Introduction
Scene Builder is a two-step app for building and animating cinematic scenes from a text description. Describe what you imagine, and Scene Builder first generates a framed still — complete with suggested cinematic effects — then animates it into a video with suggested motion effects. It's built for filmmakers, directors, and visual storytellers who want to go from concept to moving image quickly, without needing source footage or a complex production setup.
Prerequisites
Before using Scene Builder, you'll need:
- A scene description — a text description of the scene you want to build (minimum 10 characters)
- Optionally, one or more reference images to guide the visual direction of your scene
This app requires credits to run and does not support infinite generations in Explore Mode.
Step 1 — Accessing Scene Builder
Scene Builder lives in the Apps section of Runway. You can get there two ways:
- Navigate to Apps in the left sidebar, then browse to find Scene Builder
- Use the search bar at the top of the Apps panel and type Scene Builder
Select the app to open it.
Step 2 — Adding the inputs
Scene Builder works in two steps: first you frame your scene, then you animate it.
Step 1 — Frame your scene
Describe what you imagine In the prompt field, describe the scene you want to create. Scene Builder will use this description to generate a still frame and suggest cinematic effects to apply. A clear, visual description is all you need — Scene Builder is optimized for this use case and will interpret your input to produce a strong starting frame.
References (Optional) Select + References to attach one or more images to guide the visual direction of your scene. This is optional — a text description alone is enough to generate a frame.
Cinematic effects Once you've entered your scene description, Scene Builder will suggest cinematic effects to apply to your frame. Review the suggestions and select the ones that fit your vision before generating.
When you're ready, select Generate Frame.
Step 2 — Animate your scene
After your frame is generated, Scene Builder moves to the animation step.
Motion prompt (Optional) Add a short description of how you want the scene to move — for example, slow zoom into the shot. This field is optional; if left blank, Scene Builder will animate based on the generated frame and selected motion effects alone.
Motion effects Scene Builder will suggest motion effects based on your generated frame. Review and select the effects you want applied to the animation before generating.
When you're ready, select Generate Video.
Step 3 — Generating with Scene Builder
Scene Builder generates in two stages — you'll confirm inputs at each before proceeding.
Before generating your frame, confirm:
- Your scene description has been entered (minimum 10 characters)
- Any desired cinematic effects have been selected from the suggestions
Select Generate Frame to produce your still.
Before generating your video, confirm:
- Your frame has been generated
- Any desired motion effects have been selected from the suggestions
- An optional motion prompt has been added if you want to direct the movement
Select Generate Video. Scene Builder outputs at 720p.
Example outputs
| Scene Description | References | Cinematic Effects | Motion Effects | Output |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The fox family has a photo shoot | Style: Warm Film Stock, Golden Hour Subject: Nestled Together, Protective Poses Environment: Wildflower Meadow, Tall Grass Composition: Wide Shot, Family Centered in Landscape |
Camera: Slow dolly Forward Through Grass
Environment: Tall Grass Swaying in Slow Synchronized Waves |
||
| A lone figure walks through a foggy canyon at dawn |
Style: Moody Film Noir, High Contrast
Environment: Narrow Canyon Floor, Shadows Above |
Camera: Static Low Angle with Subtle Breathing Motion Character: Weight Shifting Slowly Between Feet Environment: Mist Descending Gradually Into Canyon Floor |
Next steps
You've used Scene Builder to go from a text description to an animated cinematic scene. From here, you might explore:
- [Upscale Video] — [Now that your video is created, upscale it to ensure you have the highest definition possible]
- [Creating with Seedance 2.0] — [Seedance can be a great way to expand upon the world you've created. Try using your video output as a referential input!]