Experimenting with GenAI: A Character Animation Study

I’ve been feeling a lot of anxiety around GenAI video tools lately. 

This character animation test was a way for me to confront those feelings head-on. I created this using a MidJourney-to-Luma workflow, and it’s a cut scene character exploration for a long-form live action documentary feature I’m working on.

The animation features a character study that blends traditional Chinese motifs with modern AI-generated aesthetics. The character’s movements feel constrained, and there’s still an awkwardness in translating complex emotions and gestures into smooth motion.

At the same time, the potential of these tools is undeniable. They’re incredibly powerful. I worry about the ethical implications for our industry. Will this tech replace skilled artists and animators who have spent their lives mastering their craft? How do we, as a creative community, reconcile the power of these tools with the threat they pose to jobs? And as the tools improve, will they be used responsibly, or will they accelerate the erosion of craftsmanship in storytelling? Will something like universal income become necessary as the workforce shifts? These are questions I don’t yet have answers to, but they’re becoming more urgent as AI continues to evolve.

For now, I’m experimenting, learning, and questioning—and I hope to keep the conversation going as we navigate this new landscape together. The questions are urgent: If it’s becoming this easy to recreate rich cultural visuals and Pixar-style animation, where do we go from here?

 

 

 

Posted: 2024-10-04