Inspiration
ReHEAT was inspired by what I see every month at my local Repair Café.
People arrive holding toasters, radios, lamps, small everyday things they think are beyond saving. Yet with the simplest fix, a wire tightened, a screw replaced, or a quick clean, their objects come back to life, and their joy makes me proud every time.
We live in a time of endless consumerism, where it’s often easier to replace than repair. But I’ve realised most people would treasure their things more if they had a hand in saving them.
ReHEAT is about that moment when something thought to be finished isn’t.
How We Built It
The film was built using a mix of LTX AI tools, my own photography, and Photoshop composites.
I used LTX to achieve that timelapsed sense of scale I love from Samsara, jumping between worlds in seconds so the story could feel bigger and reflect the energy that goes into making even simple products.
Sound design by the wonderful Clark Fizaz combined AI-generated layers with real-world recordings. He composed additional music, placed and edited sound effects from his own library, and I designed sounds to support the rhythm of the visuals and music.
Challenges We Ran Into
Keeping the kettle consistent across shots became a running battle, as AI loves to redesign things every time.
When I had a specific image in mind, writing the right prompt was harder than expected. I often had to roughly Photoshop my own photos together, feed that back into AI to fix the composition, and then use Flux to animate it.
For some reason, AI really struggled with a simple hand flicking a switch. That one shot alone probably used up about 25% of my credits, but it was worth it. It became a key turning point in the film.
$$ \text{Persistence} = \text{Patience} + \text{Photoshop} + \text{Flux (and a bit of luck)} $$
Accomplishments That We're Proud Of
ReHEAT was our first AI film, and I’m proud of how we pulled it together, blending real images, imagination, and a lot of trial and error.
It reminded me that even with new technology, what matters most is intent, the story you’re trying to tell.
Next, we want to leave the real world behind entirely and stretch what’s possible, to see how far imagination can go when it’s unbound by physics, place, or logic.
What We Learned
We learned to guide AI toward imperfection. The best moments came when digital precision met human roughness, when something slightly off felt more real than perfect.
Technically, we discovered that working with AI isn’t about control; it’s about patience, experimenting, and knowing when to change tack to get a better result.
What's Next for ReHEAT
I hope ReHEAT sparks something small but real.
That someone watching it decides to visit their local Repair Café, pick up an old object, and bring it back to life.
Because not everything that’s broken is finished.
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