Join a team and compete to make a short creature feature. Using site specific locations in Balboa Park, we leverage AI tools to tell a short story in a 1 hour competition
We are a community of creators, writers, hackers, and filmmakers exploring the frontier of AI-powered video and storytelling.
We will focus on new methods of virtual production the include camera work and ai. Some say “hybrid.” That means you film people doing stuff and their performance is key to diving the end results. Often a fair amount of AI locations and characters are involved. Somewhat inspired by Virtual Production, but entirely possible with no green screen or 3D model. Just: 1) camera 2) actor 3) prompts and reference material.
We will teach accessible workflow for everyone to learn. You may bring your own sauce. Generally we have a rule that there are NO Gens before the clock starts. This time we make an expeption. Bring one image of the creature you plan to animate . (And no more than one image!). We will form teams around the community favorite creatures.
Many of us come from traditional backgrounds and bring our own strengths to compliment the new AI workflows. We are exploratory and run “Lab Sessions”. Visual sprints. We embrace AI while recognizing that intention and iteration are the antidote to slop.
Many events just talk about AI.
We actually use it.
Our meetings are fast-paced, social and hands on. You will meet collaborators, learn new tools, and actually create something during the session.
What happens in a session:
1. Introduction: (15 min)
Learn the core workflow and see examples:
idea –> outline –> images –> videos –> edit
2. Lightning Rounds (15 min)
Everyone who wants to show their creature, share how they made it, and recruit a team
(Please sign up on the list at the begining of the event)
3. Jam Sessions (60 mins)
Break into small groups and make AI videos together.
Each event has a theme to spark creativity
4. Screening and Hangout (30 min)
We watch what we made and vote on our favorite.
We draw from ideas in Pixar’s creative developments, and Agile Filmmaking. The human dynamic and review cycle is core, but everything happens faster with AI in the mix.
We accept people coming from many backgrounds. Just bring your passion and a charged cellphone. Laptop optional.
How does it actually work? When you form a team it’s good to have a writer leading. Often they are collecting ideas from the team and managing a thread with a chat bot of your choice. This lets your team make an outline, and define your characters and theme. Core images are then used to expand outwards to keyframes in a narrative and visual content using various generators. Advanced methods include filming video for input to control performance and visual dynamics. Standard methods use image to video, text to video and agentic workflows. Curation and sequencing establish your core story. Editing and sound level it up.
Meeting point : meet by the front steps of the Museum of Us between 1-1:15pm. We will be moving around.
Parking: walk along El Prado to the meeting point by parking either to the east near the Natural History Museum (recommend) or from the west near 6th Street and walk over the Cabrillo Bridge (slightly longer walk, may be less busy)
