Several decades ago, you had to go to extreme lengths to create special effects in film. Today, you can write a relatively simple prompt for abstract videos in Runway Gen-2 and you'll get a stunning visual.
Making videos like the ones you'll see in this article are probably my favorite thing to do on the Runway AI platform. I don't use them for anything in particular. Instead, I make them out of curiosity to see how this generative AI model will interpret my words.
These prompts are very different from most that you'll see in my other Runway-related articles. It's necessary to take a different approach than usual when you're creating abstract visuals.
If I were to create a landscape video, I would clearly describe what I want to see featured in the clip. But when I'm writing prompts like this, I intentionally leave a lot of room for interpretation.
You can use abstract videos in anything from short films to music videos. If you do any type of YouTube content, you might also find it useful to create short clips like the ones you'll see today.
How to Write Runway Gen-2 Prompts for Abstract Videos
The first thing I always mention in my prompts when I want to create visuals like this is a clear instruction to the AI model that it should generate an abstract video. This way, I know that it will interpret my words in the right way.
The next step is to describe an abstract concept or idea. Something that you wouldn't actually see in the real world. This is where your creativity should come into play. I was always fascinated with how the human psyche works and I love science-fiction. I think that combination makes it relatively easy for me to come up with ideas for abstract videos.
The videos you create with the Runway Gen-2 model last only four seconds. However, they can be extended multiple times. This is useful if you want to have a longer coherent clip.
Before I start sharing my prompt examples, I want to mention that you should pay attention to the vocabulary I'm using. If you read any of my other Runway Gen-2 articles, you'll notice that I usually use different terminology. But when it comes to abstract visuals, I always use terms that leave a lot of room for interpretation.
10 Runway Gen-2 Prompt Examples for Abstract Videos
Hopefully, the prompt examples I share with you today will inspire you to create some abstract visuals that you can use for your video content. I think that clips like this can be incorporated into a wide variety of content, but they probably make the most sense to use if you're creating a sci-fi or philosophical work.
prompt #1: abstract video, the metamorphosis of emotions illustrated through expressive movements and color transformations, an evolving spectrum of emotions
I usually keep all of my abstract prompts sort of vague in a sense that I don't mention specific colors or objects that I want featured in the video. Instead, I try to describe an abstract concept the best way that I can while leaving everything else open to interpretation as much as possible. After all, that's the process you use when you're making abstract art.
This is the type of clip that I would use in a sci-fi short film. It can be used to symbolize internal exploration and a range of emotions that people experience. If you only observe the clip without knowing what the prompt is about, you can also picture this type of video being used in a setting where an astronaut travels through a wormhole or something similar.
prompt #2: abstract video, an abstract representation of traveling through a wormhole, a hidden cosmic portal that transports you to a different dimension
When I saw the video that was generated from my first prompt, it instantly made me think about traveling through a wormhole. That's what inspired me to write this prompt. I had to explore the concept deeper.
Apart from that, Interstellar is one of my favorite movies of all time. And in that movie, there is a scene where the main character enters a black hole. This is somewhat similar to that scene. I feel like this is a clip that can also be used in either a short film or a music video. The visuals are stunning. Don't forget that you can extend a clip like this to make it longer if you want.
prompt #3: abstract video, a kaleidoscopic view of nature, where landscapes evolve and transform in a rapid succession of seasons
Wow! There is a lot happening in this four-second video. I love how fast-paced it is. I started making abstract art as soon as I first began using text-to-image AI tools. Of course, I wanted to use my prompting skills to see what type of abstract videos I could make as well.
I often go through phases where I can't think of anything abstract because I feel like I already wrote every type of abstract prompt I could. But then when I start coming up with ideas again, I can't stop.
prompt #4: abstract video, the convergence of ancient and modern symbols, as hieroglyphs and futuristic glyphs intertwine and transform in a captivating visual narrative
There is a famous saying by Friedrich Nietzsche that "time is a flat circle". Everything that will happen has already happened. The universe and reality itself is cyclical in nature. If we take that type of reasoning into consideration, then both the ancient and future coexist together. And that's basically what I tried to visually represent with this video.
Whenever I write abstract prompts, it puts me in a philosophical state of mind. And then I start thinking about concepts like this. Did civilizations as advanced as we are live on this planet millions of years ago? I guess we'll probably never know. But it is fun to think about it.
prompt #5: abstract video, the flow of time depicted through dynamic visual effects, where clocks warp and distort in a surreal exploration of temporal illusions
This is a clip that would be perfect to use in a music video. The first thing that came to my mind when I saw this clip was the song Time by Pink Floyd. They were so ahead of their time (pun intended), and I wonder if they were young today would they find ways to use artificial intelligence when making music. I personally think they would because of how they constantly experimented with their music.
prompt #6: abstract video, an algorithmic exploration of generative art, where lines of code birth mesmerizing visual compositions that evolve in unpredictable ways
This is an experiment that I also tried in Stable Diffusion and Midjourney. I essentially write a prompt that instructs the AI model to showcase how it creates generative art in an abstract way. Although the results I got from text-to-image models are great, this is on a whole new level.
You can essentially see a huge number of options being displayed at first, and then the AI model starts to narrow them down. That's at least how I interpret this video.
prompt #7: abstract video, the transcendence of color, as hues blend and bleed into one another, creating an ever-shifting palette
This loosely reminds me of some of the special effects you'd see in 2001: A Space Odyssey. That's back when computers weren't used for special effects. Instead, you'd have to find clever ways to get shots like this through light reflection and so on. We've truly come a long way in the span of several decades.
Videos like this show exactly why Runway Gen-2 can be a powerful tool for filmmakers. All you have to do is write a text description and the AI model will generate stunning visuals like this.
prompt #8: abstract video, the digital rain of code falling onto a virtual landscape, creating a hypnotic display of symbols and algorithms
I truly have no idea what to expect when I write a prompt like this and press the 'Generate' button. I have a lot of fun when I'm looking through the several videos produced from my prompt. This one felt like it best represented what I was describing. First of all, it's a hypnotic display. Secondly, it does look like digital rain.
I'm amazed by the fact that an AI model can interpret my words when I'm describing something so abstract and create a video that makes sense. I can't express in words how mind blowing this is to me. It's impossible for me to fathom that this is possible.
prompt #9: abstract video, the journey through an ever-morphing labyrinth of interconnected tunnels, where perspectives shift and warp in an infinite and disorienting maze
I'm expecting James Bond to pop out on the other end of the tunnel. All jokes aside, this does feel like an infinite and disorienting maze. It may seem like the end is near, but you'd likely never reach it if you were to go through this maze. This is a clip that I could picture being used in an indie mystery or horror film.
prompt #10: abstract video, the visual echoes of forgotten memories, where fragments of images and emotions converge and diverge in a dreamlike sequence
I interpret this video as if there is a brain in the center of this abstract design that's igniting neurons to trigger forgotten memories. It's truly mesmerizing.
Final Thoughts
I previously mentioned that I encourage you to check out the vocabulary that I use in these prompts. I think they play a significant role in how the videos turn out. You can use some of the same keywords that I used in my prompts.
Some of the keywords that I feel like are a great addition to prompts for abstract videos include "dreamlike sequence", "ever-evolving", "surreal exploration", "color transformations", and so on. You can find a lot of them in my prompts.
