THE PROCESS

  • As this process is all human-implemented it is the longest process. Pre-production generally takes the longest time. It can range from several weeks for simple web-series & animations to several months to years for short & feature film projects.

  • For our animation series there is no production stage and most of the work is done in both preproduction and post production. Voice over performers are incorporated in post production.

    For indie films & hybrid series, production can take several weeks to several months depending on the availability of resources such as filming crew, shooting venues, actor availability and so on.

  • With the use of AI in most post production, it has shorten the length of time for animations, special effects and background graphics.

    For Short Series, post production can take between weeks to months depending on the visual context of the scenes and quality monitoring of AI generative results.

    For Films post production methods incorporate more elements such as greenscreen, vfx, sound, fine tuning of raw footage as well as the incorporation of AI in background and visual effects as well as digital characters infused together with real actors. Depending on the genre, cinematography, visual complexity and time constraints it can take at least 4 to 8 months for post production to be completed.

  • Marketing strategies generally follow the same approach as other independent film projects. Short and feature films are initially submitted to film festivals, including both hybrid-AI festivals for projects that incorporate AI and traditional festivals. Afterward, they are distributed for revenue on various VOD platforms such as Mubi, Vimeo On Demand, and Amazon Prime.
    In contrast, animated series often consisting of short, regularly released episodes are made freely accessible to the public as an extension of showcasing ongoing stories online. These projects are not submitted to film festivals and are instead uploaded directly to the webpage, publicly available VOD platforms and Social Media.

  • Despite the overwhelming and often irritating presence of low-quality AI-generated content (AI SLOP) on social media and in online advertisements, along with the spread of fake news, misleading AI-generated media presented as real, and job losses linked to AI, it is important to recognize that these issues stem from the individuals who misuse the technology rather than the tool itself. Responsibility lies with the creators who deploy AI unethically or carelessly. While AI may contribute to the disappearance of certain jobs, it will also lead to the creation of new roles focused on managing, regulating, and overseeing AI systems.

    The use of AI has become widespread across the world, influencing not only technological advancements in everyday processes, clothing design, marketing, manufacturing, administration, transportation, and digital technologies, but also the film and music industries. Many CGI and VFX elements now incorporate AI technologies. Hollywood films such as The Brutalist (2024), Dune: Part Two (2024), Late Night with the Devil (2024), Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023), The Irishman (2019), and Marvel productions including Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and Shang-Chi : the Legend of the Ten Rings demonstrate how AI has been integrated into modern filmmaking. As AI usage continues to increase in major Hollywood productions, it has become an essential component of contemporary movie production.

    AI is a technological development that has become embedded in our daily lives, requiring society to adapt and accept the changing world in order to continue progressing and achieving success. However, while AI plays a significant role in the film industry, creativity such as concept design and story creation should remain human-driven. Likewise, the authentic talent of real actors should continue to be valued. Although AI may be capable of generating creative ideas and potentially replacing actors in many areas (such as tv commercials etc) in the near future, it cannot replicate unique ideas, stories and unique artistic expression. AI can only generate what has already been produced in the past. Additionally, in my experience, AI has yet to truly achieve the level of raw emotional complexity demanded by acting.

    Therefore, AI should be used as a supportive tool to enhance production efficiency and audience experience, rather than as a total replacement for human creativity and performance.

FILMS & HYBRID PROJECTS

Short or feature films generally follow traditional production methods, including hiring a crew, rehearsals, searching for filming locations, booking venues and filming live actors after the process of developing the storyline and script. The pre-production and production stages are entirely human-driven, with AI primarily introduced during post-production. At this stage, AI may be used for visual effects and graphic enhancements as a cost-effective alternative to CGI. Traditional VFX tools will still be used depending on the film as well as the use of greenscreen backgrounds. In addition to real actors, digital characters may be added as mainly background elements, and in some cases, interact with live performers. This integration relies heavily on graphic design tools and AI platforms to seamlessly merge the physical and digital worlds together.

In film, the production and post-production stages are not only time consuming but they also account for the highest costs. These expenses extend beyond venue hire, camera crews, and live performers to include professional composers, graphic platforms, and several AI programs used in the editing and finalization process.

Although the use of AI in post-production has greatly reduced costs compared to traditional projects, it can still remain costly and time-consuming to compose, manage, and maintain the quality of AI-generated outputs.

ANIMATIONS SERIES

In our animation process, AI is integrated into post-production as a more cost- and time-efficient alternative, but the process is not as simple as many might assume and is not always time-efficient, depending on the storyline, details & quality screening involved.

In our animation production, unlike live-action films or television shows, there is no traditional production stage. Most of the work occurs during preproduction, as there are no physical actors or real-world sets to film. During this phase, the story or script is developed by the story writer. Once the story is completed, the script is sent to voice-over actors - the real performers who bring the animation to life for rehearsal and recording. Afterward, a storyboard is created to visualize the scenes and establish timing.

Concept development then follows, including decisions on color schemes, themes, iconography, and character design. Throughout this visualization process, handmade illustrations are created by the filmmaker and producer. These simple sketches are used to plan and design scene backgrounds, characters, visual elements, and even key dialogue moments. Hand-drawn illustrations ensure that the creative ideas are human-initiated rather than generated by an AI platform.

The next stage is cinematography, though there are no real cameras to film in any animation project as there are no live performers, cinematography in animations still apply filming principles such as camera angles, lighting, composition and depth where each shot within a scene is carefully planned. From there, the primary setting is established, including the illustrated elements and background, before moving to the next phase.

In the post-production stage, the illustrations are submitted to a digital image generator (for eg: Nano Banana), which converts the hand-drawn artwork into high-resolution digital still images. Although there may be some variation between the original sketches and the digital versions, the core concepts and detailed descriptions remain unchanged. These digital images are typically produced at four times the standard resolution to ensure smooth and sharp transitions from still imagery to motion. The digital stills are then used to generate the animation.

Multiple platforms are used during animation production, with Dzine & Seedance Pro being the primary tools. Most tools offer a variety of features, including image generation, sound assets, and graphics for green-screen backgrounds. The digital still images are transformed into short animations of approximately ten seconds each. For each short scene, around 30–50 selected video generations are used; however, achieving the final result may require between 40 and 100 video generations for a single scene. The animations are then composed and sequenced to form each scene in order. During this stage, angle shots may be altered re-sketched and alternative still images reproduced and generated depending on its visual impact.

Next, sound design is created, including ambient background audio, sound effects, and music. After this stage, the voice-over performers submit their final recorded audio files. These voice recordings are embedded into the animations, and lip-syncing is applied to the characters. For lip-syncing, DZINE is used due to its high accuracy. The Narrator’s voice is also performed, recorded & added shortly after. Finally, every frame is carefully reviewed examining animation quality ie: resolution, sound intergration & eliminating generic AI animated errors such as unusual morphing, unnatural movements, inaccurate shapes and inconsistencies in facial details or objects, quality & timing of sound and music, review frame angles, pace, and overall flow of the whole animation. The final output is assembled using CapCut Pro before showcasing to the audience.