Note: The short film featured in this video was created by digital artist Ray Jaffer as part of Runway's Gen:48 short film contest—a global creative challenge where filmmakers had just 48 hours to produce a complete film using AI. Ray used a combination of MidJourney for the visuals and Runway’s Gen-3 model to animate the scenes. The result is a beautifully stylized sci-fi story built entirely with artificial intelligence. This guide was inspired by the same process used to bring that project to life.
Yes, it’s now possible to create a stunning short film—from world-building to animation to editing—all by yourself using just two AI tools: MidJourney and Runway.
No camera. No crew. Just your imagination, a computer (or phone), and this guide.
In this detailed walkthrough, I’ll show you exactly how to go from idea to finished video—even if you’ve never used AI before.
You’ll walk away with a 1–3 minute short film made from AI-generated images and animations.
It’ll feel like a high-end movie trailer with:
Start small. Think of a story you could tell in under two minutes.
It could be a mood, a scene, or a mystery.
Write a one-sentence concept like: A robot explores an abandoned city searching for signs of life.
Now break that into 5–8 visual beats. These will become your scenes:
This gives you a visual roadmap. Now let’s turn that into frames.
Visit midjourney.com/app and log in. Make sure you’re on a paid plan. You’ll be using the prompt box directly on the site to generate everything.
Before generating your scenes, decide on your style. MidJourney works best when you’re consistent. Pick a vibe—cinematic sci-fi, watercolor fantasy, dark surrealism—and stick with it.
Try this prompt to establish your look:
cinematic shot of a futuristic robot walking through ruins, wide angle, golden hour lighting, dramatic, 35mm lens --ar 16:9
That final part, --ar 16:9, sets the aspect ratio to widescreen (perfect for video). Use it in every prompt to keep things consistent.
Now generate each beat of your story using a new prompt. Be specific with angles, lighting, and tone. For example:
close-up of a robotic eye scanning a dark hallway, moody lighting, shallow depth of field, film look --ar 16:9
Use camera terms like "35mm lens," "wide angle," or "over-the-shoulder" to control the visual framing.
Once you’re happy with the results, click the image, then click Download. Save each frame in a folder with numbered filenames (example: 01_city.jpg, 02_robot_walk.jpg, etc).
Go to runwayml.com and sign up (free accounts include enough credits to get started). From your dashboard, click Gen-3 Alpha or choose "Image to Video."
Select one of the MidJourney images you downloaded. Runway will open a text box where you can describe the animation you want.
For example:
slow push-in toward the robot’s face, dramatic lighting, smooth camera movement
You'll also see options for camera control.
Adjust sliders for:
Set the animation duration needed. Then click Generate.
In a few moments, you’ll have an animated video based on your still image.
Animate each MidJourney image using a different camera motion. Vary things up—use slow pans for environment shots and dramatic zooms for emotional moments. Keep it cinematic and deliberate.
When each clip is done rendering, download it and name it 01.mp4, 02.mp4, etc.
Back in Runway, go to the Editor tab and create a new video project. Drag your animated clips into the timeline in story order.
You can trim each clip, add transitions, and even overlay text if needed. Spend time getting the pacing right—3–5 seconds per shot usually works well.
Once the video flows smoothly from beginning to end, you're ready to add sound.
This step instantly makes your video feel complete.
Write a short narration if you want (optional). You can use a tool like ElevenLabs to generate a voiceover. Upload your audio and drag it under the video timeline.
Use a tool like Suno to generate a custom soundtrack. Prompt it with something like:
cinematic sci-fi score, dramatic strings, ambient textures, 90 BPM
Download the music track and import it into Runway. Make sure it fits the mood and pacing of your video.
Add subtle sound effects to bring your shots to life—robot footsteps, city ambience, whooshes for camera movement. You can use a tool like MMAudio to have AI automatically create those SFX and add them to your video.
Once everything is in place—images, animation, voice, and music—it’s time to export. Choose 1080p resolution (or 4K if available), and click Export.
Download your final video and upload it to YouTube, TikTok, Instagram Reels, or submit it to a short film competition.
What used to take teams of designers, editors, and animators… can now be done solo in a weekend.
Tools like MidJourney and Runway are leveling the playing field for filmmakers, artists, and storytellers.
If you’ve ever wanted to make a film but thought you didn’t have the gear or the skills—this is your moment.
Because if one person can make a full sci-fi short in 48 hours using nothing but AI, then you can too.
Start with a single prompt. Build your world. And let the story unfold.