Luma's Ray3 Modify: AI Video That Preserves Performance While You Rewrite the Scene
Ray3 Modify from Luma AI lets you capture a strong performance once and reshape everything around it-location, costume, even the character's appearance-without breaking continuity. For creative teams, this means fewer reshoots, tighter timelines, and more room to iterate.
The standout feature: it keeps human performance intact. Motion, timing, eye line, and emotional delivery stay true, while the scene adapts to your direction.
What's Different About Ray3 Modify
- Character Reference Transformation: Feed in reference images to convert an actor into a different character while preserving the original take.
- Start-End Frame Guidance: Provide a start and end frame and let the model create the in-between transition for smooth scene continuity.
As Luma AI's co-founder and CEO Amit Jain puts it: "Generative video models are incredibly expressive but also hard to control. Today, we are excited to introduce Ray3 Modify that blends the real-world with the expressivity of AI while giving full control to creatives."
Why This Matters for Creative Teams
- Reduce reshoots: Capture once, re-stage later. Fix wardrobe, lighting, or background without calling everyone back.
- Expand locations: Shoot in a controlled space and convert it into anywhere-historical sets, alien worlds, or hard-to-permit venues.
- Keep continuity: Maintain character details and performance consistency across sequences and campaigns.
- Move faster: Iterate on looks, tone, and transitions without resetting a physical set.
Practical Applications
- Costume Changes - Skip wardrobe resets; update outfits in post. Use cases: fantasy films, period pieces, brand campaigns.
- Location Transformation - Studio shoot, any location. Use cases: travel formats, historical recreations, sci-fi sets.
- Character Consistency - Lock in details across episodes and scenes. Use cases: animated hybrids, game cinematics, education.
- Scene Transitions - Generate fluid in-betweens from chosen frames. Use cases: music videos, documentary effects, social content.
How to Integrate Ray3 Modify Into Your Workflow
- Capture the performance: prioritize clear motion, eye line, and clean plates where possible.
- Set intent with frames: choose your start and end frames to define the transition.
- Add references: provide character or style images to guide look and costume shifts.
- Iterate in passes: lock movement first, then refine styling, lighting, and texture.
- QC for continuity: check eyelines, props, and scene logic before final export.
Access and Platform
Ray3 Modify is available through Luma's Dream Machine platform. You can learn more or request access here: Luma Dream Machine.
Competitive Context
Luma AI operates alongside players like Runway and Kling. The differentiator here is preservation of human performance paired with flexible modification-useful when you need authenticity from the talent while changing the world around them.
Budget, Timeline, and Scale
Luma AI recently raised $900M in a round led by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund-owned AI company Humain, with participation from a16z, Amplify Partners, and Matrix Partners. They're also planning a 2GW AI cluster in Saudi Arabia, pointing to large-scale production potential for studios that need consistent throughput.
What This Means for Your Productions
- Lower production risk: Fewer weather, permit, or location issues derail your shoot.
- More creative control: Lock performance early, explore multiple art directions later.
- Faster iteration cycles: Turn around client notes without reassembling a crew.
FAQs
- Who competes with Luma AI? Companies like Runway and Kling.
- Who leads Luma AI? Co-founder and CEO Amit Jain.
- Who are the investors? Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), Amplify Partners, Matrix Partners, and Humain.
- Where can I use Ray3 Modify? Through Luma AI's Dream Machine platform.
- Why was the recent funding notable? The $900M round supports expansion of AI video generation capabilities and infrastructure.
Next Steps for Creatives
If AI-assisted video is on your roadmap, start testing Ray3 Modify on a contained sequence: one performance, one environment swap, one start-end frame transition. Measure quality, time saved, and client response.
To stay current on tools and training, explore these resources:
The gap is closing between what you can imagine on set and what you can deliver in post. Use that to your advantage.
Your membership also unlocks:
