AI FILMS: How to make an entire SHORT FILM with AI (Full Tutorial)

Introduction

Creating a short film in a short period can be a daunting task for any filmmaker. However, with the power of AI tools, it is now possible to create an impressive piece of work in just a fraction of the time. In this tutorial, I'll share my experience of creating a nostalgic-looking short film in under 16 hours using my voice, video editing software, and six different AI tools.

The Contest Challenge

I entered a contest held by the video AI company Runway ML, which opened its suite of tools to anyone who registered. With a total of 60,000 AI minutes or 300,000 credits at our disposal, contestants had to create a 1 to 4-minute film within 48 hours, incorporating three elements from a predetermined list: a character archetype, a scene, and an object. However, I was on a time crunch, having only 16 hours to complete the film.

To optimize my workflow, I turned to ChatGPT for assistance. My initial prompt was as follows:

"I am a filmmaker using the AI tool Runway ML to create a film for a 48-hour film festival. I'm going to add in the contest requirements, and you will be my writer's assistant helping me to shape the story based on the contest prompt."

ChatGPT responded by generating 15 different story combinations. Unfortunately, none felt quite right. I kept experimenting until a different idea began to form in my mind.

Crafting the Story

For my film, I decided on the following elements:

Character Archetype: A creature from space
Scene: A grocery store
Object: An exit door

Using Midjourney, I generated hundreds of stills that would serve as inspiration for Runway ML. I crafted a cinematic prompt to create the desired atmosphere: "cinematic scene dark aisle of a grocery store at night 1984, wide shot, Kodak Portra 400, Steven Spielberg motivated lighting style, raw, aspect ratio 16:9."

After finalizing the look of my 1980s grocery store, I turned my focus to the creature design. Initially, I envisioned a single creature but quickly changed it to a race of jellyfish-like light creatures to allow for more creative freedom in character design. I generated multiple images and prompts until I found a creature I liked and used it as a reference for further designs.

Bringing the Vision to Life

After gathering enough visuals, I utilized Runway Gen 2's image-to-video feature. The key to crafting good shots was to make small tweaks in setting, consistently regenerate the imagery, and exercise patience. After generating hundreds of videos over six hours, I downloaded 47 of the most usable shots, albeit at a smaller file size and lower resolution than I'm accustomed to. To enhance the quality, I used Topaz AI to upscale the video files to 4K ProRes format and added film grain to alleviate some of the AI's smoothness.

The editing process was surprisingly quick; I imported everything into Adobe Premiere Pro and had a rough cut in about an hour. To further enhance the 80s vibe, I added additional grain filters and film scratches while nesting and duplicating my timeline to apply a fast blur effect.

With the visual story in place, I moved on to writing the voiceover based on the light outline I created with ChatGPT. After recording my narration on my phone, I used Altered AI to morph my voice for a more polished performance.

Finally, I utilized Adobe's text AI tool to capture the voiceover narration and create subtitles for the film.

Conclusion: A Rewarding Experience

After 16 hours and with the help of six AI tools, I completed my short film. Out of hundreds of submissions, my film was one of eight award winners, earning the Best Character award. The prize included valuable Runway credits, which will certainly aid in my future projects.

Stay tuned for more fun AI films, and if you haven't yet watched my short film "Let Us Explore," click here to do so!

Keywords

AI tools
Short film
Runway ML
ChatGPT
Midjourney
Creature design
Video editing
Adobe Premiere Pro
Voiceover

FAQ

Q: How long did it take to create the short film?
A: The entire process took just 16 hours.

Q: What AI tools were used in the creation of the film?
A: Six AI tools were utilized, including Runway ML, ChatGPT, Midjourney, Topaz AI, Altered AI, and Adobe's text AI tool.

Q: What were the required elements for the film contest?
A: The contest required filmmakers to include one character archetype, one scene, and one object from a list of options.

Q: Why did you change the creature design from one creature to a race of jellyfish?
A: Changing to a race of jellyfish-like creatures provided more flexibility in character design and consistency across shots.

Q: What awards did your film win?
A: The film won the Best Character award among eight total winners.