dolly, pan, tilt, and zoom.
Motion Brush is the most powerful feature for precise control — paint the subject to move and the background to stay still for professional-looking results.
Generate unique B-roll, intros, and visual content without expensive equipment or stock footage subscriptions.
Example: Creating a cinematic intro sequence for a YouTube channel in minutes
Rapid pre-visualization of scenes, concept exploration, and generating reference footage for complex shots.
Example: Pre-visualizing a complex action sequence before the actual shoot
Produce high-quality video ads, product demos, and social media content without video production budgets.
Example: Creating 10 variations of a product ad for A/B testing in a single afternoon
Generate cinematic cutscenes, trailers, and concept animations during pre-production.
Example: Creating a game trailer concept video to pitch to publishers
See how professionals actually use Runway ML to save hours on real tasks.
A DTC brand needs 10 video ad variations for a product launch
Result: 10 unique video ad variations ready for A/B testing — produced in one day instead of a 3-day video shoot
An indie director needs to pitch a complex action sequence to investors
Result: A compelling pre-visualization reel that secured investor funding — created in 2 days instead of hiring a pre-vis studio
A real estate developer needs video content for a pre-sale campaign
Result: Professional property showcase video before construction began — helped pre-sell 40% of units
An independent musician needs a music video on a minimal budget
Result: A visually stunning music video that garnered 500K+ views — produced for under $100 in credits
These prompts work great with Runway ML. Copy them and customize for your needs.
[Product] on [surface], [lighting], slow rotation, commercial advertisement style, smooth motion, high quality
Use Image to Video mode with a product still for best results
[Scene description], [camera movement], [lighting condition], cinematic, [mood/atmosphere], film grain
Add specific camera movement for professional results
[Natural scene], [time of day], [weather/atmosphere], slow motion, peaceful, [color palette]
Great for ambient content, backgrounds, and meditation apps
Abstract [concept], [color palette], fluid motion, [texture/material], mesmerizing loop, ultra high detail
Perfect for music visualizers and brand backgrounds
Independent Content Creator & Filmmaker
Jordan runs a YouTube channel with 200K subscribers focused on cinematic travel content. They want to create a cinematic short film about a fictional journey through ancient civilizations — but have no budget for location shoots, a crew, or expensive post-production. The entire project needs to be produced solo.
The short film received 1.2M views in its first week and was featured in three AI filmmaking publications. Jordan estimates the production would have cost $80,000+ with traditional methods — it was produced for under $200 in AI credits.
Click any tool to explore its guide
Runway didn't just save me money — it gave me creative freedom I never had before. I can now make films that would have required a Hollywood budget. The camera controls in Gen-3 Alpha are genuinely cinematic.
— Jordan Kim, Independent Content Creator & Filmmaker
Learn from others' missteps. These are the most frequent pitfalls when using Runway ML.
Users describe the scene but forget to specify how it should move
Always include explicit camera movement: 'slow dolly forward', 'gentle pan left', 'aerial crane rising'. Motion description is as important as scene description.
AI video is still probabilistic — results vary significantly between generations
Generate 3-4 variations of each clip and select the best. Budget for multiple attempts when planning credit usage.
Users want complex scenes but forget the 10-second limit
Plan your video as a series of short clips. Each clip should have one clear motion or action. Assemble in video editing software.
Users default to Text to Video for everything
For consistent characters or specific environments, generate a reference image first (with Midjourney) and use Image to Video. This gives you far more control over the starting frame.
Users don't know the feature exists or find it intimidating
Use Motion Brush whenever you need specific elements to move differently. It's the key to professional-looking results with controlled, intentional motion.
per month
per month
per month
per month
You Might Also Like
Everything you need to know about Runway's flagship model — camera controls, motion brush, credit optimization, and the prompting techniques that produce cinematic results.
Generate perfect still frames in Midjourney, then animate them here. The complete 8-step pipeline — from concept to final cut — with prompts, tips, and credit estimates.
Compose the perfect video generation prompt with templates, camera controls, and style settings.
Aerial shot slowly rising above a misty mountain range at golden hour, dramatic clouds, cinematic wide angle, slow crane movement upward [Camera: Crane Rise] [Style: Cinematic] [10s · Text to Video]
Estimated cost: ~10 credits with Gen-3 Alpha · Credits vary by model and duration
They're not competitors — they're partners. Here's exactly when to reach for each one, and when to use both together.
The most powerful workflow is Midjourney → Runway. Generate your perfect still frame in Midjourney with precise composition and style control, then bring it into Runway's Image to Video mode to add cinematic motion. You get the best of both — pixel-perfect starting frames and professional video output.
Perfect — high-res, print-ready stills in any aspect ratio
Overkill — video isn't needed for static web images
Generate the product still first, then hand off to Runway
Animate the Midjourney still with camera motion & effects
Ideal — precise composition, style control, print resolution
Not applicable — video format doesn't suit print covers
Use for reference stills, then animate in Runway
Best tool — camera controls simulate real cinematography
Generate source frames for Image-to-Video workflow
Native video output, perfect for Reels, TikTok, Shorts
Fast, cheap iteration — generate 50 concepts in minutes
Too slow and credit-heavy for rapid style exploration
Generate key frames as reference for Runway
Cinematic motion, abstract loops, and narrative clips
Generate photorealistic renders with --style raw
Animate renders with camera flythrough & environmental motion
Best for detailed character sheets, turnarounds, prop refs
Use for cinematic trailers once characters are designed
Generate logo directions to refine in Illustrator
Not suited for logo design — video output only
Quick answers to the questions people ask most before getting started.
French
Italian
Spanish
German
Dutch
Arabic
Chinese (Simplified)
Japanese
Korean
Portuguese
Russian
Turkish
Swahili
Hausa
Yoruba
Polish
Sundanese
Kurdish (Kurmanji)