Runway Aleph: AI Video Editing Guide

Runway Aleph is an AI model for editing existing videos, available in Neiron. Unlike zero-shot video generators, Aleph works with your original footage: it adds or removes objects, changes camera angles, transforms style and lighting. Essentially, it's a video photoshop.

Requirements for Source Video

For best results, the source video should meet several requirements:

Duration

Optimal length is about 5 seconds. Longer videos can be trimmed before processing. Short clips (1-2 seconds) work too but offer less room for transformation.

Stability

The video should be recorded without heavy shaking. Stabilized clips process significantly better. If the video shakes, stabilize it before sending.

Lighting

Even lighting without sharp transitions. Too dark or overexposed clips yield worse results. Natural daylight is ideal.

Resolution

Minimum 480p, recommended 720p and above. The model preserves the original resolution.

Tip: record the source video with your phone's front camera in good lighting - that's enough for excellent results.

Types of Editing

Adding Objects

Inserts new elements into the video that weren't in the original.

Prompt: Add snow falling in large flakes. Snowflakes should fall realistically and swirl slightly in the wind

Prompt: Add a blazing sunset with orange and pink clouds in the background. Sunset light falls on the face

Prompt: Add butterflies flying around the person. 3-4 multicolored butterflies, natural movement

Removing Objects

Removes unwanted elements, filling the space with background.

Prompt: Remove all text and logos from the video, restore the background behind them naturally

Prompt: Remove people in the background, leave only the main character. Fill the background with a continuation of the interior

Transforming Objects

Changes properties of existing objects in the video.

Prompt: Replace clothing with a white suit. Preserve movements and pose, only change the clothes

Prompt: Transform the car in the background into a 1960s retro car, red with chrome details

New Camera Angles

Simulates shooting from a different angle.

Prompt: Show this scene as if the camera is shooting from above (bird's-eye view)

Prompt: Change the angle - camera shoots from below, heroic angle

Style Change

Completely changes the visual style of the video.

Prompt: Transform the video into Studio Ghibli animation style: soft pastel colors, watercolor textures, animation style

Prompt: 1940s noir style: black and white, high contrast, hard shadows, film grain

Prompt: Cyberpunk style video: neon glints, color grading in teal and purple tones, rain

Lighting Change

Changes the type and character of lighting in the scene.

Prompt: Change lighting to sunset - warm golden light from the right, long soft shadows, orange tonality

Prompt: Make a night scene: dark, moonlight, blue cold tones, light fog

Processing Settings

Scene

Description of the overall context and environment:

City street in winter - sets the context
Interior of a cozy library - changes the environment
Space station - complete environment replacement

Camera

Type of movement and angle:

Camera slowly rotates around the object
Smooth zoom from wide to close-up
Camera static, object moves

Style

Visual stylization:

Realistic, cinematic
Cartoonish, 2D animation
Retro VHS, 80s grain
Oil painting, impressionism

Lighting

Character of light:

Soft diffused light, no sharp shadows
Dramatic backlight with silhouette
Warm lamplight, cozy atmosphere
Neon multicolored lighting

Practical Examples

Video for Social Media

Original: Regular selfie video outdoors

Prompt: Add beautiful autumn leaf fall. Golden and red leaves slowly falling. Change light to warm sunset. Light cinematic effect - soft focus on edges

Video Postcard

Original: Video of a loved one

Prompt: Add floating hearts and confetti around. Soft pink tint. Text appears at the bottom: "Happy Birthday!"

Stylization for a Project

Original: Regular city video

Prompt: Turn into Studio Ghibli animation: soft lines, pastel colors, watercolor sky, animated clouds. Keep movements of people and cars

Season Change

Original: Summer park video

Prompt: Replace summer with winter: leafless trees covered with snow, snow on the ground, frosty air (steam from mouth), gray winter sky

Limitations and Tips

What works well

Adding atmospheric effects (snow, rain, leaves, fog)
Style change and color grading
Changing lighting
Removing simple objects from a uniform background
Background replacement

What can give unstable results

Complex face and expression replacement
Adding detailed objects with physics
Radical change of character movement
Working with very dark or blurry video

Tips

Start with one change - don't try to change everything at once
Use short videos - 3-5 seconds give the best result
Be specific - "add snow in large flakes" is better than "make it winter"
Iterate - if the first result isn't ideal, refine the prompt

Comparison with Video Generators

Runway Aleph complements zero-shot video generators. For creating videos from text, use Sora 2 or Veo 3.

| Task | Tool |

|------|------|

| Create video from scratch by text | Sora 2 |

| Create short video with sound | Veo 3 |

| Edit existing video | Runway Aleph |

| Animate photo | Veo 3 |

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Runway Aleph?

Runway Aleph is an AI model for editing existing videos, available in the Neiron bot. It works with your original footage: adds or removes objects, changes style, lighting, and camera angle. Essentially, it's photoshop for video.

How to edit video with AI?

Send a video to the Neiron bot, select the Runway Aleph model, and write a text description of the desired changes. For example: "Add snow and change light to sunset." The model processes the video in 1-3 minutes and returns the edited result.

What videos are suitable for processing?

Stable videos 3-5 seconds long with good lighting and resolution of at least 480p work best. Avoid shaky, too dark, or blurry clips. A regular phone video in daylight is an excellent starting point.

Runway vs Sora - what's the difference?

Runway Aleph edits your existing video (adds effects, changes style, removes objects). Sora 2 generates video from scratch based on text. They are complementary tools: shoot a video on your phone and process it with Aleph, or create a completely new clip with Sora 2.

Try it for free at Neiron -- upload a video and transform it.