Runway Aleph Video AI - Hollywood special effects for everyone

[19:59 Mon,28.July 2025 by Thomas Richter]

Runway has introduced Aleph, a new video model that offers numerous features specifically for post-production video editing using AI, making complex special effects simple – without the need for specialized knowledge and tools. Traditional VFX tools like keying, masking, and rotoscoping are replaced by simple prompts. Some functions like in-painting or style transfer are already available in various video AIs in similar forms, but Aleph combines many under one roof.

Object editing via Runway Aleph

It is becoming increasingly clear that AI functions like those of Aleph will revolutionize film production, as they enable profound creative decisions even after the actual shooting in post-production, thereby also allowing completely new freedoms during the filming itself. The basis of the new functions is existing footage, which can then be transformed via prompt (and sometimes a reference image).

Changing the scenery via Runway Aleph

With the help of Aleph, filmmakers can not only selectively remove or change individual objects in a video, but also synthesize new images of a scene from new camera angles and subsequently change the style, lighting, or background of a scene. Unlike classic compositing, changes are not only made selectively to an object, but – thanks to the AI&s physical understanding of the entire scene and its objects – almost holistically, i.e., if a specific object is changed, the lighting or shadows also change accordingly.

From greenscreen footage to the finished result via prompt

It is becoming clear that film production can be completely rethought with a powerful AI tool like Aleph: the real film recordings are only the raw material that can be shaped into completely different results with the help of AI.

The following video demonstrates the new functions – unfortunately only very briefly, making it difficult to assess the quality of the effects:

The functions of Runway Aleph:

Generate new camera perspectives

Aleph makes it possible to create shots from an alternative perspective on a scene – and not just synthesized shots from a slightly changed camera angle, but from completely different camera positions. Thus, a side medium shot can be generated into a close-up, a rear view, or a low-angle shot – without the need to physically reshoot the source material. If the filmed scene is to be shown from a different perspective, the new background, including other image sections/objects not visible in the original video, is appropriately invented via generative AI.

Subsequent perspective change

Thus, the editor or director can subsequently generate missing camera settings in post-production, freeing themselves from the otherwise absolute dependence on the existing material.

Generate the next shot

Aleph can also generate a connecting shot following a scene, including continuity of the objects, background, and general style of the original scene.

Style Transfer

Transfer any style to a video

This function has been known since the earliest image AIs as "Style Transfer" and allows a video to be given a completely new aesthetic style (be it a specific film look, an animation, painting, or drawing style) via prompt (and presumably also via example image or video).

Change environments, locations, seasons, and times of day

The ability to fundamentally change the setting of a scene is powerful – for example, from day to night, from summer to winter, or from a street scene in a big city to a rural environment. Ordinary footage can thus be elevated to a new level and a boring environment can be transformed into a spectacular setting – including the appropriate lighting mood. It can be determined how much or how little of the original material should be retained.

Add elements to a scene

Also exciting is the functionality to seamlessly insert any objects into a scene via prompt. For example, an empty sports stadium in the background can be filled with crowds, fireworks can be set off in the sky, or new props can be added to the foreground of a scene afterwards.

Remove elements from a scene

Analogously, there is the possibility to completely remove objects from a video afterwards. For example, a city can be made deserted or the reflection of the camera can be removed from a mirror or a shop window.

The street becomes deserted

Change objects in a scene

Objects or people in existing videos can be easily replaced by others using text input or a reference image. This is particularly interesting, for example, to subsequently change the appearance of actors in a targeted manner and give them different clothing, makeup, or hairstyles.

Transfer the movement of a video to an image

The camera movement of a shot can be transferred to another scene, which is represented by a single image.

Aging via Aleph

Change the appearance of a character

With Aleph, actors can also be subsequently rejuvenated or aged – large Hollywood productions such as Scorsese&s "The Irishman" have already used this function to create otherwise impossible shots and a character

Recolor elements of a scene

A subtype of object editing is the recoloring function, which makes it possible to selectively recolor an object based on an example image with a color.

Relight shots

The relighting function is extremely powerful – with its help, a scene can be relit as desired. For example, the lighting mood as well as the time of day can be changed afterwards, and a shot taken in midday light can be given a golden sunset light. The film team no longer has to get up early to capture the golden morning mood. The lighting is automatically adjusted across the entire scene – including shadows, reflections, and color temperature.

Masking via AI

Green screen for any object, person, or situation

People or objects can be easily masked via prompt and separated from the surrounding image. They can then be exported with a green background, transparent background, or any solid color for seamless integration into other projects.

AI as a powerful tool for filmmakers

Runway&s Aleph (as well as similar tools) opens up powerful new possibilities for creatives in post-production – the filmed material loses its finality and with the help of AI, even small 1-man productions can make subsequent changes to the images that were previously reserved for VFX professionals and were correspondingly expensive. The qualitative difference between large Hollywood productions and small projects will blur with such powerful AI tools and enable high-quality-looking images even with a small budget.

However, these possibilities, together with generative AI, will also lead to a flood of visually glittering films and massive amounts of "eye candy" – real quality will then hardly differ from AI slop in appearance – at least at first glance – but in the quality of the story, the direction of the actors, and the overall effect – i.e., what the film triggers in the viewer through its emotional depth, artistic signature, or genuine originality.

However, the maximum 5-second demo material does not yet allow any conclusions to be drawn about how good and reliable the results will ultimately be in professional productions with other source material and other prompts, but the potential for profound changes is unmistakable.

The statements from Runway regarding the availability of Aleph are somewhat contradictory: on the page it says that access will soon only be possible for Enterprise and Creative Partner subscriptions and will only follow for all users later, but on X it is announced that Aleph will be available to all users in the next few days. So we will see in the coming days what will be published when.

more infos at bei runwayml.com

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