Gen-4 References Overview | ImagineArt

With Runway Gen-4 References x ImagineArt, users can create character-driven stories, branded product advertisements, cinematic experiences, mockups and architectural visualizations inside the ImagineArt ecosystem at speed and scale.

What is Gen-4 References?

Gen-4 References is Runway’s image reference system that lets you anchor characters, blend multiple styles, and carry consistency across creative assets. It’s designed to make image generation faster, more flexible, and directly usable in video pipelines.

Same Object - Different Locations

Features of Gen-4 References

Gen-4 References is a major update in Runway’s generative AI tools, and within ImagineArt, it is completely changing the game for creatives, marketing professionals, Ai filmmakers, non-technical designers, game developers and interior designers.

Here are top 8 state-of-the-art features of Gen-4 References:

1. Diverse Reference Images

With Gen-4 References, you can add characters, styles, objects, typefaces and locations as reference anchors.

Object Placements with gen-4 References

With reference anchors, users can:

• add color to black and white images
• edit object placements
• create new environments
• create multiple ad variations for A/B testing
• create product variations for customizations
• create virtual try-ons for service based businesses

and so much more that I have discussed in the creative possibilities section.

2. Character Consistency

One of the biggest wins with Gen-4 References is being able to “lock in” a character and carry them across multiple images: scenes and scenarios, in different locations and settings, and in different stories.

Instead of generating a new look every time, you can keep the same face, build different outfits, and place them in new environments.

Character Consistency

It’s a simple but powerful way to create narrative continuity in film storyboards, web series, documentaries, video game iterations, brand guidelines (like mascots), or a recurring campaign.

3. Brand and Style Transfers

Gen-4 References can carry over brand colors, patterns, or even typefaces across different assets.

I experimented swapping colors and textures with branded motifs, and promotional text styled to match a campaign’s moodboard and Gen-4 did wonders. Overall, it matched the creative outputs to the larger brand story.

4. Image-to-Video Pipeline

While Runway has always been a video-centric platform, the References feature is bridging the image generation gap.

You can generate consistent characters or assets in images, then port them directly into Gen-4 Video or Act Two. That means fewer redesigns, less backtracking, and much stronger continuity across entire sequences.

5. Sketch Layout

With Gen-4 References, you can start visualizing fantastic ideas with just stick figures and mind-map type diagrams.

With Sketch Layout, you can upload a rough sketch, like a quick doodle or a wireframe, and let the model build it into a detailed render.

As a designer or marketer, you can use this feature for ad layouts, mockups, and scene planning.

https://x.com/runwayml/status/1928127807978094649

— Runway (@runwayml) May 25, 2025

6. Guide Character Gaze

Eyes tell the story, period. In Gen-4 References, users can now guide characters’ gaze and direct where a character is looking to add subtle, yet important realism.

7. Remove or Change Backgrounds

Background editing is a classic design need, and Gen-4 makes it nearly effortless.

Swap out a dull environment for something striking, or isolate a product with a clean backdrop.

For brands, this means quickly creating adaptive ad campaigns without reshooting. As a creator, you can reimagine entire scenes in seconds.

Remove Background

8. Turbo Image Generation

AI image generation has raised the quality bar for design while increasing the rendering speed. And speed matters all the more when you’re iterating multiple visuals and concepts.

Gen-4 References is also part of Runway’s Turbo Image Generation, which means spin up variations based on a reference and refine them until they click.

It’s especially handy for pre-visualization, storyboarding, or exploring different creative angles before committing to a final design.

What can you create with Gen-4 References?

The creative possibilities with Gen-4 References are endless. Yet, here are top 15 ways to use Gen-4, right from our community.

1. Interior design mockups

Create living room redesigns, office layouts, and full architectural previews.

https://x.com/vkuoo/status/1921364340223201435

— vkuoo (@vkuoo) May 18, 2025

2. Clothing brand photoshoots

Generate new outfits, seasonal collections, and consistent product catalog shots.

3. Movie scene iterations / previsualization

Build alternate takes, camera angles, and entire scene storyboards.

4. AI trailers & AI documentaries

Stitch characters into dynamic cuts, environments, and narrative flows.

5. CGI ads / product backgrounds

Swap environments, remove clutter, and stage cinematic commercial shots.

CGI Ads

6. Stylized text → typeface demos

Explore new fonts, branded lettering, and text-as-visual effects.

https://x.com/runwayml/status/1922003570427093415

— Runway (@runwayml) May 19, 2025

7. Moodboard-to-scene builds

Translate color palettes, sketches, and rough references into polished visuals.

8. Pattern/texture transfers

Apply fabrics, graphic patterns, and brand motifs across ad assets.

https://x.com/runwayml/status/1924465092512428255

— Runway (@runwayml) May 23, 2025

9. Video Game Concept Art and Assets

Create complete game characters, settings, props and transitions with Gen-4 References.

