Smell beneath the bloom

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  Smell beneath the bloom

Inspiration

This film is part of my year-long collection This Is Humanity, a project created to make us reflect on our behaviours in a world driven by consumerism. The idea of replacing trash with flowers came from the way we often mask the consequences of our actions, decorating discomfort so we don’t have to face it.

What it does

The film uses visual poetry to reveal the contrast between beauty and waste. By showing flowers where trash should be, it exposes how easily we disguise our impact on the world and how quickly we forget what falls out of sight.

How we built it

I developed the piece through AI-driven animation workflows, crafting scenes that balance aesthetics with metaphor. The creative process involved experimenting with symbolic imagery, refining emotional tone, and ensuring the narrative stayed true to the core message of the This Is Humanity collection.

I used Midjourney for conceptual visuals, ChatGPT for narrative refinement, WAN 2.5 as the main animation engine, ElevenLabs for the voiceover, and CapCut to assemble and finish the piece into its final form.

Challenges we ran into

One of the main challenges was portraying waste and decay without relying on literal visuals. Finding the right balance between beauty and discomfort, without losing the subtlety, required many iterations. Translating a symbolic idea into a coherent, emotionally resonant short film took time and precision.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

I’m proud that the final film conveys a message that feels both gentle and unsettling. It invites viewers to question their habits, reconsider what they discard, and reflect on the invisible impact of everyday choices.

What we learned

Through this process, I learned how powerful symbolism can be when paired with deliberate storytelling. The film reinforced the idea that we often hide our actions behind aesthetics, but once you strip the beauty away, the truth becomes impossible to ignore.

What's next for Smell beneath the bloom

This film is another step toward expanding the This Is Humanity collection. Next, I plan to explore more visual metaphors around overconsumption, responsibility, and emotional decay, pushing the boundaries of how AI-driven art can challenge, provoke, and inspire reflection.

Built With

• capcut
• chatgpt
• elevenlabs
• midjourney
• wan2.5