Introduction

Chat Mode is an intuitive, conversational interface within Runway that allows you to generate and manipulate visual media using natural language. Think of it as having a creative partner that understands your ideas and helps you execute them using the latest Runway models.

Using Chat Mode, you can generate images and videos (with or without sound), edit videos, and more through natural conversation.

This article outlines accessing Chat Mode, tips for collaboration, and also contains answers to frequently asked questions.

Chat Mode Tips

• The more detail you provide, the better Chat Mode can understand and execute your request
• Specify the kind of output you're looking for (image, video, script, aspect ratio, duration, etc.)
• Chat Mode integrates with third party models to generate videos with sound
• Upload existing images or videos that you want to use or modify to the chat box
• Iterate by sharing feedback around what you do and do not like in the results 

Accessing Chat Mode

Access Chat Mode within a Generative Session. 

If you last used Apps or Tool Mode, you can switch by selecting the Chat Mode icon in the lefthand sidebar menu:

After either method, you can begin collaborating with Chat Mode by sending a message. 

Collaborating with Chat Mode

Interacting with Chat Mode is similar to having a conversation. Chat Mode is helpful for a wide range of uses, such as:

• Brainstorming and storyboarding ideas before you start generating
• Generating new images and videos with optimized prompts through natural language
• Iterating on results based on conversational feedback
• Collaborating on prompt ideas before starting a generation

This list is not exhaustive, but is intended to demonstrate what is possible with Chat Mode. If you have an idea and are curious if Chat Mode can help, we recommend trying it out.

Custom Instructions

You can input Custom Instructions to Chat Mode to have more control over your generations, replicate particular prompt structures and styles across outputs, or streamline your workflows. 

Follow these steps to create a new Custom Instruction:

• Select the icon from the Chat Mode text box, and then Custom Instruction
• Choose Create New
• Name your Custom Instruction and input your style, prompt, or workflow guide for Chat Mode
• Select Create to save the Custom Instruction

Please note there is no limit to the number of Custom Instructions you can create. However, you cannot enable more than one Custom Instruction at a time. 

Chat Mode Model Selection

Runway supports select third party models within Chat Mode, allowing you to keep more of your workflow all in one place. The use of third party models can be controlled within the Chat Mode model selector, which defaults to All.

Generation costs vary by model. To use only Runway models, select Runway only from the model selector dropdown:

If you'd like to select a specific model that suits your generation needs, select the Custom setting.

Model dropdown selection changes apply globally across all sessions. If you change modes, it will persist in that mode for all new messages going forward, even if you resume in an older session.

Iterating with Chat Mode

Any result you receive through Chat Mode can be further iterated on through conversational feedback. If you'd like changes to an output, describe what should remain and what should change in the next attempt.

More detailed feedback leads to better results that more closely match your vision. For example, accompanying what should change with a brief description of how it should change will provide more details for Chat Mode to make adjustments that closer align to your vision.

You can also request that Chat Mode show you the prompt it used for any generation if you need to specify exact changes.

Chat Mode-only features

The following features are only available in Chat Mode (not yet available in Tool Mode):

• Generating with audio
• Access to third-party models
• Stitching up to 10 different video outputs together to create longer clips
• Structured suggestions to help you iterate on your outputs or brainstorm ideas

FAQs