They Called Me Whale

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  Poster

Inspiration ✨

This film was inspired by the quiet struggles so many young people face when they feel unseen or excluded because of who they are. Growing up with that sense of invisibility is painful—but it also fuels imagination. I wanted to capture that tension: the sadness of being pushed to the margins, and the hope that comes from discovering the courage to step into the light.

What I Learned 📚

Working on this project taught me that filmmaking, whether live-action or AI-driven, is always about truth and emotion. The tools may change, but the heart of the story comes from the creator. I learned how to direct AI outputs the way one would direct a crew—guiding, refining, and shaping every detail until it served the emotional arc of the film.

Building the Project 🛠️

The production was built through a fusion of cutting-edge tools:

Kling AI provided the foundation for image and video generation, establishing the film’s unique visual style.

Hedra brought characters to life with expressive, talking animations that carried emotion through performance.

Suno AI created the music, allowing the story to unfold in a lyrical, musical rhythm that heightens its emotional impact.

Challenges Faced ⚡

Consistency: AI visuals required careful iteration to ensure characters looked and felt the same from scene to scene.

Synchronization: Matching Hedra’s lip-sync and body movement with emotional beats demanded precision.

Balance: Suno AI’s music was powerful; finding the right blend between sound and story took time.

Vulnerability: Perhaps the biggest challenge was personal—telling a story that reflects deeply human insecurities and putting that truth into the world.

Reflection 🌊

They Called Me Whale is more than an experiment in AI filmmaking—it is a story about courage, belonging, and the right to take up space. While technology helped me shape the visuals, the heart of this film is profoundly human. My hope is that it reminds audiences everywhere: you are seen, you are enough, and your voice matters.

Built With

• chatgpt
• hedra
• kling
• suno