TIME

Inspiration

Time was born from one of the deepest fears I carry: cancer. It is a disease that has taken people I loved, leaving a silence that stays long after they’re gone. When I wrote the poem that later became the lyrics, I was trying to give shape to this fear — to face it instead of letting it grow in the dark. Using my own avatar as the protagonist was a conscious choice: a way of turning the camera inward and admitting that the journey is mine. The film became an act of catharsis, a way of transforming anxiety into art.

What it does

Time tells the story of a man who receives a cancer diagnosis and is thrown into an inner journey where reality and imagination dissolve. Guided by an original song I wrote and produced on Suno, the film explores fear, memory, mortality and acceptance through symbolic visual sequences. It becomes an emotional landscape where the protagonist’s mind tries to process what is happening. The audience experiences not only the narrative but also the psychological and spiritual shock of the diagnosis.

How we built it

The project began with a poem — raw, personal, and intimate. I turned this text into lyrics and composed the music in Suno, using its emotional tone as the backbone of the film. Visually, I built the short using AI image and animation tools, generating symbolic environments that reflect the protagonist’s inner turmoil. My own avatar acts as the vessel for the story, allowing me to express my fear through a digital self. The process was iterative: I refined imagery, color, structure and pacing to align with the rhythm of the music and the emotional beats of the narrative.

Challenges we ran into

The biggest challenge was handling a theme as delicate as cancer without sensationalism or emotional manipulation. Maintaining honesty was essential. Another challenge was using AI tools to create visuals that felt intimate and human — this required constant adjustments to preserve vulnerability in expressions, lighting and movement. Working with my own avatar also challenged me to confront my fears head-on, which was emotionally demanding throughout the creation.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

I’m proud that Time captures a human truth: the silence, terror and reflection that follow a life-changing diagnosis. I’m proud of the emotional coherence between poem, music and imagery — each part reinforces the other. And I’m proud of transforming fear into a film that may help others who have faced illness, grief or uncertainty. Making this short became a way to reclaim power over something that has taken so much from my life.

What we learned

We learned that AI, when directed with intention, can amplify emotional storytelling rather than obscure it. We learned how music can serve as the emotional spine of a narrative, guiding the rhythm of images and transitions. And we learned that art can be an act of healing — a way to confront trauma and reshape it into something meaningful.

What’s next for Time

Future steps include expanding Time into a larger project exploring mental health, mortality and the emotional impact of illness. There are plans for an extended cut with additional symbolic sequences, as well as a possible installation version where the audience can walk through the protagonist’s inner world. The goal is to continue using my avatar and AI-driven visual language to explore themes that are difficult to talk about — but necessary to face.

Built With

• elevenlabs
• freepik
• kling
• midjourney
• suno