Runway Gen-3a Turbo.
This model gets stronger as the shot becomes more explicit. Give it a subject, a move, a frame, and a mood so the output feels directed instead of guessed.
Best results start with a directed prompt or a strong first frame.
Runway Gen-3a Turbo on Pixio is Runway's faster Gen-3 Alpha option: text-to-video and image-to-video with lower latency and typically lower cost than standard Gen-3 Alpha. Clips are 5s or 10s at 720p in 16:9 or 9:16; you get the same prompt control over motion and composition, with 5 credits per second (vs 10 for standard Gen-3 Alpha). Use it for quick drafts and iteration when you don't need the highest Gen-4 quality, or when you want Extend and Expand (Gen-3 Turbo Extend, Gen-3 Turbo Expand) in the same Gen-3 pipeline—extend up to 40s total in 5s steps.
Runway Gen-3a Turbo on Pixio is Runway's faster Gen-3 Alpha option: text-to-video and image-to-video with lower latency and typically lower cost than standard Gen-3 Alpha. Clips are 5s or 10s at 720p in 16:9 or 9:16; you get the same prompt control over motion and composition, with 5 credits per second (vs 10 for standard Gen-3 Alpha). Use it for quick drafts and iteration when you don't need the highest Gen-4 quality, or when you want Extend and Expand (Gen-3 Turbo Extend, Gen-3 Turbo Expand) in the same Gen-3 pipeline—extend up to 40s total in 5s steps.
| Mode | Input | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Text to Video | Prompt only | Scenes from scratch; one clear motion and composition per clip |
| Image to Video | One or more images + prompt | Keyframe-driven clips; image defines look, prompt describes motion; multi-image for consistency |
| Option | Values | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Duration | 5s, 10s | Max 10s per generation; extend up to 40s with Gen-3 Turbo Extend |
| Aspect ratio | 16:9, 9:16 | 720p output (1280×768 landscape, 768×1280 vertical) |
| Resolution | 720p | Default; 4K via separate upscale (e.g. Gen-4 Upscale) if needed |
| Duration | Credits (approx) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 5s | 25 | ~5 credits/sec; half of standard Gen-3 Alpha |
| 10s | 50 | Check model card in Pixio for your plan |
Video-to-video and Expand may use different rates; check Pixio for current pricing.
Gen-3a Turbo sits in the Gen-3 family: same motion and style as Gen-3 Alpha, with faster generation and lower cost per second. That makes it ideal for drafting—try several prompts and keyframes quickly, then either lock in with Gen-3 Alpha for a final take or move to Gen-3 Turbo Extend to add 5s chunks up to 40s, or Gen-3 Turbo Expand to change aspect ratio and outpaint. Keeping everything in Gen-3 keeps consistency; use Gen-4 when you need the highest single-run quality and are willing to pay more per second.
[Scene] + [Motion] + [Camera] + [Style]. One clear sentence. For image-to-video, describe motion only—the image defines the look. Avoid multiple or conflicting motions in one prompt.
Text-to-video, cinematic:
"Wide shot of a lone astronaut walking across a red Martian landscape at golden hour. Dust kicks up with each step. Camera slowly dollies backward, keeping the figure small in frame. Cinematic, anamorphic feel, shallow depth of field, no dialogue."
Text-to-video, product:
"A luxury watch rests on a black velvet surface. Soft key light from the left, subtle rim light on the metal. Camera orbits 90 degrees around the watch, smooth and slow. High-end product commercial, 24p, clean reflections."
Image-to-video (motion only):
"Camera slowly pushes in. Leaves rustle in the wind. Woman turns her head slightly toward camera. Background stays soft and still."
Image-to-video, action:
"Runner takes two steps forward and accelerates. Camera tracks alongside, slight handheld shake. Urban street, overcast, natural lighting."
| Scenario | Best choice |
|---|---|
| Fast Gen-3 text/image to video | Gen-3a Turbo |
| Best Runway quality | Gen-4 or Gen-4 (Image to Video) |
| Extend or expand (outpaint) | Gen-3 Turbo Extend / Gen-3 Turbo Expand |
| Video-to-video restyle | Gen-4 Aleph |
Start with a strong first frame when consistency matters more than surprise.
Keep each prompt focused on one primary motion direction.
Use shorter runs for iteration, then scale up for finals.
For narratives, structure the idea as Shot 1 / Shot 2 / Shot 3 instead of one flat blob.
A strong video prompt gives the scene a subject, a move, camera behavior, and a mood to hold onto.
Start from language and push for camera intent, pacing, atmosphere, and shot design in one move.
Start from a frame or reference when consistency matters more than improvisation.
Continue or refine the clip without throwing away the visual language you already established.
Runway Gen-3a Turbo works well when the prompt needs motion, framing, and visual direction, not just subject matter.
Use it for sequences that need a strong first frame, continuity, or a clearly controlled camera idea.
Treat each generation like a shot brief instead of a loose caption to get more cinematic outputs.
Start with either a directed text brief or a strong frame, depending on how locked the look already is.
Write the motion like a director: subject, action, camera behavior, environment, lighting, and tone.
Iterate fast on shorter runs, then move to stronger finals once the rhythm feels right.
Use it to build a stronger first frame, then hand that frame to the video model for motion and continuity.
Pair it with frame extraction, merge tools, or image prep so the motion workflow stays clean end to end.
