CLOWN

Inspiration

I was inspired by a Dove campaign video, The code. It talks about the impact of AI on beauty, and aims to keep beauty real. Being real is not an easy thing for many persons. So I wanted to explore the psychological weight of constantly trying to meet others’ expectations, and how that process can distort one’s identity. The clown becomes a powerful symbol for this, a character who exists to entertain, hiding emotion beneath a painted smile.

What it does

The central message of Clown is about the cost of self-erasure. It delves into how societal judgment and discrimination can slowly strip someone of their sense of self. It’s a meditation on identity and the quiet forms of violence women endure when their true selves aren’t seen or valued.

How we built it

FIVE AI tools were used in this film: 1. Runway - all transition shots are generated by Runway (Generate Video, Gen-3 Alpha Turbo). 2. Midjourney - all stop motion animations are generated by Midjourney (Retexture, Version 6.1). 3. Autodesk - two robots animations are generated by Autodesk (Wonder Dynamics, Advanced). 4. Artlist - all voiceover are generated by Artlist (AI voiceover). 5. ChatGPT - The script was partly inspired by ChatGPT (GPT-4o).

Challenges we ran into

The biggest challenge was maintaining visual coherence. AI can produce stunning images, but making sure they served the narrative and didn't feel disconnected was crucial. It took time to refine prompts and integrate AI elements seamlessly with live-action footage so that the film still felt emotionally grounded.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

AI significantly enhanced my video creation process in ways that would have been extremely difficult to achieve manually. I utilized Runway to generate seamless transition clips, which helped maintain a consistent flow throughout the video. With Runway’s AI capabilities, I was able to generate transitions that felt organic and visually cohesive, saving a tremendous amount of time while elevating the overall quality of the production.

What we learned

I was surprised by its creative imagination. Despite being machine-made, they evoked a deep sense of the uncanny, especially those transforming contents. That subtle discomfort or distortion actually matched the story’s tone perfectly.

What's next for CLOWN

The future of film industry I envision is one where AI supports, not replaces artistic intention.

Built With

• artlist
• chatgpt
• midjourney
• runway
• wonder