The Heir

Inspiration

The Heir came from a mix of billionaire family dramas and short-form storytelling. We wanted to see if AI tools could support a grounded, character-driven thriller built for phone-first viewing.

What it does

It’s a suspense drama about a broke mechanic who suddenly inherits a media empire and becomes a target for the late billionaire’s family. The project is presented as a cinematic 9:16 trailer and a set of short, high-tension scenes ready for TikTok / Reels / Shorts.

How we built it

We wrote the logline and synopsis, then broke the story into compact beats with clear stakes and cliffhangers. Lookdev and characters were explored with AI image models and curated references. Shots were generated and refined with several AI video tools, then edited and paced in CapCut with light upscaling and AI-driven voices/SFX for final polish.

Challenges we ran into

Keeping faces, outfits and locations consistent across different AI models. Making compositions readable on a small vertical screen while keeping a cinematic feel. Finding a rhythm that works both for thriller tension and for fast-scrolling feeds.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We shaped a clear thriller premise with recognizable recurring characters and a distinct visual tone. We assembled a reusable AI pipeline from concept to finished vertical scenes.

What we learned

Story beats and emotional stakes decide whether the project works; tools come second. Precise, shot-like prompts give far more control than vague descriptions. Vertical drama benefits from its own pacing and framing instead of copying traditional 16:9.