JAILBIRD

Inspiration

JAILBIRD highlights how projects like the one featured in the film can benefit not only animals, but the lives of those who care for them.

I was inspired to make JAILBIRD as soon as I first heard about charities rehoming battery farm hens in prisons. At the time, I had intended for it to be a live-action piece and got in touch with one of the charities to gain access to the story. After communications went quiet, I decided to pitch my idea again using hand-drawn storyboards. This would also help me sell the vision of telling it from the chicken's perspective. Finishing the storyboards coincided with my first exposure to Open AI's Sora and I decided to test it out by describing a handful of shots I'd drawn. I was amazed with the results and was inspired to flesh out and generate the entirety of the storyboards. I then edited this generated footage together traditionally along with the sound design to produce JAILBIRD. I then sent this film along with the drawings to the charity who were excited to partner of a real life version of the film. As a result, this film is a testament to the potential role of AI in developing conceptual pieces.