Complete guide to Runway ML
Getting started
Sign up at runwayml.com and open the main dashboard, where you can choose between generating video from text or an image (Gen-4), or editing existing video with Aleph. For your first generation, upload a reference image or write a detailed scene description (including camera movement and style), and Runway will generate the clip in a few minutes. If you already have your own footage (product, interview, raw shot), Aleph lets you edit it with AI instead of generating from scratch: upload the video and describe the change you want to apply.
Use cases
Cinematic video generation
Gen-4 generates characters, locations and objects that stay consistent across scenes, preserving the style and lighting of each shot.
AI editing of your own video (Aleph)
Apply changes to footage you have already shot: remove or replace objects, change the season or weather, relight the scene or generate new camera angles.
Visual effects without traditional VFX tools
Add visual effects, style transfers or scene transformations directly on real video, without professional VFX software.
Automated production at scale
Workflows lets you chain generation, editing and export into an automated process, useful for teams that regularly produce a lot of similar content.
Advanced setup
- Generate with Gen-4Write a detailed scene description (composition, camera movement, lighting) or upload a reference image to anchor the visual style of the generated video.
- Edit video with AlephUpload your own footage and use clear action verbs (remove, replace, relight, restyle), specifying what must stay the same. Add a reference image if you want to guide the style or lighting of the result.
- Non-linear editing timelineAleph combines traditional editing (cuts, transitions, color correction) with AI generation on the same timeline, without switching programs.
- Automate with WorkflowsSet up a process that generates the initial video, applies specific edits, transforms the style consistently and exports in several formats automatically.
Tips
- In Aleph, be very specific with the action verb ("remove", "replace", "relight") and state exactly which elements must stay the same.
- Use a reference image whenever you need a specific visual style or lighting: it greatly improves the consistency of the result.
- For scenes with recurring characters, describe their features consistently in every prompt to maintain continuity between shots.
- If you produce a lot of similar content (same format, same style), set up a Workflow instead of repeating the process manually each time.
- When the result isn't quite right, adjust the text prompt first before regenerating from scratch: small wording changes alter the result a lot.
FAQ
Is Runway free to use?
It has a free plan with limited credits. Paid plans (from about $12/month) increase the number of generations and unlock advanced features such as Aleph.
Do I need my own footage to use Runway?
Not necessarily: Gen-4 generates complete video from text or an image. Aleph does require you to upload your own source footage to edit it.
Can I use the generated videos commercially?
Paid plans include a commercial use license; check the current terms of your plan before any large-scale commercial use.
What is the difference between generating with Gen-4 and editing with Aleph?
Gen-4 creates new video from scratch (text or image); Aleph starts from an existing real video and applies AI transformations to it.
Based on runwayml.com/research and official Runway documentation