Runway Cheat Sheet
A quick reference for Runway's AI video tools: text-to-video, image-to-video, Motion Brush, camera controls and prompt tips for Gen-3 and Gen-4.
Ways to generate video
| Feature | Description | Example / tip |
|---|---|---|
| Describe a shot and Runway generates it from scratch. | drone shot over a foggy pine forest at sunrise | |
| Animate a still image - the most controllable starting point. | Upload a photo, then prompt the motion you want | |
| Restyle existing footage while keeping the motion. | Turn this clip into a hand-drawn animation | |
| Set a start (and end) image to control how a shot begins and ends. | First frame = wide, last frame = close-up |
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Motion & camera control
| Feature | Description | Example / tip |
|---|---|---|
| Paint over parts of an image to control exactly what moves and where. | Brush the river so only the water flows | |
| Direct camera moves - pan, tilt, zoom, orbit and roll. | slow push in, then pan left | |
| Dial how much movement is added, from subtle to dramatic. | Lower it for calm, cinematic drift | |
| Describe subject, action, lighting and camera - not a whole story. | close-up, rain on window, neon reflections, shallow focus |
Editing & finishing tools
| Feature | Description | Example / tip |
|---|---|---|
| Match a character's mouth to an audio or text track. | Sync this portrait to a voiceover | |
| Remove or replace objects inside a video. | Erase the person in the background | |
| Extend the frame to change aspect ratio without cropping. | Turn a vertical clip into 16:9 | |
| Set the output shape and length before generating. | 9:16 for Reels, 16:9 for YouTube |
Frequently asked questions
How do I write a good Runway video prompt?
Describe the shot, not a story: name the subject, the action, the lighting and the camera move, and keep it to one clear moment. Short, concrete prompts like 'slow push in on a candle, dark room, shallow focus' beat long paragraphs.
What's the difference between text-to-video and image-to-video?
Text-to-video builds a clip from a description alone, which is fast but less predictable. Image-to-video animates a still you provide, giving you much more control over the look because the first frame is already locked in.
What is Motion Brush?
A tool that lets you paint over specific areas of an image to control what moves. It is the easiest way to get natural, targeted motion - for example animating only the smoke or water while everything else stays still.
Is Runway free?
Runway has a free tier with limited credits. Paid plans add more credits, higher resolution, longer clips and faster generation.
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