Runway Launches Frames, a Breakthrough AI Tool for Creatives

New York-based AI company Runway has officially launched its latest image generation model, Frames, making it globally available as of January 17, 2025. Following months of gradual rollout and testing, which began in November 2024, Frames is now accessible to creative professionals via subscription plans.

A Tool Built for Creative Professionals

“Frames has been engineered from the ground up for professional creative work,” said Runway CEO Cristóbal Valenzuela. “If you’re in editorial, art direction, pre-vis, brand development, production, etc., this model is for you.”

Frames marks a significant step forward in Runway’s offerings, delivering realistic textures, natural lighting, and complex scene compositions. Unlike earlier models, Frames provides greater flexibility, allowing users to produce nuanced and visually consistent creative outputs.

Runway showcased examples of Frames’ capabilities, highlighting its ability to maintain stylistic consistency across projects, a key feature for professional environments. The system includes 19 preset visual styles, such as cinematic compositions, retro anime aesthetics, and dramatic landscapes, to meet diverse creative needs. It ensures visual consistency by preserving uniform lighting, textures, and artistic style across multiple generated images.

Examples of Frames' Styles Include:

• Mise-en-scène: Inspired by classic cinema, this style captures the essence of iconic compositions through dramatic lighting, carefully orchestrated shadows, and timeless portraiture.

• 1980s SFX Makeup: A tribute to the practical effects era, featuring handcrafted monsters and gore brought to life with latex, paint, and vivid retro details.

• 1970s Album Art: Bold and experimental, this style combines majestic animal photography, saturated colors, and daring typography, reminiscent of iconic vinyl record covers.

• Japanese Zine: Retro anime aesthetics meet dreamy sci-fi, blending bold lines, technicolor backgrounds, and surreal cosmic imagery for a nostalgic manga vibe.

• Digital Picture Profiles: Contemporary portraiture meets architectural symmetry, with neutral palettes and cinematic color grading that create art house-inspired compositions.

• Dynamic Range Landscapes: A vivid celebration of nature’s extremes, capturing every tonal detail from glowing mineral formations to brooding mountain ranges under dramatic skies.

• Disposables: Emulating the charm of 35mm disposable cameras, this style recreates grainy textures, light leaks, and vibrant color shifts, evoking raw, unfiltered moments.

• Still Life: Everyday objects are transformed into mesmerizing art through natural light, thoughtful composition, and an emphasis on shadow and texture.

• Magazine Collage: A playful mix of vintage clippings, pop art sensibilities, and surreal juxtapositions, creating layered and provocative visual narratives.

• Objects in Motion: Dynamic energy is captured as everyday items are frozen mid-motion, choreographed against bold monochromatic backdrops for dramatic effect.

Integration with Video Generation

Frames integrates seamlessly with Runway’s Gen-3 Alpha video generation model, allowing users to transform still images into video content instantly. This functionality drastically reduces production timelines, enabling visual effects artists to create detailed concept art and dynamic visuals in minutes instead of weeks.

Valenzuela emphasized Frames’ role in fostering artistic discovery, stating, “Frames has been optimized for creative exploration and artistic discovery, producing more nuanced and interesting creative results.”

Pricing and Access

Frames is available through Runway’s Unlimited plan at $95 per month or the Enterprise tier for $1,500 annually. To ensure ethical use, each generated image includes invisible watermarks that comply with the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity standards.

Early Praise and Industry Adoption

Early adopters have praised Frames for its stylistic precision and ease of use. One user on social media platform X described it as offering “very high quality, lots of control with style, and you can animate your images right in Runway super quick.”

The model is already gaining traction in the film industry, where Runway’s tools have been used in Hollywood productions, including the Oscar-winning film Everything Everywhere All at Once. Frames’ launch positions Runway as a strong competitor to Midjourney, which currently serves over 20 million users. While Midjourney targets general creators, Runway continues to focus on professional production environments.

Looking Ahead

Frames is Runway’s most advanced model to date, offering unmatched stylistic control, creative flexibility, and seamless integration with video workflows. As part of its ongoing roadmap, Runway plans to add even more style options and professional tools in future updates, cementing its position as a leader in AI-powered creative technology.

What This Means

Runway’s Frames release underscores the growing demand for AI tools tailored to professional creatives. By focusing on stylistic consistency and integration with video workflows, Frames sets itself apart from other models in the competitive landscape, providing professionals with the precision they need to bring their creative visions to life.

Visit Runway's website to explore examples of Frames’ stunning image styles or check their help files for detailed prompt guidelines.

Editor’s Note: This article was created by Alicia Shapiro, CMO of AiNews.com, with writing, image, and idea-generation support from ChatGPT, an AI assistant. However, the final perspective and editorial choices are solely Alicia Shapiro’s. Special thanks to ChatGPT for assistance with research and editorial support in crafting this article.