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Runway’s Act-One was a major simplification of facial-performance animation—but it is no longer available. Announced on October 22, 2024, the Gen-3 feature let a creator record a human performance with a single camera and use that recording to drive a generated character’s expressions, eye-lines, mouth movement, pacing, and delivery.
That made Act-One notable for accessibility rather than for eliminating animation altogether. It reduced the need for dedicated facial-motion-capture hardware and conventional face-rigging, while still depending on a carefully recorded performance and a suitable character image or video.
Runway’s Act-One was a major simplification of facial-performance animation—but it is no longer available. Announced on October 22, 2024, the Gen-3 feature let a creator record a human performance with a single camera and use that recording to drive a generated character’s expressions, eye-lines, mouth movement, pacing, and delivery.
That made Act-One notable for accessibility rather than for eliminating animation altogether. It reduced the need for dedicated facial-motion-capture hardware and conventional face-rigging, while still depending on a carefully recorded performance and a suitable character image or video.
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What Act-One did
Act-One was a generative video feature inside Runway’s Gen-3 Alpha model family. Its basic idea was straightforward: record an actor performing a line or scene, upload that “driving performance,” and provide a character image or video. Runway’s system then generated a performance for the character based on the actor’s visible facial and vocal performance.
The result was not traditional facial motion capture in the strict production sense. It was a generative interpretation of a performance. The model aimed to carry over details such as:
- eye direction and eye-lines;
- micro-expressions;
- mouth movement and speech-related expression;
- timing and pacing;
- the performer’s delivery and emotional emphasis.
Runway also presented Act-One as capable of transferring expressive performances to characters with different visual styles and proportions. That distinction mattered: the source actor did not have to look like the final character for the workflow to be useful.
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Expressive facial animation has traditionally required more than a good idea and a camera. Depending on the production, creators may need facial-capture equipment, multiple reference cameras, tracking or cleanup, a prepared character rig, and an animator who can correct the result. Those requirements are reasonable for a large production but can be prohibitive for an independent filmmaker, animator, game developer, or small studio.
Act-One compressed much of that setup into a video-generation workflow. Runway’s launch material described a simple, single-camera recording rather than dedicated facial-mocap hardware. The practical benefit was that a performer could concentrate on acting, while the system attempted to translate the performance into a generated character.
That did not make a professional animation pipeline obsolete, and it did not amount to full-body motion capture. The documented emphasis was expressive character performance—especially the face and mouth—inside a generative video system.
How the Act-One workflow worked
1. Record a driving performance
The actor first recorded the performance that would drive the generated result. Runway’s launch examples showed an at-home, single-camera setup. The important input was a clear video of the performer delivering the expression, dialogue, and timing that the character should reproduce.
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A stable recording setup was useful here. A smartphone tripod or stable phone mount could help keep the face consistently framed during the take. That was an accessory for improving the recording—not required facial-mocap hardware, and not a claim that Act-One required a particular brand or device.
2. Supply a character image or video
The creator then provided the target character as an image or video. That character could be generated in Runway or supplied from another source, subject to the platform’s supported inputs and policies at the time.
Act-One used the driving performance as the expressive source and the character asset as the visual target. In principle, this allowed one actor’s performance to animate characters with substantially different designs, proportions, or visual styles.
3. Generate the character performance
The system generated a new clip in which the target character reflected aspects of the source performance. The historical Gen-3 Alpha documentation listed a maximum output duration of 30 seconds and an output rate of 24 frames per second.
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Runway described Act-One as preserving characteristics including eye-lines, micro-expressions, pacing, and delivery. Those descriptions come from Runway’s product presentation and documentation; they should not be read as an independent benchmark proving perfect or universal transfer.
4. Adjust motion intensity
The historical interface included a Motion Intensity control from 1 to 5:
| Setting | Practical effect |
|---|---|
| Lower values | Favored a steadier, more restrained result. |
| Higher values | Produced more expressive or pronounced motion. |
This was a useful creative trade-off. A subtle dramatic scene might benefit from stability, while a broad or highly emotional performance might need more intensity. More motion was not automatically better: exaggerated settings could make a generated character feel less controlled or less consistent.
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What kind of recording worked best?
Act-One reduced equipment requirements, but it did not remove the need for disciplined capture. Runway’s historical guidance recommended:
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- a well-lit, forward-facing subject;
- clear, visible facial features;
- one face in frame, approximately from the shoulders upward;
- the face remaining visible for the entire clip;
- clear mouth movement;
- no facial occlusions;
- no cuts within the driving-performance clip.
When animating a character image, the guidance also favored minimal head and body movement. That requirement highlights the tool’s focus: it was primarily transferring expressive facial performance, not tracking every movement a performer could make.
Good lighting was another practical priority. A ring light or small LED video light could make facial features and mouth movement easier to see, but it was an optional recording aid rather than a stated Act-One requirement. Keep the light soft enough to avoid harsh shadows across the eyes and mouth.
A simple capture checklist
- Place the camera at approximately eye level.
- Use a stable mount rather than holding the phone throughout the take.
- Frame one performer from roughly the shoulders upward.
- Face the camera and keep the face visible.
- Light the eyes, cheeks, and mouth evenly.
- Remove sunglasses, masks, hair, or other objects that obscure facial features.
- Record the complete performance without cuts.
- Make speech and mouth movements clear.
- For a still character image, keep unnecessary head and body movement limited.
- Record several takes with different emotional intensity so you have alternatives.
A separate lavalier microphone could be useful when recording dialogue, particularly in a noisy room, but the available Act-One documentation does not establish that one was required. Audio equipment and facial-performance capture should be treated as separate considerations: a microphone can improve voice recording, while stable framing and visible facial features support the visual transfer.
