How to get the best out of Gen-4 (Image to Video)
Runway Gen-4 Image to Video on Pixio turns a single image into video with strong, coherent motion and temporal consistency. You upload a keyframe or still, describe how the scene should move in a prompt, and Gen-4 animates from that frame—ideal for storyboards, animating concept art, and keyframe-driven sequences.
Gen-4 (Image to Video)
Runway Gen-4 Image to Video on Pixio turns a single image into video with strong, coherent motion and temporal consistency. You upload a keyframe or still, describe how the scene should move in a prompt, and Gen-4 animates from that frame—ideal for storyboards, animating concept art, and keyframe-driven sequences.
Use this when
- You have a keyframe or still (e.g. from an image model or design) and want to animate it with a prompt.
- You need high motion quality and temporal consistency from Runway’s Gen-4 pipeline.
- You’re building a storyboard or sequence from keyframes and want each frame to drive a short clip.
- You want one clear motion direction per clip (camera move, subject action, or environment motion).
Modes in Pixio
| Mode | Input | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Image to Video | One image + prompt | Animating a single keyframe; prompt describes motion, not the look (image defines that) |
Gen-4 also supports other Runway modes (e.g. turbo, extend, video-to-video) elsewhere in Pixio; this page focuses on image-to-video.
Options
| Option | Values | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Duration | 5s, 10s | Start with 5s for drafts; 10s for finals |
| Aspect ratio | 16:9, 9:16 (and others) | Match your deliverable; check Pixio for full list |
| Quality | Standard, Turbo | Turbo is faster and lower cost per second; Standard for best motion and consistency |
Credits
| Duration | Quality | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 5s | Standard / Turbo | Standard ~12 credits/sec; Turbo ~5/sec (check Pixio) |
| 10s | Standard / Turbo | Turbo costs less per second; use for drafts |
Credits scale by duration and quality tier. Check the model card in Pixio for your plan's current rates.
The keyframe advantage
Gen-4 Image to Video is built around one image as truth: the model preserves your keyframe’s look, lighting, and composition and adds motion from the prompt. A strong keyframe—clear subject, good composition, even lighting—gives the model a solid anchor and reduces artifacts. Use a still from an image model (e.g. Runway Gen-4 text-to-image or references-to-image) or your own art; then describe only the scene moves.