Learn Runway
Gen-4 video with references for consistent characters, Act-Two performance capture and Aleph in-context editing. The professional's toolkit.
What Runway is good at
- Image-to-video with Gen-4 and Gen-4 Turbo
- Gen-4 References: the same character or location across shots
- Act-Two: a filmed performance driving a character
- Aleph: editing an existing video with a text instruction
Quickstart
- Pick the modelGen-4 Turbo for drafts and exploration, Gen-4 for the shots you keep. 5 s first.
- Lead with an imageUpload a start frame; describe motion and camera in one or two sentences.
- Add references when consistency mattersUp to three reference images, tagged in the prompt, keep a face, product or set the same across shots.
- Keep a shot listWrite down model, duration, seed and references for each clip. Runway charges per second, so revisions should start from the record, not from memory.
Settings cheat-sheet
| Setting | What it does | Start with |
|---|---|---|
| Model | Gen-4, Gen-4 Turbo, Gen-3 Alpha (Turbo) | Gen-4 Turbo for drafts |
| Duration | 5 s or 10 s | 5 s |
| Aspect ratio | Landscape, portrait, square and more | Match the delivery |
| References | Up to three tagged images | One character, one location |
| Seed | Fixed seed for repeatable variations | Fix it when iterating |
| Camera | Camera control where the model supports it | One move per clip |
Runway guides
The five most-asked questions
Which Runway model should I use?
Gen-4 is the current flagship for quality and Gen-4 Turbo is the faster, cheaper option for exploration. Older Gen-3 Alpha models remain available for some features.
How do Gen-4 References work?
You upload up to three images (a character, an object, a place) and refer to them in the prompt. The model keeps them recognisable in the generated shot, which is how you build a sequence that cuts together.
What is Act-Two?
Act-Two transfers a performance you film (face, and body and hand movement) onto a character image or video. It is the tool for dialogue scenes and acted gestures.
What does Aleph do?
Aleph edits an existing video from a text instruction: change an object, relight a scene, change the camera angle or remove something. It works on footage you already have, not from scratch.
How are Runway credits spent?
Credits are spent per second of generated video, and the rate depends on the model. Check the current pricing page; use Turbo for drafts to keep the final renders affordable.