Want to direct a movie? Try this new AI video generator for free

There’s a new AI video generator in town, and this one promises to make you feel like Steven Spielberg, at least a few frames at a time. Known as Frames, the tool takes descriptions of scenes that might be heard on a movie set and turns them into brief cinematic clips.

Coming from the minds at AI startup Runway, Frames is free for basic use but then runs anywhere from $15 a month to $1,500 a year. The freebie limits you to 105 one-time credits to generate videos. Use those up, and you’ll have to spring for one of the paid subscriptions. Those plans kick in a higher allotment of monthly credits, remove watermarks, offer greater storage, and tap into the Gen-3 Alpha model for the highest fidelity of video generation.

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After setting up an account and opting for the free basic plan or one of the paid flavors, you can try cooking up a video. First, choose your preferred model among Gen-3 Alpha Turbo, Gen-3 Alpha (only for paid users), or Gen-2. Depending on the model you pick, you can describe the video you want using text, upload an image on which to base the video, or combine the two methods.

Describing the video is both the tricky and unique part of Frames. Rather than writing a typical prompt, you’re asked to write more of a camera shot or angle as might be required for a motion picture or TV show. To get help with this, choose the Gen-3 Alpha Turbo model and then click the link for Guide. The guide explains how to write a prompt and offers a few examples.

You can specify the shot and angle, such as low angle, high angle, overhead, close up, macro, or over the shoulder. You can also describe the style of lighting, such as diffused, silhouette, backlit, or lens flare. Other elements to consider adding include movement types, aesthetics, and text style.

Here’s one example prompt suggested by Runway: “Low angle static shot: The camera is angled up at a woman wearing all orange as she stands in a tropical rainforest with colorful flora. The dramatic sky is overcast and gray.”

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To try one of the preset prompts, click the link for Examples. From there, you can apply such styles as cinematic dolly out, cinematic drone, close-up dolly in, fast motion, first-person view, or slow motion. You’re even able to create your own custom presets to use for future videos.

As you can tell from the styles, you’re essentially playing the role of a director of photography describing the movement for the camera person. It’s just that in this case, the camera person is AI.

To give Frames a helping hand, you can upload an image or video clip with the scene or person that you want to use in your production. You’re then able to choose specific camera movements, such as pan, tilt, and zoom.

When done, select the length for your video — 4 seconds, 5 seconds, or 10 seconds, depending on the model. Ask Frames to generate your video. In response, your short cinematic masterpiece appears for you to view.

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There’s more you can do in Frames to play with different prompts and generate cool videos; however, certain options require a paid subscription, another limitation of the free version. 

The main limitation is that the credits offered with a free account run out quickly. You’ll need to subscribe if you want to play further or use Frames every day. Either way, though, Frames is a cool AI generator that will put you in a virtual director’s chair without having to pay for film school.