★★★

Generate Professional Video Content With Runway

You need b-roll footage, product visualizations, or creative video content but stock footage is generic and custom shoots are expensive. Runway generates original video from text descriptions, transforms existing footage, and gives you a full video editing suite powered by AI.

Difficulty ★★★ Weekend Build
Setup Time 3–5 hours to learn and produce first project
Tool Cost $12 – $76/month
Time Saved 10–20 hours per project on filming, sourcing footage, and editing
Best For Content creators and marketers who want original video assets without stock footage, filming, or advanced editing skills
Last Updated March 2026

Tools You'll Need

ToolWhat It DoesCostLink
Runway AI video generation and editing suite with text-to-video, image-to-video, video effects, and professional editing tools Free tier (limited) / $12 – $76/month Get it →

The Walkthrough

Step 1: Start With Text-to-Video

What to do: Sign up at Runway and open the Gen-3 Alpha video generator. Type a description of the video you want: “A steaming cup of coffee on a wooden table in a sunlit cafe, camera slowly pushing in, warm tones.” Click generate.

Why you’re doing it: Custom b-roll footage that matches your exact vision — without hiring a videographer or scrolling through thousands of stock clips. Need footage of your product concept? A specific mood? A scene that doesn’t exist in any stock library? Describe it and generate it.

What to expect: 30–90 seconds per generation. You’ll get a 5–10 second clip. Generate multiple variations and pick the best.


Step 2: Transform Existing Footage

What to do: Upload existing video and use Runway’s tools to transform it. Change the style (make a phone video look cinematic), remove backgrounds (green-screen without a green screen), extend clips (generate additional frames), or apply visual effects.

Why you’re doing it: Raw footage from your phone can look professional with AI post-processing. Remove that messy background from your product demo. Add cinematic color grading without knowing what LUTs are.

What to expect: Processing time varies by effect. Most transformations take 1–5 minutes.


Step 3: Edit in Runway’s Timeline

What to do: Use Runway’s built-in video editor to combine generated clips, transformed footage, and original video into a finished piece. Add text overlays, transitions, and audio. Export in your target resolution and aspect ratio.

Why you’re doing it: One platform for generation, editing, and export. No switching between AI tools and traditional editors. The learning curve is much gentler than Premiere or DaVinci Resolve.

What to expect: 1–2 hours for a 60-second polished video on your first project. Speed increases dramatically after you learn the workflow.


Step 4: Build a Video Asset Library

What to do: Generate a collection of reusable clips: your product from different angles, branded backgrounds, animated text intros, and mood-setting b-roll. Save these as templates and assets you can remix for future content.

Why you’re doing it: A library of AI-generated assets means future videos take minutes instead of hours. The initial investment in generating diverse clips pays off across every video you make going forward.

What to expect: 2–3 hours to build a starter library. This becomes your reusable production toolkit.


Confidence Level

This workflow is Beta — Based on Best Available Knowledge. Runway is a leading AI video platform used by professional creators and production studios.

What to Do If It Doesn’t Work

  • Generated video doesn’t match your description: Be specific with camera angles, lighting, and movement. “Slow dolly shot” and “warm afternoon light” give better results than vague descriptions.
  • Quality not high enough for professional use: Use higher resolution settings (costs more credits). Generated video works great for social media; broadcast quality may require combining AI assets with traditional footage.
  • Need more help? Runway Academy or email us at hello@thenewsbakery.com.