GEN AI: Hybrid Production
For this project, we shot real actors with stand-in references for the objects they interact with. Everything else was generated with AI.
The AI material was generated by the production company 27Km, so my role was more about overseeing it. First, we created the characters with the look and texture we wanted.
Then I worked closely with Theo Boswell, who nailed the overall look of the locations.
Once all that is locked, it's time to shoot. And this is where you need to be extremely precise about the method you're using, and the whole team must be aware of it. There are two hybrid AI shooting approaches: Full Pixel Replacement and Footage Preservation.
With Full Pixel Replacement, the footage you shoot will be 100% replaced by AI generations. This means you should pay extra attention to camera movement, framing and timing. It also helps to light it properly, as it will be used as a rough guide. This was the method we used on this project.
With Footage Preservation, the idea is to keep the camera images intact, rotoscoping the characters and objects and using AI to generate everything else.
Knowing which method you're following before the shoot is essential.
And just a tip: on hybrid projects, always book a pre-grade session to grade the footage before you start generating. It massively helps the generations get closer to the final look, and makes sure your film looks the best it can.