Today, Runway AI announced an early video keyframing prototype that will give artists and creators new opportunities to discover their ideas unexpectedly. Known for its AI advancements with video generation from prompts, Runway AI helps make the creative process faster and more accessible. For example, with their Gen-3 Alpha model, users can input text or images to produce unique video clips.
The new video-making tool lets users take images and turn them into videos by connecting them like a map. Each image is essentially a stop on a journey, and users can connect these stops to create smooth transitions between them. In other words, it’s like telling a story where each part flows into the next.
Runway's tools have been used in various projects, including films and music videos, showcasing their impact on modern storytelling. Imagine exploring a huge, invisible world full of creative possibilities — this tool turns that into a reality.
Here's how it works and why it’s worth trying.
How does it work?
Inside the video-making tool is "latent space," where the prototype utilizes data to imagine new things. Each spot in this space could be a new picture or idea, and as a user of this tool, you get to explore and connect your ideas however you want.
From there, you can make a map of the ideas and eventually turn them into a video. The tool uses a graph, which looks like a web of connected points, and each point is a picture you create. The lines connecting them are how those pictures transform into a video. Users can then decide how the pictures link together to build their video. Allowing users to visualize the video in this space before actually generating the video helps to tell the story better.
Users can change parts of a picture while keeping its overall story. Surprises can be added without drastically altering the original image. Users can also change the style of a picture, such as making it look like a drawing or cartoon, by using text prompts.
Who should try this?
Users who want to see how a video will look with different styles or paths should use this tool for exploration. Runway allows users to see their ideas in various styles or paths, letting them explore everything and save what they want.
This is especially helpful as most of us creatives have non-linear thinking. We no longer have to follow one straight path to get our ideas to the finish line. We can now branch out and explore many directions and essentially “choose our own adventure” from start to finish.
The flexible workspace allows users to organize their ideas however they want—grouping similar ones or spreading them out to try different experiments. It’s totally up to you what you want to create.
Outlook
Runway AI wants to make creating and exploring new ideas easier for artists. By giving users a tool that feels like a playground for creativity, they’re helping turn your artistic visions into something extraordinary, even if you didn’t know they were possible.
Runway plans to gradually roll out access in the upcoming months, allowing users to build their ideas with a larger creative flow.
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