Using AI to Create Video Ads - Exploring RunwayML

As I mentioned last week, I saw a video ad created by a classmate using only AI. I was beyond impressed! I also wanted to make an AI mock ad, so I tried Runway ML.

According to ChatGPT, Runway ML is an applied AI research company that focuses on creatives. This blog post focuses on Gen-2, one of 30+ AI Magic Tools developed by Runway ML. Runway ML offers a free plan that gets you 25 seconds of AI-generated footage per month. There are four subscription tiers and an incentive to pay for an entire year upfront with a reduced price tag. Keep in mind that five credits = 1 second of footage.

Runway ML offers a wide array of creative video styles to choose from. The list includes cartoons, 3D rendering, anime, cinematic, claymation, and digital and pixel art. There are a total of 33 styles to choose from!

The three conversion options of Gen-2 are:

1. Convert text to image or video
2. Convert image to video
3. Convert image + description to video.

Gen-1 allows the user to convert video to video. It is important to note that this feature uses more credits at 125 credits for 8 seconds of footage.

My first mistake while playing around with Runway ML was thinking I could add a descriptive scene sequence. I used up 20 credits for a 4-second video of a jumbled mess! When using Runway ML to create video footage, it is imperative to remember to keep each sequence separate. Yet another reason why storyboards are so important! Below is the horror show that was my first trial at creating an AI-generated video.

That did not work. Once I refined my approach, I tried a simple prompt: a man walking his dogs. The results were better! Not perfect. After all, this is my first time trying such a program. The AI-generated people and dogs look a little wonky. However, I expect that out of all AI-generated creatives. Runway ML (or any other such program) would be practical in creating video ad concepts.

Now, you may wonder if any other such programs offer free AI-generated video footage to users. The answer is yes! I will try these out in the coming weeks to see what program has the most benefits. In case anyone else is also looking to test out the market, the other websites you can look into are:

1. Synthesia offers a demo or limited free usage, but full features require a subscription.
2. Pictory provides a free trial or a basic free plan with limited features.
3. Lumen5 offers a free plan with basic features suitable for individuals or small projects.
4. Headliner has a free version with limitations on how many videos you can produce monthly.
5. Descript provides a free version with basic editing features and limited access to more advanced tools.