10. Virtual Try-ons

Show virtual try-on like samples for different color variations, without deploying Augmented Reality like Sephora!

https://x.com/runwayml/status/1921915859913568517

— Runway (@runwayml) May 19, 2025

11. Real Estate advertisements

Create real-looking advertisements for residential, commercial and luxury properties.

https://x.com/DantemanueleS/status/1922022018968355083

— Daniele S. (@DantemanueleS) May 19, 2025

12. AI Storytelling Series

Create character-driven stories and animated series across long-form scripts.

13. Short and Commercial AI Films

Create feature films from previsualization to Act-Two with performance continuity.

14. Professional AI-Powered Product Photography

Do mockups, photoshoot iterations, fashion/product styling, everything AI-powered with speed and scale.

Product Mockups

How Runway Gen-4 is different from other models that offer image referencing and consistency?

With the biggest differentiator, Sketch Layout, Gen-4 lets you draw rough silhouettes or diagrams and edit/turn them into cinematic frames. No other model on the market currently delivers this level of creator-driven control.

• Gen-4 References vs Gen-4 Legacy Tools (Gen-1, Gen-2, earlier Gen-4)

References is altogether new in the Runway ecosystem so the older models didn’t really have any reference anchoring.

While other AI image and video generators like Imagen 4, Veo 3 and GPT 4o already offered image to image and image to video, characters and styles couldn’t carry across shots. Gen-4 References fixes this gap with multi-reference consistency.

• Gen-4 References vs Flux Kontext

Flux excels at imaginative narrative stills, but Runway is built for production pipelines.

Gen-4 References moves designs from sketch to final scene under 25 minutes.

• Gen-4 References vs Ideogram Characters

Ideogram is strong in stylized, graphic-heavy characters, while Runway focuses on cinematic realism. Gen-4 References bridges ads, films, and storytelling in a more lifelike way.

• Gen-4 References vs GPT / DALL·E 3

GPT models can manage session-based consistency but don’t deeply anchor references. Runway makes characters and settings “stick” across multiple media.

How to Use Gen-4 References

Use Gen-4 References Within ImagineArt

ImagineArt has integrated Runway’s Gen-4 References directly into its AI image generator which means users can pull in reference images through simple placeholders.

From there, you can layer text prompts, add multiple reference types (characters, objects, styles), and generate ready-to-use images. Click ‘Animate’ and AI video generator will create video under 3 minutes.

Recommended Read: How to use Runway Gen-4 References

Prompting Guide

Right prompts can change the overall game of Gen-4 References. To get the most out of Gen-4, start by prompting for character consistency across frames.

For example

Step 1: upload a headshot as a reference for your character

Step 2: upload a location image

Step 3: generate the same character in referenced or different settings.

You can also combine multiple references, such as a character with an environment or a clothing pattern, and use text prompts to refine the scene.

This makes it easy to run style transfers, apply branded textures, or ensure continuity across your creative assets.

Check this detailed Gen-4 References Prompt Guide

Pros and Cons of Gen-4 References

Pros of Gen-4 References

• Fast rendering speed

Gen-4 references renders images faster because it’s part of Runway’s turbo image generation.

• Synced Image-to-video pipeline

With introduction of Gen-4 References, now users can go from image to video faster, within the same ecosystem, which means smoother workflow.

• Multi-reference system (characters + environments)

Users can anchor up to 3 references for creating a final output image.

Cons of Gen-4 References

• Needs work on character fidelity

Flux and Ideogram have raised bars for character consistency. They offer stronger fidelity and more narrative freedom when editing multi-context images.

• Requires strong prompting knowledge

Technically sound users, non-designers as well as designers need a solid grasp of prompt engineering and reference handling within Runway’s workflow to get the most out of Gen-4 References.

Who should use Gen-4 References?

Gen-4 References is opening new creative possibilities for literally hobbyists to content creators to professionals and brands. Yet it is a superb speed and scaling solution for:

• Filmmakers & storytellers who want to save valuable production time by keeping characters and scenes consistent, all while maintaining a cinematic look and feel.
• Brands that want to reduce campaign costs by reusing styles and assets, yet still deliver polished visuals that stay true to their brand identity.
• Designers & creatives interested in quickly transforming sketches and moodboards into finished concepts while they can avoid the need for lengthy and expensive revisions.
• Content creators planning to produce stylish ads, shorts, and trailers at scale and delivering high-quality content without the weight of heavy production budgets.

Runway Gen-4 References Pricing

Runway's subscription tiers start at $15/month, yet with ImagineArt, you can access Runway's Gen-4 within the complete AI creative suite for $10/month on a yearly plan.

Runway x ImagineArt

ImagineArt is a complete AI creative suite for images, videos, audio, music and short form content: and it is powered by 45+ AI image and video models. The addition of Runway Gen-4 References to the ImagineArt ecosystem means users can enjoy speed, style, structure and scale while creating awesome visuals.

Ready to generate stunning images and videos?