Runway Gen-3 Alpha

Runway has established itself as the leader in AI video generation. Their Gen-3 Alpha model represents the current state of the art in quality and controllability. Let's master it.

What Makes Runway Special

Runway Gen-3 Alpha stands out for:

• Visual quality: Industry-leading realism and detail
• Motion coherence: Consistent movement without morphing
• Camera control: Precise control over camera motion
• Professional features: Motion brush, video-to-video, and more
• Reliability: Consistent results across generations

Getting Started with Runway

Creating an Account

1. Visit runway.ml
2. Sign up with email or Google
3. You get 125 free credits to start (enough for ~25 generations)
4. Plans start at $12/month for 625 credits

The Interface

Runway's interface has several key areas:

• Text prompt field: Describe what you want
• Image input (optional): Start from an image
• Duration selector: 5 or 10 seconds
• Aspect ratio: 16:9, 9:16, 1:1
• Camera controls: Pan, tilt, zoom, etc.
• Motion amount: How much movement in the scene

Text-to-Video in Runway

Basic Generation

1. Enter your prompt in the text field
2. Select duration (5s or 10s)
3. Choose aspect ratio
4. Click "Generate"
5. Wait 60-90 seconds

Writing Effective Runway Prompts

Runway responds well to structured prompts:

[Subject description], [action/motion], [environment],
[camera motion], [lighting], [style keywords]

Example prompts that work well:

A woman with flowing red hair walks through a neon-lit
Tokyo street at night, tracking shot following her,
cinematic, rain reflections on the ground

Close-up of coffee being poured into a white ceramic cup,
steam rising, soft morning light through a window,
slow motion, shallow depth of field

Drone shot rising above misty mountains at sunrise,
layers of fog between peaks, epic cinematic,
golden hour lighting, 4K quality

Camera Motion Controls

Runway's camera controls are its secret weapon. You can:

Use Presets

Select from built-in camera movements:

• Push in / Pull out
• Pan left / Pan right
• Tilt up / Tilt down
• Orbit left / Orbit right
• Rise up / Drop down

Combine Motions

You can combine multiple camera movements. For example:

• Push in + Tilt up = Rising dramatic reveal
• Pan right + Pull out = Expanding scene

Adjust Intensity

Slider controls how dramatic the camera movement is:

• Low: Subtle, cinematic drift
• Medium: Noticeable movement
• High: Dramatic motion

Image-to-Video in Runway

Starting from an image gives you more control:

Preparing Your Image

• Resolution: At least 1280x720
• Composition: Consider what will move and how
• Style: The video inherits the image's style

Generation Options

Motion Amount:

• Low: Subtle breathing/ambient motion
• Medium: Natural movement
• High: Dramatic transformation

What works well:

• Landscapes with sky/water elements
• Portraits (for subtle expression changes)
• Scenes with clear motion potential

What's challenging:

• Complex human poses
• Multiple moving subjects
• Text-heavy images

Advanced Features

Motion Brush

Paint motion onto specific areas:

1. Upload an image
2. Select Motion Brush
3. Paint areas that should move
4. Set direction and amount
5. Areas not painted stay more static

Great for: Animating specific elements while keeping backgrounds stable.

Director Mode

Control multiple aspects simultaneously:

• Camera path
• Subject motion direction
• Ambient motion areas

Video-to-Video

Transform existing video:

• Style transfer (make footage look like animation)
• Enhancement and cleanup
• Creative effects

Tips for Better Results

Do's

• Be specific about motion: "slowly walking" vs "walking"
• Include lighting info: It dramatically affects mood
• Use camera terms: Runway understands film language
• Specify what moves: "The camera pushes in while the subject remains still"
• Iterate: Use good outputs as image inputs for refinement

Don'ts

• Avoid conflicting motion: Don't ask for static and dynamic simultaneously
• Don't expect long narrative: Each clip is 5-10 seconds
• Avoid tiny details: Text, small objects won't generate well
• Don't overload prompts: Focus on key elements

Credit Management

Runway uses credits:

Action	Credits
5 second video	5 credits
10 second video	10 credits
Image-to-video	Same as above
Video extend	Per 5 seconds

Tips to conserve credits:

• Test prompts at 5 seconds first
• Use free preview when available
• Save successful prompts for reuse

Example Workflow

Here's a complete workflow for creating a cinematic shot:

1. Write initial prompt:

   A lone astronaut standing on Mars, looking at Earth
   in the sky, dust particles floating, cinematic, epic scale
   

2. Generate 5-second test

3. Evaluate and refine:

   • Motion too static? Increase motion amount
   • Camera too still? Add camera movement
   • Style off? Add more style keywords

4. Generate final 10-second version

5. Optionally extend if you need more duration

Key Takeaway

Runway Gen-3 Alpha offers the highest quality AI video generation available today. Master its camera controls and prompt structure to create professional-quality footage. Start with clear, specific prompts, use the camera motion controls, and iterate based on results. In the next lesson, we'll explore Pika Labs as a complementary creative tool.