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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchFor a broadly compatible starting point, export your Blender animation as an MP4 containing H.264 video, then check the exact AI tool and upload workflow for its current requirements. MP4 is the container; H.264 is the video codec inside it. A matching filename extension alone does not guarantee a compatible file.
What format should you export from Blender?
Use MP4 with H.264 as a practical delivery candidate when the destination does not specify another format. Blender uses FFmpeg for video encoding and decoding, and its current manual documents MP4 and H.264. Runway’s supported-file guide also lists that combination and recommends trying H.264 in MP4 when a file type or codec causes an error. This is a starting point, not a guarantee for every service, model, or upload screen.
A container such as MP4 or MOV packages streams; a codec such as H.264 or ProRes encodes the video stream. To meet an upload requirement, both must be acceptable. Renaming a file from .mov to .mp4 does not convert its contents.
Check the official requirements for the particular feature you plan to use. Compare accepted container and codec, file-size limit, duration, resolution, aspect ratio, frame rate, audio, and any HDR or transparency requirements. Product limits can vary by feature and change over time.
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Examples of AI video input requirements
| Destination or workflow | Published video requirements | What to take from them |
|---|---|---|
| Runway supported-file help | The help page lists MP4 with H.264, H.265/HEVC, or AV1; MOV with H.264, H.265/HEVC, and specified Apple ProRes profiles; and additional combinations including MKV, WebM, 3GP, and Ogg with listed codecs. | The list is general guidance; it does not establish that every model or feature accepts every listed combination. Check the mode-specific instructions. Runway supported file types |
| Runway developer API video inputs | The documentation lists a 32 MB limit for video submitted by URL, 16 MB for a data URI, and 200 MB for ephemeral upload. | These limits depend on the API input method. Do not apply them to the web app without confirmation. Runway developer input documentation |
| Adobe Firefly video-to-video | MP4 or MOV under 200 MB and 5–20 seconds; the feature page suggests 5–10 seconds for best results. | These requirements are for Firefly’s video-to-video feature, not all Firefly tools. Adobe Firefly video-to-video |
Render and export the animation in Blender
1. Set up the scene
Set the scene’s frame range, frame rate, resolution, and output directory. Decide whether the AI workflow needs audio; add an audio stream only if it is relevant and accepted by the destination.
2. Choose a direct render or an image sequence
For a short, straightforward render, you can output directly to video. For an expensive render or one you may need to resume or encode with different settings, render a numbered image sequence first. Blender’s file-format guidance recommends image sequences when resumability or encoding flexibility matters: an interrupted direct-to-video render can leave an unusable output.
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PNG is suitable for on-screen output and later video encoding. If your workflow needs higher-dynamic-range image data for compositing or color grading, use OpenEXR as an intermediate sequence; it is not itself an upload-ready video. See the Blender image formats manual and Blender render output formats manual. The latter is for Blender 2.81, so check your installed version if its menu labels differ.
3. Encode an MP4 with H.264
To encode a sequence, load it in Blender’s Video Sequence Editor, set the output format to FFmpeg, choose the MP4 container, and select H.264 for the video codec. Blender notes that H.264 requires the output width and height to be divisible by two. If a destination specifies a different supported combination, use that instead. Consult the Blender video formats manual for current format details.
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Play the exported file before uploading it. Check its duration, dimensions, frame rate, file size, and whether it meets the destination’s SDR/HDR and audio expectations. Confirm the actual container and codec rather than relying on the filename. If an upload fails, re-encode to an accepted combination instead of changing the extension.
Troubleshoot common upload problems
The tool rejects a file ending in .mp4
The extension does not prove which codec is inside the file. Inspect the media details or re-encode it with the required codec and container. If the service documents support for it, try H.264 in MP4.
The file exceeds the size limit
Where the workflow permits, shorten the reference clip, reduce resolution, or lower the bitrate while keeping enough visual detail for the task. Check the specific service and submission method: Firefly’s video-to-video limit and Runway’s API limits differ, and an API limit should not be assumed to apply to a web upload.
The upload works, but the result is poor
Check that the reference’s duration, resolution, and frame rate fit the selected feature, and that it clearly contains the motion or action the tool is meant to use. Individual modes can impose additional constraints. For example, Runway documents duration, resolution, frame rate, aspect ratio, and cut-count limits for Edit Studio; those limits should not be generalized to other Runway models.
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The animation uses transparency or HDR
Confirm that the destination supports the feature and the specific encoding. Blender documents alpha and HDR capabilities by codec, and not every delivery format carries them. For a standard reference upload, SDR without transparency is a conservative choice unless the destination says otherwise.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Keep a master for future exports
If you may need another codec, size, or upload version later, keep the rendered image sequence or a high-quality master and encode delivery files from it. Blender cautions against post-processing a lossy-compressed file because compression artifacts can become visible. Re-encoding from the sequence or master avoids using an already-compressed upload copy as the source for another version.
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