Quick tutorial: 6 steps to animate a still image of a waterfall using Runway’s artificial intelligence editor

Here is a step-by-step guide to animating a still image using Runway’s motion tool. This is a very useful way to take a static image and create a more premium look for use in videos.

• Open Runway and Prepare the Image

  • Launch Runway on your computer.

  • Select the option for creating a “video from an image or text”, depending on the feature set available in your version of Runway.

• Import Your Still Image

  • Click on the import option within Runway to upload the still image you intend to animate.

• Access the Motion Tool

  • Find the motion tool in the Runway interface. This feature allows you to animate specific areas of your still image.

  • Select the motion tool to start the process of animating your image.

• Select the Area to Animate

  • With the motion tool activated, use your cursor to brush over the waterfall area in the image. The goal is to cover the water you want to animate, distinguishing it from the parts of the image that should remain static.

  • Be precise in selecting only the water, avoiding surrounding areas to ensure a natural-looking animation.

• Adjust Motion Settings

  • After selecting the area to animate, you'll see options for adjusting the direction and magnitude of the motion.

  • Choose to move the water along the vertical axis to simulate the natural flow of the waterfall. Horizontal axis movement is also available but may not be suitable for this particular animation.

  • Set the movement intensity to a subtle level (e.g., a value of minus two) to keep the animation realistic and not overdone.

• Generate the Animated Video

  • Once you're satisfied with the motion settings, look for the "generate" button in Runway.

  • Click "generate" to start the process of creating your animated video. Runway's AI will process the adjustments and apply the animation to the selected area of your still image.

• Review the Final Output

  • After the generation process is complete, Runway will present the animated version of your waterfall image.

  • Review the animated video to ensure the motion looks natural and meets your expectations!