Historical credits and availability
At launch, Act-One ran on Gen-3 Alpha and was later added to Gen-3 Alpha Turbo. The historical Help Center documentation listed:
| Historical model | Listed credit rate | Listed minimum | Maximum output |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gen-3 Alpha | 10 credits per second | 50 credits | 30 seconds |
| Gen-3 Alpha Turbo | 5 credits per second | 25 credits | 30 seconds |
The feature was documented as available on the web and iOS at the time. Runway’s November 22, 2024 changelog update recorded the addition of Act-One to Gen-3 Alpha Turbo, which Runway described as faster and more affordable than the original Gen-3 Alpha workflow.
These figures are historical only. Gen-3 Alpha and Gen-3 Alpha Turbo have since been retired, so their credit rates should not be used to choose a current Runway plan or estimate a present-day project budget.
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- COMPLETE CAPTURE SET Includes bodysuit, head cover, fingerless gloves, and shoe covers to support full body tracking requirements. The hook-and-loop marker system allows markers to be attached and adjusted easily according to different capture needs.
- STRETCH AND BREATHABLE FABRIC Made from 85% nylon and 15% spandex fabric, providing flexibility, comfort, and freedom of movement during motion capture sessions.
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Act-One versus conventional facial capture
| Act-One’s approach | Traditional production considerations |
|---|---|
| A recorded driving performance | May use dedicated facial-capture equipment and multiple references |
| A supplied character image or video | Often requires a prepared, trackable character and facial rig |
| Generative translation into a character performance | May involve tracking, retargeting, rigging, and manual animation cleanup |
| Fast experimentation across character designs | Can offer greater deterministic control once the pipeline is prepared |
The trade-off is control. A conventional rigged pipeline can provide precise, repeatable control over individual facial shapes, timing, and corrections. A generative system can lower the barrier to entry and produce expressive results quickly, but it may require iteration and may not preserve every detail consistently from take to take.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What Act-One did not solve
It was not full-body motion capture
Act-One’s documented use case centered on facial expression and mouth movement. It should not be described as a replacement for a full-body mocap stage or a complete performance-capture pipeline. Creators needing broader body and gesture transfer should evaluate tools designed for that purpose, including Runway’s current Act-Two offering.
It still needed a camera and a usable performance
“No extra motion-capture equipment” did not mean “no recording equipment.” The workflow still required a driving-performance video, and poor framing, inadequate light, occluded features, cuts, or unclear mouth movement could undermine the result.
It was not a guarantee of perfect continuity
Runway promoted Act-One’s ability to work across camera angles and generate cinematic, realistic output. Those claims should be attributed to Runway rather than treated as independent performance testing. As with other generative video tools, creators should expect to review outputs for identity drift, inconsistent details, unnatural mouth shapes, or changes in expression between frames.
Act-One then and Runway now
Act-One belongs to Runway’s Gen-3 generation. Runway’s current Help Center says the feature is no longer available because Gen-3 Alpha was retired on July 8, 2026, followed by Gen-3 Alpha Turbo on July 30, 2026.
The closest current context is not a restored Act-One interface but a newer collection of tools:
- Act-Two: Runway’s current character-animation option driven by a performance video. Runway’s current model information lists it at 5 credits per second, although current pricing, plan access, and availability can change.
- Gen-4.5: Runway’s current generation model for text-to-video and image-to-video workflows.
- Animate Frames: A keyframe-oriented option for controlling motion between selected frames.
- Aleph 2.0: A video-to-video editing and transformation tool for modifying existing footage.
These tools are not interchangeable. Act-Two is the most relevant place to start when the goal is character animation driven by a performance video. Gen-4.5 is more appropriate for generating video from text or images, Animate Frames for keyframe-focused control, and Aleph 2.0 for editing or transforming existing footage. Check Runway’s current model and pricing pages before committing to a workflow because model names, credit costs, and plan availability are volatile.
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Was Act-One a game changer?
In a specific sense, yes. Act-One made expressive facial character animation more accessible by allowing a creator to start with an ordinary recorded performance instead of specialized facial-mocap hardware and a conventional rigging setup. That was especially meaningful for independent creators and small teams testing characters, scenes, and visual styles.
But “game changer” should not be confused with “complete replacement for animation.” Act-One still depended on good capture conditions, generated rather than perfectly tracked the result, and focused primarily on facial performance. Its historical importance lies in compressing a technically demanding part of production into a simpler generative workflow—not in making every part of character animation automatic.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Act-One work without a camera?
No. Act-One required a driving-performance video recorded with a camera. What it avoided was dedicated facial-motion-capture hardware and, in the documented workflow, a conventional manual face-rigging pipeline.
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No. Act-One focused mainly on expressive facial performance, including facial expressions and mouth movement. It should not be treated as a full-body motion-capture system.
Can you still use Runway Act-One?
No. Runway’s current Help Center says Act-One is no longer available. Gen-3 Alpha was retired on July 8, 2026, and Gen-3 Alpha Turbo on July 30, 2026.
What replaced Act-One?
Act-Two is the most directly relevant current Runway option for character animation driven by a performance video. Gen-4.5, Animate Frames, and Aleph 2.0 address different generation, keyframe, and video-editing workflows.
The Bottom Line
Bottom line: Act-One was Runway’s Gen-3-era system for turning a single recorded acting performance into an expressive generated-character performance. It lowered the hardware and rigging barrier, but it was not full-body motion capture or a guarantee of production-ready continuity. The feature is now retired, so current users should investigate Act-Two and Runway’s newer generation and editing tools instead.
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