Let’s just say it upfront: hands are the bane of AI-generated art. You would think something as basic as fingers would be a no-brainer for AI. Fat chance. At this stage in the development of generative AI images, we find ourselves constantly adjusting, refining, and ultimately compromising that (I thought) basic feature of human anatomy. Mangled AI hands are one of those things that, when not quite right, can frustrate your brilliant scene idea faster than bad acting. But that’s the reality of where we’re at with AI. It’s quirky, unpredictable, and absolutely fascinating.
Consistency is another beast altogether. Crafting a character that looks the same from one frame to the next is a challenge I underestimated. It’s not just about matching the look—it’s about keeping the “soul” of your characters and keeping that “essence” intact across scenes. With AI, the process feels like trying to hold smoke in your hands: tangible for a moment, then shifting shape before you can lock it down. But that’s also part of the excitement, isn’t it? There’s a rawness to it, like building a sandcastle with waves crashing nearby.
Animating these AI images is a glimpse into a future that’s just beginning to unfold. When I think about where we are right now with the current AI storytelling tools, it’s reminiscent of the internet in the late ’90s, back when Netscape was “new,” and the amazing promise of HTML was only starting to be understood. Back then, we couldn’t possibly imagine the full scale of what was coming—social media, e-commerce empires, virtual worlds. But some of us knew transformation was at our doorsteps. Similarly, AI filmmaking feels like we’re standing at the edge of something massive but still undefined. The tools are here, but the language is still being written.
While AI filmmaking doesn’t need cranes, massive crews, or million-dollar lenses that capture every pore and wrinkle, AI storytelling still demands the same commitment to the craft of storytelling! The attention to detail is still there, just redirected. Instead of scouting locations, we’re designing worlds from scratch. Instead of auditioning actors, we’re generating them. It is still the same age-old craft of storytelling. To use AI well demands the same commitment to crafting a good story, just with the new tools and the new type of artistry and craftsmanship it demands. The process can be just as exhausting, exhilarating, and when done well, satisfying. It’s still about making the story breathe, just with different lungs.
So what does the future look like? Honestly, I think we’re going to see AI and traditional filmmaking converging, not clashing. It’s not about replacing one with the other; it’s about adding another brushstroke to the canvas. AI will amplify storytelling in ways we’re only beginning to imagine, allowing for narratives that can shift, adapt, and personalize based on who’s watching.
And here’s the thing: what the internet did for data and what YouTube did for video, AI is about to do for storytelling. It’s democratizing the process, cracking open the gates that have long been guarded by traditional studios and big-budget productions. Suddenly, stories that were once too risky, too niche, or just too far outside the mainstream to get greenlit by Hollywood can now find a voice.
I am anxious to see what comes of this “brave new world” of storytelling. Soon, diverse narratives can finally get their fair shot. Storytellers will no longer need their stories to check off some commercial checklist to be produced—AI and the new technologies it is bringing will allow these stories to exist on their own terms. AI will broaden representation, not only in terms of who is on screen, but just as importantly who is telling the story. The tools are coming, the possibilities absolutely expansive, and the control is shifting from the corporate boardrooms to the hands of creators who want to tell the stories only they can tell.
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