I turned doodles into video clips in minutes with Runway's new AI video tool - here's how

Runway, an AI platform known for its creative tools, has introduced a new feature called Motion Sketch that enables users to generate short video clips from simple doodles. By drawing basic shapes and motion arrows on top of still images, users can animate scenes with minimal effort. The tool interprets these sketches, combined with optional text prompts, to produce dynamic video sequences, offering a novel approach to AI-generated video content. In a demonstration, a surreal five-second clip was created featuring a settler family fleeing from winged creatures, with a little girl passing through a fencepost. While the results are impressive, the technology is not yet flawless; for example, some animations, such as the girl running through the fence, reveal limitations in the AI’s understanding of spatial constraints. The feature requires some user input and refinement, similar to how text-based AI models often need carefully crafted prompts to achieve desired outputs. Runway’s product manager highlighted that Motion Sketch is designed to help users achieve precise motion without relying heavily on written instructions, making it accessible to a broad range of creators, including those who think visually rather than verbally. The tool supports both text-to-image generation and direct doodling, allowing users to create initial images or sketches that can then be animated. This capability could significantly impact creative industries by streamlining the video production process and lowering barriers for non-experts. While still in early stages, Motion Sketch represents a significant step forward in AI-driven video creation, blending intuitive user input with advanced machine learning. As AI tools continue to evolve, such innovations may transform how visual stories are crafted, enabling faster, more imaginative content generation across entertainment, advertising, and digital media sectors. Access to the feature requires at least a Standard Runway subscription, reflecting its positioning as a professional-grade creative tool.